For UK women-led businesses expanding to America, the US remains one of the biggest growth opportunities. The US is the UK’s largest single-country trading partner, and UK exports of goods and services to the US reached £189.6 billion in 2024, according to ONS data. Yet ONS and DBT figures show that the majority of UK SMEs do not export, leaving significant room for women founders who are prepared to cross the Atlantic.
This guide looks at what three successful UK women-founded brands did right in America, and sets out the practical steps you can take to follow them.
Why America still matters for UK women founders
The US market offers scale that is hard to replicate elsewhere. With a population of roughly 335 million in 2024, according to the US Census Bureau, and high consumer spending, a single state can be larger than many European countries. For UK women-led businesses, the opportunity is reinforced by strong trading ties. The Department for Business and Trade reports that the US accounted for more than a fifth of UK exports in 2024.
Women-led businesses already contribute an estimated £85 billion to the UK economy, according to the Alison Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship (2019). Expanding into the US could help unlock further growth, yet many women founders under-export compared with male-led firms. Closing that gap starts with understanding how others have done it.
Lessons from UK women-led businesses expanding to America
Charlotte Tilbury: timing and retail partnerships
Make-up artist Charlotte Tilbury launched her eponymous beauty brand in 2013 and entered the US market the following year. Rather than building slowly, she secured space in premium US retailers including Bergdorf Goodman, Sephora and Nordstrom. The brand’s US launch was built on the same storytelling that worked in the UK: celebrity-backed tutorials, a strong digital presence and products positioned as accessible luxury.
The lesson for women founders is that entering the US often works best when you partner with established retailers or distributors who already understand local customers. Doing so reduces the risk of misreading American tastes and speeds up brand recognition.
Trinny London: community-led expansion
Trinny Woodall founded Trinny London in 2017 after building a large online following through style and beauty content. The direct-to-consumer cosmetics brand expanded to the US by leaning on the community it had already built on social media. American customers were already watching Woodall’s tutorials and asking how to buy the products, so demand existed before the formal launch.
This highlights a second lesson: listen to where your customers already are. If US shoppers are finding your website, following your content or asking for shipping to America, that is market research you have already done. Formal expansion then becomes a response to proven interest rather than a speculative leap.
Jo Malone London: premium positioning travels
Jo Malone created her fragrance brand in her London kitchen in 1983 and opened her first US boutique in New York in 1998. The brand’s understated British aesthetic and personalised customer service translated strongly in the American premium market. Estée Lauder acquired the business in 1999, and it has since become a global fragrance house.
The takeaway here is that a clear brand identity can cross borders more easily than a complicated product range. Jo Malone London succeeded because its proposition, British craftsmanship and in-store experience were distinctive enough to stand out in a crowded US market.
Practical steps to expand your business to America
Test demand before you commit
All three brands had evidence of US demand before scaling up. You can do the same by tracking website traffic by country, offering international shipping, or running small paid campaigns targeting US consumers. The DBT’s UK Export Academy offers free online training to help you assess market readiness and build an export plan.
Choose the right US structure
Most UK businesses enter the US through one of three routes: direct exporting from the UK, appointing a US distributor, or incorporating a US subsidiary. Each has tax and legal implications. For example, selling directly to US consumers from the UK may trigger sales tax obligations in individual states, while a US subsidiary creates a more permanent presence but involves federal and state registration costs.
You should also understand visa options if you plan to spend time in the US. The E-2 Treaty Investor visa and L-1 Intracompany Transferee visa are common routes for UK business owners, though both require careful planning and professional advice.
Protect your intellectual property
US trademark law differs from UK law. Registering your trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office is usually essential before a serious launch. If you sell through Amazon, its Brand Registry programme requires a registered US trademark, making this step even more important for e-commerce businesses.
Find UK funding for US expansion
Several UK schemes can help fund international growth. The British Business Bank supports access to finance for smaller businesses, while DBT’s Export Support Service provides tailored advice for companies selling abroad. Women founders may also be eligible for business grants for women in the UK or Start Up Loans for female founders to help cover early expansion costs.
What successful US expansions teach us
The common thread among these brands is preparation. Charlotte Tilbury used retail partnerships to accelerate trust. Trinny London followed existing customer demand. Jo Malone London built a brand proposition that travelled well. None treated the US as simply a bigger version of the UK.
For UK women-led businesses expanding to America in 2026, the practical priorities are the same: validate demand, choose the right legal and tax structure, protect your brand, and use the support available from DBT and the British Business Bank.
Your action plan for US expansion
- Sign up for the free UK Export Academy to build your export plan.
- Contact the DBT Export Support Service for tailored advice on selling to the US.
- Review your website analytics to see how much US traffic and interest you already have.
- Speak to a UK accountant and a US-qualified tax adviser before choosing a market entry structure.
- Register your trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office before launching marketing or e-commerce in the US.
Expanding to America is not a quick win, but for UK women-led businesses with a proven product and a clear brand, it remains one of the most valuable growth moves available.
