When Should a US Startup Hire Its First Person in Europe, and Who Should It Be?
The signs that it is time
- You have several paying customers in one European country, won from the US.
- Deals are slowing because of time zones, language or the lack of someone local.
- A partner or large customer is asking for a local contact.
- The leadership team has agreed which country comes first and what success means.
If none of these is true, a hire is early. Keep selling from the US and gather more evidence.
Who the first hire should be
The first person in a new market does a different job from the tenth. They have no brand, no references and no playbook that fits. They need to work things out.
Look for someone who:
- has sold or built business in that country before, ideally in your sector,
- is senior enough to speak with customers' executives and with your own leadership,
- can work alone, without marketing, sales support or a manager nearby,
- reports problems honestly, including that the US approach is not working.
Titles vary. It could be a country lead, a head of Europe or a first general manager. The profile matters more than the title.
Why a lone sales rep fails
The usual pattern is to hire one account executive in London, give them the US pitch deck and a quota, and wait.
It fails for predictable reasons. The message has not been adapted. There are no local references. Sales cycles are longer than the quota assumes. Headquarters is asleep when the rep needs help. After two or three quarters the rep leaves or is let go, and the company decides Europe is not ready.
In most cases the market was fine and the set-up was the problem.
What I learned building teams from zero
At Google I built the Trust & Safety team in Zurich from zero to about thirty people. The first few hires set everything that followed: how the team worked with headquarters, how decisions were made, and what was expected of new joiners.
The same holds for a first market. Your first hire becomes the template for the region. Hiring for seniority and judgement costs more at the start and saves a year.
How to set the first hire up to succeed
- Give them an owner at headquarters. One executive who is responsible for the expansion and available at European hours at least part of the week.
- Agree the first-year goals. Learning goals for the first two quarters, revenue goals after that.
- Bring them to the US first. A few weeks with product, sales and support teams before they start in the market.
- Fund the basics. Local legal review of contracts, translated materials if needed, and a travel budget.
- Decide how they are employed. Through your own local entity or an employer of record. Take local legal advice, because employment law differs a lot between countries.
Common questions
Should the first European hire be in sales?
They need to be able to sell, but the role is wider. The first hire also learns the market, adapts the message, finds partners and tells headquarters what needs to change. A pure sales profile usually struggles.
Should I send someone from the US or hire locally?
Both can work. A trusted person from headquarters knows the product and the culture. A local hire knows the market and the language. Many companies pair the two for the first year.
Can I hire in Europe without a local company?
Yes, through an employer of record, which employs the person on your behalf. It is a common way to start. Once you have several employees in one country, your own entity usually makes more sense.