I always begin an assignment for the American market with a 5-point diagnostic of capability to succeed, focusing on five points:

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1. Having a product, approach, or advantage that will meet the needs of a potentially significant segment of the market better than anyone else in the world. This advantage or innovation must be protected by sustainable competitive advantages.
    

2. Having achieved a dominant position in the domestic market. If one struggles to maintain market share at home, it will be challenging to survive in a distant and more competitive foreign market.
    

3. Generating profits in the domestic market. A launch in the United States typically requires net investments for periods ranging from 3 to 5 years.
    

4. Having reached a certain organizational depth: having seasoned leaders at the headquarters for each key function, such as sales, operations, finance, IT, and human resources.
    

5. Having a financial system capable of producing monthly reports on the performance of the new market: sales, gross margin, detailed expenses, net profit by department and/or region.

​If the answers to all these questions are positive, you can commit in a methodical and structured manner. Otherwise, it is better to wait until you are ready, invest in R&D, in your organization, and in your systems to strengthen your position in the domestic market. The goal should not be to enter the United States at any cost, but to increase the value of the company.