How do I reach new customers? Can I break into the U.S. market? At what stage should I try to go global? If you’ve asked yourself any (or all) of these questions, you’re likely a tech startup looking to take your company to the next level. These questions aren’t easy to answer, but they’re the ones you’ll need to solve if you’re going to grow.

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At Google’s Go North Event, we asked some of Canada’s hottest tech leaders for their advice about scaling a startup. Here’s what they said:

Think even bigger

The future of our economy is in technology, so the sky’s the limit when it comes to what you can achieve. Thinking big seems to come naturally to Americans, but Canadians tend to think smaller. Don’t put any artificial limitations on yourself and imagine how far you can go. Then make a plan to get there.

Be nimble

The ride ahead likely won’t be smooth. You’re sure to come across bumps in the road, even disenchantment and failure. You’ve got to be able to learn quickly and pivot when the path you’re on has too many barriers.

Find the right talent

When you’re starting out, you want to hire for potential, passion and loyalty. Then it’s time to layer on experience. Find like-minded people who know how to scale up a company and can guide you through the process. But as far as outsourcing your expansion goes? That job has to stay with the founder. You know your business best–outside help can support you, but you’ve got to hold the reins.

Go to the U.S.

The U.S. is likely where you’re going to find the experienced talent you’re looking for. It also sets the tech agenda for the world, so you need to get your company exposed to the U.S. market, and accepted within its tech community. If you want to grow, you have to win the U.S.

Get more buttoned down

As you get bigger, people start to care about what you’re doing and how you’re doing it. Get up to speed on regulations and have your patents in order.

Don’t stop.. learning, dreaming, building

When you recognize that there will always be more to learn, more problems to solve and more risks to be taken, you’ll be a force in the industry. Just ask Shopify.

Each growth step will be hard for different reasons. You’ll have to design new layers of management, keep up with regulatory changes, learn more about taxes and foreign policies, and remember the names of more people.Keep experienced individuals close by who can help you move forward. And just imagine where your little startup can go.

As Senior Vice-President, Office of the CEO, John advises the executive leadership on emerging trends in Canada’s economy, providing insights grounded in his travels across the country and around the world. His work focuses on technological change and innovation, examining how to successfully navigate the new economy so more people can thrive in the age of disruption. Prior to joining RBC, John spent nearly 25 years at the Globe and Mail, where he served as editor-in-chief, editor of Report on Business, and a foreign correspondent in New Delhi, India. Having interviewed a range of prominent world leaders and figures, including Vladimir Putin, Kofi Annan, and Benazir Bhutto, he possesses a deep understanding of national and international affairs. In the community, John serves as a Senior Fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs, C.D. ‎Howe Institute and is a member of the advisory council for both the Wilson Center’s Canada Institute and the Canadian International Council. John is the author of four books: Out of Poverty, Timbit Nation, and Mass Disruption: Thirty Years on the Front Lines of a Media Revolution and Planet Canada: How Our Expats Are Shaping the Future.

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