I’m at the stage where I need to move beyond just partnering with external agencies—I need to actually build a team in the US. That could mean hiring a head of growth, contracting with a specialized agency for a few months, or somewhere in between.
The challenge is I don’t have a physical presence in the US yet, so I can’t exactly interview people in person or understand the local talent market the way I do back home. I’m also not sure what the typical structure looks like for Russian-founded companies expanding to the US—should I hire an individual fractional CMO? Should I partner with an agency for the first year? What’s the playbook?
Beyond that, I’m concerned about finding people who actually understand the kind of rapid-growth, data-driven approach that works for us. Not everyone in the US moves at that pace.
Has anyone here successfully built a US-based team or recruited local talent for an international expansion? What worked? How did you structure it? And how did you find people who matched your company culture and growth approach rather than just hiring skills?
I’m curious about both hiring individual contributors and finding the right agency partners.
Oh, this is such a great question because team-building is really about network and relationships, not just job postings.
Here’s what I’ve seen work: instead of posting a job ad and waiting for resumes, successful founders in your position actually recruit people through their network. They identify 2-3 people who’d be ideal, then figure out how to bring them into the mission.
My suggestion: start by identifying the type of person you need (not the job title, but the type—someone who’s worked at high-growth startups, understands data-driven growth, has experience with international brands, etc.). Then ask your network: “Who do you know who fits this profile?”
For your first hire in the US, I’d recommend a fractional head of growth over a full-time employee. Someone who’s worked with multiple fast-growth companies and understands the chaos of international expansion. They can help you figure out the rest of your team structure.
For agencies: same principle. Ask people in your network for recommendations. Interview 3-4 candidates. Look for teams that have worked with founders like you—people who’ve done international expansion before.
The best team I’ve seen built this way started with one trusted person (a head of marketing) who then brought in 2-3 specialists. That person knew the culture and could recruit accordingly.
I have a few connections—both individual growth consultants and agency leaders—who specialize in exactly this. Want me to make some introductions and let you explore?
This is what I do best—connecting the right people.
Okay, so from a hiring and team-structure standpoint, let me give you the data-driven approach.
First, decide between hiring individual contributors vs. hiring an agency. Here’s how I think about it: If you need 2-3 people max, hire individuals. If you need 5+ people or specialized skills you don’t have, hire an agency for 6-12 months while you build your internal team.
For individual hires, I’d recommend: (1) Start with a fractional CMO or fractional head of growth (works 10-20 hours/week), (2) Then add a specialist (growth marketer, paid ads manager, etc.), (3) Then build out from there based on what you learn.
For vetting: look at their previous company experience (did they grow their companies or just execute?), track record with similar product categories, and most importantly, their data literacy. Ask them to walk you through a campaign they ran and what metrics they optimized for.
For agencies: similar vetting logic. Look at their portfolio. Interview 3+ candidates. Ask them specifically about experience with brands doing international expansion. That experience matters because they’ll navigate the complexity of multi-market growth.
One metric I track: typical US growth marketing salaries (for comparison): Head of Growth: $120-150K base + equity. Growth Marketer: $80-120K. Fractional roles are usually 50% of full-time rates.
For agencies: expect $8-15K/month for a dedicated team, $3-5K/month for fractional consulting.
What’s your target growth rate for year one in the US? That’ll help me think about how much team capacity you actually need.
I’m dealing with this right now, actually. And yeah, it’s been way weirder than I expected because the US hiring market is pretty different from what I’m used to.
Here’s what I did: I hired a fractional head of growth for the first three months. Someone with a ton of startup experience who’d worked with international founders before. That person helped me understand the US market better, and then they helped me recruit the next people.
What I learned: finding people aligned with your growth philosophy is hard. Lots of US marketing teams are either too corporate or too chaotic. I needed someone who could move fast but think strategically.
I ended up hiring one full-time growth marketer and contracting with a specialized agency for paid advertising. That combo has been solid. The in-house person knows my product and vision deeply, the agency handles the execution.
For recruitment: I used LinkedIn, asked my network for referrals, and honestly, did a lot of interviews. Probably talked to 15+ people before finding my right fit.
Here’s the thing nobody tells you: US talent expects more transparency about growth, equity, mission. You can’t just hire someone; you need to actually excite them about what you’re building. So be prepared to talk openly about your vision and why it matters.
One more thing: contracts are way more specific here than I expected. Have a good lawyer review anything you’re committing to.
What’s your product and what’s your target spend in the US for the first year? That context matters for team size.
Alright, let me give you the practical path forward because this is exactly what I help companies navigate.
For your stage (international expansion), here’s the playbook I recommend: Start with an agency or fractional consultant for 3-6 months. Their job is to (1) understand your market, (2) build a growth playbook specific to the US, (3) help you hire the right in-house team.
Then transition to a hybrid model: in-house team for core functions, agency/contractors for specialized skills.
When you’re recruiting people—whether individual or agency—look for these signals: (1) Experience scaling companies (not just managing campaigns), (2) Comfort with data and rapid iteration, (3) Honest references about past company culture.
For vetting an agency specifically: ask them to walk you through a similar expansion they’ve done. How did they approach market entry? What metrics did they track? What was their timeline to profitability?
Here’s my honest take: most agencies talk a big game about growth. Real ones can show you data. Interview 4-5 agencies and actually check their references.
One thing I always recommend: before you hire anyone or commit to an agency, do a small pilot. Give them a $5-10K project and see how they perform and how they fit with your culture.
I’ve got a network of solid growth people and agencies who’ve worked with Russian-founded tech companies. I could introduce you to a couple if you want to explore what’s out there.
What’s your hire-by timeline and total recruitment budget?
So this is interesting from my perspective because I see a lot of brands hiring teams or agencies to work with creators like me.
From what I observe: the best teams are the ones that understand creator culture. Like, they don’t just see creators as ad inventory; they understand how we actually work and what we respond to. That seems like a quality to look for in whoever you hire.
When I’ve worked with teams/agencies representing brands, I’ve noticed the difference between someone who’s just executing a brief versus someone who’s genuinely trying to collaborate. The collaborators usually have creator experience themselves or have worked with creators for a while.
So my suggestion: whomever you hire (individual or agency), ask them about their experience working with creators and influencers. That matters more than you might think, especially if you’re planning to do influencer marketing or UGC campaigns in the US.
Also, I’ve found that the best brand partnerships come from teams that are willing to listen and iterate based on creator feedback. Some teams are too rigid, some are too chaotic. You want someone in the middle.
My advice: when you’re vetting people for your team, ask them how they’ve handled feedback from creators or external partnerships. Their answer tells you a lot about their mindset.
What kind of product or service are you building? That might change what type of team dynamics matter most.
Let me give you a strategic framework for this because team-building at this stage is critical and permanent.
Organizational Structure Decision:
Do you need: (1) Full in-house team (expensive, slow to build), (2) Hybrid model (recommended for your stage: core in-house team + specialist agencies), or (3) External agency model (managed service, slower iteration).
For international expansion, I recommend hybrid: Find one strong individual (fractional head of growth or full-time head of marketing) to anchor your US operations. Then use agencies for specialized functions (paid ads, creative production, creator management).
Hiring Process:
- Define the role clearly—not just job responsibilities, but what success looks like (revenue growth targets, CAC, LTV).
- Source through your network first, then broaden.
- Interview minimum 5-8 candidates.
- For final candidates, ask them to walk you through a campaign they built, growth metrics they optimized for, and how they’d approach your specific market opportunity.
- Check references thoroughly—talk to people who’ve worked with them before.
Vetting for Culture Fit:
This is the hardest part with US hires. Look for: (1) Comfort with ambiguity and rapid iteration, (2) Emphasis on data over gut feel, (3) References that specifically mention ability to work with founders.
For Agency Selection:
Same rigor as individual hires. Interview 4-6 agencies. Ask for case studies of similar expansions. Request 3-5 references. Do a small pilot project before committing.
Budget and Timeline:
Fractional head of growth: $8-15K/month (20 hours/week).
Full-time head of growth: $120-150K/year base + equity.
Specialist agency: $5-10K/month.
Total first-year team budget: $80-150K depending on structure.
Key Question:
What’s your total addressable market in the US, and what revenue target are you aiming for in year one? That drives how much team capacity you really need.