2. • Jan og hans team i Atlanta har siden 2005 lavet over 800 projekter
for over 200 danske virksomheder, fokuseret på at forøge deres salg
i USA.
• Kontoret i Atlanta huser idag 24 virksomheder i Inkubatoren og har
siden 2001 hjulpet over 45 virksomheder med fysisk at starte
datterselskab.
• Jan Sauer tiltrådte som leder af Handelskontoret i Atlanta, Juni
2005. Forud for denne stilling arbejdede Jan Sauer som konsulent
ved Kunde & Co, Nordens største reklamebureau.
• Forinden arbejdede Jan Sauer for The Conrad Group i USA i 5 år,
hvor fokus var international strategiplanlægning.
• Jan Sauer er Cand.Merc. i Marketing fra Copenhagen Business
School, har taget MBA kurser ved Georgia Tech, samt læst strategi,
ledelse og innovation ved Harvard Business School.

3. • Hvad kræver det for at få succes i USA. Organisation, Produkt,
Kapital og Tid.
• Hvor er det bedst at starte? Hvad med produkt ansvarsforsikring?
• Er der en Best Practices metode for succes?
• Er det bedst at ansætte en Amerikaner eller en Dansker?
• Hvor lang tid går der inden jeg lukker min første ordre og hvor lang
tid til break even?
• Hvordan kommer jeg egentlig i gang, og hvad koster det?
• Hvordan kan Eksportrådet hjælpe mig?

4. • Organisation and team:
– US entry is the idea of c-level and board
– Sr. Mgt. From DK, typically VP level to head the US initiative
– 24/7 attitude with an ability to execute on the plan
– Recurring communications and evaluation on progress based on
plan
• Capital:
– Well funded, allowing operations for 24 - 36 months before cash
flow positive
• Products:
– Focus on selling the one product where they are truly unique
– Product ROI is clearly understood and significant in US$
• Time:
– Sees the US market as a marathon, not a sprint

5. • 6 critical parameters to consider when locating your US HQ:
– Customer and partners locations? How important are personal
relationships?
– Cost of doing business (index numbers readily available). NY
172 vs. Atlanta 98.
– Communications requirements with Denmark. Locate on the
East coast if this is important.
– Logistics and transportation network and availability of
connections to Denmark?
– Available and affordable access to talent? Cluster? Universities,
etc.
– Quality of life. Attraction and retention of employees.

6. The answer: Take it seriously but don’t overestimate it….and do not
believe the urban legend horror stories.
The TCD recommended solution includes:
1. Evaluating the needs with a US attorney to identify the need and
coverage
2. Setting up a US subsidiary to shield the HQ
3. Getting an umbrella policy that includes liability as well as a myriad
of other very important but oftentimes overlooked coverage

7. Step 1: Get back to basics:
• What is your core capability?
• What problem does your product solve?
• What do you do that is unique and different?
• Why exactly are your customers buying from you?
• Quantify your ROI
Step 2: Concept test the market before jumping in – validate step 1
• Do a Pre-entry market test with 5-10 potential customers to get answers to your
questions. This is more realistic, more efficient and less costly than a full blown
market study…and it often produces a number of leads that can be followed up on
Step 3: Iterate your offering based on input from step 2
Step 4: Launch the initiative virtually using the TCD as your sales staff . This further
provides input before final launch. Support from HQ is essential here.
Step 5: With a pipeline in place, lauch staffed with a C-level person from DK and support
from the TCD, with a well defined plan that lays out the goals, timelines, activity levels
and types of activities, budgets, timelines and communications processes and
frequency
Step 6 - ongoing: Keep close to the market. Evaluate 1 time per month and together with
DK and the TCD Client Manager, as a team. Iterate plan if necessary. Repeat as
necessary.

8. • To optimize cost while leveraging the TCD brand and experience:
Start with TCD as your salesforce
• Optimal setup: C-level from DK, supported by local american hire.
• The more sales oriented the role is, the more an American can fill
the job

9. Understand that it takes 2 times as long as expected, but that you
typically grow 3 times as fast once you have traction.
100
90
80
70
60
50
Expecation
40
Reality
30
20
10
0
6 mths 12 mths 18 mths 24 mths 30 mths 36 mths

10. Generic 1 year cost budget based on L1A visa type (mgt
transfer) and using best practices process DKR
Salary to DK staff (start 6 months post virtual start) 300,000
Health insurance 12,500
Complete startup cost, using TCD's startup preparation
package 50,000
US legal documents such as contracts, etc 5,000
Umbrella policy coverage incl. liability 25,000
Copyright and trademarks registration 10,000
US website, brochures, biz cards, letterhead 20,000
Office, phone mgt, fax and mail handling at the TCD
Accelerator in Atlanta 84,000
Monthly book keeping and payroll, incl. annual
Accounting revision 30,000
Office supplies, phone, and other flexible expenses 10,000
Travel and entertainment (flexible, low due to local
market) 50,000
Using TCD to kickstart the the US market 240,000
Other expenses 50,000
Estimated total investment required to enter and grow
the market using best practices approach 836,500

11. TCD has a very strong brand that can kick in doors otherwise closed.
TCD Atlanta consists of dedicated sales and marketing people desiring
to take an operational partnering role with our clients.
We are the process experts, you are the product experts, lets work
together for maximum benefit.

12. • Startup Preparation Package: The soup to nuts package for getting you
started in the USA. We help you with all aspects of starting up, using our
network of service providers that offer you negotiated rates. You can be up
an running (less immigrations) in 4 weeks. Investment: 10,000 (after export
subsidies)plus direct cost to services providers.
• Concept test: Pre-entry market test: 5-10 potential customer meetings, pitch
coaching and final feedback from TCD. Investment: 14,000DKR (if export
subsidies of 50%, otherwise 28,000dkr)
• Virtual solution: US address at TCD office, Phone and Fax answering, Mail
handling, Access to in-house accounting firm solely focused on DK clients.
Per month: 3200DKR
• Full service solution: Virtual solution but with physical dedicated office.
Access to community and networking events, plus monthly coaching by
TCD staff. Per month, starting at 10,000DKR.
• Virtual+ Local Hire: Full Service solution where TCD recruits a US person to
work on behalf of the company, oversight and strategic coaching by TCD
staff. Per month, starting at 20,000DKR.

14. • 1 customer segment
• 1 metro area
• 1 product

16. • US office address, phone number and fax
• US phone number NOT answered by the CEO
• Support payments with checks and American Express
• Customer service department
• Americanized website
– Website in english, with lots of pictures
– About Us with exec bios
– Customer Service number (Vanity number)
– Online FAQ
– Payments with Amex and checks, forget Diners Club
• Make local networking a priority – join your chamber and local trade
groups

17. • Outsource non critical tasks to trusted advisors to ensure quality
while keeping low cost…you dont want your sales person being
responsible for the accouting, accounts receivables, phone
management, etc.

18. • What if we have not sold anything in 12 months?
• How much total capital is available to the US before we pull the
plug? (what is the magic number??)

20. • +40 companies served since 2001
• Currently 24 active firms in the Atlanta office
• Leverages the UM brand and UM network nationwide to kick start
the company in the US market
• Safe environment with control mechanisms by market entry experts
from the TCD
Bottom line: Saves DK firms on average 3-6 months when starting up

21. Exit
process Own
Full time
Virtual +
Dependency of
Virtual TCD
Startup
prep
process
Concept testing
and iterations

22. Startup
Preparatio
Company Market n
B Physical
developm Package and virtual
ent
infrastruct
services
ure
(core)
Company Accountin
c Company partners Admin
g and
Company with TCD – TCD assistanc
d
CFO
maintains e
services
coordination and
quality control
aspects
Company
e Marketing
Company
Legal
f
and sales
Other HR
services (recruiting
Company
f
as and
needed benefits)