I’ve been working with several Russian-rooted brands lately who are serious about entering the US market, and they keep asking the same question: ‘How do we find the right influencers and agencies to work with?’
The thing is, it’s not just about finding people with a big following or good track records. There’s this whole layer of understanding cultural nuances, audience expectations, and—honestly—finding partners who actually get what makes this specific brand unique and want to translate that for a US audience.
I’ve tried some traditional approaches: browsing influencer marketplaces, reaching out to agencies that say they work internationally. But there’s a lot of noise, and I’m not confident I’m even finding the right people.
I’m wondering: What’s your process for identifying promising influencers and agencies for cross-market work? How do you evaluate whether someone is actually a good fit for a brand that’s expanding from Russia to the US? And honestly, are there platforms or networks specifically designed to facilitate these kinds of connections?
This is exactly what I’ve been building my agency around, so I’m going to give you the real answer: Most influencer marketplaces and traditional agency networks don’t understand the bilingual/bicultural angle well enough. So you end up working with people who are technically qualified but culturally misaligned.
Here’s my approach:
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Define what kind of influencer actually fits your Russian-rooted brand’s DNA. Is it someone who understands Eastern European aesthetics? Someone who appreciates direct, straightforward messaging? Because not every huge-follower influencer will get that.
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Start with micro-influencers who have explicitly worked with international brands or have bicultural audiences. They’re more likely to understand positioning across markets.
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Look for agencies that actually have bilateral teams—Russian strategists who understand the US market and US practitioners who understand Russian sensibilities. This is pretty rare, but it exists.
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Ask for case studies of other Russian+US collaborations they’ve done. If they don’t have any, they’re literally learning on your dime.
I’ve personally built relationships with several smaller to mid-sized US agencies that ‘get’ the Russian market because they’ve done previous work there or have Eastern European team members. These partnerships are way more productive than blindly trying to work with a major New York agency that has zero context.
One tactical thing: I actually run small influencer/content tests before committing. Create a brief, send it to 3-5 promising influencers, have them each submit one piece of content based on that brief. Don’t pay big money—offer modest rates for a test. You’ll immediately see who understands your brand and who’s just chasing the paycheck.
The ones who ask smart questions during the brief-writing process? Those are your people.
And here’s something most people don’t do: Ask your potential partner, ‘Why do you want to work with a Russian-rooted brand? What’s your experience or interest in this market?’ If they give you a generic answer about it being a growing market, they’re not your fit. If they say, ‘I love the aesthetic and values in this specific brand,’ that’s different. Genuine interest translates to better work.
From the data side: Before you even approach influencers or agencies, do your homework on your target US customer. Who is actually going to buy from a Russian-rooted brand in the US? Is it Russian ex-pats? People who appreciate Eastern European design? Gen Z who finds it cool and different?
Once you know that, you can reverse-engineer who the right influencers are. ‘My audience is Gen Z women interested in sustainable fashion with an edge.’ Now I’m looking for micro-influencers in that demo with that aesthetic.
I also look at competitor positioning. What other international brands have successfully entered the US market? Who are they working with? That’s a shortcut to finding compatible partners.
For agencies: I request a data-backed case study from their cross-market work. What were the baseline metrics, what was the plan, what were the results? If they won’t share data, they’re not rigorous enough for you.
One more thing: I actually test the agency’s strategic thinking before committing. Give them your brand brief and ask them to come back with their audience hypothesis and positioning strategy for the US market. See if their thinking aligns with yours. This is the best interview you can have.
And don’t just look at follower count for influencers. Look at engagement rate, audience demographics, whether their following is actually from your target market. A 100K follower influencer with 2% engagement from the wrong demographic is worse than a 20K follower influencer with 8% engagement from your exact ICP.
I also pull historical data on influencer campaigns in your category from both US and Russian markets. ‘Influencers in beauty typically see X% conversion rate. Here’s what we’re targeting.’ This creates a realistic expectation upfront, not surprised recriminations later.
I’m literally doing this right now with my startup. Here’s what I’ve learned: Don’t try to force connections that don’t feel natural.
I contacted a few US agencies that had impressive portfolios, and the conversations felt stilted. They didn’t really understand what my Russian-rooted product was trying to do. Then, through a friend, I got connected with an agency that had literally worked with Eastern European startups before and actually knew the mindset.
The difference was night and day. So my advice: When evaluating an influencer or agency, look for someone with prior Russia/US or Eastern European/US experience. Not essential, but it accelerates alignment significantly.
Also: Ask them directly, ‘What challenges do you see with this specific partnership?’ If they’re honest about potential issues (cultural differences, positioning challenges, timeline concerns), they’re thinking critically. If they say everything will be smooth, they’re not actually engaged.
And practically: Remember that US influencers and agencies work differently than Russian ones. They might want longer contracts, clearer agreements, different payment schedules. Prepare for those conversations. Don’t assume the terms you’re used to working with in Russia will apply.
Last: I try to find influencers who are genuinely curious about international brands. They’re rare, but they exist. Those are the ones who’ll do the work to truly understand your brand, not just execute a brief.
From the creator side: I get a lot of inbound from brands, some international. The ones I’m most excited to work with are the ones who actually know my content and audience. They’ve done homework. They can articulate why they think my followers are a good fit for their product.
So when you’re approaching influencers, actually spend time on their profiles and posts. Reference something specific. ‘I noticed your last post about minimalism got incredible engagement, and that aesthetic is exactly what our brand represents.’ Now I’m listening.
I’d also say: Don’t just think about follower count. Think about audience alignment. An influencer with 50K followers who are deeply engaged with your category is worth way more than someone with 500K disengaged followers.
For finding the right creators: Look at who’s already engaging with similar brands. If a brand you admire worked with influencers X, Y, and Z, those are leads worth exploring.
And here’s a secret: Smaller creators are often more collaborative and affordable. Some of my best partnerships have been with brands who found me when I had 30K followers, and we grew together. There’s loyalty in that.
Last: When you’re pitching, show that you actually understand the creator’s values and aesthetic. If a minimalist creator gets a pitch for a maximalist product, it won’t work no matter how much you pay. But if you find alignment, magic happens.