Open North America from the Pacific, or open Asia from here.
Vancouver is the gateway for companies from Asia entering North America, and the base for Canadian firms heading across the Pacific. Most failed entries are failures of execution, not of strategy.
What makes the crossing harder than it looks
Crossing the Pacific is rarely a strategy problem. It is an execution one:
A structure chosen from afar
Entity, tax and payroll decisions made at head office carry consequences that are costly to reverse.
Your first Vancouver leader carries the whole launch
Get the first country leader wrong and a year is gone.
Two business cultures, one team
Expectations around decisions, reporting and pace differ, and neither side says so.
Head office sees a tidy report
Reports look fine and hide what is happening on the ground.
A fractional executive on the ground puts a senior person in Vancouver within weeks. They establish the local structure, recruit the first team and give head office a plain view of the market.
Who this is for, and who it is not
Best for
- International companies opening their first Canadian entity
- Entrants who need speed and local knowledge from day one
- A launch that needs commercial, finance and operations led at once
- Businesses testing the market before committing to a full local C-suite
- A distributor or partner in place, but no one owning the market strategy
Not for
- A pure legal or licensing task an adviser should handle
- Businesses with no product or offer ready for the market yet
- A one-off market study with no intention to enter
- Companies wanting a nominee rather than an operating leader
How a Pacific entry runs
We find the operator, settle the scope with head office across the Pacific, and stay with the work while the local team forms.
A plain view home
Our check-ins give head office a straight account of the market, and drift is raised early.
Both sides of the Pacific
The collective of 800+ includes operators who have opened North American operations for Asian companies, and companies in Asia for Canadian ones.
Handover by plan
A permanent lead arriving, or a change of executive, gets a handover we run, so local relationships stay with the business.
Two cultures, one team
Two business cultures meet in one team. We match for someone who can work in both.
Market entry works in phases, not a single launch
From pre-entry setup to an established business, with the scope adjusting as you go.
Pre-entry: setup and strategy
Entity structure recommendation, regulatory navigation, early relationship building, and market intelligence gathering, before you arrive.
Landing: first 90 days
Commercial engagement begins. Operational infrastructure established. Team building starts. Financial and compliance framework is operational.
Traction: months 3–12
Commercial pipeline develops. Operational model proves out. Team grows. Leadership needs evolve and scope adjusts.
Establishment: months 12–24
Business is established. Revenue is evidence-based. Specific functions may transition to full-time hires. We advise on when and how.
The market-entry leadership stack
Most entries need more than one function led at once. Start with the one under most pressure, then add others as you establish.
Market entry needs leadership across commercial, finance, operations and people
Start with the function under the most pressure, then add others as the entry matures.
Our executives bring market-entry experience from
