Partnerships · Referral program
Know a company stuck on manual work?Introduce it. Get rewarded.
The best introductions come from people who already have the trust of business owners. Whatever your country or industry, if companies come to you when work gets stuck, you can be a referral partner.
- Region
- Any country
- Fee to join
- None
- Your role
- Introduce. I deliver.
- Reward
- Referral fee on signed projects, agreed in writing.
01 · The test
Three things make a good referral partner
- 01
Trust
They already have the ear of owners and managing directors of small and medium-sized companies.
- 02
Timing
They hear first when work gets stuck: manual processes, slow follow-up, teams stretched thin.
- 03
Complement
They do not sell what I sell, so an introduction adds to their offer instead of competing with it.
Every market has its own accountants, associations and advisors, under different names. The role matters, not the name, so the program works the same in every region.
02 · Who can refer
15 roles, three circles
- 01
Closest to the problem
They see the daily work of a company and hear about the problems first.
- 1.1
Accountants and bookkeepers
Every month they see where a company loses time: invoices, reports, spreadsheets copied by hand.
What they hear
“Month-end means copying numbers between three systems.”
- 1.2
IT support and managed service providers
Clients ask them about AI, but it is rarely their focus. An introduction completes their offer without taking work from them.
What they hear
“Can you set up something with AI for us?”
- 1.3
ERP, CRM and software resellers
Their clients want automation and AI on top of the systems they already use.
What they hear
“The system works, but we still do half of it by hand.”
- 1.4
Business consultants and coaches
They diagnose the problem, but usually do not build the solution.
What they hear
“We know what has to change. We need someone to build it.”
- 1.1
- 02
Networks with reach
One relationship opens the door to many companies at once.
- 2.1
Chambers of commerce, business associations and industry clusters
Their members look to them for trusted recommendations and practical programs.
What they hear
“Our members keep asking where to start with AI.”
- 2.2
Business banking and leasing teams
They know which companies are growing, investing and modernising.
What they hear
“We are expanding, and the back office cannot keep up.”
- 2.3
Grant and public funding consultants
Their clients receive funding for digitalisation and need someone to deliver the project.
What they hear
“The funding is approved. Now we need a partner to implement it.”
- 2.4
Business lawyers
They advise companies when they start, grow and restructure.
What they hear
“We are scaling and need our processes to scale with us.”
- 2.5
HR and recruitment agencies
When a company cannot find people, automation is part of the answer.
What they hear
“We cannot hire fast enough for this volume of work.”
- 2.6
Marketing and web agencies
Clients ask them for chatbots and AI, but integrations and backend work are outside their scope.
What they hear
“Can our website answer questions and qualify leads?”
- 2.7
Training providers and academies
Participants often want to apply what they learned in their own company.
What they hear
“The course was great. How do we do this at work?”
- 2.1
- 03
People you know
Personal recommendations from people who know the work.
- 3.1
Past and current clients
Their recommendation carries the most weight, because they have seen the work up close.
What they hear
“Who helped you with that?”
- 3.2
Colleagues and professional network
Former colleagues and contacts who know how I work, in any industry.
What they hear
“Do you know someone who does practical AI?”
- 3.3
Newsletter readers
Readers of Forward Deployed who recognise their own company, or a client, in an issue.
What they hear
“This is exactly our situation.”
- 3.4
Freelancers and independent specialists
Developers, designers and consultants who get requests outside their own expertise.
What they hear
“I can do the design, but not the AI part.”
- 3.1
03 · Signals
What to listen for
You do not need to know anything about AI. When a client says something like this, it is usually worth an introduction.
Month-end means copying numbers between three systems.
Points toAI AutomationLeads come in, and nobody follows up fast enough.
Points toAI for SalesOur team answers the same customer questions all day.
Points toAI for Customer ServiceWe want to use AI, but we do not know where to start.
Points toAI Strategy & AdvisoryWe bought the tools, but nobody really uses them.
Points toAI Adoption & Change ManagementHiring takes forever, and onboarding takes even longer.
Points toAI for HR & People Operations
04 · How it works
From introduction to referral fee
- 01
Agree the terms
A short call to agree how introductions work and the referral fee, in writing, before the first introduction.
- 02
Make the introduction
A short email that introduces us both, or the details through the form, with the company’s permission.
- 03
Free intro call
I talk with the company, understand the problem and say honestly whether I can help.
- 04
Stay informed
You get updates on how the introduction is going, whatever the outcome.
- 05
Referral fee
When the introduction becomes a signed project, you receive the referral fee as agreed.
Better fit elsewhere
05 · FAQ
Referral questions
01Who can become a referral partner?
Independent professionals, companies and organizations, in any country. What matters is the role you play for the companies you know, not where you are based.
02Does it matter which country my clients are in?
No. The program works the same in every region. Every market has its own accountants, associations and advisors; the role matters, not the name.
03Do I need to sell or deliver anything?
No. You make the introduction. I take the conversation, the proposal and the delivery from there, so there are no delivery obligations on your side.
04How is the referral fee set?
It is agreed individually and in writing before the first introduction, and it is paid on projects that are signed.
05What if the company does not sign?
Then there is no fee and no obligation on either side. You still get an update on how the conversation went.
06Is there a fee to join?
No. There is no partnership fee.
07Can introductions go both ways?
Yes, where it fits. If a client of mine needs what you offer, I am happy to introduce you.
06 · Introduce
Become a referral partner
Tell me who you are and which companies you work with. We agree the terms first; introductions come after.
Prefer email? Write to partnerships@ordevskifilip.com. See all partnership models.