Hey everyone, Dmitriy here. I’m running a tech startup with Russian roots, and we’ve had solid traction at home. Now we’re trying to make our first real push into the US market, and honestly, I feel like I’m starting from scratch.
The challenge is pretty specific: we have zero network in the US, no credibility with American influencers or brands, and I’m not even sure how to start. Do we hire a US agency? Do we try to find individual creators? Do we need to build relationships first before we do any paid partnerships?
I know influencer and UGC campaigns are huge for launching in new markets, but I don’t want to waste money on the wrong people. I’ve seen too many Russian companies try to expand to the US and burn cash on partnerships that don’t move the needle just because they didn’t know who to trust.
I’ve been reading about bilingual hubs and cross-market partnerships, and it seems like that might be a way to get vetted introductions instead of cold outreach. But I’m not sure if that’s hype or if it actually works.
For founders who’ve gone through market expansion: where do you actually start with influencer partnerships? Did you hire an agency first, or did you build relationships directly? And more importantly, how did you figure out which US partners were actually credible vs. just good at pitching?
Dmitriy, I’ve been where you are, and I can tell you: the instinct to move slow is right. Here’s what I learned the hard way.
First, don’t hire a full-service agency right away. You’ll spend $50K-100K on a retainer while you’re still figuring out product-market fit in the US market. Instead, start with a small consulting relationship with someone who’s done international expansions before. Pay them maybe $5-10K for a 4-week engagement to help you answer three questions:
- Which audience segment in the US is most likely to adopt your product?
- Which influencer/creator archetypes resonate with that audience?
- Which platforms are worth investing in (TikTok vs. Instagram vs. YouTube, etc.)?
Second, leverage warm intros. That’s what a bilingual hub is actually good for. Cold outreach to US influencers when you’re unknown is brutal and expensive. Warm intros from someone they already trust cut that friction by 80%. Look for other Russian founders or agencies who’ve successfully entered the US and ask for intros to their partners.
Third, start with micro-influencers (10K-100K followers), not macro. They’re cheaper, easier to work with, and less risk if the partnership doesn’t work out. If the campaign works, you’re building proof points you can show to bigger creators.
On vetting credibility: ask for case studies with specific numbers. If a creator or agency won’t give you ROAS, conversion rates, or audience quality metrics, they’re either hiding something or they don’t actually measure success. Either way, pass.
One more practical thing: budget $3-5K for a pilot campaign with 2-3 creators before you do any bigger commitments. Call it a test. That small investment tells you way more about whether this is the right approach than a pitch deck ever could.
From the agency side, I’ll be direct: what you need right now is a fractional partnership with someone who understands both markets.
Here’s the structure that works: instead of hiring a full agency, find a single person or small firm that’s done US market entry work with international brands. Contract them for 8-12 weeks to:
- Map the influencer landscape in your category
- Identify 5-10 potential partners (mix of platforms, audience sizes, price points)
- Help you vet and pitch to those partners
- Oversee the first 2-3 campaigns
- Build a playbook so you can scale independently later
Cost is probably $15-25K, which is peanuts compared to a full retainer. And after 12 weeks, you’ll have a repeatable system and you’ll know whether US influencer marketing is actually right for your business.
For finding that person: yes, use a bilingual hub. Look for agencies that have explicitly worked with Russian or Eastern European companies expanding to the US. Ask for references. Talk to at least 3 different people before you decide.
Red flag: if they’re promising you viral campaigns or massive reach from day one, they’re full of it. US influencer partnerships take time to build credibility.
Green flag: if they ask you detailed questions about your product, your target customer, and your budget constraints before they even pitch you. That’s a sign they actually care about fit, not just selling you a service.
Tactical tip: negotiate the partnership so there’s a performance component. Like, “Base fee of $X, plus $Y percentage of any revenue generated from influencer campaigns.” Skin in the game changes everything about how seriously they execute.
Dmitriy, I want to add something about the relationship-building piece, because it matters more than people think.
When you’re unknown in a market, influencers and creators are naturally skeptical. They see thousands of pitches from brands they’ve never heard of. So your real competitive advantage is building genuine relationships, not just paying for posts.
Here’s what I suggest: before you even pitch a campaign, spend 2-3 weeks of soft outreach. Follow creators in your space, engage authentically with their content (like, comment thoughtfully), send friendly DMs expressing genuine interest in their work. Not “hey, want to partner?” but “I loved your take on [topic], it aligns with how we think about this space.”
After a few weeks of that, you actually have social proof within their community. They’ve seen you around. Then when you pitch, it’s not cold. It’s “Hey, I’ve been following your work for a while, and I think there might be a real fit here.”
For US market specifically, they’re more responsive to authenticity and community participation than you might expect. They want to partner with founders and brands that are genuinely part of the conversation, not just checkbook players.
I’ve also found that cross-border introductions work 10x better when there’s a personal relationship between the person introducing you and the creator. So if you find a partner or advisor, ask them who they actually have strong relationships with, not just “do you know any big influencers.” Quality of intro matters way more than quantity.
Let me zoom out here and give you a strategic framework for market entry.
Before you do anything with influencers, you need to answer: What is your go-to-market strategy in the US? Are you:
- Building awareness first, then conversion later (consumer brand play)?
- Driving immediate adoption with a specific audience segment (B2B or niche play)?
- Using influencers to validate demand before you invest in other channels?
The answer to that shapes everything else. If you’re doing awareness play with a consumer brand, macro-influencers and UGC make sense. If you’re doing B2B or niche, micro-influencers and thought leaders matter more.
Second: Who is your target customer in the US, and where do they actually hang out? This is crucial. Russian tech companies often assume US market = TikTok and Instagram. But depending on your product, it might be LinkedIn, YouTube, Reddit, or niche communities. Wrong platform choice wastes 80% of your budget.
Third: What’s your budget for the first 6 months? Be real about this. If you only have $20K, you’re not scaling across multiple creators and platforms. You’re testing with one cohesive strategy on one platform. If you have $100K+, you can afford to test multiple approaches simultaneously and see what sticks.
Once you’ve answered those three things, partner selection becomes way clearer. You’re not looking for “the best influencer marketer in the US.” You’re looking for someone who specializes in [your category], understands [your target audience], and has success on [your platforms].
One more strategic point: don’t underestimate the power of founder narrative, especially as a Russian founder entering the US market. That’s actually differentiated and interesting to US audiences. Don’t hide that—lean into it. The right partners will help you position it as a strength, not a liability.
From a creator perspective, here’s what would actually get me excited about partnering with a Russian founder entering the US market:
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You actually care about the product. Like, you’re not just trying to make a quick buck. You genuinely believe in what you built.
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You understand my audience. Don’t just throw product at me and say “make it work.” Actually tell me: Who are your ideal customers? What do they care about? What problems does your product solve for them? With that context, I can create something that actually resonates.
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You leave creative space. Too many brands micro-manage the content. Creators have built audiences by being authentic. Let them put your product into their authentic context.
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You’re open to feedback. If I say “this positioning won’t work for my audience,” listen instead of defending. That collaborative energy is way more likely to result in successful content.
From a logistical side: make sure you understand US creator payment expectations and timelines. Different countries have different norms. Some creators want payment upfront, some want half upfront/half on delivery, some want payment only after performance. Be clear about your terms and willing to work with different preferences. It shows respect for their business.
Also, if you don’t speak English fluently, have someone handle the creator communication in English. It matters because nuance in communication determines whether a partnership is smooth or awkward. Miscommunication kills deals faster than budget constraints.