How One Phone Call Changed My Career – and What I Learned Building Amplitude in Southern Europe

August 15, 2018. I’m on my terrace in the middle of summer when my phone lights up with a +44 number.

My first thought: another headhunter.But this time, I pick up.

On the line: Ian Harris from Emerald Technology. We had never spoken before. But within 10 seconds, he had my full attention:“Alexis, this isn’t just any call. I’ve got an incredible role that just came in. And I think you’re the best candidate.”

Discovering Product Analytics

The company? Amplitude. Product analytics.

Coming from procurement and finance, I knew nothing about it. Cohorts, conversion, retention… it was a whole new language.

But very quickly, it clicked. Product analytics is directly tied to revenue, to the heart of the business. Suddenly, it becomes the CEO’s #1 priority. And that, to me, was very exciting.

At that time, Amplitude in Southern Europe was… just one person.Thibault Jaigu. A superstar. An incredible seller.

The foundation was there. Now it was time to scale.

Building the Best Team of My Career

I was lucky to build the best team I’ve ever worked with.Diverse profiles. Diverse cultures. A genuine desire to build something unique.

The product triggered a “wow effect” in every demo. Early wins gave us confidence and attracted new talent.

We went after the very best.I still remember being on a plane, debriefing with a candidate we had just interviewed in Madrid… only to discover that her (French) boss was sitting right behind us.

The First Million-Dollar Deal Outside the US

I’ll never forget that CEO telling me:“Amplitude is too expensive. With our data volume, we need unlimited.”

And my response: “For 1M, we can make it work.”

We closed it. The first seven-figure deal outside the US.

Not Everything Was Perfect

Of course, there were mistakes. We made a few bad hires. But we corrected quickly.

We built a solid culture:

• QBRs that were half team-building, half fun

• Offices in the 17th of Paris that people actually wanted to come to

• Total transparency on goals and processes

Looking Back

With hindsight, I take away one key lesson:A great product, a strong team, and leadership that stays close to the deals can create an incredible region.

And one more thing: you should never just copy what worked elsewhere.Every context is unique. You have to start from a blank page.Hire differently. And give true weight to motivation.

3 Lessons for Founders Expanding Internationally

1️⃣ Start with a blank page

What worked in the US (or another region) won’t necessarily work in Europe, LATAM, or APAC. Each market has its own rhythm, buying culture, and talent pool. Copy-paste is a recipe for frustration.

2️⃣ Build the right team, not just the best résumés

Skills matter, but drive and cultural fit matter more. The best teams I’ve seen mix diverse backgrounds with a shared hunger to build something new.

3️⃣ Stay close to the deals

Founders and regional leaders need to be present in front of customers. Big moments — like the first seven-figure deal — don’t just happen because of process. They happen because leadership is engaged where it counts.