In this episode of The Nearshore Cafe Podcast, Brian Samson speaks with Joe Helleny, Founder & CEO of CourtMoney, about building a 24-hour nearshore call center in Central America.

Joe shares how his background in ATMs, online payments, and government software led him to outsource customer support — first in the U.S., then nearshore in Nicaragua. He discusses the challenges of English proficiency, professionalism, background checks, handling financial transactions, and knowing when founders need to step out of day-to-day support.

Topics include:

• When to outsource customer support
• U.S. vs. international call centers
• Why Central America became the right solution
• Managing complex payment calls
• SaaS, AI, and automation in utility billing
• Expanding nearshore beyond call centers

If you're evaluating nearshore staffing or building a remote support team, this episode offers a practical founder perspective.

🎧 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 entrepreneur and expat founder Chad Smalley to explore what it really takes to build and scale businesses in Panama and Colombia.

Chad shares how his journey began in Panama in 2007, where he built and scaled a Spanish-language CRM serving nearly the entire real estate market. From there, the conversation moves into Colombia — comparing Bogotá vs Medellín, discussing hiring, cultural loyalty, startup opportunities, and why Latin America can offer a strategic advantage for founders.

The episode also dives deep into the rapid rise of influencer marketing, UGC, and TikTok Shop, including why TikTok Shop generated $500 million in a single day on Black Friday and what that signals for the future of social commerce — especially in Latin America.

If you’re an entrepreneur, investor, operator, or exploring nearshoring and LATAM market expansion, this episode is packed with practical insight.

🎧 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 is joined by JP Trouillot, Deal Advisory Partner and Regional Advisory Leader for the Americas at KPMG, and Alan Riddell, Head of Deal Advisory for Brazil and South America at KPMG Brazil.

Together, they explore the evolving M&A landscape in Latin America and why investor confidence is rising heading into 2026. Drawing from KPMG’s global executive research and real-world deal experience, this conversation unpacks how sophisticated investors are approaching risk, valuation, and growth in a region long known for volatility.

This episode covers:

• The current and future M&A outlook in Latin America
• Why Brazil and Argentina are attracting renewed foreign investment
• How high interest rates are reshaping deal structures, earnouts, and valuations
• The shift from risk avoidance to risk architecture in cross-border M&A
• Nearshoring, supply chain realignment, and buy-versus-build strategies
• Infrastructure, energy, data centers, and technology as key growth sectors
• Post-merger integration, leadership, culture, and talent considerations

If you’re a founder, investor, executive, or operator looking to understand where capital is moving and how deals are actually getting done in Latin America, this episode delivers practical insight you can apply immediately.

🎧 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

Welcome to The Nearshore Cafe Podcast, hosted by Brian Samson and sponsored by 💻 Plugg Technologies (plugg.tech), a nearshore talent partner connecting U.S. companies with English-speaking software engineers and digital talent across Latin America.

In this episode, Brian sits down with Marvin Martinez, CEO and Founder of Bandsaw AI, to break down how businesses are practically implementing AI today. They explore the difference between automation, AI tools, and AI agents, why most workflows don’t need complex agents, and how founders can scale operations without adding headcount.

Marvin shares real-world use cases from social media automation and lead generation to CRM workflows and operational mapping along with insights on AI adoption in Latin America and what it’s like building an AI-driven company from Managua, Nicaragua.

🎧 If you’re a founder, operator, or business leader exploring AI automation, nearshoring, or scaling smarter in 2026, this episode is a must-watch.

🎧 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 final episode of 2025, Brian Samson sits down with Ruben Santana, President of Plugg Technologies, to break down how nearshore hiring evolved this year—and what U.S. companies should expect in 2026.

They discuss why companies are moving away from traditional offshoring toward nearshore teams in Latin America, focusing on time zone alignment, project delivery speed, English fluency, and long-term retention. Ruben shares real examples of teams built in Mexico, Brazil, and across South America, plus which roles are seeing the strongest demand, including data engineers, data analysts, and Salesforce professionals.

This episode also covers what “nearshore ready” really means, what companies should ask when evaluating nearshore partners, and how Plugg Technologies supports onboarding, payroll, equipment, security, and retention—making nearshore hiring feel no different than hiring locally.

🎧 If you’re exploring nearshore hiring, LATAM tech talent, or replacing offshore teams, this episode offers practical insights from the front lines.

Sponsored by Plugg Technologies
Connecting U.S. companies with vetted software engineers and digital talent across Latin America.
👉 https://www.plugg.tech

🎧 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

How fast can companies build high-performing nearshore teams?

In this episode of The Nearshore Cafe Podcast, host Brian Samson, Founder of Plugg Technologies, explains how U.S. companies can go from zero to fully onboarded nearshore talent in as little as 14 days.

Brian breaks down why nearshoring in Latin America outperforms traditional offshoring, focusing on time zone alignment, communication, cultural fit, and long-term performance. He shares real-world hiring insights from countries like Argentina, Mexico, and Colombia, plus the operational details most teams underestimate—from sourcing and vetting to onboarding and retention.

This episode is ideal for founders, CTOs, and hiring leaders exploring nearshore hiring, LATAM tech talent, remote engineering teams, and distributed work models.

🎧 Sponsored by Plugg Technologies
Connecting U.S. companies with vetted software engineers across Latin America.
👉 https://www.plugg.techz

🎧 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

Thinking about nearshoring? Wondering how it compares to outsourcing, offshoring, or onshoring? In this value-packed episode of The Nearshore Cafe Podcast, host Brian Samson — CEO of Plugg Technologies — answers the 7 most frequently asked questions about nearshoring in 2025.

From cost savings of 40–70%, to real-time collaboration with Latin American developers, Brian explains how nearshoring can help U.S. companies scale tech teams quickly and affordably without sacrificing quality or culture fit.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The difference between nearshoring, offshoring, outsourcing, and onshoring
• Why nearshoring is the best staffing model for U.S. companies in 2025
• How much you can save by hiring software developers in Latin America
• The top roles to nearshore: full-stack, front-end, QA, support, and more
• What makes LATAM professionals more resilient, creative, and collaborative
• How Plugg Technologies stands out from traditional dev shops and recruiters
• Why U.S. tariffs haven’t impacted nearshoring of services — yet

Who Should Listen:
Startup founders, CTOs, engineering leaders, HR and operations execs, and anyone interested in remote team building, global hiring, or staff augmentation in LATAM.

Sponsor: Plugg Technologies
Plugg helps U.S. companies hire top-tier Latin American developers as embedded team members — not outsourced contractors.
Learn more at: https://www.plugg.tech

Connect with The Nearshore Cafe Podcast:
Website: https://www.nearshorecafepodcast.com
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

🎧 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 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