Bill Kenney: Hi, and welcome to the next episode of Belly2Belly. We’re here today with a great friend, Bob Fuchi from Growth Acceleration. Welcome, Bob.
Bob: Bill, thanks for having me. Good morning.
Bill Kenney: Great to see you! So today, we’re diving into U.S. expansion—specifically, helping companies drive revenue and acquire customers. Before we jump into that, would you mind giving us a quick overview of what Growth Acceleration does for some context?
Background of Growth Acceleration
Bob: Absolutely. We’re a sales and business development company, first and foremost. I started Growth Acceleration in 2014 to address a need I noticed: companies with compelling, tech-driven solutions—often overseas—wanted to expand and grow effectively in the U.S. So, if you’re in Finland, Sweden, Denmark, or the UK, for instance, and you’ve established a solid customer base, the next logical step may be U.S. expansion. The question is, how do you invest in a way that delivers real results? Our goal is to represent our clients’ solutions and brands effectively, helping them create real, funded demand, which I can elaborate on.
Focus on Enterprise Sales
Bill Kenney: So, it sounds like your focus is primarily on enterprise sales?
Bob: Yes, though this year we did take on our first B2B-to-consumer client, a company from Canada. But traditionally, our expertise is B2B.
Challenges in U.S. Market Expansion
Bill Kenney: Fantastic. So, let’s jump into our topic. You’ve been doing this a while, not just as a consultant but also hands-on within companies. When European companies come to the U.S., where do they typically struggle with revenue generation?
Bob: Good question. They usually struggle with the top of the funnel. They see a huge opportunity but fail to convert it into revenue. Many rely on demo-based selling, but people in the sales process tend to be polite, giving encouraging feedback without actual commitment. That’s why we focus on driving “funded demand.” It’s about getting beyond polite interest to real buying intent.
Improving Prospect Quality
Bill Kenney: That makes sense. And thinking about hiring, the quality of candidates ties back to the quality of prospects in your funnel, right? Can you talk us through how you improve prospect quality?
Bob: Definitely. One approach we emphasize is the “challenger model,” where we exchange value with prospects to build an equal relationship. But it’s hard to do that remotely without building trust or a face-to-face relationship. So, we start by showing that we’ve solved similar problems for other clients. This is key because, whether it’s an analytics issue in Finland or New York, those challenges are often similar. The question is whether they’ll give us the time to show them the value we can bring.
The Importance of Being Candid
Bill Kenney: Right. That initial buy-in is crucial. It sounds like being clear-eyed and candid is also essential to help clients see the true level of interest from customers, not just assumed interest.
Bob: Exactly. For example, we work with a client in the fleet and transportation space, which is a low-margin business. They’re not going to invest in backend systems but are very interested in solutions that improve asset optimization. We’re always honest about where the win is—for both them and us.
Structured Sales Processes
Bill Kenney: That’s a great insight. So, it seems like you add quite a bit of structure to the sales process, even down to the first and second meetings, discovery, needs assessment, and proposal.
Bob: Yes, we do. Many companies—especially international ones—lean heavily into product-driven pitches, essentially listing features before understanding the customer’s needs. It’s like a doctor diagnosing pneumonia without running tests. We do “day-in-the-life” demos, showing how the solution will benefit the client daily. Discovery takes time, but it’s worth it to make the demo more effective.
Traits of Successful Founders in U.S. Expansion
Bill Kenney: It’s clear that discovery is vital to your approach. So, reflecting on founders you’ve worked with, what common traits do successful ones have that set them apart?
Bob: Successful founders are fantastic listeners. They don’t rush to pitch their product; they listen carefully, then respond by explaining how the product addresses the challenges raised. They even point out challenges the client may not have thought of. This sounds simple, but they’re also genuinely good people—committed to helping clients succeed. They’re creative in offering flexible options and not afraid to admit they’re still learning about the U.S. market, which builds trust and even affection.
Balancing Confidence with Empathy
Bill Kenney: That humility, balanced with the confidence needed to cross an ocean, really seems like a powerful combination.
Bob: Absolutely. Balancing confidence with empathy creates the best foundation for meaningful, sustainable relationships.
Conclusion
Bill Kenney: This has been amazing, Bob. Thank you so much for your time and insights today. We’ll have to do this again soon.
Bob: Thanks for having me, Bill. I’d be happy to come back.
Bill Kenney: Perfect. We’ll put your contact info in the description. Thanks again, Bob!
You’ll also enjoy reading, 12 Essentials You Need to Know for US Expansion.
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About MEET
MEET helps international B2B & B2G companies scale in the U.S. through trade shows, events, and strategic connections. Contact Bill Kenney to discuss your U.S. expansion goals bill@meetroi.com or +1 (860) 573-4821.
