Exploring the often overlooked essential first steps

This episode of The Independent Minds dives into the real, often unseen challenges of taking a founder‑led business beyond its home borders. Michael Millward speaks with international growth specialist Nadia Pace, whose career has been dedicated to helping organisations in Malta, Greece, Cyprus, the UK, Africa and Asia navigate the complex journey of expanding into new jurisdictions.

Drawing directly from the conversation “Internationalization can be very costly, especially for small, medium-sized enterprises” and “having a trusted local partner can facilitate a great deal” this episode explores:

• Why founders’ emotional attachment to their business can both drive and complicate international growth
• How to choose the right market based on data, sustainability and future potential
• The importance of cultural alignment, political stability and economic context
• Why partnerships, joint ventures and acquisitions can accelerate expansion
• The hidden pitfalls: currency restrictions, time‑zone strain, employment law surprises, and the realities of starting from zero in a new country
• The value of independent advisors who can spot blind spots founders may miss

Nadia shares candid insights from her work with SMEs and founder‑managed organisations, highlighting the delicate balance between ambition, practicality and organisational readiness. Michael brings his HR and compliance expertise to the discussion, adding real‑world examples of how seemingly small details; like marital status or local employment norms; can derail international expansion plans.

This is a thoughtful, experience‑rich conversation for founders, leaders and anyone curious about what it really takes to grow a business internationally.

As always, The Independent Minds doesn’t tell you what to think, but it certainly aims to make you think.

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