Hey everyone. I’ve been running my agency for about five years now, mostly handling influencer campaigns for Russian-rooted brands. But lately, I’ve realized something: I’m leaving money on the table by not collaborating with US-based partners on bigger, more ambitious projects.
The challenge I’m facing is real though—how do you actually know if a partner is reliable before you jump into a joint campaign? I’ve had a few handshake deals go sideways, and I’ve learned that vetting matters more than I initially thought.
I’m curious about what actual due diligence looks like. Like, do you look at their past case studies? Their team structure? How they handle communication across time zones? I’ve seen some partners who look great on paper but turn out to be nightmare communicators or don’t understand the nuances of working with Russian brands expanding into the US market.
What’s your process for vetting cross-border partners? And more importantly—when you found a really solid partner, what were the early signals that told you they’d be trustworthy?
This is exactly the right question to be asking. I went through the same thing about two years ago. Here’s what I do now:
First, I look at their actual case studies—not just the flashy ones on their website, but specifically campaigns that are similar in scope and complexity to what I want to do with them. Did they work cross-border? How did they handle cultural differences? That tells me everything.
Second, I check their communication style early. A single email exchange doesn’t cut it. I ask them specific, slightly detailed questions about a hypothetical scenario and see how long it takes them to respond and how thoughtful their answer is. If they’re vague or slow to respond, that’s a red flag for a partnership.
Third—and this is important—I have a short trial project first. Not a massive campaign, but something meaningful enough that you can actually see how they work. Time zones, attention to detail, willingness to iterate. That 2-4 week trial tells you more than any conversation.
The partners I trust most are the ones who ask good questions back. If they’re just saying “yes” to everything, they don’t understand your business yet.
One more thing I’d add—documentation matters way more than I thought. When I moved from doing things on handshakes to actually having clear briefs and expectations written down, everything changed. My best partnerships happened when both sides were aligned on:
- What success looks like (actual KPIs, not vague goals)
- How decisions get made (who approves what, and by when)
- How we handle problems mid-campaign
- How payment works and when
It’s not romantic, but it removes so much friction. A partner who’s willing to invest time in clear documentation is a partner worth having.
You’re thinking about this the right way. From a strategy perspective, I’d add one dimension: understand their data infrastructure and reporting capability before you partner.
I’ve been burned by partners who can execute campaigns well but have terrible attribution systems. You end up arguing about ROI at the end because nobody really knows what actually drove conversions. If you’re planning to do joint campaigns repeatedly, their ability to track and measure impact is critical.
Ask them: How do they track UTM parameters? Do they have a standard reporting dashboard? Can they integrate with your analytics? If they’re doing UGC campaigns, can they tie content performance to actual sales? These aren’t sexy questions, but they determine whether you can scale a partnership or not.
Also—and this matters—ask about their relationship with past partners. Not just “are they reliable” but “did they stay friends with people they’ve worked with?” Repeat partnerships usually mean they’re easy to work with.
Oh, I love this question because it’s really about building real relationships, not just transactional deals.
In my experience, the best partners are the ones where there’s genuine mutual interest, not just “you have skills I need.” Before I ever propose a formal collaboration, I like to have coffee conversations—even virtual ones—to see if we’re actually on the same wavelength about how we work and what we value.
I always ask them:
- What was their best partnership experience and why?
- What are they looking for in a partner right now?
- How do they usually handle disagreements?
Their answers tell you everything. And honestly, if the conversation feels transactional, that’s already a signal that it might not work out. The partnerships I’ve seen succeed are the ones that started with real rapport, not just aligned interests.
Also, don’t skip LinkedIn stalking a bit. See how they interact with their community. Do they actually engage thoughtfully, or are they just broadcasting? That tells you a lot about their culture.
From a creator’s perspective, I can tell you that the partners I actually enjoy working with are the ones who treat me—and by extension, their other partners—like collaborators, not vendors.
So when you’re vetting partners, pay attention to how they talk about the people they work with. Do they speak respectfully about their creators and partners? Or do they talk about them like they’re just plugging gaps in their delivery?
Also, ask directly: How do you handle it when a campaign isn’t hitting targets? Are you collaborative about pivoting? Or do you blame the other side? A partner who gets defensive about failure is a nightmare to work with.
One more thing—if they’re working cross-border, ask them about a campaign that flopped. How did they handle it? Did they own their part, or did they make excuses? That’s when you really learn who people are.
I’d frame this from a risk perspective. When you’re vetting a partner for joint campaigns, you’re essentially taking on their reputation risk too. So:
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Check their actual portfolio performance. Don’t just ask for case studies they cherry-picked. Look at their average campaign performance over the last 12-18 months. What’s their typical ROI range? Do they consistently hit targets or are they hit-and-miss?
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Understand their cost structure. Some partners look cheap upfront but have hidden costs or aren’t actually bringing the resources they claim. Ask them to break down where the budget goes.
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Look at their team stability. Do they have a core team or is it a revolving door of freelancers? This matters because you’re building a relationship with a company, not a person. If key people leave, can they maintain quality?
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Check client retention. If they worked with a brand once and never again, ask why. Brands usually stick with agencies that deliver.
I use these as my filtering criteria. If they can’t provide this data or seem evasive about it, I pass.
I’m actually in a position where I’m trying to find international partners for our expansion, so I get the anxiety here.
One thing I’ve learned: ask them directly about their experience with companies like yours. A partner who’s only worked with big, established brands might not understand the scrappiness required for a growing company. And vice versa—a partner used to startup pace might not respect the processes a larger company needs.
Also, I always ask: “Have you worked with Russian-rooted companies expanding to the US (or whatever your scenario is)?” If they haven’t, that’s not necessarily a dealbreaker, but you need to know going in that there’s a learning curve. Cultural and market differences are real, and a partner who’s naive about them will cost you time and money.
The best partner so far for us has been someone who admitted they didn’t know our market well but was genuinely curious and willing to do the homework. Humility matters more than false confidence.