I am proud to share this featured piece recently published by IWant2Network, founded by Lizzie Allen Phillips (former owner of WIBN and a key endorser of my book, Zero to 100).
Networking in the USA is a unique frontier that many business owners haven’t yet explored. In this roadmap, I break down the cultural nuances and strategic shifts required to build successful, high-value connections across the Atlantic.
Before you dive in, I want to share a little context.
This article has been kindly contributed by my good friend Joseph Luckett, author of Zero to 100 Networking Book and a highly respected voice in the US business networking space.
Based in the United States, Joseph has spent years building, scaling, and advising professional networks across multiple states and industries. I regularly see UK business owners feel unsure about how business networking works in the USA, how it differs from the UK, and how to approach business networking events in the US without feeling out of place or out of depth.
Joseph has generously shared some timeless, practical tips for anyone thinking about:
Networking with American professionals
Attending business networking events in the USA (online or in person)
Building meaningful US business connections from abroad
Whether you’re exploring US business networking for expansion, collaboration, referrals, or simply curiosity, this roadmap cuts through the noise and focuses on what genuinely works—now and long-term.
Business Networking Events in the USA can feel like stepping into a grand bazaar: every accent, industry and ambition is represented. Whether you’re logging in from London, Lisbon or Lahore, the shortest path to traction is the same today, tomorrow, forever—virtual breakout room or Manhattan rooftop alike.
- Pick Your Door
Closed groups (BNI, TEAM, Center Sphere) trade exclusivity for guaranteed referrals; open groups (NTI, Rockstar Connect happy hours) trade breadth for speed. Choose one of each—digital calendars erase geography. - Craft a 30-Second Caffeinated Moment
Strip your story to four beats: who you help, what problem you erase, the proof you’ve done it, and the exact introduction you crave. Record it on video, play it back, tighten two words. This clip becomes your universal passcode. - Send the “Pre-Warm” Email
Before any meeting, ship a three-line note: compliment something you admire, attach your Caffeinated Moment, promise one referral you’ll bring. Americans open doors for people who arrive holding gifts. - Stack Your First Month
Book four 1-to-1 virtual coffees—or corner-booth lattes—in one morning; timezone math is easier than jet-lag. End each call with: “Who in your city should I meet next?”—then ask permission to CC both on the introduction. Momentum compounds faster than miles. - Mirror-Match, Don’t Cold-Pitch
When you introduce two people, add one personal detail (“both of you cycle before dawn”). Relationships spark on humanity, not job titles. - Follow the 51/49 Rule
Bring 51 % of the value first. Track it in a simple spreadsheet: date, gift sent, result. When the sheet shows three unreciprocated rows, pivot—not to a new country, but to a new lane inside the same ecosystem.
Do this for ninety days—screen-to-screen or face-to-face—and you won’t have “contacts in the USA”; you’ll have a USA network that answers your texts before breakfast. Geography is just Wi-Fi now—start here, start today, and let the referrals fly east across the Atlantic.
