Should a Co-founder move to the US to launch sales?

Ben, the CEO of DataDome, once told me that if he could go back in time, he would have come to the US a lot earlier.

He moved from Paris to New York with his family. It marked a turning point in the company's history.

The short answer: yes, if you can. Across dozens of expansions, we've seen the odds go up a lot when a Co-founder moves to the US within the first one to two years. Better still if you build a hub in one city and get the team in the office a couple of times a week. If nobody can move, send an executive, meet the team in person every month, and be reachable at hours that hurt.

What I've seen

I don't have precise data on this. I have a strong gut feeling from dozens of expansions, and it points one way.

The companies where a Co-founder crossed the Atlantic early built their US business faster. The ones that ran it from Paris took longer.

Why the move changes the odds

• Nobody is waiting for you. When I started at Dolead, I contacted blogs, press and media to announce that a French company was coming to North America. Nobody responded. Nobody cared. A Co-founder on the ground makes the company real, one meeting at a time.
• Your first US seller is betting on you. They have to believe in the Founder even more than the product, the same way your investors do. That belief is easier to build across a table than across six hours.
• You need the market's answers firsthand. You'll make assumptions based on France, and the US will correct them fast. You want to hear those corrections yourself, the week they happen.
• Speed. With a couple of hours of overlap a day, every decision waits until tomorrow.

What it looks like when it works

DataDome is the best example I know.

• They raised a round and already had some US traction, with a few remote hires.
• Ben moved from Paris to New York with his family.
• They hired on the East Coast but favored people in New York, and built an office culture that paid off four years later.
• They made concessions on location for the right profile. Their first CRO lived in Atlanta.
• They pulled people in with real equity and a track record: it was the Founders' third company, and their most ambitious.

What it looks like when nobody crosses

Two junior hires at 80,000 to 100,000 dollars of base. Minimal supervision, no budget, no Co-founder or executive crossing the Atlantic.

It might sound silly. I've seen it happen. Six to twelve months later, the phone rings: "Vic, I don't understand, it isn't working."

When nobody can move

Sometimes moving just isn't possible. Then:

• Send an executive across the Atlantic, someone with real decision power.
• Build a hub in one city, with the team in the office a couple of times a week.
• If the team is remote, meet them in person at least once a month, at trade shows or wherever your clients are.
• Be reachable at odd hours. A smaller budget means a Co-founder does more: first prospect calls, coaching, late-night calls.

The decision at a glance

The full playbook, from pay to the first three hires, is in how a French company hires its first salespeople in the US. Choosing the city? Read New York, Boston, Miami or Chicago.

Your first US hire is betting on you. Be close enough to collect.

Talk soon!✌️

FAQ

Should a co-founder move to the US to launch sales?

If you can, yes. Across dozens of expansions, Victor Vatus has seen the odds go up a lot when a Co-founder moves within the first one to two years, ideally with a hub in one city and the team in the office a couple of times a week.

What if no founder can move to the US?

Send an executive with real decision power, build a hub in one city, meet a remote team in person at least once a month, and keep a Co-founder reachable at US hours.