Most plans treat the market as the hard part. In practice, the calendar is. This sheet shows how long it takes to set up, hire and become compliant in the eight markets our clients enter most, so you can get the order right before you commit.
What’s inside
Benchmarks for the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Singapore, India, Brazil and Mexico:
- Getting set up: local director rules, how long a business bank account takes, and how money moves in and out
- Employing people: first hire timelines with and without your own entity, probation, notice and what ending employment costs
- Time to a first day: the realistic gap between a brief and a senior hire starting, which is usually two to five months
- Data and compliance: the law you take on, the first thing to do and the maximum penalty
- The trap in each market: the one landing mistake that costs more than the rest combined, and the better sequence
- First leader authority sheet: a template for agreeing what your first leader in market can decide before the offer goes out
- Five questions for your board: so the funding covers the build, not just the target
Built from our work with 250+ companies across more than 80 countries, checked against official sources and current as of October 2026.
Who it’s for: Founders and leaders planning their next market, or already in one and finding it slower than the plan said.
