Placements.io

A big leap across the pond

Placements.io was born in Seattle in 2014, with a clear mission: bring order to the chaos of digital advertising. Fast-forward a few years, and the company had established its HQ in New York, built a platform powering billions in ad revenue, and signed on some of the biggest names in media. The success at home only made one thing clear: it was time to look abroad.

“We began prioritizing international expansion shortly after raising our Series Seed round,” recalls Andy Shirey, Senior Product Marketing Manager. “At that stage, we were building out our go-to-market foundation, making key hires in sales, account management, and legal, which enabled us to start going after the UK market.”

It didn’t take long for the UK to emerge as the obvious next step. Within five years of its founding, Placements.io had not only spotted the opportunity but also started laying down roots in London.

“Our partner providers were absolutely critical to our success during the UK setup. They acted as both guides and execution partners, helping us navigate areas where our internal knowledge was limited.”

Why the UK?

The UK wasn’t chosen at random, as Andy explains:

“We had just signed Sky Media and were very, very interested in other UK broadcasters because they fit our customer profile. Being in the UK with proximity to these companies was very important for us.”

That combination of client proximity, market demand, and London’s reputation as a hub for media talent made the city a natural first stop for Placements.io’s international journey. The expansion was driven from the New York HQ, but physical presence mattered.

“Even though our expansion was led from our HQ in the US, having boots on the ground was very important from the start so we could both prospect directly and support existing clients.”

The decision paid off quickly. The London presence gave the business a stronger foothold in Europe and positioned the company as a trusted partner for some of the UK’s most important broadcasters.

Setup challenges and growing pains

Of course, global expansion doesn’t come without some bumps in the road. One of the biggest? Hiring.

“Our main focus was to bring employees on board in the UK, but getting accustomed to the different employment laws proved challenging. Terms like Garden Leave were unfamiliar to our team, and we had to quickly learn how these legal mechanisms worked in practice.”

Designing benefits and payroll was another hurdle.

“We initially underestimated how different expectations and standards were in the UK market. It wasn’t just about salary. The challenge was really about designing the right benefit package to remain competitive and attractive to top talent.”

To ensure that their UK launch was successful, Placements.io leaned on trusted partners, with Goodwille helping with areas including corporate, HR, payroll and finance.

“Our partner providers were absolutely critical to our success during the UK setup. They acted as both guides and execution partners, helping us navigate areas where our internal knowledge was limited.”

The payoff? Fully compliant contracts, smooth payroll, correctly structured benefits, and, most importantly, a lot less stress.

“Our external partners acted as an extension of our team, bringing expertise we didn’t yet have and handling complex tasks much faster than we could have internally. “This freed us up to focus on core priorities like hiring, product, and growth.”

Lessons learned

Looking back, Andy has one piece of advice for any business following in their footsteps, from the US or another overseas market:

“Employment laws are different in the UK. Get to know them before you engage UK employees and express hiring interest with particular candidates.”

It’s a friendly reminder for companies with international dreams: local rules matter, and guessing your way through them isn’t a winning strategy.

What’s next?

The UK expansion has become a springboard for bigger ambitions in Europe. With strong partnerships, marquee clients, and a growing London team, the company is well positioned for the next chapter.

And the big takeaway from their journey? Bring in the experts, respect the local market, and don’t be afraid to trade a few growing pains for the bigger prize.

Placements.io chose Goodwille for these services