#161: Strategy | How to Enter New International Markets, Hiring Locally, and the Content Approval Trap with Max Van Den Ingh
Dave sits down with Max Van Den Ingh, founder and CEO of Unmuted, a B2B SaaS marketing agency based in Amsterdam. Max shares his insights from his background in Sales, sharing how his approach of building relationships has translated to a successful marketing agency.Max and Dave Cover:His high-touch approach to entering new markets by focusing on understanding the landscape and building relationshipsChallenges and advice for hiring in international marketsThe shift towards scrappier, more authentic content in B2B Marketing and the case against multiple layers of content approvalTimestamps(00:00) - - Intro (05:58) - - The US Approach to Marketing (08:46) - - Max’s Initial Agency Skepticism (11:57) - - B2B Marketing Strategies for Dutch Tech Companies (13:56) - - Challenges of Expanding SaaS in EU Markets (18:12) - - How to Effectively Use Local Expertise (22:12) - - Building Your First Customer Playbook (25:56) - - Creating a Long-Term Strategy for New Markets (28:36) - - Branding and International Expansion (34:53) - - Challenges of Hierarchy in Large Organizations (36:19) - - Multiple Layers of Approval and In-authentic Content Send guest pitches and ideas to hi@exitfive.comJoin the Exit Five Newsletter here: https://www.exitfive.com/newsletterCheck out the Exit Five job board: https://jobs.exitfive.com/Become an Exit Five member: https://community.exitfive.com/checkout/exit-five-membership***Today's episode is brought to you by Customer.io.You know that feeling when you open your inbox, and it’s just… noise? Bad marketing. Spam. Most companies are out here just talking at customers, not talking to them.Marketing messages should do more than just land in an inbox – they should create impact and drive real engagement.Customer.io helps companies send smarter, more personalized messages using first-party data. Their platform enables brands to reach customers at the right time, in the right place, on the right channel—whether that’s email, SMS, push notifications, or beyond.And the best part is that it’s all automated, so you’re not just blasting campaigns and hoping for the best. You’re running a machine that delivers real, human engagement at scale.7,000+ brands already trust Customer.io to make their marketing feel less like noise and more like connection. Join them by visiting Customer.io to get started. ***Thanks to my friends at hatch.fm for producing this episode and handling all of the Exit Five podcast production.They give you unlimited podcast editing and strategy for your B2B podcast.Get unlimited podcast editing and on-demand strategy for one low monthly cost. Just upload your episode, and they take care of the rest.Visit hatch.fm to learn more