Google paid $32 billion for Wiz, a cloud security company that went from founding to category leader in roughly five years, and when the deal closed in March 2026 the first thing Google promised was that Wiz would keep working across AWS, Azure and Oracle Cloud. The lesson for AI and software companies outside North America planning GTM in the USA is that the largest buyers in the United States trust the platforms they already run. The best route in is usually through a larger vendor, with direct sales as a bridge.
The short answer: most AI and software companies outside North America should start GTM in the USA with partners and run targeted direct sales alongside as a bridge. Direct sales goes first only when three tests all point the same way. Those tests are deal size, sales cycle, and buyer trust, and they are covered below.
Why direct sales alone stalls in the USA
Direct sales is a legitimate tactic, and it keeps revenue moving while a partnership is negotiated. The trouble is the sequence. A founder-led outbound motion into the United States starts with no references, no U.S. security paperwork and no one the buyer already knows. Every deal begins with trust that has to be earned from zero, one buyer at a time. That works when deals are small and cycles are short. It breaks down when the buyer is an enterprise that already has a platform, a procurement team and a shortlist of approved vendors.
Our guide on who can help AI and software companies with GTM in the USA walks through the kinds of help available and why access matters more than effort.
Which three tests decide the order?
Run these in order. If you answer "direct" to all three, lead with direct sales. Any "partner" answer is a signal to put a partner route first.
1. Deal size. Deals under a few thousand dollars a month can be closed by a founder with a good demo. Larger contracts need a vendor the buyer has already approved.
2. Sales cycle. If a typical sale closes in weeks, direct outbound can pay for itself. If your buyers take two quarters and a security review, partners shorten the path by carrying trust in with them.
3. Buyer trust. Ask whether a United States buyer would sign with a company they have never heard of, based on a demo alone. In regulated or data-sensitive categories such as security, healthcare and finance, the honest answer is usually no.
Take an AI security company outside North America selling into the United States. Deal size is large, the cycle includes a security questionnaire, and buyers will not sign without a reference. All three tests say partner. Now take a small workflow tool with a self-serve trial, a monthly price and a two-week cycle. All three say direct. Most companies land in between, which is why the practical answer is a sequence: one partner route chosen on purpose, plus one narrow direct motion on the use case that already converts.
Our side-by-side on strategic partnering vs. direct sales in North America lays out how the two routes compare on cost, speed and risk.
Why partners tend to win the first United States deal
A larger U.S. software vendor already owns the buyer relationship, the security review and the procurement path. When that vendor brings your product into an account, the buyer is evaluating a solution rather than a stranger. That is why partner-led GTM in the USA tends to produce bigger first deals and shorter cycles than outbound alone. Referral partnerships can reach signature in roughly two to three months, and white-label partnerships with a larger U.S. software vendor typically take about six months.
Direct sales fills that gap. While a partnership is being negotiated, a small targeted outbound motion on one proven use case keeps pipeline and learning moving. If you are weighing whether to hire for it, see our comparison of a fractional GTM leader vs. a full-time VP of Sales.
How North America Entry delivers GTM in the USA
North America Entry builds partner-led GTM for AI and software companies, and runs direct sales as the bridge until partner revenue arrives. We open doors inside larger U.S. software vendors, structure the referral or white-label agreement, and stay with the work until the partner is selling. Clients have grown from $25K to $3M in ARR with 90% of revenue from partners, and across four client organizations partner contributions have ranged from 90%, 65%, 37% to 15% of revenue. Clients have closed six Tier One and two white-label partnerships, and eight M&A cycles have been triggered along the way. You can see the full picture on our value to your company page, and our partner-led approach to GTM in North America explains the model in more detail.
If you are deciding where to start GTM in the USA, talk to us at www.naentry.com/contact.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should an AI or software company outside North America start with direct sales in the USA?
Only when deals are small, cycles are short and buyers will sign without prior trust. Otherwise start with a partner route and run targeted direct sales alongside it as a bridge.
How long does it take for a partnership to produce GTM results in the United States?
Referral partnerships can reach signature in roughly two to three months, and white-label partnerships typically take about six months. Direct sales can run in parallel while the partnership is negotiated.
Is direct sales the wrong approach for GTM in the USA?
No. Direct sales is a legitimate bridge tactic that keeps revenue and learning moving. It works best alongside a partnership strategy rather than as the only plan.
North America Entry | www.naentry.com | linkedin.com/company/north-america-entry-gtm
