I was watching Sky News the other night when a journalist described one of Donald Trump’s deals as “devoid of complexity and history.”
It was meant as an insult, a way of saying he’d oversimplified something that demanded nuance.
But it stuck with me, not as a criticism, but as a challenge.
Because in global business, that phrase might actually describe the smartest way to start.
Most companies never go global because they overthink it. They want to understand everything before they do anything. They drown in data, research, and risk assessments, trying to perfect a move that, let’s be honest, can never be perfect.
And in that search for certainty, they lose the one thing that matters most: momentum.
Simplicity isn’t a lack of sophistication. It’s the courage to act before you’ve answered every question.
The Paralysis of Complexity
Ask any founder or CEO about going international and you’ll hear the same list: regulations, logistics, compliance, cultural fit, pricing, IP, tax treaties… it goes on.
And I get it. The world feels uncertain. Currently, the United States and China are engaged in another tug of war, with Beijing tightening its exports of critical rare earth minerals and Washington threatening to impose 100 percent tariffs on Chinese goods. Add rising costs and shifting trade alliances, and it’s easy to see why so many companies freeze before they move.
But here’s the truth: you can’t plan for every contingency.
I’ve seen businesses spend months buried in feasibility studies and strategy decks, waiting for the “right” time to enter a new market. Meanwhile, their smaller, hungrier competitors are already out there, making the first sale, learning fast, and adapting faster.
In global business, hesitation is the silent killer. The companies that win aren’t the ones who predict everything. They’re the ones who move first and figure it out in motion.
Context Matters. But Don’t Get Cold Feet From It
Let’s be clear: preparation matters. Understanding a market’s culture, compliance, and context is essential if you want to build something that lasts.
Ignore local nuance and you’ll make expensive mistakes. Disrespect cultural expectations and you’ll lose trust fast.
But here’s the thing: the most valuable lessons don’t come from research decks; they come from being on the ground.
You can’t localise a product until you’ve seen how people respond to it.
You can’t refine a distributor agreement until you’ve signed the first one.
And you definitely can’t build relevance in-market without showing up.
Going international is daunting, and mistakes are part of the process. The key is to make new ones, just not the same ones your competitors already made.
The Power of Simplicity
Every global success story starts with one simple, deliberate move.
When James Dyson looked beyond the UK, he invested most of his efforts and resources in one distributor in Japan who believed in his idea. That one “yes” funded his future.
Similarly, when Starbucks stepped outside the US, it didn’t aggressively roll out across Europe. It opened one store in London, learned how people drank coffee differently, adjusted its model, and then scaled.
That’s the real secret of international growth: one market, one product, one partnership that proves the model.
What looks like baby steps from the outside is usually a smart, disciplined play from the inside. Because those first moves give you three things that every business needs before it scales: data, confidence, and direction.
The Takeaway
So yes, maybe Sky News meant that phrase as an insult.
But in business, a deal devoid of complexity and history” might just be the smartest deal you ever make.
Going global doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s about acting on the opportunity right in front of you, then fine-tuning as you grow.
The most successful brands don’t wait for perfect conditions. They test, learn, and refine. They build momentum through action, not speculation.
That’s the difference between theory and traction.
If you’re ready to take your brand international and want to get that first step right, I’d love to help you make it happen. Book a discovery call with me here and let’s talk about how we can simplify your path to global growth.
