How Not to Lose Money in 5 Countries at Once

Expanding internationally sounds like the dream.More customers. More markets. More revenue.Until your margins disappear, your ops get messy, and you realise you’ve accidentally built five slightly broken businesses instead of one good one.In this episode, Adam sits down with Kareem Raslan, Managing Director of Braingain, to talk about what scaling internationally actually looks like.From importing dumbbells during lockdown and delivering them around London… to building a brand with 100,000+ customers across 30+ countries, Kareem shares the lessons (and mistakes) that shaped Braingain’s growth.This is a conversation about simplifying, focusing, and building a business that actually makes money — not just one that looks good on a map.In this episode:Why trying to sell everything everywhere doesn’t workThe reality of unit economics across multiple marketsWhy first-order profitability matters more than most brands admitHow localisation impacts performance in EU marketsWhat breaks first when you scale (and how to fix it)Why simplifying channels can unlock growthThe challenges of working capital during expansionWhat Kareem would do differently starting againAbout the guestKareem Raslan is the Managing Director of Braingain, a fitness equipment brand that scaled rapidly from a lockdown side hustle into a global business serving 100,000+ customers across 30+ countries.Starting by importing adjustable dumbbells and delivering them locally around London, Kareem has built Braingain into a brand focused on profitable growth, strong unit economics and disciplined expansion.He has hands-on experience navigating the complexities of international expansion, product focus, channel strategy and scaling operations.🔗 Braingain website ➡️ https://www.braingain.fit🔗 Kareem Raslan (LinkedIn) ➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/in/kareemraslan/About the hostAdam Pearce is Co-Founder of Blend Commerce and eCom Collab Club®, helping eCommerce brands grow through smarter CRO, customer experience and commercial strategy.Known for cutting through noise and focusing on what actually drives growth, Adam brings practical, operator-led conversations to founders and teams.🔗 Adam Pearce (LinkedIn)https://www.linkedin.com/in/shopifyexpertadampearceLinksBraingain → https://www.braingain.fitAdam Pearce (LinkedIn) → https://www.linkedin.com/in/shopifyexpertadampearceBlend Commerce → https://blendcommerce.com👍 Like🔔 Subscribe💬 Comment: What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made (or seen) when expanding internationally?#internationalecommerceexpansion #ecommercescalingstrategy #uniteconomicsecommerce #dtcglobalexpansion #howtoscaleecommerceinternationally #ecommerceprofitability #amazonshopifystrategy#ecommercegrowthmistakes