Why I Ignored 60% of My Customers for 5 Years (Why Every Startup Should Go Global from Day One)

Published September 22, 2025 • Based on Founder Reality Episode 20

Also available on: Apple Podcasts • Spotify • YouTube

After five years of building SimpleDirect, I discovered something shocking in my analytics: 45-50% of our blog traffic came from the UK, Germany, France, and South America. For five years, I'd been turning away paying customers because I thought "global" meant "complex."

I was wrong. Dead wrong.

Today, every founder should build globally from day one. It's not just easier than you think—it's easier than perfecting a single local market.

The "Focus" Trap That Cost Me Millions

When I started SimpleDirect in 2019, I made what seemed like a smart decision: focus exclusively on the US market. We got a US address, phone number, incorporation, and banking. I wore our "US-only" restriction like a badge of honor.

The logic seemed sound. I'd worked at startups that served global markets—one cycling analytics company had users from Japan and China, another blockchain startup had worldwide adoption. But when it came to my own company, I convinced myself that focus was the answer to everything.

The cost of this "focus" was massive:

• Constant support tickets asking "Do you serve Canada/UK/Australia?"
• LinkedIn messages from potential customers we couldn't help
• 50% of our blog traffic from countries we ignored
• Years of saying "Sorry, US-only" to eager customers

Here's what I didn't understand: businesses exist globally, and they have the same problems everywhere. Every country has home repair issues. Every country has businesses that need software solutions. I was essentially telling the world that only Americans deserved our product.

The Five Excuses Founders Make (And Why They're Wrong)

Most founders avoid going global because of these common fears:

1. "We Need to Understand Local Regulations"

Everyone's heard the horror stories about European regulations and GDPR fines. But unless you're a payment processor or stockbroker handling sensitive financial data, you can start with terms that work globally. Create a privacy policy covering California rules, GDPR, and Canadian requirements. Done in an hour.

2. "Different Countries Have Different Needs"

This assumes your problem is uniquely American. But think about the tools you use daily—Google, Zoom, Microsoft, Stripe. Do people in England, Australia, or Japan have different needs for these tools? They don't.

3. "Language Barriers Are Too Complex"

Buffer, one of the most successful global SaaS companies, doesn't have language switches or regional versions. They serve the world in English. So does Zoom, GitHub, and Stripe before they got massive.

4. "Payment Processing Is Complicated"

Stripe processes payments globally from day one. They built infrastructure that worked across countries using existing frameworks like Visa. If Stripe can launch globally, so can your business.

5. "Customer Support Across Time Zones Is Impossible"

Email support with a 48-hour response time works fine. Customers are content with this standard. Add community forums so users can help each other, and you've solved 80% of support issues.

What Global Companies Actually Share

After researching successful global software companies, I found five common patterns:

1. Universal Problems: They solve issues that exist everywhere, not region-specific challenges.
2. English by Default: Zoom, GitHub, and Stripe all started in English only. No localization required.
3. USD Pricing: Shopify, a Canadian company, charges USD globally. One currency reduces complexity and currency risk.
4. Digital Delivery: They ship software, not physical goods. No geographical constraints.
5. Network Effects: Global users spread the product organically across countries and continents.

My Default Global Strategy

As I sunset SimpleDirect financing and launch two new products—SimpleDirect Context (MCP servers for AI tools) and SimpleDirect ChangeLock (customer-facing changelogs)—I'm going global from day one.

Here's my framework:

1. Product Strategy

• Solve universal problems that exist everywhere
• Use English as the primary language
• Price everything in USD for stability
• Build for digital delivery only
• Design for multiple time zones from day one

2. Legal and Compliance

• Start with terms of service that work globally
• Create privacy policies covering major jurisdictions (California, GDPR, Canada)
• Don't overcomplicate with local customizations initially
• Accept that you'll refine compliance as you grow

3. Operations

• Use Stripe for global payment processing
• Offer email support with clear response time expectations
• Accept international phone numbers and addresses by default
• Remove country-specific restrictions from signup forms

What NOT to Do

• Don't build separate versions for each country
• Don't assume you need local partnerships
• Don't wait for perfect international strategy
• Don't ask users which country they're from unless absolutely necessary

The Results Speak for Themselves

Since implementing this global-first approach for my new products, the results have been immediate:

• Similar conversion rates across international and domestic traffic
• No significant increase in support tickets
• Higher payment rates from international customers solving problems local competitors can't
• Less competition in many international markets
• Faster word-of-mouth growth across multiple regions simultaneously

The math is simple: same product, same pricing, same support process, same development work—but suddenly accessible to 4x more potential customers.

Check Your Analytics Right Now

Stop reading and check your analytics. I bet you'll find:

• Significant traffic from countries you don't serve
• Higher engagement but no conversion from international visitors
• Support requests asking about availability in other countries

If you see any of these patterns, you're leaving money on the table.

The 2025 Reality

With modern payment processing, cloud infrastructure, and global English adoption, building globally should be the default, not the exception. The barriers that existed 10 years ago have largely disappeared.

Most founders artificially limit their markets by assuming international means complexity. I was one of them. But launching global is now easier than perfecting local optimization.

The bottom line: Unless you're solving a problem that only exists in one country (which is extremely rare), you should be building globally from day one. The world is waiting for your solution—don't make them wait five years like I did.

Your next customer might be in Germany, Brazil, or Australia. Are you ready to serve them?

What's stopping you from going global? I'd love to hear your thoughts and help you overcome the barriers you think exist.