In this episode of The Nearshore Cafe Podcast, host Brian Samson sits down with Ricky Michel, founder of Ualett, to talk about building a fintech company from the Dominican Republic—and why the gig worker and rideshare driver economy is still underserved by traditional banks.

Ricky shares how Ualettwas founded in 2018, how the team designed a mobile-first, low-friction liquidity experience by spending time directly with drivers, and why trust and empathy are essential when building financial products for independent workers. They also break down Ualett’s hybrid company structure—a U.S.-based operation serving the U.S. market with engineering and support talent in the DR—and what this model reveals about the growth of nearshoring and LATAM tech talent after 2020.

This episode is sponsored by Plugg Technologies (plugg.tech), connecting U.S. companies with top software engineers and digital talent across Latin America.

Topics Covered

• Building fintech products for gig workers and freelancers
• Why traditional banking struggles with variable income and cash flow
• Mobile-first product design for rideshare drivers
• Ualett’s U.S. + Dominican Republic hybrid operating model
• Skills-based hiring and building engineering teams in the DR
• A founder lesson on preparation, timing, and early-stage fundraising
• Why Latin America has become a major nearshore talent hub

Host: Brian Samson
Sponsor: Plugg Technologies (plugg.tech)
Guest: Ricky Michel, Founder of Ualett

🎧 Host | Brian Samson – Founder of 💻 Plugg Technologies
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/briansamson/

🎙️ Sponsored by Plugg Technologies – Connecting U.S. companies with top-tier software developers across Latin America.
🌐 https://www.plugg.tech

🌎 Follow The Nearshore Cafe Podcast
🎵 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6KYcgpmN77fJm6B25469B8
🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nearshore-cafe/id1775525954
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-nearshore-cafe
🌐 Website: https://www.nearshorecafepodcast.com
🔗 All links: https://linktr.ee/nearshorecafepodcast

In this episode of The Nearshore Cafe Podcast, host Brian Samson sits down with Ximena “Xime” Aleman, Co-Founder & Co-CEO of Prometeo, one of Latin America’s leading fintech infrastructure companies. Xime shares her unlikely journey from journalism to fintech entrepreneurship, and how her storytelling background became a strategic advantage in building a company that now connects 1,000+ financial institutions across 11 countries.

Xime breaks down how Latin America’s financial ecosystem really works—from real-time payment systems like PIX and SPEI, to open banking regulations in Brazil, Chile, and Colombia. She explains why financial inclusion requires more than opening bank accounts, and how improving the experience of money is critical in cash-heavy, inflation-prone economies.

The conversation also explores Uruguay’s unique role in the region, the challenges of fundraising from a small market, and how persistence turned early “no’s” from investors into long-term relationships. Xime closes by sharing a local’s guide to Montevideo, including food, wine, and why Uruguay’s calm coastal life is perfect for founders.

This episode is sponsored by Plugg Technologies, helping U.S. companies hire top engineering talent across Latin America.

🎧 Host | Brian Samson – Founder of 💻 Plugg Technologies
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/briansamson/

🎙️ Sponsored by Plugg Technologies – Connecting U.S. companies with top-tier software developers across Latin America.
🌐 https://www.plugg.tech

🌎 Follow The Nearshore Cafe Podcast
🎵 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6KYcgpmN77fJm6B25469B8
🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nearshore-cafe/id1775525954
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-nearshore-cafe
🌐 Website: https://www.nearshorecafepodcast.com
🔗 All links: https://linktr.ee/nearshorecafepodcast

In this episode of The Nearshore Cafe Podcast, host Brian Samson sits down with Agustín Guerra, CEO & Co-Founder of Vangwe, to explore one of the fastest-growing sectors in the region: Latin America’s fintech and wealthtech ecosystem.

Agustín shares his global journey from Montevideo to China, Germany, Poland, London, and the Netherlands, and how living across continents shaped his perspective as a fintech founder. He discusses the early days of LATAM fintech, the rise of digital payments, and how countries like Uruguay, Argentina, and Brazil are shifting from cash-based systems to modern digital finance.

The conversation dives deep into how second-generation fintech startups are now being built on top of the first wave, unlocking innovation in investing, digital wallets, cross-border payments, and wealthtech solutions. Agustín also explains why Latin American consumers—long focused on homeownership as their only “investment”—are finally embracing public markets, fractional investing, and financial education.

Agustín gives a behind-the-scenes look at Vangwe, the company he co-founded to help fintechs scale with engineers who truly understand payments, banking, and financial infrastructure. He shares insights on hiring top tech talent in Uruguay and Argentina, navigating hardware and customs challenges, and why Uruguay remains the “Switzerland of Latin America” for building global tech businesses.

Whether you're a founder, investor, or operator in fintech or nearshoring, this episode reveals what’s coming next for LATAM fintech in 2026, how new rails and platforms are accelerating innovation, and why the region is becoming a global hub for fintech engineering.

🎙️ Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/ilid7jOosTM

Sponsored by Plugg Technologies (PLUGG.Tech) — connecting top Latin American talent with U.S. companies.

🎧 Host | Brian Samson – Founder of 💻 Plugg Technologies
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/briansamson/

🎙️ Sponsored by Plugg Technologies – Connecting U.S. companies with top-tier software developers across Latin America.
🌐 https://www.plugg.tech

🌎 Follow The Nearshore Cafe Podcast
🎵 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6KYcgpmN77fJm6B25469B8
🎙️ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-nearshore-cafe/id1775525954
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-nearshore-cafe
🌐 Website: https://www.nearshorecafepodcast.com
🔗 All links: https://linktr.ee/nearshorecafepodcast