What it tests

Strategic GTM thinking — whether a candidate can evaluate market opportunity, build an entry thesis, and defend it under pressure

Format

1Candidate receives a brief: the company's current geographic or vertical footprint, plus a list of 5 candidate markets where the company doesn't currently operate
2They have 48 hours to prepare a 20-minute presentation making the case for entering one market — with addressable market sizing, buyer persona, competitive landscape, and a suggested go-to-market motion
3Panel presentation to AE leader + regional VP (or equivalent); then 30 minutes of adversarial Q&A on assumptions
4Common challenge questions: 'Why not market X instead?', 'How would you price this differently here?', 'What's the biggest risk to your thesis?'

What to look for

Is their market selection driven by logic (TAM, competition, customer fit) or just brand recognition?
Can they defend their market-sizing math when pushed — or do the numbers fall apart under a single question?
Do they propose a specific GTM motion or just generalize 'we'd hire local AEs'?
When challenged on their choice, do they update their view with new evidence or dig in defensively?

Adaptation guide

Use your real company's actual expansion candidates or a white-label fictional company. For AE roles (vs. GTM strategy), simplify: give one market and ask them to build the ICP and first 10 target accounts instead.

Full description

Format:

Candidate receives a brief: the company's current geographic or vertical footprint, plus a list of 5 candidate markets where the company doesn't currently operate
They have 48 hours to prepare a 20-minute presentation making the case for entering one market — with addressable market sizing, buyer persona, competitive landscape, and a suggested go-to-market motion
Panel presentation to AE leader and regional VP; then 30 minutes of adversarial Q&A on assumptions
Common challenge questions: "Why not market X instead?", "How would you price this differently here?", "What's the biggest risk to your thesis?"

Time: 90 minutes (presentation + Q&A)

What to look for:

Is their market selection driven by logic (TAM, competition, customer fit) or just brand recognition?
Can they defend their market-sizing math when pushed — or do the numbers fall apart under a single question?
Do they propose a specific GTM motion or just generalize "we'd hire local AEs"?
When challenged on their choice, do they update their view with new evidence or dig in defensively?

Adaptation: Use your real company's actual expansion candidates or a white-label fictional company. For AE roles (vs. GTM strategy), simplify: give one market and ask them to build the ICP and first 10 target accounts instead.