Does improving my American accent affect conversion rates in cold calls for a non-US entrepreneur?
Yes, improving your American accent would help because people buy from those they like and who seem similar to them. However, using accent as an excuse to delay outreach is the real problem. The issue isn't the accent; it's avoiding action due to imperfect circumstances. Success comes from taking action despite flaws—just start selling, and you'll improve your accent and skills along the way. Waiting for perfect conditions will hold you back in business and life.
Absolutely. Businesses in the United States would be open to buying your services if you're somebody in England or really anywhere else in the British Commonwealth. You have a significantly higher probability of selling to an American audience than people not in the Commonwealth simply because you share a lot of cultural norms. Even minor aesthetic things like having a British accent will be seen as quite positive and cool by a lot of the people you pitch to. I bet British guys with cool accents are probably closing 5-10% more deals simply by virtue of the fact that they sound more sophisticated. When you sell in a market that is not your own, there are pros and cons. The first pro is you get to arbitrage costs and revenue — cost of living in Bangladesh is much lower than in America, so you can make 10x the money while paying the same cost of living, which is why everybody loves doing this. The downside is you're usually facing a cultural uphill battle — people often stereotype you based on where you're from, and that effect is exaggerated with very culturally diverse audiences. You're going to be fighting that battle no matter what, plus the time zone battle. It's about chalking these up against each other and deciding to move ahead anyway if it makes sense for you, or targeting your local audience if that makes more sense. If you're an Englishman selling to Americans, you're fighting a time zone difference, but your cultural difference is a lot lower, meaning the cost of living difference might make more sense. However, if you live in Central London, good luck, because cost of living there is probably as high if not higher than a lot of places in the United States. Ask me how I know.
People will often make split‑second judgments based on your accent or where you’re from, assuming you’re a scammer. The first thing to do is understand that mindset – recognize that they’re coming from a place of bias, not personal malice. That’s only a small hurdle, maybe making your sales process 20 % harder at the start. Change your mindset to accept that it will be a bit tougher, then work on improving your sales skills. Read *Never Split the Difference* by Chris Voss, follow a step‑by‑step sales script, and practice the same structure on every call. By consistently applying these tactics you’ll increase credibility and close more calls despite the bias.
Anyone who tells you where you are in the world doesn't matter is not being entirely truthful. If you're selling primarily to a United States audience where offshoring has a negative connotation for quality but a positive one for affordability, they'll apply that stereotype to you wherever you are. I'm not saying this to give you limiting beliefs, but because sometimes hearing a harder truth is better than hearing a nice perfect story that says location doesn't matter. Yes, you can make it, but there are tactical things you can do to improve your chances if you're from Southeast Asia or Indonesia selling to a Western audience. First, understand the cultural norms there. I've worked with people worldwide and lived in the Philippines for a few weeks; I learned that in more collectivist Asian cultures, people often avoid pointing out mistakes or speaking up about negative changes for fear of losing face or job security. In contrast, Americans and the British Commonwealth generally reward you for providing information that helps them make better decisions. A minor cultural difference like this is worth implementing across the board. There are also superficial tactics to improve your ability to land higher-paying jobs in American markets: speak with an American accent, adjust your name (e.g., shorten 'Sandep' to 'Sam' to avoid immediate offshore associations), and reduce your accent to align with the target market. These aren't about denying your identity but about communicating effectively. I wish we lived in a world where people were judged by character alone, but that's not the case right now. Aside from that, I've been experimenting with a faster podcast format—doing minimal prep and diving in—to cut runtime from 35‑40 minutes to 20‑25 minutes. Maker School now has about 2,500 members and is growing slowly. I'm also curious about the unfiltered channel's reception and have looked at beard‑shaving videos for any odd patterns, though it's likely just coincidence. Thanks for watching.
I acknowledge that most of the Maker School interviews I’ve shared feature American members, which leaves a gap in showing how international participants perform. I haven’t featured many European, Asian, MENA, or Latin American members yet, and that’s a blind spot I plan to fix by seeking out and interviewing more diverse members. Just as I’ve made an effort to include women despite the male‑dominated hustle‑bro narrative, I need to do the same for geography so viewers can see that people who look, sound, and share their background can also succeed.