Exclusive interview with the one & only Pierre Gaubil: Founder, author, and serial entrepreneur in Silicon Valley
We talk about why no one in the U.S. cares about your European startup, among other things…
If you follow me on LinkedIn, you know the past week has been wild (in a good way!).
NYC workshops, powerful founder conversations, and plenty of moments that made me think, “Wow, this is exactly why European founders struggle in the U.S.”
Now I’m back in Mississippi visiting family, taking a semi-break before heading back to France next week.
But I didn’t come back empty-handed.
I got plenty of insights from NYC that reinforced insights from this week’s guest, and his 17 years of experience in Silicon Valley.
This week’s guest is the one and only Pierre Gaubil, founder of the program 34 Elements, regular guest as El Profesor on the spicy tech podcast Silicon Carne, and author of the book Startup Unlocked, available in English and in French.
This week, the episode is full of real talk, hard truths, and one message we both want every founder to hear:
Just because your startup is doing well in Europe doesn’t mean you are U.S-ready. But you can become U.S.-ready.
Let’s dig into this hot topic, with insights from both Pierre and myself.
🧠 “We had traction in Europe. We thought the U.S. would be easy.”
That’s what a founder told me, just before sharing the story of how his U.S. expansion crashed.
🚩 Burned out
🚩 Ghosted by 90% of leads
🚩 Still using the same deck that worked in Paris, just in English
And I get it.
If you’re already making sales in France, or Germany, or Switzerland…
...why wouldn’t you think it’ll work in New York?
But that’s exactly what this founder—and so many others—get wrong.
💥 The U.S. isn’t just bigger. It’s built differently.
As Pierre Gaubil put it in our interview:
“In the U.S., you’re nobody. No one is waiting for you.”
The U.S. market isn’t unfair.
It’s just not designed around your background, the pitch style you’re familiar with, or the buyer psychology that you’re used to.
You can’t just translate your materials.
You can’t just make a few slight adjustments.
You have to adapt. Radically.
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Click here to know more in English, or here for the French version.🛠 How to stop wasting time with pitches that don’t work
Pierre nailed it:
“You think you understand the U.S. because Americans look like you. But you don’t understand anything.”
European founders often go in thinking:
“We have the same cultural references.”
“I’ve been to the U.S., I speak English. I get it.”
But you’re missing the invisible rules of how Americans communicate, buy, and make decisions.
Here’s how to stop wasting time with pitches that won’t land:
Treat the U.S. like Japan.
Don’t assume you “get it.”
Observe. Ask. Adapt.
What worked in Europe won’t just plug-and-play across the Atlantic.Get feedback… but decode it.
U.S. buyers are upbeat, even when they’re not interested.
“This is awesome!” often just means “Thanks for your time.”
If there’s no follow-up, there’s no deal.Adapt your pitch to their decision frame.
🇫🇷 In Europe: “Here’s what we do.”
🇺🇸 In the U.S.: “Here’s the result you’ll get.”
Sell outcomes, not tech specs.
Focus on traction, not innovation.
And lead with why it matters to them, not your years of experience and diplomas.
As Pierre said:
“No European company has succeeded in the U.S. by copying what worked at home.”
So don’t copy. Reposition.
✅ From flop to Fortune 500: What changed everything
Here’s how this works in practice:
A client of mine had already raised $1M in Europe and was sure their pitch would land in the U.S.
Spoiler: it didn’t.
They were pitching the tech. The process. The how.
We shifted the pitch to focus on:
What U.S. buyers care about
The problem they solve
The clear results the client gets
A month later?
✅ A paid pilot with a U.S. Fortune 500 company.
It sounds simple, but you’d be surprised at the number of pitches I see that miss the mark for the U.S. market.
(Thankfully, this founder was smart and humble enough to reach out for help!)
💡 Shift your belief: The U.S. isn’t harder. It’s just unfamiliar.
If you’ve succeeded in your home market, you’ve got what it takes.
You’re smart. You know how to make money or raise funds. You’re driven to succeed.
But don’t assume your business idea will transfer directly, as-is, to the U.S.
🧠 Think like a U.S. buyer.
🎯 Reframe your messaging.
🔁 Test and adapt fast.
Your product doesn’t sell itself.
Your positioning does.
💬 Want help adapting your pitch for U.S. clients?
Let's talk. Send me a DM on LinkedIn or reply to this email.
We can look at exactly what we need to fix, and how.📈 This Week’s U.S. Growth Plays :
Get visibility, traction, or funding
This is a new section I’m testing, to keep you posted on resources, opportunities, and most importantly, ways you can get money for your business, to succeed in the U.S.
🎙️ Want to be featured on U.S. podcasts without launching your own? → PodcastGuests.com
💸 Are you a French medtech looking to the U.S. market? → Join me and some outstanding partners at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona! Details (in French) here.
📣 Raising funds soon? → Venture Atlanta is open. Past startups raised $7.5B+
Let me know what you think of this section, or if you have an opportunity that should be featured!
Here’s to your success in the U.S.,
Christina
My 2 favorites coaches are on the same podcast you must listen to !