International Market Entry Advisor
Strategic market assessment and Go/No-Go decisions — before capital is committed.
Most international expansions don't fail because of poor execution. They fail because the market assumptions were wrong from the start.
I assess whether a market justifies your investment — before the money moves.
For UK and US companies expanding into LATAM and Continental Europe.
What I do — in one sentence
I tell you whether a market really justifies your investment. Or not.
To do that, I look at how customers in the target market actually search and buy, who already owns that market — and whether your resources realistically allow you to establish a foothold there.
When you need me
Before entering the market
Potential partners identified, investment planned — but you're not sure whether the market actually works. I assess that before capital moves.
In the middle of expansion
Budget is running, team is active — but results aren't coming. I analyse why and what needs to change.
You're present but invisible
Your company is active in the target market but isn't being noticed there. Budgets flow without impact. I find the structural reason.
You need someone who knows LATAM or DACH from the inside
Berlin-born, based in Argentina since 2006 — I know both sides. Not from reports. From two decades of working directly in and between these markets.
How I work
Before the decision
I assess whether the target market justifies your investment — in 2 to 4 weeks. No 50-page reports, but a clear decision basis for your leadership: a Go/No-Go recommendation with rationale, risks, and options.
During expansion
I accompany you as a strategic partner: Why isn't the market responding as expected? What needs to change? I translate market reactions into concrete recommendations for your team and agencies.
Ongoing support
For companies already active internationally: I track market developments, identify early when something shifts — and tell you what it means for your strategy.
Important: I don't handle operational execution. I work at the decision and steering level — making sure your choices are based on real market data, not internal assumptions.
What I concretely assess
→ Is there real demand?
Not whether a market theoretically exists — but whether customers in the target market are actively searching for what you offer. And whether they call it what you call it, or something completely different.
→ Who already owns the market?
Who is already established? How strong are local competitors? And realistically: can your resources actually get a foothold there?
→ What stands in the way?
Regulation, logistics, political risk, cultural business differences. What are the real barriers — beyond demand and competition?
→ How does the market see your brand?
Is your company visible in the target market — and if so, how? Does that image match what you're trying to sell?
Three examples from practice
US SaaS company (>80 employees) — United States → DACH
Situation: Product validated in the US, expansion into Germany/Austria/Switzerland planned, local partner identified.
Assessment: The problem the product solves exists in DACH — but German buyers frame it differently and search for solutions in a different category. The identified partner operates in the wrong segment for B2B enterprise.
Recommendation: Pause partner investment. First reposition within the correct German market category, then identify partners in the right segment.
Impact: Avoided a misdirected investment. Later entry with the right positioning.
UK professional services firm (>120 employees) — UK → Argentina/Brazil
Situation: Pilot engagements completed in LATAM, board asking: scale up or pull back?
Assessment: Demand exists, but value perception doesn't translate. The firm is seen as a "premium niche option for special cases" rather than a credible ongoing partner. Specific segments identified where European expertise commands a structural premium.
Recommendation: Go — but focus exclusively on the identified premium segments rather than the broad market. Restructure the pitch for the segments with genuine willingness to pay.
Impact: Entry into higher-margin segments instead of competing on price in the volume market.
US EdTech platform — United States → Spanish-speaking LATAM
Situation: Strong US traction, exploring expansion into Mexico and broader LATAM Spanish-speaking market.
Assessment: Demand exists, but the market logic is completely different — different price reference points, different certification expectations, different trust channels. A direct copy of the US product would fail.
Recommendation: Go — but with significant product and positioning adaptation, not a direct rollout.
Impact: Entry with an adapted model instead of a replication that would have failed.
What I offer
Market & Search Intelligence
I analyse what's actually happening in the target market — demand, competition, perception — and translate it into a clear decision basis for your leadership.
Learn more →Market Reality Check
The fast answer to the most important question: is this market worth entering? In 2 to 4 weeks — structured for board and investment decisions.
Learn more →Strategic Sparring & Advisory
Ongoing support for companies already expanding. I'm the independent outside perspective — the one who tells you what your internal team may not see.
Learn more →Who I am
I'm Marcus A. Volz — economist and international market advisor with over 20 years of experience.
My market knowledge doesn't come from textbooks. Over 20 years as an expert and bridge-builder between international markets have shown me where expansions actually fail — and why.
Two markets are my particular strength: LATAM — I've lived and worked in Argentina since 2006, with direct market access, local networks, and on-the-ground knowledge of the Cono Sur. And DACH / Continental Europe — Berlin-born, German-speaking, I know how European buyers think, decide, and buy.
I work with companies from Europe and North America expanding into new markets — and with UK and US companies that need someone who genuinely knows both sides.
I look at what's actually happening. Not what internal presentations show.
Marcus A. Volz
International Market Entry Advisor
I don't work like an agency. I don't sell campaigns or execution.
I'm the independent advisor you bring in before a major decision is made — or when an expansion in progress isn't working as planned.
Is the market worth entering — or not?
I look at your situation and tell you honestly whether the underlying assumptions hold up. No sales pitch. No generic advice. A straight assessment.
If it doesn't make sense to talk further — I'll say that too.