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Hire the Top 1% of International Expansion Consultants

EU, UK, Canada, Australia, the US. Operators who have actually launched and scaled in new markets, so you avoid the own-goals that kill traction in year one.

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About MentorPass

Est. 2020·10,000+ engagements·avg rating

The list

The 9 best international expansion consultants

Most expansion advice is theory from people who read the case study. These operators ran the playbook. Most of the founders who book this work sell physical product across borders, so the list leans toward people who have moved real inventory into real markets.

  1. 01Ben Smith

    Ben Smith

    Vetted operator100+ sessions

    Former COO at AG1

    Ben scaled AG1 to more than $600M in revenue and a $1.2B valuation in four years, building multi-channel operations for hyper-growth brands like Earth Breeze, Sugarfina, and Williams-Sonoma. When you are entering a new market, the bottleneck is usually ops and logistics, not demand, and that is exactly the seat he sat in. Reviewers describe 30-minute sessions they dissect for a week.

Sound familiar?

From stuck to a plan you can run this week

The problems founders bring our international expansion operators — and what they walk away with.

  1. In Europe this line has already proven itself, but here in North America we are struggling to get traction.

    A market-entry plan built on why the product worked in one region and what actually has to change for the next, not a copy-paste of the home-market playbook.

  2. After two years we are only at about $100K in sales, and honestly we are struggling to get traction.

The scope

What an international expansion consultant actually does

The work our international expansion operators take on, from first call to ongoing.

  • Market-entry plan

    A specific go-to-market for the next country: positioning, channel, pricing, and the first 90 days.

  • Market prioritization

    Ranking which markets to enter and in what order, weighed on demand, margin, and operating difficulty.

  • Cross-border operations and logistics

    Standing up fulfillment, supply chain, and the local setup so you can ship fast without breaking the back end.

  • Landed-cost and feasibility review

    Pressure-testing unit economics against tariffs, currency, and regulation before you commit capital.

  • Channel and retail strategy

    Deciding whether to enter a market through DTC, retail, marketplaces, or licensing partners.

How MentorPass works

The easiest way to hire an international expansion consultant

Find your expert, book a call, solve your problem — and keep them on when you’re ready.

  1. 1. Find your consultant

    Browse the ranked list of vetted operators. Every profile shows their track record, the brands they’ve scaled, and exactly what they go deep on.

  2. 2. Book a call

    Pick a time and share your context up front. They review it before you meet — no spending the first 20 minutes on background.

The guide

What to know before you hire a international expansion consultant

An international expansion consultant helps you take a business that works in one market and make it work in another. That sounds simple. It is where most growing brands lose a year of runway, because the home-market playbook rarely survives the border intact.

What an international expansion consultant does

The work splits into three jobs. First, sequencing: which market do you enter next, and why that one before the others. A consultant weighs demand, margin, and how hard each market is to actually operate in, then gives you a ranked order instead of a scattershot list of flags. Second, market entry: the positioning, pricing, channel, and first 90 days for the country you picked. Third, operations: fulfillment, supply chain, currency, tariffs, and the local setup that has to hold before you add volume. One founder on MentorPass was running 13 markets, 7 currencies, and 9 languages at once. That complexity is the real cost of expansion, and it is what a good operator helps you decide whether to take on.

What to look for when hiring one

Hire someone who has crossed the border, not read about it. The tell is specifics: a market they entered, a number they moved, a mistake they made and would skip next time. A common pattern on this work is a brand that proved a product in Europe and then stalled in North America, or the reverse. The person who helps you is the one who has felt that exact gap, not someone with a general framework. Ask what they would actually do in your first 90 days. If the answer is concrete, you have the right person. If it is a deck, keep looking.

Why founders use MentorPass for expansion

Most of the founders who book this work run consumer brands in DTC and ecommerce, and the roster is built to match: operators who scaled AG1 past $600M, ran channel strategy at Petco for 13 years, and drove billions in revenue at L'Oreal, NARS, and Unilever. You book by the session, so you can get a precise answer to one market-entry question without signing a retainer. Sessions run 30 minutes, and reviewers describe leaving with clear objectives they can act on the same day. Expansion is a sequence of high-stakes bets. Talking to someone who has placed them before is the cheapest insurance you can buy.

Proof

Results from these international expansion consultants

Average rating
4.99★

Average rating

Written reviews
167

Written reviews

Sessions booked
974

Sessions booked

Expert operators
8

Expert operators

I had a call with Julie last night because I had a bunch of questions about retail for our pet supplement brand. I talked through a lot in a bit of a monologue, and she listened carefully to everything I said. She gave advice that took into account the time we had and made sure we covered everything efficiently. She was friendly and knowledgeable, and I came away feeling it was one of the best mentorship calls I had had. I would book more.
From a session with Julie Nelson

Why MentorPass

MentorPass vs. the alternatives

When you need international expansion help, you have four options. Here's how they actually stack up.

MentorPassAgenciesFreelance marketplacesFull-time hire
Time to first callThis weekWeeks of pitchesDays, hit or miss2–3 months

Industries

Where our international expansion operators have done it

Real reps in these verticals, not theory. The kind of pattern-matching that only comes from having shipped in your category.

  • E-commerce International / Expansion ConsultantsInternational / Expansion operators who've built and scaled DTC and online retail brands.
  • CPG International / Expansion ConsultantsInternational / Expansion operators who've scaled consumer packaged goods brands in retail and DTC.
  • Agency International / Expansion ConsultantsInternational / Expansion help built for agencies and professional service firms.
  • B2B SaaS International / Expansion ConsultantsInternational / Expansion guidance for B2B software and platform companies.
  • B2C SaaS International / Expansion ConsultantsInternational / Expansion guidance for consumer apps and subscription products.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What does an international expansion consultant actually do?

They help you pick which market to enter next, build the go-to-market for it, and stand up the operations and logistics behind it. The good ones have launched in new markets themselves, so they tell you which own-goals to skip rather than handing you a generic framework.

How much does it cost?

You book by the session, not on a retainer. You can get a sharp read on your market-entry question in a single 30-minute call. Reviewers regularly say they got a week's worth of clarity, and some earned the cost back within 24 hours.

How do I book one?

Pick the operator whose background fits your market and question, then book a session directly. Several mentors send prep questions before the call so the time goes straight to your problem instead of background.

Explore more

See all capabilities

Hire a international expansion consultant who's done it before

Pick a consultant and book a call — or tell us what you're working on and we'll route you to the right operator in the network.

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Contact

4.97

Ben Smith

Former COO at AG1

Nick Shackelford

Paid media and CPG operator

William McCarron

Chief Strategy Officer, operations

Vetted operator
100+ sessions

On MentorPass

Hire Founders & Operators from Top Brands

OperationsGrowthBusiness StrategyMulti-channel
View profile
  • 02Nick Shackelford

    Nick Shackelford

    Vetted operator550+ sessions

    Paid media and CPG operator

    Nick has run 550+ sessions on MentorPass at a 4.99 rating, more reps than almost anyone in the roster. His lane is paid media, creative, and go-to-market for subscription and CPG brands. If your expansion question is how to buy a new market profitably instead of burning cash proving demand twice, start here.

    Paid MarketingGo to MarketCreativeCPG
    View profile
  • 03William McCarron

    William McCarron

    Vetted operator30+ sessions

    Chief Strategy Officer, operations

    William has taken commerce startups from initial funding to $100M. He works the operations and strategy side: the supply chain, the funding, the structure that has to hold before you add a second country. Five-star rating.

    OperationsBusiness StrategyFundraisingGrowth
    View profile
  • 04Ronak Shah

    Ronak Shah

    Vetted operator150+ sessions

    CEO and Co-Founder at Obvi

    Ronak built Obvi as a bootstrapped DTC supplement brand, which means he has felt the cost of every wrong bet personally. He uses tech, marketing, and analytics to find revenue, and his 150+ sessions are the most-reviewed in this roster, at a 4.96 rating. Founders say they earned back their investment within 24 hours of a session, and that he made warm intros inside 48 hours.

    Founder CoachMarketing StrategyDTCBootstrapping
    View profile
  • 05Julie Nelson

    Julie Nelson

    Vetted operator

    CPG and retail advisor, 13 years at Petco

    Julie spent 13 years at Petco, so she knows how a consumer brand actually wins shelf and channel, not just clicks. She advises on product, commercialization, and retail strategy. If your expansion plan involves retail distribution in a new market, she has sat on the buyer's side of that table.

    Go to MarketRetailProductChannel Strategy
    View profile
  • 06Jessica Shamoon

    Jessica Shamoon

    Vetted operator

    Licensing and consumer products lead

    Jessica has more than 10 years in licensing and consumer products, working with Fortune 500 companies, global sports brands, and entertainment organizations to launch products that generated millions in revenue. Partnerships and licensing are how a lot of brands enter a new market without building local infrastructure from zero. That is her specialty.

    LicensingBrandingBusiness DevelopmentGo to Market
    View profile
  • 07Benjamin Lord

    Benjamin Lord

    Vetted operator

    Ex-L'Oreal, NARS, Unilever, LVMH

    Benjamin has driven billions in revenue at L'Oreal, NARS, Unilever, and LVMH, with three exits behind him and brands scaled from zero to nine figures. Those are global houses that move products across dozens of markets as a matter of routine. He brings that category and market-entry firepower to founders ready to expand.

    BrandingGo to MarketMarket ResearchGrowth
    View profile
  • 08Panagiota Hatzis

    Panagiota Hatzis

    Vetted operator

    VP of HR at HexClad

    Panagiota is a 3x VP of HR, currently at HexClad, giving real-time tactical feedback on team, culture, and org structure. Expansion usually breaks on people before it breaks on demand: who runs the new market, how you hire there, how the org holds together across time zones. That is the work she does.

    Team BuildingCultureOperationsLeadership
    View profile
  • 09Leo Walter

    Leo Walter

    Vetted operator

    President at Bloom

    Leo is President at Bloom and scales CPG brands both online and in retail. He covers go-to-market, operations, and the financials underneath an expansion, including fundraising to pay for it. For a consumer brand deciding whether a new market is worth the capital, he can pressure-test the numbers before you commit.

    Go to MarketOperationsFinancialsCPG
    View profile

    • A clear read on whether the issue is product, positioning, or channel in the new market, and the two or three moves that open up the first real demand.

  • We launched in the US with a few customers but have limited experience here.

    An operator who has launched in this market walks you through the first 90 days: distribution, logistics, and the local mistakes to skip.

  • We are running 13 markets, 7 currencies, and 9 languages, and the operation is getting heavy.

    A structure and ops review that decides which markets earn the complexity and which ones to cut, so growth does not bury you in overhead.

  • Tariffs and regulatory changes keep changing whether international shipping even pencils out.

    A landed-cost and feasibility check, market by market, so you commit capital where the unit economics survive the regulation.

  • We want to expand globally but we are not sure which market to enter next or in what order.

    A ranked sequence of markets based on demand, margin, and how hard each is to operate, instead of chasing every flag at once.

  • Localization and team

    Adapting product and content to the market and figuring out who runs it on the ground.

    • 3. Leave with a game plan

    Get specific, prioritized advice you can act on this week — and keep working with them ongoing if it clicks.

  • Keep them on

    Found your match? Keep your international expansion operator on as an ongoing advisor as you scale.

    • Nick was fantastic. I came in as a technical founder who knows how to build but is still learning how to sell, and in 30 minutes he gave me exactly what I needed. He read my product and my blind spots fast, was clear about who my real ICP is and why agencies and email marketers are my way into the market, and gave honest, unvarnished GTM advice — including what won't work. His product feedback was just as sharp as his go-to-market thinking. And he's remarkably generous: without me asking, he offered several warm intros to operators and communities in his network, and even offered to trial the product himself. If you're an early-stage DTC or e-commerce founder trying to find your footing, book him. Easy five stars.
    From a session with Nick Shackelford
    Ben is the real deal, one of the highest-signal 30 minutes I've had as an operator. I'm the co-founder & COO of a multi-brand DTC supplement group, and I came to Ben with questions about scaling operations, cash management during hyper-growth, and how the COO role evolves from startup to scale. He didn't give me frameworks or generic advice — he gave me positions. Clear, opinionated, immediately actionable answers drawn from actually having lived it: how to finance inventory growth with debt instead of equity, how to structure supplier terms and PO financing ahead of lead-time crunches, how to think about org design across a brand portfolio (shared back office, dedicated growth leads per brand), and some genuinely uncomfortable but necessary truths about hiring and letting go of people as the business outgrows them. What impressed me most is the density. Every answer was a decision, not a discussion. I walked away with concrete changes to make this quarter plus a clearer view of my own role for the next 18 months. I could have talked with him for hours. I'll be booking a longer session next time. If you're building a consumer brand and you're serious about scaling, book the call.
    From a session with Ben Smith
    Ronak really took the time to dive deep with us. He asked thoughtful questions, looked at our business economics from every angle, and helped break down the real constraints we’re dealing with. The way he explained things just made sense, and his advice around building teams, hiring the right people, and structuring the business was honestly spot-on. Super easy guy to talk to, sharp as hell, and genuinely wants to help. Would definitely recommend chatting with him if you’re looking to learn from someone who’s been in the trenches and actually gets it.
    From a session with Ronak Shah
    Who you actually getTop 1% international expansion operatorsJunior account managersUnvetted freelancersHard to find senior talent
    Proven at your stageBuilt & scaled real brandsA playbook, not your contextVaries wildlyIf you can afford them
    CommitmentPer call — no lock-inMonthly retainerPer projectSalary + equity
    CostPer session$$$$ / month$$ / project$$$$$ + overhead
    Ongoing supportKeep them on as an advisorLocked into scopeChurn and rehirePermanent headcount
    Media International / Expansion Consultants
    International / Expansion for media, content, and publishing brands.
    How are these mentors vetted?

    Every operator on this list has real expansion or scaling experience and a track record on the platform. Ben Smith ran 100+ sessions at a 5.0 rating, Nick Shackelford 550+ at 4.99, Ronak Shah 150+ at 4.96. The ranking reflects relevance to expansion plus session volume and reviews.

    Which markets do these mentors know best?

    The roster covers entering the US from an EU or Nordic base, expanding out of the US into Canada, the UK, the EU, and Australia, and operating across MENA. Most have moved physical consumer products across these borders, not just advised on it.

    Can I work with the same mentor over time?

    Yes. Expansion is rarely one decision, so founders often run a first session to set the plan and come back as they hit the next market or the next operational wall. Many reviewers booked repeat calls with the same operator.