[shady-lady]

If you built a software product, would you consider your customer service & sales staff part of that? How about the people who ensure the systems are kept running? How about the accountants & lawyers who are eligible to practice in those jurisdictions and know the relevant tax codes/laws?

Do you think your software product, if made in USA, would be bought in France or Germany or Italy or anywhere but North America if you did not have someone who worked in that timezone and spoke that language and knew that culture?

Would those people who did that role be considered an important part of your company, considering you would not have anywhere near the same number of sales from those regions if they did not exist?

To pre-rempt the "I'd outsource it" response. When 7+ figures of revenue(& profit) are at stake, I can assure you that you would change your mind. Or if you would not, the new guy the board hires to replace you would.