The post was originally published in Polish on Maciej’s LinkedIn profile. Maciej kindly agreed to republish what we think is of great value to our readers.
In 2021, after achieving success in Poland, we aimed for international expansion. We followed the conventional path: hiring top sales teams in foreign markets and investing heavily in specialists—spending 8,000 to 15,000 euros per month per person. We believed this was the safest route, as advised by experts and considered standard for startups in our industry.
However, everything changed when the war escalated near Kyiv. In a matter of days, we had to let go of these ‘promising’ yet costly teams, as the advertising industry came to a halt, and our runway was reduced to just seven months.
Then, Claudio Lima from São Paulo reached out via LinkedIn: “Give me your technology, and I’ll make it work here.”
At first, we were skeptical. Could someone like Claudio, not even part of our team, succeed where our experts hadn’t? But we took a chance.
Fast forward to 2025: our entire business model now revolves around this approach. We’ve partnered with local experts—’local Claudios’—in various markets, offering them our product on a revenue-share basis. This model has not only generated significant margins but also enabled us to effectively reach Gen Z audiences through gaming.
The lesson is simple: sometimes the best strategies don’t come from spreadsheets or boardroom analyses—they come from fresh perspectives and bold opportunities. Today, with partners in 14 markets, we generate far more revenue than our previous international sales teams ever did, and at a fraction of the cost. The key isn’t just execution; it’s the courage to say yes when opportunity knocks.
Maciej Sawicki is the CEO and co-founder of inStreamly, a leading platform that connects brands with streamers through micro-sponsorships, enabling content creators to monetize their broadcasts and reach Gen Z audiences effectively. In 2025, he co-founded New Game+, a 360° gaming marketing agency that offers comprehensive solutions for brands seeking to engage with the gaming community. Prior to his entrepreneurial ventures, Maciej was a television presenter for Grupa Onet-RAS Polska, hosting the popular esports show “Misja Esport,” which attracted over 500,000 viewers per episode. He holds degrees from both the University of Warsaw and Universidad de Murcia.
