How I Scaled a Global E-Commerce Brand to 50+ Countries: My Hard-Won Lessons for Ambitious Women Entrepreneurs

When I launched Hotelgift.com in 2014, I had one clear goal: to build an international, scalable, online-first brand. I wasn’t interested in just another small business, I wanted a global e-commerce success story.

Fast forward to today, and our gift cards are sold in over 50 countries, available in 15 currencies, and redeemable at 750,000 hotels worldwide. Along the way, we’ve also launched Flightgift, Activitygift, and Traingift, listening closely to customer demand and adapting our strategy accordingly. Today, the company operates under the Experiencegift brand, uniting these four products under one vision, with even more exciting growth plans on the horizon.

It wasn’t always smooth sailing. Scaling a business to this level takes resilience, strategy, and a willingness to learn from mistakes. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to grow your online business, here are my top lessons to help you think bigger, scale smarter, and build a brand that lasts.

Recommended Reading: Achieve Growth with a Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) 

7 Key Takeaways on How to How to Scale Your Business

1. Think Global from Day One

If your ambition is to scale globally, don’t wait until “later” to start thinking big. From the very beginning, I built Hotelgift with an international mindset. Although I’m Dutch, I launched in English to attract a worldwide audience and ensured that our website and checkout process could handle multiple currencies. Our first sale? Not in the Netherlands, but in Australia! The UK, US, and Europe soon followed.

🔑 Key takeaway: If you’re serious about scaling, don’t limit yourself to local markets. Build for international expansion from the start.

2. Automation = Scalability

From the outset, I designed Hotelgift to run without human intervention in the happy flow. Customers could buy and redeem their gift cards completely online. This allowed us to scale quickly without hiring a massive support team.

That said, customer feedback showed us that many still preferred a physical gift card, so we adapted. Today, we offer beautifully designed physical gift cards, shipped for free worldwide, because sometimes people still love something tangible.

🔑 Key takeaway: Automate wherever possible, but also listen to customer preferences. Scaling isn’t just about efficiency, it’s about balancing tech with human needs.

3. Listen to Customers and Innovate Accordingly

Many of our best ideas didn’t come from boardroom meetings but directly from our customers.

• Customers who bought hotel stays as gifts started asking, “Can I also gift a flight?” → We launched Flightgift, the first and only flight gift card covering all major airlines.
• Travelers wanted to explore cities, not just hotels. → We created Activitygift, which offers tours and attractions in major cities.
• People sought greener alternatives to flights. → We launched Traingift, making it easy to gift train travel.

🔑 Key takeaway: If you want to scale smart, don’t just follow trends—listen to your customers and create what they actually want.

4. Test Before You Change (or Risk Losing Half Your Revenue!)

One of our biggest mistakes? Redesigning our website without testing.

We once launched a brand-new design for Hotelgift, thinking it was more beautiful and aspirational. Overnight, we lost 50% of our revenue. This was right before our peak sales season in December. Panic mode set in.

After weeks of analysis, we slowly reverted elements of the old site. As we did, sales returned. The problem? We had made the design too aspirational and sacrificed clear product information.

🔑 Key takeaway: Never make major website changes without A/B testing. Small tweaks, data-driven decisions, and user testing will save you from costly mistakes.

5. Scale What’s Measurable (and Profitable)

Not all marketing is created equal. Over the years, I’ve learned that performance-based online marketing is king in e-commerce. Why? Because you can track every click, analyze ROI, and scale what works.

Instead of spending money on vague branding campaigns, focus on channels where customers can immediately act, Google Ads, Facebook, Instagram, and affiliate marketing. If a campaign is profitable, keep scaling it.

🔑 Key takeaway: Invest in measurable marketing strategies that allow you to track performance and scale effectively.

6. Your Team Can Make or Break You

The saying “hire slow, fire fast” is true for a reason. The right people will accelerate your growth, while the wrong ones will slow you down.

At Hotelgift, we prioritize hiring people who fit our company culture and truly believe in the brand. The wrong hire can be costly. Not just in salary, but in wasted time, low morale, and lost opportunities.

🔑 Key takeaway: Be intentional about hiring. Surround yourself with smart, motivated, and culturally aligned people who can help take your business to the next level.

7. Be Willing to Sacrifice 

Let’s be real—building a successful business requires sacrifices.

I’ve had to work long hours, give up weekends, and make tough decisions to scale my company. The truth is, many people quit when things get hard. But those who persist are the ones who succeed.

Scaling a global brand doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time, grit, and an unwavering belief in your vision. You have to be willing to put in the work, push through failures, and constantly innovate.

🔑 Key takeaway: Entrepreneurship requires dedication and sacrifice. Stay committed, stay passionate, and keep moving forward.

Final Thoughts: Dream Big & Take Action

If there’s one thing I want you to take away from my journey, it’s this: don’t be afraid to think big.

Scaling a business globally is not reserved for a select few, it’s possible for anyone with the right mindset, a strategy on how to scale your business from the onset, and perseverance.

So, whether you’re starting out or looking to grow, remember: listen to your customers, test before you change, invest in scalable marketing, build a great team, and stay resilient.

The world needs more ambitious women entrepreneurs. Why not be one of them? 🚀

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