---
title: "Judith de Leede:The Courage to Go Global"
description: Going global can be rewarding for entrepreneurs, but it is not without considerable risk. Judith de Leede speaks to us about the best methods to use to avoid the pitfalls, and succeed on a global level.
author: Darie Nani (Editor-in-Chief)
date: 2019-07-17T11:53:17.000Z
updated: 2026-02-25T15:40:37.841Z
canonical: https://www.sovereignmagazine.com/article/judith-de-leede-the-courage-to-go-global
image: https://cdn.nanimediahouse.com/judith.webp
categories: Business
content_type: Interview
region: Netherlands
publication: Sovereign Magazine
---

When entrepreneurs take the big plunge and go global,
they often run into pitfalls. The hurdles in international business can be difficult
to spot in time. Whether underestimating the amount of preparation required to
enter a new market, or failing to create an export plan, going too fast, often
slows down your plans.  When you forget
to properly consider local markets (like demand and competition) or fail to
find a local agent or distributor who understands the USP of your product, you’ll
have too much work and too few results. Yes, the pitfalls are numerous, but
they are also similar and where there is similarity there is predictability, and
where there is predictability there are methods which address it.

## What you need to know about Innovative International Business.

So, what are these methods? Who is best informed
on how to implement them? To help answer these questions, we spoke to Judith de
Leede,  an innovative International
Business partner for companies of various kinds. She works from the Netherlands
and helps entrepreneurs worldwide. Her solutions to the export hurdles are optimistic
and positive. Judith believes the answers to the pitfalls when going global
always have a link with cooperation. With a real knack for cooperation, Judith
has earned her accolades in communication, formula marketing, project
management, joint promotion campaigns and complex sales and innovation
processes. We started by first asking Judith what inspired her to create her business,
Alliance Experts:

I started Alliance Experts in 2011 alongside an international
lawyer, a mechanical engineer and an urban planner. We were inspired by an
American idea to support companies in finding the best alliance partners to
help them fulfil their needs to innovate and create new business together with
another company. Not only because it takes two to tango, but also because one
plus one can make three, if you work together well. Simply having a good local business
partner in the country you want to do business, can help you enormously.

#### What did you do before?

I had been working in an insurance company for many years. It was a large corporation with a strong hierarchical structure. I felt this was a hindrance to my work style and I was too independent to always comply with the rules imposed by a management team in some office somewhere. I had been in b2b sales team for a long time, so I felt confident that if I could sell complex insurance concepts, I could sell anything! Only I didn’t yet know, which product or service would be suitable for the business target group I had in mind. What I did know, was that it had to be something which would combine my knowledge of sales and international business.

#### What hurdles do you help entrepreneurs overcome?

When expanding into markets abroad, there is quite a lot to
consider. My job is to help people overcome export pitfalls. It may be basics
like getting your export plan right, or having an understanding of business and
cultural norms in the market you are entering. The legal side of it can also be
daunting. Finding the right people on the ground who understand that country,
is vital. A big part of what we do is putting companies in contact with local experts.
This goes beyond understanding the local market. We also make sure they
understand the business and product and what its aims are. A partner search by
yourself can be very expensive, in both cost and time. Especially when you are
a small business or entrepreneur, it can make all the difference to have access
to the right people. We make the process accessible and affordable.

It also doesn’t matter what stage of the process you are at. Maybe
you are starting fresh and we can help from the get-go, or maybe you already
have some plans in place or are already in the process of entering a new
market, but things aren’t going as well as they could be. Maybe the demand for
your product is exceeding expectation and you now need to consider scalability.

#### Can entrepreneurs and small companies really go global, or is this still something reserved for big players?

Oh definitely! The changing nature of business and the increasing
use of technology really means anyone can go global. Before, only well
established companies could realistically pull this off, but now the market is
more open, and anyone can trade worldwide. You still need to do your homework
and the hurdles are still there, but there is no getting around the fact it has
never been more accessible then it is today. Companies like ours are a proof of
this. We only exist because there is a demand for our services!

If you feel your product would work well abroad or you are in a
competitive and over-saturated local market, don’t dismiss the possibilities
that trading abroad could bring.

#### Entering new markets is always a risk, what are your top tips for anyone thinking to do so?

The biggest risk is that you don’t dare to take any risks.

Be creative when you are worried. Brainstorm your problem, be creative
with it. Taking matters into your own hands feels good.

What makes you happy? What is your dream? Do not make neatly
written lists, create a wild, pleasant chaos. Even though it may feel like
you’re losing control, new ideas will arise!

Treat everything as a learning experiment. Without expectations
and perfectionism. Always keep in mind that you are discovering and learning.

Think big. The bigger you think, the greater your options. Look
for the biggest cooperation partners you can find, they can help you to find
the biggest clients!

Never give up! Seek support from others, allow yourself a rest
period, and then continue with fresh courage.

#### About Judith de Leede

Judith launched Alliance
Experts in 2011 and it’s has grown into an international network with business
partners located around the world. In Europe, Alliance Experts is most active
in Germany, France, Spain, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. 

Alliance
Experts currently operates with business developers in over 20 countries
worldwide. In The Netherlands, Alliance Experts operates the Starters
International Business (SIB) programme, subsidised by the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs. SIB allows Alliance Experts to support Dutch companies to move towards
foreign markets free of charge