Entering East African markets: your first 90 days
Most failed market entries fail in the first quarter — not because the product was wrong, but because the groundwork was rushed. Here is the sequence we run.
Weeks 1–3: validate, don't assume
Size the real addressable demand, map the regulatory and import requirements, and pressure-test pricing against what the market actually pays. Desk research gets you a hypothesis; the first three weeks are about replacing assumptions with evidence on the ground before any capital is committed.
Weeks 4–8: find the right partners
The distributor or agent you pick determines everything that follows. The wrong partner doesn't just slow you down — it can quietly lock you out of a market for years. We shortlist candidates, verify them properly, and make warm introductions, so you are not betting your entry on the first name you happen to meet.
Weeks 9–12: land a first deal
A small, real transaction beats a big plan every time. It proves the channel works, surfaces the friction you can't see from a spreadsheet, and gives you something concrete to build the next quarter on. Momentum compounds; a slide deck does not.
The thread running through it
Each phase de-risks the next. Validation protects the partner search; the right partner makes the first deal possible; the first deal funds everything after. Skip a step and the cost shows up later — usually larger, and harder to fix.