React & Share Successfully Enters a New Market by Building a Brand-New Local Team

Atlas One Delivers Global Talent for React & Share’s International Expansion

Founded in Helsinki, Finland, React & Share is a user feedback and content analytics company that started in 2016. They have worked with government agencies, ministries, regulators, and listed companies to reveal insights on how their content is performing and drive informed strategic decisions.

How do you build a local team if you’re not a local?

After establishing their business in their home country, the team decided it was time to expand their operations beyond Finland’s borders. They had just closed a round of pre-seed funding worth €285,000 at the time, setting them up to reach a broader market.

Antti Aalto, CCO of React & Share, knew that securing global talent would be crucial for their future success. They chose London as the focus of their internationalization.

“We have established our business in Finland and now it’s all about internationalization. Of course, when you’re going to hire people from other countries, it’s super difficult. It was clear for us that we would really need local help to get more candidates in the pipeline.”

In Finland, all their hires were based in Helsinki. Antti wanted to take a local-to-local approach to build a team in London. But without having a clear understanding of the market, it was difficult to even get started on finding the best talent for the job.

Collaborating to Build the Right Candidate Profiles

A few months prior, React & Share worked with Atlas One to hire a Data Scientist in Helsinki. It was during the planning phase of the London expansion when Timo Virtanen, CEO of React & Share, recommended working with the recruitment team again.

Antti was about to take some time off and wanted to get the recruitment ball rolling before then. He appreciated the flexibility of their Atlas One talent partner, Eoghan Barry, saying, “We managed to do a kick-off meeting within a couple of days. We covered all the essentials and when I came back from holiday, I already had the first screened candidate in the pipeline.”

Before a candidate was scheduled to meet with a hiring manager, the React & Share team was also provided with a recording of the initial screening interview. Having the option to go back and listen to what questions were asked and the candidate’s responses allowed Antti to use his interview time more efficiently.

According to the CCO, “Atlas One understands what we’re looking for based on the current phase of React & Share . . . There is this learning loop which helps to make sure that all of the submitted candidates are top quality.”

Through a combination of flexibility and communication, Atlas One was able to help React & Share hire two Strategic Account Executives to start building their overseas team.

Hire Top Talent, Adapt, and Grow Fast

In addition to placing a Data Scientist for React & Share in Finland, Atlas One helped them to enter a new market in London with the hiring of two seasoned Strategic Account Executives.

“He has already been able to set up very relevant meetings with high-profile customers in the UK in less than two weeks. It’s a great start,” said Antti.

The company also wanted to build a team with a diverse set of skills, characteristics, and experience. With each hire, the candidate profile was iterated based on what the new team member brought to the table. When the time comes to ramp up both marketing and sales in the UK, React & Share plans to continue their recruitment partnership with Atlas One.

Commenting on the subscription recruitment model, in Antti’s view, “The subscription is genius. I genuinely love the value prop there — that you can grow faster.”

Key Takeaways

• Finding local talent is a challenge, especially if you don’t have a good understanding of the cultural landscape.
• Atlas One can help companies expand in unfamiliar territory. Find high-quality talent and reduce risk thanks to our subscription recruitment model.
• Grow faster with curated talent. Build and retain a team that adapts as your company moves forward.

Positions We Hired For

• Data Scientist
• Strategic Account Executive x2

Ready to build a team of top talent from anywhere around the world?

Connect with Atlas One and schedule a recruitment strategy call. Let’s find the best talent for your team, wherever they may be.