I’ve been trying to figure out where actual successful partnerships in the US market actually come from for someone like me—a founder with Russian roots building a relocation business.
I’m not part of the US entrepreneurial ecosystem. I don’t have years of connections here. LinkedIn outreach feels like screaming into the void. Events are expensive and it’s unclear which ones actually matter.
But I know partnerships are how you scale internationally. I see founders who seem to have this network figured out, and they make their expansion look way easier than I feel it is.
So I’m trying to understand: how do you actually build this network when you’re starting from scratch?
I’m asking because I want to know:
- Do you start with warm introductions only, or do you cold outreach somewhere?
- Are there communities or networks specifically for founders expanding internationally where you can meet people?
- What’s the fastest way to actually start landing partners (agencies, advisors, distribution contacts) without just paying random people you find on Google?
- Who was your first US partner, and how did you actually find them?
- Once you found one partner, how did they help you connect to others?
Because I think the real barrier for me isn’t competence or capital—it’s that I don’t have the starting point for the network. And once you have that starting point, it probably compounds. I’d love to understand where that starts for someone without existing US connections.
Okay, this is literally what I spend my time doing—helping people build networks across borders. So let me be direct: don’t cold outreach. That’s the hard way.
Start here:
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Find one person in your Russian founder network who knows someone in the US. Ask them directly: “Do you know anyone I should talk to about relocation services in the US?” Most people will help if you ask clearly.
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Take that one introduction seriously. Have a real conversation, not a pitch. Ask them: “Who else should I talk to?” Most US businesspeople are happy to make introductions if they believe in the person.
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Ask every partner for 2-3 more introductions. This is how networks actually compound. Each person knows 5-10 people in their field.
Within 8-10 weeks of doing this correctly, you should have 15-20 meaningful contacts building. Not just contacts—relationships.
The magic isn’t in finding the network. The magic is in asking properly for introductions and treating them seriously. Most founders don’t do that.
Data on this is illuminating: founders who started with warm introductions had 4x higher conversion to partnerships compared to founders who cold outreached.
Why? Because a warm introduction signals credibility. Someone vouched for you.
Here’s the efficiency breakdown:
- Cold LinkedIn outreach: ~1-2% response rate. Takes 50-100 outreach attempts for one meeting.
- Warm introduction: ~60-70% follow-through rate. Takes 10-15 introductions for one partnership.
So the question is: how do you get your first warm introductions?
- Search your existing network (even loose connections) for anyone with US ties. Ask them directly.
- Join founder networks that are international-focused (there are many). These networks have built-in peer introductions.
- Attend 1-2 high-value events specifically for founders expanding internationally (not random startup events).
Once you have 2-3 partnerships, the compounding effect kicks in. Those partners introduce you to others.
I started exactly where you are—zero US connections, Russian background, trying to scale a business here.
First thing: I asked everyone in my Russian network if they knew anyone interesting in the US. Three of them did. I took two of those introductions seriously.
First conversation was just a coffee chat (virtual, because time zones). I asked questions, listened, didn’t pitch. At the end, I asked: “Who else should I talk to?” They gave me one introduction.
I did this same cycle with that new person. After 3-4 cycles, I had 8-10 meaningful relationships.
Then one of them (a marketing agency owner) said, “Hey, my friend at a staffing company might want to partner on relocation services. Want an intro?” That became my first real partnership.
But here’s the thing: that partnership happened because I’d already built enough relationship credibility that my referrer felt comfortable vouching for me.
The path: Existing network → Warm intro → Real conversation → Ask for next intro → Repeat 5-10 times → Partnerships emerge naturally.
Don’t try to get partnerships directly. Build relationships first. Partnerships follow.
I’m not building a business network like you are, but I’ve watched enough creators do this at scale that I’ve noticed a pattern: the ones with big networks all started by being genuinely interested in people, not by trying to extract value from them.
Like, they’d reach out to someone not to pitch, but to ask questions. “How did you actually get started in this space? What did you learn?” Real questions, not networking questions.
When you do that consistently, people start wanting to help you. They introduce you to people. They think of you when opportunities come up.
So maybe start by finding 5 people in the US relocation space who seem interesting to you, and just have genuine conversations with them. Not as potential partners—just as people you’re curious about. See what happens from there.
Building a US network from zero as a Russian founder is a solvable problem with a clear sequence:
Phase 1 (Weeks 1-4): Mine your existing Russian network for US connections. Direct ask: “Who do you know in the US I should talk to about relocation services?” You should get 3-5 introductions.
Phase 2 (Weeks 5-12): Take 3-5 introductions seriously. Goal: real conversations, not pitches. End each with: “Who else should I talk to?” This generates 5-10 secondary introductions.
Phase 3 (Weeks 13-24): Rinse and repeat. You’re building breadth by asking for third-degree introductions.
Phase 4 (Month 6+): Identify 2-3 potential partners from your warm network. Propose pilots or small collaborations.
Expected output: 15-20 meaningful relationships by month 4-5. 2-3 partnerships by month 6-8.
The math here is simple: warm introductions + genuine conversations + asking for help = sustainable network growth.
Don’t try to shortcut this. The shortcut is slower than the real path.