I’ve been trying to find a co-branding partner or agency to help accelerate our US market entry for the last three months, and it’s been harder than I expected. Not because there aren’t options—there are tons—but because vetting for trustworthiness across countries is genuinely difficult when you don’t have people on the ground.
We’ve had conversations with maybe twelve agencies and potential co-branding partners. Some seemed amazing on the first call, but then their follow-up was slow or they didn’t really understand our product. A couple tried to push us toward expensive programs that felt designed to make them money rather than move our business forward. One actually ghosted after we signed an agreement.
What I’ve realized is that I don’t have the network to ask “Hey, do you know if this agency is legit?” Like, in Russia, I can call a friend and ask. Here, I’m basically cold-calling and trying to assess whether someone is trustworthy in the first few conversations.
I’ve started asking potential partners for references, but I’m wondering if there are better signals I’m missing. What actually indicates that an agency or co-branding partner is operating in good faith?
For those who’ve successfully found partners internationally: what questions did you ask in early conversations that actually revealed whether someone was worth working with? What red flags did you spot early that saved you from a bad partnership?
Oh, this is such a real pain point. I literally connect brands with agencies and co-branding partners as part of my work, and trust is always the biggest issue.
Here’s what I recommend: ask for three references, and actually call them. But here’s the key—call past clients and ask about the agency’s follow-through, not just results. Did they do what they promised? Did they communicate well? Were there surprises later?
Also, pay attention to how an agency talks about their other clients. If they’re being vague or dismissive about previous work, that’s telling. Good partners speak respectfully about everyone they’ve worked with.
I’ve connected a few Russian founders with great US agencies, and the ones that worked had this in common: they asked a lot of questions in the first meeting instead of jumping into a pitch. That curiosity actually signals that they care about understanding your business, not just selling services.
Do you want me to think through a list of questions you could ask that would help you vet faster? I have a mental framework that usually works.
One more thing—look for agencies that have explicitly worked with international brands before. They’ll understand the complexity of cross-border partnerships and won’t be surprised by payment terms, communication challenges, or different contract expectations. Agencies that have only worked locally might underestimate these things.
This is a legitimate problem. I’ve analyzed partnership outcomes for Russian brands entering the US, and there’s a measurable difference in success based on whether the partnership was vetted properly.
Here’s what separates okay partnerships from great ones, by the numbers:
Bad partners (ghosting, slow delivery, scope creep): Usually emerge within the first 30 days. The red flags are: slow email responses initially, vague statements about timelines, difficulty getting clear deliverables in writing.
Okay partners (deliver, but not great results): These are the ones who do what they say but don’t actually understand your market. They implement playbooks that work for other clients instead of thinking strategically about your expansion.
Great partners: These ones ask detailed questions about your target market, competitive landscape, and financial goals in the first call. They’re trying to understand before they sell.
Tactic that works: Ask them to do a small “diagnostic” phase first—2-3 weeks of research and strategy, even if you pay for it. A good partner will structure this and share findings. A mediocre partner will try to skip it and jump to execution.
How much of the partner vetting process have you documented? Like, do you have a scoring system or are you just going with gut feel?
I’ve been through this exact situation. For our European expansion, I interviewed maybe fifteen agencies and potential co-branding partners. Here’s what I learned the hard way:
The best partners are the ones who push back. If you suggest something and they immediately agree, that’s a red flag. Good partners will question your assumptions, challenge things that don’t make sense, and help you think deeper.
Watch for communication style. A partner who responds to emails within 24 hours and provides detailed updates is showing you how they’ll operate. If they’re slow and vague in the sales process, they’ll be worse as your actual partner.
Check their portfolio carefully. Don’t just look at the case studies they’re proud of. Ask about campaigns that didn’t work or partnerships that ended. How do they talk about failure? Do they take responsibility or blame the client?
We partnered with an agency that seemed perfect initially but didn’t understand SaaS at all. Should have asked more about their experience in our specific category. Now I always ask: “What similar products or companies have you worked with?” If they haven’t worked with your category, they’re learning on your dime.
Also, I’d gotten burned before on payment terms. Now I always structure partnerships with milestone-based payments. You deliver X by date Y, we pay in Z timeframe. That creates accountability.
I work with agencies and brands on co-projects sometimes, and here’s what I notice about agencies that actually care versus ones that are just extracting value:
Good agencies ask about timeline and realistic expectations. Like, they’ll tell you upfront: “Here’s what’s actually achievable in 90 days.” Bad agencies promise the moon.
Also, good partners have already thought about creator strategy, not just brand strategy. They know where talent comes from, how to brief creators well, and how to manage expectations. Agencies that just think about paid ads or PR don’t understand the influencer side of expansion.
Honestly, I’d also look at whether the agency actually collaborates with creators or just pushes them around. Call a few creators they’ve worked with and ask how pleasant the experience was. Creators talk, and reputation matters.
One specific question you might ask: “Can you introduce me to three creators you’ve successfully worked with?” If they can’t or won’t, that’s weird.
This is critical ground-level work, and it’s worth taking time to get right. A bad partnership can actually slow down your expansion, not accelerate it.
Framework I’d use for vetting:
Strategic Alignment (40%): Do they understand market expansion? Have they worked with international brands? Do they have a philosophy that matches yours?
Execution Capability (35%): Can they actually do the work? Do they have the right people? Can they scale if things go well?
Partnership Fit (25%): Communication style, response time, willingness to be transparent about constraints and costs.
Score each potential partner on these three dimensions. You’ll immediately see who’s actually credible versus who’s just a good salesperson.
On the vetting calls, I’d recommend asking: “Walk us through a recent international market entry you helped with. What worked? What would you do differently?” Their answer will tell you whether they’ve actually done this before or if they’re improvising.
Also, insist on meeting with the actual person or people who’d be doing your work, not just the business development person. That conversation will tell you everything.
One last thing—short-term partnership. Structure your first engagement as a 3-month pilot with clear objectives. If it’s working, you extend. That protects you and also signals to the agency that they need to deliver from day one. Good partners actually prefer this because it eliminates excuses.