Recently, Yasir Motiwala, Head of Americas at DeepL, shared how they scaled their Americas business from 0 to 40 people while 3X’ing ARR in under 12 months.
Having previously led Twilio’s European expansion to hundreds of millions in revenue, Yasir brings battle-tested insights on what it really takes to successfully expand internationally.
A Quick Background on DeepL
Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Germany, DeepL has built a language AI platform powering translation tools available both as SaaS and API offerings. With hundreds of millions of users and 100,000+ business customers globally, they’ve emerged as a leading player in the AI-powered language space.
The Top 4 Mistakes DeepL Made Along the Way:
- Underestimating Legal Complexity – DeepL initially delayed hiring dedicated US legal resources, creating bottlenecks when adapting contracts and processes for the American market.
- Meeting Time Insensitivity – Early company-wide meetings were scheduled based on European time zones, unintentionally marginalizing the US team and creating unnecessary friction.
- Over-Reliance on HQ Playbook – Initial resistance to localizing strategies cost momentum when they discovered that “how it’s done in HQ” didn’t always translate to American customer expectations.
- Supporting Function Imbalance – DeepL initially hired too many AEs without adequate support personnel, temporarily creating pipeline bottlenecks that dampened early morale.
The 8 Key Learnings from Scaling DeepL Americas
1. Make the New Geography a True Company Priority (Not Just Words)
The #1 mistake companies make? Saying a new geography is a priority without actually prioritizing it. At DeepL, they operationalized geographic prioritization through:
- Mandated executive visits (20+ in year one)
- CEO personally flying from Cologne to US 10+ times
- Making the region core KPIs for every function (Finance, Legal, HR, etc.)
- Weekly KPI review meetings to maintain accountability
- Symbolic gestures of unity (like executives wearing bolo ties at SKO)
2. Set Crystal Clear Expectations Both Ways
Motiwala emphasizes defining upfront whether the expansion is:
- A test case (Horizon 3)
- Showing promise and needs investment (Horizon 2)
- Core business focus (Horizon 1)
DeepL Americas started as Horizon 3 and quickly moved to Horizon 2 based on early traction. This framework helped:
- Align resource allocation with strategic importance
- Set realistic timelines for infrastructure building
- Guide hiring velocity and investment decisions
- Shape conversations with candidates about role realities
3. Build Your Hiring Machine with Precision
The DeepL playbook for methodical hiring:
Hiring Priorities:
- Discovery skills
- Pipeline generation capabilities
- Long-term commitment (avoid “company hoppers”)
- Cultural alignment with startup ambiguity
Resource Planning:
- Calculate quota capacity needs
- Map supporting function requirements
- Build hiring sequences (don’t overload on AEs without support)
Interview Process:
- Skills-based exercises
- Discovery scenario roleplays
- Pipeline generation demonstrations
4. Choose Your Hub Strategy Deliberately
DeepL opted for:
- Primary hub in Austin
- 3 days/week in-office requirement
- Hybrid model optimized for:
- Knowledge transfer from HQ
- Faster new hire ramping
- Culture building
- Team connectivity
5. Treat Recruiting Like Sales
Key tactics:
- VP of Sales heavily involved in outbound recruiting
- LinkedIn Sales Navigator for candidate sourcing
- Value-driven job postings (not generic templates)
- Clear articulation of “why join now”
- Direct hiring manager involvement
6. Plant the Right Culture Seeds Early
Focus areas:
- Transparency as default
- Celebration of small wins
- Cross-functional unity
- Clear behavior expectations
- Inclusive of all supporting functions
7. Build a Network Enablement System
DeepL’s knowledge transfer framework:
- Identify critical learning needs
- Crowdsource expertise from experienced team
- Implement buddy system with HQ
- Create safe spaces for questions (dedicated Slack channels)
- Full-cycle role testing for new hires
8. Prioritize Managing HQ Friction
Tactical approaches:
- HQ swap programs
- Regular stakeholder communication cadence
- Persistent advocacy for resources
- Empathy for time zones and cultural differences
- Localization mindset vs. HQ replication
The Results: 3X ARR Growth Playbook
By executing these principles, DeepL achieved:
- 40 person team built from scratch
- 3X ARR growth in under 12 months
- Successful US headquarters establishment
- Strong foundation for continued expansion
Key Metrics to Track:
- Executive Engagement:
- Number of executive visits
- Hours spent with local team
- Resource allocation to region
- Hiring Velocity:
- Time to fill key roles
- Quality of hire metrics
- Support function ratio
- Knowledge Transfer:
- New hire ramp time
- Buddy system effectiveness
- Question resolution time
- Revenue Metrics:
- Net new ARR
- Existing customer growth
- Pipeline generation
The 5 Signs You’re Ready for International Expansion:
- Strong executive alignment and commitment to resource allocation
- Clear strategic positioning (Horizon framework)
- Robust hiring and enablement infrastructure
- Established knowledge transfer mechanisms
- Healthy existing customer base to build upon
What Not To Do:
- Don’t underinvest in supporting functions
- Avoid generic recruiting approaches
- Don’t copy-paste HQ playbooks without localization
- Never compromise on early hiring quality
- Don’t let HQ friction fester unaddressed
What’s Next for DeepL?
With the Americas business showing strong momentum, DeepL is positioned to:
- Further accelerate hiring
- Expand product adoption
- Deepen market presence
- Scale go-to-market motion
