Anyone who has worked in large companies knows how much easier it is to get approval for physical asset investments compared to intangible ones. In my experience, securing $100K for equipment to expand service capabilities - with a good case - was relatively straightforward, but asking for just $20K to promote and market those expanded capabilities was always a tougher sell. More often than not, I’d receive a $120K budget but it would be entirely allocated to capital equipment, with nothing left to hire a marketing agency.

Now that I've transitioned to professional services, this cultural bias has become even more glaring. Intellectual work is rarely given fair recognition and many companies looking to internationalize prefer to venture into the unknown rather than invest in expert advice.

Below are just a few of the critical issues I’ve encountered during my 15 years in leadership roles across Southeast Asia. After reading, consider whether similar risks are worth taking:

- Sales agents using their principal’s funds to promote their own business instead of the principal’s.
- Distributors converting their principal’s products with competitors’ offerings at customer sites.
- Distributors filing for bankruptcy just months after appointment without proper financial vetting.
- Multi-million-dollar scope litigation involving both the customer and supplier because the supplier failed to meet system engineering requirements (inadequate technical due diligence). Hundreds of thousands in legal fees.
- Warehouse facilities established in flood-prone areas, causing frequent operational disruptions (the rent was a good deal? Now you know why).
- Office locations that employees refuse to commute to (can’t attract and retain employees? Now you know why too).
- Missing licenses and certifications that take far too long to secure.
- Failure to obtain work permits for critical staff.

Too often, we assume the rest of the world thinks and operates like our home country, province or town do; while they don't. Do yourself a favor, seek expert advice before stepping into unfamiliar territories; it’s far less costly than fixing the consequences later.