Why European Companies Really Fail in America

About this episode

Most European companies do not fail in America because of tariffs, taxes or pricing. They fail because they sent or hired the wrong people. In this episode of Transatlantic Titans, Manny Schoenhuber sits down with Arnold Servo, Managing Partner at Rödl USA, overseeing the firm's Birmingham, Houston and Denver offices. Arnold arrived from Augsburg on a one-year scholarship, was one thousand percent certain he would go home, and is still here more than two decades later with an American wife, American kids, and an American life. ____________________ 00:00 Welcome to Transatlantic Titans 00:50 One year in Ohio that turned into a lifetime 02:30 Landing at a German firm in Atlanta by accident 03:20 From knowing nothing to managing three offices 05:30 One country, a continent's worth of cultures 07:10 Why advising European companies still feels like home 09:15 Inside Rödl & Partner and the transatlantic bridge model 11:20 When European companies should make the first call 12:40 Mailbox companies to billion-dollar plants 14:50 Competing on expertise instead of size 16:50 Why tax and legal must stay separate in the US 18:20 Engineering specs versus value, the selling gap 20:20 The deceiving market and the China analogy 22:00 Easy to open a company, easy to get it wrong 23:30 The single biggest reason European companies fail 25:20 "You are more expensive than my lawyer in Munich" 28:40 How the landscape shifted, capital, tariffs, uncertainty 31:10 How to prepare before you enter the market 32:30 The Delaware myth and how state tax really works 35:00 Negotiated incentives and what counties will offer 37:15 Sales tax is not VAT 38:40 No income tax states and the tax haven myth 40:30 Corporation, LLC or LP, and the double tax treaty question 43:40 A Turkish solar manufacturer's greenfield success story 45:20 Why 95 percent of his clients ultimately succeed 46:50 THE CORE FOUR 51:30 RAPID FIRE 52:10 Culture shock and the can do attitude 54:30 Why there is no single American culture 55:40 The Wayne Gretzky line Arnold lives by 56:20 Final advice, accept that you will need help ____________________ 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗢𝗟𝗗 🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/arnoldservo 📧 Email: arnold.servo@roedlusa.com 𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗘 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗬 🎥 YouTube: / @mannyschoenhuber 🌐 Website: https://mannyschoenhuber.com/ 🔗 LinkedIn: / mannyschoenhuber 📸 Instagram: / mannyschoenhuber 📧 Email: manny@masteringmarketentry.com 📖 Get the #1 Best-Selling Book: https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Market-Entry-Europeans-America/dp/1544545533 👍 𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗘 - if you enjoy this content 🔔 𝗦𝗨𝗕𝗦𝗖𝗥𝗜𝗕𝗘 - for more strategies on how Europeans make it BIG in America #transatlantictitans #mannyschoenhuber ⚠️ Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional legal or financial advice. Please consult with a qualified professional regarding your specific business situation.