In this exclusive CanadianSME Small Business Magazine interview, Ariel Levinson, Fractional Marketing Director of AL B2B Marketing, shares how three decades of global B2B experience across 35+ countries guide his mission to help Canadian SMBs think beyond the U.S. and compete internationally. Drawing on work with brands like Scotiabank International, Johnson Controls, and Equinix, he explains why over‑reliance on a single export market is risky, how nuanced positioning and local context make or break global expansion, and what practical steps smaller B2B companies can take in the next 6–12 months to target the right customers and build sustainable demand worldwide.
Ariel Levinson from AL B2B Marketing is a fractional marketing director and global B2B marketing expert. Ariel is passionate about using creativity, communication, and developing meaningful relationships to help organizations and people grow. Ariel’s deep understanding of diverse industries, markets, and cultures positions him as an ideal partner for businesses looking to expand their global footprint.
You’ve led B2B marketing for tech and services brands across 35 countries in three languages. From your perspective, what most often holds Canadian SMBs back from expanding beyond the U.S., and what mindset shift has to happen first?
For three decades, the US has been the default market for Canadian businesses, including SMBs. It’s convenient, familiar, and geographically close.
But for those who studied Business, Marketing, Sales, or other similar professions, one of the first lessons we received is that none of our clients’ income must represent more than 10/15% of our sales.
The US represents 80% of Canada’s exports. And that, in street language, is putting all the eggs in one basket.
That over-dependence on a single market, especially one facing instability, creates significant risk. A place where those businesses are in a very vulnerable position, a weak one to negotiate anything.
Canadian businesses must diversify. It’s not easy to find new markets and business partners. It implies facing a lot of challenges like Market Diversity, Economic Factors, Political Instability, Policy Volatility, and different cultures and languages, to name a few.
But expanding internationally also creates amazing opportunities not only for Canadian businesses to survive but to grow. And for a great start, Canada’s brand is well-positioned and trusted.
And they are not alone. There are experienced and talented professionals who know how to overcome those hurdles, so they will support them to be successful.
When Canadian companies do enter new international markets, what are the most common mistakes you see in how they position their products, choose target customers, or structure their go‑to‑market plans?
Based on my experience, the most common mistakes I see are:
1. Assuming “international” is one market. Companies create a single “global” strategy instead of market-specific approaches. They underestimate how dramatically consumer needs, competitive landscapes, and buying behaviors differ, even within regions that share a language.
2. Leading with product features instead of local value. Canadian companies often position themselves based on what makes them successful domestically, without validating what matters to customers in the new market. The value proposition that wins in Toronto may be irrelevant in São Paulo.
3. Choosing the wrong initial customers. Many target the largest enterprises first, assuming brand credibility transfers globally. Often, mid-market customers who value innovation over established relationships provide better early traction and references.
4. Underestimating go-to-market complexity. Companies allocate insufficient resources for market development, expecting quick wins. They don’t account for longer sales cycles, the need for local partnerships, or regulatory hurdles that slow down momentum.
5. Ignoring competitive intelligence. Failing to deeply understand local competitors, their positioning, pricing, and relationships, leads to unrealistic expectations and poor differentiation.
Agility, adaptability, and resilience are essential when working internationally.
Not understanding all of those aspects is what can make it a success or a failure.
You’ve built and executed multi‑channel B2B tech programs across Latin America, where culture, language, and buying dynamics can be very different from North America. Can you share an example of how you had to adapt messaging or channel mix to make a campaign work in that region?
Latin America is deceptively complex. Even though most countries share Spanish and similar cultural heritage, each market requires a distinct approach.
When launching a B2B tech campaign across the region, we quickly learned our North American playbook didn’t work. In several markets, industry-specific trade media simply didn’t exist, forcing us to get creative, leveraging local business associations and executive forums. The use of WhatsApp is highly popular in Latin America as a platform to promote consumer products and some B2B services, something that doesn’t happen in North America.
Regarding language, the same product feature had different names that vary from country to country. Using the wrong local term immediately signaled we weren’t truly local, killing engagement.
Building trust in face-to-face events and local partnerships proved essential; decision-makers wanted to meet us in person before committing. Dedicate time to go out for long meals (lunches or dinners) with clients and/or prospects to build credibility and relationships is imperative in Latin America to do business. Those meals weren’t nice-to-haves, they were where deals actually happened.
The lesson? Success required completely reimagining our channel mix, messaging, and sales approach for each market.
Many leaders assume international marketing is just a matter of translating English campaigns, but you emphasize the importance of local context. How do you approach refining brand positioning and key messages so they resonate in different countries and cultures, even when the core offer is the same?
Translation is the starting point, not the finish line. Winning abroad requires alignment across culture, regulations, and media channels. Local competitors are often faster and stronger in their own markets.
The approach must balance brand consistency with local adaptation:
- Cultural nuance matters. It’s not just language; it’s adapting meaning, tone, and context. What resonates as confidence in one market may be perceived as aggressive in another. Humor, imagery, and even color symbolism vary dramatically across cultures.
- Multi-channel strategy: Companies must understand the market and carefully choose between traditional channels (TV, radio, print), digital/social platforms that are popular locally, PR, events, and co-marketing with partners.
- Trust-building varies by culture. In many markets, face-to-face relationships, local partnerships, and physical presence at events and trade shows remain essential. Testimonials from local customers carry far more weight than global case studies.
- Regulatory compliance can’t be overlooked. Data privacy, advertising laws, and content restrictions differ significantly market-to-market.
The key: Develop a content strategy that tells local stories, reinforcing your global brand promise. Use real-time monitoring to track not just ROI, but cultural shifts and engagement patterns. This intelligence lets you adapt quickly and stay relevant as markets evolve.
At AL B2B Marketing, you offer both a team development approach and an expert execution model. For a Canadian B2B SMB that wants to grow globally, how should they decide where to start — and what practical steps can they take in the next 6–12 months to target the right customers and build sustainable demand?
Canadian SMBs should start by honestly answering three fundamental questions:
1. Are you truly committed to global expansion?
Market diversification isn’t a quick win, it demands time to evaluate potential markets, assess product-market fit, and build local partnerships. Without executive buy-in and organizational alignment, international expansion will stall. This affects every department, so commitment from the top is non-negotiable.
2. Do you have the resources to sustain growth?
Expansion requires capital, talent, and infrastructure. Many Canadian SMBs overlook resources like EDC (Export Development Canada) and BDC (Business Development Bank of Canada), which bridge financing gaps and mitigate risk. Access to working capital often determines whether companies scale globally or stay domestic.
3. Are you operationally ready to scale?
Conduct a readiness assessment before entering new markets. Beyond product-market fit, evaluate your ability to deliver consistently, meet local expectations, and scale sustainably. Failing to deliver damages your reputation and jeopardizes both future expansion and current business.
For the next 6–12 months: Start with targeted research and pilot programs in 1–2 markets. Test messaging, validate demand, and build relationships before committing significant resources. This phased approach minimizes risk while building the foundation for sustainable growth.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this interview are those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of CanadianSME Small Business Magazine. Our platform is dedicated to fostering dialogue and sharing insights that inspire and empower small and medium-sized businesses across Canada.
