How Lena Hackelöer Took Brite Payments to 27 Markets Without Local Teams [Summer Best of Series]

From Klarna to Brite Payments, Lena Hackelöer has built fintechs that thrive across 27 markets—without blowing the budget. In this episode, she shares battle-tested strategies for international expansion, hiring senior talent at the right moment, and balancing growth with financial discipline. Whether you're entering a new market or navigating leadership hires, Lena breaks down what actually works—and what doesn't.

You’ll learn:

• How to break into new markets with no local team

• Why vertical-first selling beats regional scaling (until it doesn’t)

• What founders get wrong about hiring senior leaders

• When to prioritize profitability vs. growth

• How to stay lean without limiting ambition

Lena’s approach to building a capital-efficient, scalable business is a must-hear for any founder aiming to do more with less—and stay sane doing it.

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