Conquering the IT market in the United States and Canada: How to turn a strategy into real success

The North American market is considered to be one of the most competitive and demanding in the world. It is not enough to simply offer a high-quality product. In this interview with Yahor Hryshchanka, an expert on international  business development and sales, we discuss which approaches to sales work in 2025 and why a manager today should think like an analyst. 

In the highly competitive IT services market, Innowise has earned recognition for its reliability and expertise in delivering complex IT solutions. Recently, the company achieved high rankings on both Clutch and GoodFirms, reinforcing its position as a trusted and sustainable player in the industry. This achievement comes amidst growing competition, but Innowise has consistently demonstrated impressive results, including year-over-year revenue growth, a steadily expanding team, and the acquisition of large clients from North America.

One of the key factors behind this success is the strategic leadership of Yahor Hryshchanka, the Vice President of Sales and Business Development. With more than 15 years of experience in international sales and entering new markets, Yahor Hryshchanka has been instrumental in leading Innowise to its current position. We spoke with Yahor about his approach to management, his ability to adapt to a highly competitive environment, and his strategies for building an effective global sales team. His insights offer valuable lessons for other businesses looking to thrive in this challenging market.

Yahor, Innowise Group has been recognized in the prestigious Inc. 5000 ranking over the past few years. The company has seen significant revenue growth of more than 1,000% and has opened new offices in the UK, Germany and the Middle East. In addition, it has been recognized on the Global Outsourcing 100 list for its innovation and corporate social responsibility. What role do you play in this global recognition process of your company?  

Since 2022, I have been leading sales and business development efforts in the United States and Canada as the Vice President of Sales and Business Development. During this time, our team has managed to achieve steady annual revenue growth and significantly expanded our customer base in one of the most competitive markets in the world. As VP of Sales and Business development, my main responsibility was to structure and optimize our entire sales process, from building effective systems and key performance indicators (KPIs) to assembling a highly skilled team of over 30 professionals. We focused on targeting large and strategically important customers, which had a direct impact on the company’s overall growth.

 The inclusion of your team in the international list of reliable technology partners is recognition of not only the product, but also the processes. How did you start building these processes?  

Any external evaluation is the result of internal processes that were started long before anyone noticed them. I started with the sales architecture. At first, it was important for me not just to bring clients, but to build a sustainable model that would scale. We have reviewed the funnel, implemented analytics at all stages, and strengthened the pre-sale block. I am a proponent of an approach where the team is not just the executors of the plan, but the participants in the living system, everyone understands why they are here, what works, and what needs to be changed.

How did your external reputation impact your internal processes and commercial success when Innowise was recognized as a reliable company in the USA and Canada?  

Reputation is of great importance. North American customers focus not only on cost and timing, but also on the trust factor. When you are officially recognized as an expert, it reduces the barrier to entry and speeds up the negotiation cycle. But it is important to understand that external reputation is not a goal, but a consequence of a properly built internal system. Our strategy is based on transparent processes, predictability, and the ability to scale without loss of quality.

Indeed, North America is a developed and saturated market. You have a lot of competition from other companies that are also successful. What qualities and tools do you consider essential to have a chance to scale there at all?  

Above all, predictability is essential. Clients expect you to provide detailed and transparent information, rather than simply giving them words. They want an advisor, not just a salesperson. The second important aspect is speed. Clients have little patience for waiting for answers and solutions. Decisions must be made quickly, without compromising quality. Transparency is also crucial: the process, deadlines, and responsibilities must be clearly visible. That is why we have built a system that digitizes every step, predicts outcomes, and allows for analysis at any time. This ensures that we can meet the expectations of our clients and provide them with the best possible service.

Your tools can be highly effective, and one of your cases is a clear example: you helped the client manage the overload, accelerated the product launch, and improved internal processes. This is a great achievement. Can you tell us how you were technically able to achieve this?  

This was a situation where the client faced an overload in development and lost focus. We redesigned the team and implemented a modular approach to the task. We simplified the architecture and synchronized the processes with the client’s business goals. Our team proposed a system that loads resources in stages, which allowed us to optimize the budget and speed up the go-to-market process. One of the key decisions was the phased allocation of resources and the introduction of a flexible reporting system. All this allowed not only to accelerate market entry, but also to reduce development costs by 30%. The client was surprised by our approach. He saw us not just as performers, but as strategic partners who proposed a solution he didn’t ask for, but that solved his real problem. We help each customer achieve goals that were previously unattainable. Whether it is a quick product launch, increased processing volumes, or optimized complex workflows, we adapt to each customer’s unique needs.

By the way, many companies are trying to “reach America”, but they drown in the first three or four refusals. How can people build a sales force that can withstand the pressure without losing motivation?  

Our key strength lies in our flexibility: we’re equally effective working with early-stage startups as we are with large global enterprises. One of the ongoing challenges, as in any dynamic market, is staying ahead of strong competition. You should not be afraid of competition, and your mistakes either. There are failures, and there will be no successful cases without them. It is necessary to remove the element of chaos from the management.  We create an environment where growth comes through support, not through fear. In addition, it is very important to get an appropriate education.

Speaking about your education, you have graduated with a degree in International Business from a prestigious university in France. You have over 15 years of experience in international sales and business development across various sectors. In addition, you have extensive experience participating in exhibitions and industry forums. How much has this influenced your management and commercial philosophy?  

In fact, I received an education in International Business in France, which was a solid foundation for my career. I would say that it is not just an academic basis, but a school of thought that includes structural logic, intercultural communication, and a strategic approach to the market. Even then, I started to understand that business is not only about selling products, but also about building trust and creating a complex system where the product is just one of the factors. For me, international events are not just a formality, but an essential part of my work. I regularly attend events such as Emerge in Miami, GITEX in Dubai, MAU in Munich, ENLIT in Africa and Europe, and other big expos in Fintech, Blockchain, Healthcare across the US. These events are not just for the stands; they are opportunities to feel the energy and ideas of the industry. Meetings at these events allow us to test our hypotheses faster, find unexpected partnerships, and return with a better understanding of where the market is going and how we can stay ahead.

You have already made significant strides in the global market. What are the primary objectives of your current endeavours, and what milestones do you envision for yourself in the years to come?  

Right now, my main priority is sustainable scaling. We build processes in such a way that growth is not dependent on individual efforts but is based on a system. From analytics and the customer journey to the internal team culture, we focus on ensuring that every manager thinks not only as a salesperson but also as a strategist. Looking to the future, I aim to grow with the company. It’s not just an aspiration, it’s a clear plan. When we build a system, we have the resources to look ahead to new markets, segments, and models. I want our growth to be steady and confident.

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