Expanding into the US is rarely a simple extension of a UK sales model. The market is larger, faster and more specialised, and a senior hire who looks perfect on paper can still fail if the brief is built around the wrong assumptions.
Hiring a title instead of a mandate
“VP Sales” can mean very different things. Decide whether the priority is landing the first enterprise customers, building a team, creating repeatable process or scaling an established engine. The candidate profile should follow that mandate.
Underestimating regional complexity
Time zones, customer concentration and talent markets matter. A New York-based leader may bring a different network and operating rhythm from someone in Austin or San Francisco. Location should be a commercial decision, not an afterthought.
Using UK compensation as the benchmark
US packages are structured differently and top candidates assess equity, upside, territory and resources together. Benchmark the whole proposition locally before entering the market.
Running a slow process
Strong candidates often have several active conversations. Agree decision makers, assessment criteria and interview dates in advance. Speed should not replace rigour, but indecision is costly.
Selective Search supports UK technology companies hiring commercial leaders across the US, combining targeted search with practical market insight.