Europe GTM
First 90 Days After Opening a European Hub
The first 90 days of a European hub are not about scale. They are about reducing ambiguity. A good launch turns the market from a strategic idea into an operating system: clear ICP, target accounts, first meetings, hiring scorecard, and realistic board expectations.
Proof
€12M ARR
Scaled SaaS revenue across UK, DACH, Nordics & Southern Europe as VP International Sales
€1M ARR
Founded Allcolibri from zero, secured €1M financing (€500k equity, €500k debt)
25+
Built and led a team of 25+ across UK, DACH, Nordics and Southern Europe
€1M+
Personally drove strategic deals including a €1M+ contract with Schibsted
Operator perspective
Who this is for
US and European B2B SaaS companies building repeatable revenue in Europe.
Common mistake
Treating Europe like one market instead of a sequence of different markets, buying patterns and hiring constraints.
What I would do
Pick the wedge market, define the first commercial hire, tighten the ICP, and build a six-month operating cadence before scaling breadth.
Days 1-30
Establish the operating foundation
The first month is about clarity: who owns Europe, which country is first, what the ICP looks like, how pipeline will be reviewed, and which stakeholders in HQ are accountable for product, legal, and marketing support.
This is also when weak expansions lose momentum. If the founder and the Europe lead cannot answer what success looks like by day 90, the expansion is already under-managed.
Days 31-60
Turn assumptions into market evidence
The second month should produce real signal: meetings, objections, procurement blockers, and early pipeline shape. You are not looking for vanity activity. You are looking for what the market is teaching you about sequencing, messaging, and deal friction.
This is also when the first follow-on hire plan should be sharpened. A VP Sales Europe profile without a clear next hiring motion quickly becomes a very expensive individual contributor.
Days 61-90
Create a board-worthy expansion narrative
By day 90, the team should be able to show one of two things: early qualified pipeline in the right accounts or a clear decision to narrow or change the first-market thesis. Both are useful. What is not useful is activity without interpretation.
The board should leave month three with a credible picture of the next two quarters, not a collection of anecdotes.
Related
FAQ
What should a board expect by day 90?
Qualified pipeline, a sharper ICP, clear learning from real conversations, and a credible hiring or sequencing plan for the next quarter.
Should the first 90 days produce closed revenue?
Sometimes, but that should not be the only success metric. In many enterprise motions, the key output is validated pipeline and referenceable demand.
What is the most dangerous signal by day 90?
No clear target market, no qualified pipeline, and no explanation of what the market is teaching the team.
Best fit
Recruiters
Use this site if you are hiring a VP Sales Europe, CRO, GM Europe or interim revenue operator for a B2B SaaS company.
Founders
Use this site if you are opening Europe, hiring your first senior sales leader, or need a sharper GTM motion by country.
Investors
Use this site if a portfolio company needs Europe market entry, sales leadership, or a faster path from €1M to €10M ARR.
Work with Adrien
Need an operator, not another generic playbook?
Talk to Adrien about your Europe GTM plan, VP Sales Europe hire, or revenue leadership mandate.