About this episode
What does it really take to scale a business across dozens of countries?
In this episode of From Garage to Growth, Adam O’Connor, Chief Commercial Officer at Gear Inc., shares the leadership lessons and operational strategies behind building and scaling global businesses. From his unconventional journey from hotel security to the C-suite, Adam explains what founders often get wrong about international expansion and how to avoid costly mistakes.
Drawing on more than a decade of experience leading teams across multiple continents, Adam discusses how businesses can grow without losing the culture, agility, and systems that made them successful in the first place.
From Hotel Security to the C-Suite
Adam’s career didn’t begin in a boardroom.
He shares how an unconventional career path taught him invaluable lessons about leadership, resilience, and earning trust qualities that would later shape his approach to building high-performing global teams.
Scaling Beyond Borders
Expanding into new markets isn’t just about opening offices.
Adam explains how founders should evaluate international opportunities, avoid common expansion pitfalls, and why understanding local markets is often more important than having an ambitious growth strategy.
He also introduces his practical “Taxi Driver Test” a simple but powerful way to assess whether a market is truly ready for your business.
Building a Global Culture
One of the biggest challenges of international growth is maintaining a strong company culture across different countries and time zones.
Adam discusses how leaders can create alignment across global teams, delegate outcomes instead of tasks, and empower people to make decisions while maintaining accountability.
Systems That Scale
As companies grow, the systems that once fuelled success can become barriers to further growth.
Adam explains why founders need to be willing to constantly build, break, and rebuild their processes, and how balancing sales, operations, and execution becomes increasingly important as businesses scale.
AI as a Force Multiplier
Artificial intelligence is changing the way organisations operate, but Adam believes its greatest value lies in amplifying people not replacing them.
He shares practical insights into implementing AI effectively while ensuring it strengthens teams, improves productivity, and supports long-term business growth.
Advice for Leaders
Reflecting on his journey, Adam offers practical advice for founders and executives looking to build resilient organisations that can thrive internationally.
Whether you’re preparing to enter new markets, leading distributed teams, or scaling your business globally, this episode provides actionable insights from someone who has done it at scale.
About the Guest
Adam O’Connor is the Chief Commercial Officer at Gear Inc. and a seasoned executive with more than a decade of experience scaling businesses across dozens of countries.
Connect with Adam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-o-connor-54766048/
Learn more about Gear Inc.: https://www.gearinc.com/