How do Americans in Mexico find clients, support and a business community?

Scott Cundill · 2026-11-06 · Morelia

Mostly through people. The work itself can travel with you, but clients, partners and the steady encouragement every business owner needs come from a community that knows you. An open group where members coach each other and make introductions fills the gap that a move abroad leaves behind.

Why does running a business from Mexico feel so lonely?

Because you left your network behind and the new one takes years to grow. Mexico is home to one of the largest communities of Americans living abroad, many of them consultants, coaches, therapists, designers and owners who work online. Most of their clients are still in the United States. Most of their days are spent alone at a screen, in a city where they are still learning who is who.

The work is rarely the problem. The problem is having nobody to think out loud with, and nobody who can say "you should talk to my friend."

Is it not enough to stay in touch with clients back home?

It keeps the business alive, but it does not grow it. Referrals come from people who see you regularly and trust your judgment, and that trust fades with distance. Meanwhile there is a whole market on your doorstep. Trade between the two countries is enormous: the USMCA has been in force since 2020, and in 2023 Mexico became the largest trading partner of the United States. Mexican firms that sell north need advisers who understand both sides, and Americans who settle in Mexico need local professionals they can rely on.

What kind of support actually helps?

Three things, in this order. Someone to talk a decision through with before you make it. Someone who has solved the same problem and will tell you how. And, when you need a particular person, an introduction from someone who knows you both.

That is what coaching does at its best, and it does not have to come from a paid coach. In a good community the members do it for each other, in turns.

Why an open community, and not only for coaches?

Because the people who help you most are often not in your field. A coach in Morelia may need an accountant who understands both tax systems. A software founder in Austin may need someone who can explain how decisions are made inside a Mexican family business. The Mexico-USA Coaching Bridge, part of My Most Trusted, is open to anyone who wants to give and receive that kind of help, coaches included.

How does the time difference work?

In your favour. Mexico stopped changing its clocks in 2022, and most of the country, including Morelia, keeps Central time all year. That is the same as Chicago in winter and one hour behind it in summer, so calls with almost anywhere in the United States fit inside a normal working day.

Where do I start?

Start by being useful. Tell a few people exactly what you do and who you help, then ask what they need. Help one person this month without being asked. Ask for one introduction, to one named person, and say why.

If you would like a community that works this way, the Mexico-USA Coaching Bridge is hosted in Morelia by Richard Morden. You can take the tour below.