This article examines the relationship between the strategies utilised by small and medium-sized enterprise (SMEs) for international expansion, and their performance during market turbulence. Analysing the strategy process of firm internationalisation, three main dimensions of this unfolding process are condensed: the scale, scope and speed of firm internationalisation. The influence of these three dimensions on performance during market turbulence is explored using a hypothesised model tested through an integrated dataset combining data pertaining to firm strategy, and performance. The analysis demonstrates that the scope and speed of internationalisation render a positive performance effect, whereas the scale of internationalisation does not. The article contributes to knowledge regarding sustainable and successful internationalisation strategies during times of market turbulence.