# Foothold America

> Foothold America helps UK and European companies establish and run operations in the United States — as their Employer of Record, PEO, or entity-setup partner. We handle US incorporation, payroll, benefits, employment compliance and HR so a company can hire and trade in the US without building a domestic back office first.

Founded and led by Joanne Farquharson, Foothold America works with international companies at every stage of US expansion: testing demand with a first hire, setting up a Delaware or state entity, and running payroll, benefits and compliance once teams grow. Our published guidance focuses on the decisions international leaders actually face — whether to use an EOR or open an entity, what a US hire really costs, and how US employment law and workplace culture differ from the UK and Europe.

## Services

- [US Employer of Record (EOR) Services](https://www.footholdamerica.com/us-employer-of-record-eor-services/): Hire US employees without a US entity. Foothold America is the legal employer; the client directs the work.
- [US PEO Services](https://www.footholdamerica.com/us-peo-services/): Co-employment for companies that already have a US entity and need payroll, benefits and HR compliance run for them.
- [PEO+ Cross Border Support](https://www.footholdamerica.com/services-peo-plus-cross-border-support/): PEO service extended for companies headquartered outside the US.
- [US Business Setup & Operations](https://www.footholdamerica.com/us-business-setup-operations/): Incorporation, registered agent, state registrations and ongoing entity management.
- [US Payroll & Benefits](https://www.footholdamerica.com/us-payroll-benefits/): US payroll processing, benefits administration and the employer tax obligations that come with them.
- [US Employment Law & Compliance](https://www.footholdamerica.com/us-employment-law-compliance/): Federal and state employment law obligations for international employers.
- [Exclusive Talent Acquisition (ETA)](https://www.footholdamerica.com/exclusive-talent-acquisition-eta-service-in-the-us/): US recruitment for international companies hiring their first or next US employees.
- [Cultural Intelligence Advisory](https://www.footholdamerica.com/us-cultural-intelligence-advisory/): Advisory on US business culture, management norms and communication styles for non-US leadership teams.
- [US Virtual Office Solutions](https://www.footholdamerica.com/us-virtual-office-solutions/): US business address, mail handling and registered presence.
- [US Bank Account](https://www.footholdamerica.com/us-bank-account-setup/): Support opening a US business bank account as a non-resident company.

- [Pricing](https://www.footholdamerica.com/pricing/): Service pricing for US entity setup, EOR, PEO and related services.

## Decision guides

- [EOR vs Your Own US Entity — The Complete Decision Guide](https://www.footholdamerica.com/blog/eor-vs-your-own-us-entity-the-complete-decision-guide/): When an Employer of Record is the right structure and when to incorporate, with the cost and control trade-offs.
- [Soft Landing Strategy — Testing US Demand Before Full Entity Setup](https://www.footholdamerica.com/blog/soft-landing-strategy-testing-us-demand-before-full-entity-setup/): How to validate US demand before committing to an entity.
- [Delaware C Corp vs UK Ltd — A Guide for US Fundraising](https://www.footholdamerica.com/blog/delaware-c-corp-vs-uk-ltd-a-guide-for-us-fundraising/): Which structure US investors expect, and what changes when you flip.
- [US vs UK Employment Costs — Side-by-Side Comparison](https://www.footholdamerica.com/blog/us-vs-uk-employment-costs-side-by-side-comparison-for-international-companies/): Employer costs in both markets compared directly.
- [How to Budget for Your First US Hire](https://www.footholdamerica.com/blog/how-to-budget-for-your-first-us-hire/): Salary, benefits, employer taxes and the costs international employers routinely miss.
- [US Health Insurance Explained for International Employers](https://www.footholdamerica.com/blog/us-health-insurance-explained-for-international-employers/): How US employer-sponsored health cover works and what it costs.
- [Why UK and European Founders Should Rethink Employee Benefits Before Hiring in the US](https://www.footholdamerica.com/blog/why-uk-and-european-founders-should-rethink-employee-benefits-before-hiring-in-the-us/): Why US benefits expectations differ from European norms.
- [What Is a Registered Agent?](https://www.footholdamerica.com/blog/what-is-a-registered-agent-us-entity/): The US compliance requirement first-time founders most often miss.
- [How to Write a US Job Description](https://www.footholdamerica.com/how-to-write-a-us-job-description/): What UK and European companies get wrong when hiring in the US.
- [Why Expand Your Business to the USA](https://www.footholdamerica.com/why-expand-business-to-usa/): The commercial case for US expansion and what readiness looks like.

## Tools

- [Readiness Calculator](https://www.footholdamerica.com/readiness-calculator/): Assess whether your company is ready to enter the US market.
- [Service Calculator](https://www.footholdamerica.com/service-calculator/): Estimate which Foothold America service fits your situation and stage.

## Expanding from a specific country

- [US Expansion by Country](https://www.footholdamerica.com/us-expansion-by-country/): Country-by-country guidance hub.
- [Set up your UK company in the USA](https://www.footholdamerica.com/set-up-your-uk-company-in-the-usa/)
- [Register your German company in the USA](https://www.footholdamerica.com/register-your-german-company-in-the-usa/)
- [Expand your Dutch business in the USA](https://www.footholdamerica.com/expand-your-dutch-business-in-the-usa/)
- [Incorporate your Canadian company in the USA](https://www.footholdamerica.com/incorporate-your-canadian-company-in-the-usa/)
- [Set Up a US Company as a Non-Resident](https://www.footholdamerica.com/set-up-a-us-company-as-a-non-resident/)

## Reference hubs

- [Doing Business in the USA](https://www.footholdamerica.com/doing-business-in-the-usa/): Overview hub for operating a business in the US as an international company.
- [US State Incorporation Guides](https://www.footholdamerica.com/us-state-incorporation-guides/): State-by-state incorporation guidance.
- [US HR & Culture](https://www.footholdamerica.com/us-hr-culture/): US workplace culture and people-management norms.
- [US HR Management & Strategies](https://www.footholdamerica.com/us-hr-management-strategies/): Managing US teams from outside the US.
- [Blog](https://www.footholdamerica.com/blog/): All published guidance.

## Company

- [Our Mission, Vision & Values](https://www.footholdamerica.com/our-mission-vision-values/)
- [Meet the team](https://www.footholdamerica.com/meet-the-team/): Leadership and US-based team.
- [Our clients](https://www.footholdamerica.com/our-clients/): Companies we support in the US.
- [Partner with Foothold America](https://www.footholdamerica.com/partner-with-foothold-america/): For advisors and agencies referring clients into the US.
- [Contact](https://www.footholdamerica.com/contact-us/)

## Optional

- [Deep Dive Podcast](https://www.footholdamerica.com/deep-dive-podcast/)
- [Our Trusted Partners](https://www.footholdamerica.com/our-trusted-partners/)
- [Master Service Agreement](https://www.footholdamerica.com/master-service-agreement-2026/)