When Sifra Geytenbeek's first daughter was born, she sewed a cover for the second hand bouncy chair she just bought. A few years and lots of seat covers later, she is a rock star in the world of entrepreneurs and the CEO of Ukje, whose mission is to create happy families - today and for generations to come. Enjoying a challenge, she expanded Ukje to the US market. And a challenge it was! When Sifra started her American Adventure, she did not think there were cultural differences to pay ...

When expanding to the USA, working with a local partner can be one of the most powerful ways to fuel your growth engine. But did you know that the American partner’s definition of a successful collaboration often differs from a European partner’s expectations? The foundation of a strong partnership is built on a shared vision of success! But where to start in the search for a US partner? Sophie Boutelegier shares what makes a European American collaboration successful. Sophi...

Ready to scale up and set up a US business? There are a lot of factors to consider when sending an employee to live in the US. A vital yet often-overlooked consideration is the US visa application: when to apply and what visa has the best chance of approval? EU citizens planning to live and work in the US can’t just move and work in the US; the US government requires them and their company to meet certain criteria, which aren’t always easy to prove. The type of visa a company appl...

Ever wondered what Americans really think of doing business with the Dutch? What they think is different (if not weird!) about doing business in the Netherlands? Or for my American audience, do you want to know the secret to doing business with the Dutch? What are the "do's and don'ts" of doing business in the Netherlands? Listen to my conversation with Nancy Grossman, an American entrepreneur who has lived in the Netherlands for 29 years. Nancy shares her observations of an American living i...

Why you should use a lawyer for all US transactions Remember the lady who sued McDonald’s and got millions of dollars? She spilled hot coffee on herself and got rich – or so we think. Lawyer Carl van der Zandt tells us the real story behind this headline- grabbing court case and explains the differences between the Dutch and American legal systems. Carl is a Dutch lawyer who practices law in New York. He has helped countless European scale ups establish their US entity and do business t...

How long will the average user stay on a web page before leaving? Not very long. Why do they leave? Because the value proposition is unclear and users do not immediately find what they need. How do you keep the attention of a potential customer to your website? One way is to tailor the contents and lay out to the local audience, and not just translate your website into the local language. The objective of visiting a website varies per country, as does the way buying decisions are made. ...

What you will learn: How to find the state with the most advantageous tax and other incentives for your businessWhat other factors to consider when deciding where in the US to locate your businessHow to identify your drivers for success and use them to determine your locationIdentify cultural differences per state (this is still a podcast about cultural differences!)The roles of labor unions which are different per stateThat the accounting rules differ per stateYou don't have to go to t...

Most entrepreneurs are aware of the cultural differences between the US and the Netherlands - but how do these cultural differences affect business? Most entrepreneurs find out when their potential customers or investors stop paying attention 5 minutes into your presentation, or when American new hires leave the company sooner than expected. Just some small differences in communication that have a huge impact……… In this episode of The Dutch American Connection podcast, I have a conversation w...

When starting something new, you don't know what you don't know. You don't know which questions to ask and how to prepare. Foleon's VP of Sales Douglas van Oijen learned from experience what the ROI of preparation is. Douglas shares his lessons learned from managing and doing business with Americans, and how preparation would have helped him hit the ground running those first few months when everything was new. In 2018, Douglas and his family moved from the Netherlands to New York...

As a country of immigrants with a long history of racial tensions, it can be said that DEI - Diversity, Equity and Inclusion - policies in the US have come a long way compared to the Netherlands. Director of DEI Paula Robinson takes a deep dive into what DEI is, why it is important and how it can be turned into a competitive advantage. Discover what the Dutch can and must learn from American DEI policies! Check us out on LinkedIn Sign up at DutchAmericanConnection.com to receive this p...