In the European debate on business internationalization, the United States continues to occupy an ambivalent position. On the one hand, it represents the largest Western market; on the other, it is often perceived as a complex environment characterized by geopolitical risks, regulatory uncertainty, and growing social polarization. According to Francesco Serafini, many of these concerns are overstated, and some are entirely unfounded. This article is based on an interview conducted with Francesco Serafini, reflecting Kriptia’s strong focus on the North American market and its commitment to listening to stories, firsthand experiences, and real-world perspectives.
Born and raised in Rome, Serafini built his career in the United States after obtaining U.S. permanent residency (a Green Card) several years ago through the EB-3 Skilled Worker Permanent Employment Sponsorship process. After securing his U.S. permanent residency through a major general contracting company in Miami, he obtained U.S. citizenship in the same year he received his Green Card, following his federal military service with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the United States Federal Government. Within the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, he initially served as a Combat Engineer and later as a Construction Engineer, accumulating approximately six years of experience between active duty and reserve service after completing his period of Active Duty. Following the conclusion of his federal career in 2023, he worked for the State of Florida from 2021 within three different State Departments: the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Florida Department of Corrections, and finally the Florida Department of Transportation.
This professional path, of considerable interest to observers and scholars of the social and economic dynamics of the United States, enabled him to observe the functioning of American federal and state institutions from different perspectives, both military and civilian. For Kriptia, Francesco Serafini’s contribution is particularly valuable because it offers a perspective rarely found within the Italian community regarding the debate on internationalization: that of an Italian professional who has personally experienced multiple levels of the American system, embracing it from the military federal government sphere to the state public sector and finally the private sector.
The interview, presented here in a discursive and contextualized form, should therefore not be interpreted as a “guide,” but rather as the human and professional testimony of an observer who favors direct experience over purely theoretical analysis, which, in many cases, lacks what Serafini himself considers the only feedback that truly matters: local American feedback. This represents one of the interpretative keys that Kriptia intended to emphasize through this practical and substantial contribution.
At a historical moment in which many European companies view the United States as a strategic destination for investment and growth, Serafini’s reflections contribute to enriching the discussion through a highly pragmatic approach centered on human capital, territorial knowledge, and the ability to understand operational dynamics that often escape analyses based exclusively on economics or geopolitics.
For Kriptia, publishing this interview therefore means offering readers a perspective that complements those of analysts, theorists, and traditional consultants by introducing into the debate a voice grounded in professional experience gained firsthand across both Europe and the United States.
His view of the United States reflects precisely this direct experience. According to Serafini, the dominant issue for companies seeking to invest or expand overseas is not geopolitics. “There are not many geopolitical risks to fear at the present time, and generally when talking about the United States, if we look at the U.S. market from the inside rather than from the outside,” he argues. Instead, the real challenge lies in the ability to build business models that are sufficiently robust to withstand economic fluctuations and the high level of competitiveness and constant evolution across consumer categories and purchasing behaviors.
In his view, companies that manufacture domestically within the United States and maintain control over their entire supply chain are relatively protected from both international shocks and trade tensions. It is an approach that prioritizes operational execution over macroeconomic analysis: less attention to global scenarios and greater focus on the company’s concrete day-to-day, weekly, and monthly organization.
This perspective also emerges when discussing entry into the American market. According to Serafini, many European companies make the mistake of believing that the novelty of their products alone constitutes a sufficient competitive advantage. In his opinion, this belief does not accurately reflect the reality of the U.S. market. “Many foreign companies try to bring novelty here at all costs. That is not how America works,” he states.
His argument is that the American market is less attracted to exotic or innovative elements in themselves and far more interested in a company’s ability to demonstrate reliability, production scale, and economic sustainability. For this reason, he insists on the necessity of conducting assessments directly on the ground. Analyses carried out in Europe, particularly, are, in his view, likely to be incomplete. Understanding the market requires people who are physically present and capable of interpreting economic, cultural, and administrative dynamics that rarely emerge through theoretical studies or remote consulting.
Even regarding compliance, Serafini’s position differs from many European approaches. In his opinion, traditional regulatory issues no longer represent the primary risk factor for companies operating in the United States. Instead, his attention focuses on workplace-related matters. Corporate culture, employment standards, inclusion, and the management of internal workplace relationships are considered far more significant than the formal procedures that often dominate European discussions.
“The truly critical area of compliance is social impact,” he states, identifying toxic work environments, limited acceptance of diversity, and failure to maintain adequate labor standards as particularly sensitive issues. This interpretation reflects several transformations that have occurred within the American labor market in recent years, characterized by high professional mobility and increasing attention to internal organizational conditions.
Regarding business travel security, Serafini further downplays concerns commonly expressed in certain European business circles. In his view, there are no particular structural risks associated with conducting business in the United States. Rather, the determining factor is the quality of the people involved. According to this perspective, the success of a business mission depends primarily on professionals’ ability to operate effectively within the American environment.
Within this framework, particular importance is also attributed to the management of information collected during business trips. Serafini criticizes the widespread practice among many organizations of conducting debriefings weeks after meetings or international missions. In his opinion, the ideal interval should not exceed twenty-four hours. Beyond that point, a significant portion of the information risks being lost or filtered through subsequent reconstructions.
When the discussion shifts toward crisis management and cooperation between the public and private sectors, another central element of his thinking emerges: the value of transnational human capital. While recognizing the usefulness of institutional relationships, Serafini advises against overestimating their importance. Networks of contacts with federal, state, or local administrations may certainly facilitate certain processes, but they cannot replace an organization’s operational capabilities.
Within this context, he places particular importance on professionals possessing direct knowledge of the United States. His proposal is that a significant proportion of personnel engaged in international operations should have gained concrete experience within the American market. The formula he suggests is specific: at least one-third of the personnel involved in international operations should consist of dual citizens or professionals who have worked within major American companies or U.S. public administrations.
The argument is not presented as a matter of identity, but rather as a competitive advantage. Experience gained within American state, federal, corporate, or federal military institutions would, in fact, make it possible to better understand decision-making processes, cultural expectations, and operational methods that often escape outside observers.
Overall, Serafini’s perspective is distinguished by its strong pragmatism. In his assessment, international success depends less on major geopolitical dynamics and more on the quality of people, direct presence within the territory, and the ability to adapt to the informal rules of the market. It is a perspective shaped by an apparently unusual professional path developed across the military, public administration, and private sector, leading him to interpret economic relations between Europe and the United States primarily through an operational lens.
At a time when the debate on internationalization is often dominated by global scenarios and macroeconomic analyses, Serafini’s position redirects attention to a simpler element: concrete knowledge of the environment in which one intends to operate.