Mike Todd

Brazil votes today. Lula versus Bolsonaro, round two. Latin America's largest economy picks its lane - and every brand selling into that market is watching which way the market moves. Global distribution isn't a side quest. It's the whole game. twodeck.com

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Don’t look too closely. And whatever you do, don’t peer behind us. Because if you do, you’ll probably see condensation dripping down walls that have absorbed several decades' worth of nicotine. Now, I don’t smoke. I did once, but those days are long gone. But there is something about a Japanese bar at 1.30 in the morning. Think 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨. Beautiful low light. A barman who looks as though he has been there since 1978. And three slightly weary businessmen at the bar. You can decide which one is Jack Nicholson. I hasten to add, I do look a little loose. In my defence, this was after a splendid dinner high above Tokyo, followed by the inevitable: "𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩?" My host, absolutely no idea what that meant. But he understood the sentiment. So off we went. Vodka and tonic, obviously. The drink of champions. It hydrates while simultaneously revving the wheels. And then came one of those golden hours of international business. No PowerPoint. No agenda. No Teams call with a countdown timer. Just conversation. Much gets agreed. Problems somehow become smaller. Ideas become bigger. And the dreams are allowed to percolate. Five days after returning home, the notes are being deciphered. Conversations are continuing. And maybe, "just maybe", this time next year we'll be in play. I've learnt over the years that international business isn't built solely in boardrooms. It's built over shared meals, genuine curiosity, trust, laughter, and the conversations that happen when the formal meeting has finished. Sometimes the most important meeting of the trip isn't actually a meeting. #InternationalBusiness #JapanBusiness #GlobalExpansion #BusinessDevelopment #Leadership #CrossCulturalBusiness #RelationshipsMatter #GlobalGrowth #Tokyo #DearinAndAssociates

There are dinners you remember because of the food. Then there are dinners you remember because of the people. Tokyo delivered one of those rare evenings. At 暖心 (Danshin), Chef Masayoshi Ooe didn't simply prepare an exceptional meal. At the end of the evening, he joined us, took centre stage, and spoke openly about his dreams, his passion for his craft, and what continues to drive him every day. In international business, I often find myself in unusual places with remarkable people. Every now and then, a night reminds you that relationships are built just as much around a dinner table as they are in a boardroom. This was one of those nights. Thank you, Chef Ooe, and everyone at Danshin, for your extraordinary hospitality. It was an evening of warmth, humility and quiet inspiration. In a world that often moves too fast, there was something deeply peaceful about simply sharing great food, great conversation and the company of people who genuinely love what they do. Some evenings stay with you long after the plates have been cleared. This was one of them. #Japan #Tokyo #Leadership #InternationalBusiness #Relationships #Hospitality #Culture #Gratitude #Travel #BusinessBeyondBorders

From Tokyo to Osaka, Japan never ceases to amaze. It's one of the few places on earth where, if your fellow traveller asks, "𝘍𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨?" the answer is always 𝘆𝗲𝘀. Not because you need anything, but because every department store, side street and neighbourhood reveals something new. Then there's the food. Everywhere you turn, it's less about eating and more about craftsmanship. Every meal feels considered. Every detail matters. I'm back once again trying to understand how this remarkable country fits together, what makes it tick, and where the opportunities lie. Never easy. Always fascinating. Always beautiful. #Japan #Tokyo #Osaka #Retail #InternationalBusiness #GlobalExpansion #ConsumerInsights #Travel

𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗧𝗮𝗶𝘄𝗮𝗻. 🇹🇼 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗔𝗣𝗔𝗖 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗿. Two lessons already. 1. 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮 𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝘄𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲. Trust me, future you will be grateful. 2. 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗳𝗳 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆'𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀. Everywhere I've visited, the teams know their products inside out. They ask the right questions, make genuine recommendations, and take real pride in helping you buy the right thing, not just 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨. It's a reminder that, despite all the talk about AI, automation and e-commerce, retail is still a people business. Taiwan has been an absolute delight to shop in. Great products. Even better people. 🇹🇼 #Taiwan #Retail #CustomerExperience #RetailExcellence #ConsumerProducts #InternationalBusiness #GlobalExpansion #BusinessTravel #APAC #Leadership #Sales #RetailInnovation #MikeTodd #DearinAndAssociates

As I leave Manila this afternoon, it never ceases to amaze me what a remarkable city this is. This trip has been about far more than business. It has been about people. Meeting my EA, Mary, for the first time, and her wonderful husband. Catching up with my good friend Mark Chim after many years. And making a new friendship with the team at Zuellig Pharma. It also reminded me that international business is often built on the smallest of gestures. I cannot stress enough how far a little soft diplomacy goes when you hand someone a packet of Tim Tams and see a genuine smile spread across their face. The UK may have the BBC, but here in Australia, we have something far, far better. Tim Tams. Never leave home without them. 🇦🇺✈️🇵🇭 #Leadership #InternationalBusiness #AsiaPacific #RelationshipBuilding #BusinessDevelopment #Philippines #GlobalGrowth

There's something about a Filipino breakfast. I mean, just look at that lettuce cupboard. Day one of the APAC tour is underway. New markets, familiar conversations, and another chance to help great brands grow internationally. Manila, let's get started. 🇵🇭✈️ #APACTour #Philippines #InternationalBusiness #GlobalGrowth #SundayAfternoons #Twodeck

Airport mode: ON. ✈️ As always, there are two things I never travel without. 🧢 My Sunday Afternoons hat. linkedin.com/company/sunday-… - linkedin.com/company/sunday-… - 🎒 My Stait supplements linkedin.com/company/staitfo… One keeps the sun off. The other keeps me alive. Next stop: Manila, where the APAC tour begins. Looking forward to catching up with distributors, partners and friends, and seeing where the next opportunities take us. See you all in Manila. 🇵🇭

Two weeks. Several countries. Meeting my EA for the first time. Carry-on luggage only. Hotel breakfasts. One sci-fi book. And 17 Snickers bars. Some people call that work. I call it paradise. See you on tour. ✈️ #BusinessTravel #InternationalBusiness #GlobalExpansion #Leadership #BrandBuilding #Export #GrowthStrategy #APAC #BusinessDevelopment #LifeOnTheRoad

Some products look designed by committee 😅 The brands that travel best rarely have the biggest budgets. They know who they are, who they’re for and why distributors should care. Clear brands create momentum. Confused brands create confused markets. Which brand gets this right?

Export red flags that sound completely normal: 🚩 “We’re open to any market.” 🚩 “We’ll work out pricing later.” 🚩 “The distributor can handle the marketing.” 🚩 “We met someone at a trade show.” 🚩 “Let’s just test the waters.” 🚩 “They said they know everyone.” None of these are crimes. But together? They’re usually the beginning of a very expensive learning experience. Going global is hard enough when you’re prepared. Doing it on vibes is just business karaoke. P.S. I’m terrible at karaoke. 🙂 Which red flag would you add?

A spreadsheet isn’t a strategy. If your export pricing only works under perfect conditions, it’s already broken. Freight changes. Currencies move. Retailers negotiate. Volumes fluctuate. Robust pricing models are built for volatility, not optimism.

Most exporters underprice themselves. Not because they’re careless. Because they price internationally using domestic logic. Then freight, duties, retailer margins, distributor cuts, and compliance costs quietly destroy profitability. Revenue can hide bad pricing for a surprisingly long time.

Vanity metrics won’t save your margin. Track what actually matters: Costs Lead times Sell-through Cash cycle Margins What you measure drives how you operate. Be honest with the numbers.

If export relies on you, it won’t scale. Founder heroics don’t build global businesses. Systems do. Turn export from a project into a machine. That’s when growth becomes predictable.

Export looks simple. It isn’t. You need four things working together: Demand Delivery Financial control Partner management Miss one, and performance drops fast. It’s a system, not a checklist.

Tears of an Astronaut open.substack.com/pub/mtodd/…