Local business, organizations, and professional associations can be great contacts as they can provide you with valuable information about the market and your customers. One of the key things you want to do when starting your business abroad is to get a local on your team. Why? Well, this person knows the people, the market, and the culture better than anyone, and you need this first-hand expertise.

Furthermore, establishing a partnership with a local you can trust will allow you to run the start-up remotely, minimizing your need to travel to that country. Ideally, you want to have your start-up run on its own, with minimal time and money investment on your part. One of the ways to do this is to have a foreign partner that handles all the day-to-day business activities so you don't have to.