Podcast Summary: The Remote Intelligence Advantage: How LATAM Talent Is Powering the Future of Global Teams

Podcast: Liftoff with Keith Newman
Host: Keith Newman
Guest: Luis Derechin, CEO of Near You
Date: November 26, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Keith Newman sits down with Luis Derechin, the bicultural entrepreneur behind Near You (NIRYU), to discuss the challenges and opportunities of hiring remote talent from Latin America (LATAM). The discussion delves into the common pitfalls of offshoring, the unique strengths of LATAM talent, how Near You is transforming the remote hiring landscape, and actionable advice for founders on building distributed teams. The conversation also touches on the evolving impact of AI in LATAM, Luis's entrepreneurial journey, and the future of startup ecosystems in Mexico and beyond.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Luis Derechin’s Journey: From Entrepreneur to Offshoring Expert

• Bicultural Background:
  Luis was born in Mexico and raised in Southern California, regularly traversing the border—a fact that imbued him with a deep understanding of both U.S. and Mexican cultures.

  "If you wanted hamburgers, you’d stay in the US, but if you wanted tacos, why go to Taco Bell? You’d cross the literal border." — Luis (02:25)

• First Tech Startup Accomplishment:
  Founded Mexico’s first tech startup to raise U.S. VC funding in the early 2000s.
• Discovering Offshoring Problems:
  After a successful exit, Luis began consulting for U.S. companies whose offshoring attempts failed, leading to the founding of Near You based on observed recurring pitfalls.

  "I didn't get into it with a strategic plan. I started getting called into gigs, right? Consulting opportunities to help people sort of right an unsuccessful attempt." — Luis (04:35)

2. Common Pitfalls in Offshoring and the ‘Death Trap’

Luis identifies several key reasons offshoring efforts frequently fail—what he labels 'the offshore team death trap':

• Talent Mirage: Hiring on resume alone leads to mismatches in actual skill.
• Cultural Chasm: Insufficient onboarding creates cultural disconnects.
• Hidden Cost Spiral: Unexpected costs wipe out anticipated savings.
• Management Quicksand: Inefficiencies arise when remote management isn't streamlined.
• Retention Revolving Door: Lack of knowledge continuity due to high turnover.
• Quality Erosion: Compounded pitfalls ultimately erode output and morale.

"These are responsible for 73% of failures or for projects being not being successful 73% of the time." — Luis (12:32)

3. The Remote Intelligence Framework for Success

Luis introduces the “REMOTE” Intelligence Framework—outlined in his Amazon bestselling book—for founders looking to build successful nearshore teams:

• R: Rigorous Talent Selection
• E: Expert Onboarding and Integration
• M: Managed Support and Services
• O: Optimized Team Performance
• T: Transparent Cost Plus Pricing
• E: Enhanced Scalability and Growth

"By following the remote intelligence framework… you're able to achieve success." — Luis (16:03)

Luis asserts Near You has a 95% remote team success rate following this method—compared to an industry average of just 27%.

4. Cost Savings and Practical Benefits

• Cost Differential: Hiring in LATAM typically costs 30–35% of equivalent U.S. roles—up to 65–70% savings, particularly for experienced engineers.

"LATAM will cost you about 30 to 35% of what the a very similar role will cost you in the U.S." — Luis (14:03)

• Skill Availability: While wages are similar across LATAM (Argentina, Mexico, Colombia), the main differences are in specific skill concentrations.

5. The Impact of AI on LATAM Talent & Offshore Work

AI’s Penetration in LATAM:

• Senior Engineers and AI Efficiency:
  Senior-level engineers are leveraging AI to increase efficiency, reducing the need for larger junior teams.
• Industry Lag:
  LATAM, by Luis’s account, is about 3–5 years behind the US in AI maturity—but there are signs of acceleration.

"The reality is that there are no large AI companies in Latin America. In fact, this week I just heard of a company that's deploying AI in the industrial sector." — Luis (17:15)

• AI At Near You:
  The company uses AI for marketing, interviewing, sourcing, and vetting talent.

6. When Should Startups Consider Offshoring?

• Timing:
  Start once you have clear management, processes, and culture in place—NOT as a solo founder, but once you’re scaling.
• Cultural Integration:
  A remote-friendly mindset is now more common post-pandemic; the lesson: "culture must not be accidental, but defined" (24:35).

"You want management, you want culture, and then you want some processes in order to be able to have people work remotely." — Luis (22:48)

7. Luis's Entrepreneurship Lessons

• Execution Trumps Ideas:

  "Execution is 90 to 95%. Ideas are a dime a dozen." — Luis (29:08)

• Teamwork Matters Most:
  "Entrepreneurship is not a solo sport, it’s a team sport… the highs are the highest you have ever experienced. But how low are the lows?" (30:44)

• Product-Market Fit is Hardest:
  Finding and recognizing PMF is the most difficult yet critical step.

• Resilience & Ego:
  Resilience in the face of setbacks and controlling ego are essential in a founder’s journey.

  “All of us think I, I'm going to be the next unicorn. I'm going to be the next winner… And then boom, as you said, the market, the market hits you in the face and that's when the real battle begins.” — Luis (33:37)

8. The Evolving LATAM Startup Ecosystem

Luis observes the startup mindset in Mexico has shifted remarkably in a decade:

• The explosion of entrepreneurship education and founder ambition.

  "I did the same thing about 10 months ago… I was surprised to see exactly the opposite. 45, 46 hands went up and they all wanted to, to start their own company." — Luis (35:09)

• More VCs and angels are active, with US-Mexico “bridge” founders sharing knowledge.

• Institutional hurdles (tariffs, policy) remain but aren’t the real limiting factor; community building and mentorship are key accelerators.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Success Rates:
  "We at Near You have proven 95% success rate. So it's proven to be successful." — Luis (16:43)
• On Food as Cultural Metaphor:
  "If you wanted hamburgers, you’d stay in the US, but if you wanted tacos, why go to Taco Bell? You’d cross the literal border..." — Luis (02:25)
• On Execution:
  "Execution is 90 to 95%. Ideas are a dime a dozen." — Luis (29:08)
• On Entrepreneurship as Team Sport:
  "The highs are the highest you have ever experienced. But how low are the lows?" — Luis (30:44)
• On Leadership and Resilience:
  "Famous business philosopher Mike Tyson said, 'You have a perfectly laid out plan until you get punched in the face.' And that's when the real fight begins." — Luis (33:28)

Key Timestamps

• [02:25] – Luis’s bicultural upbringing and origin story
• [04:35] – How consulting on offshoring failures led to starting Near You
• [09:46] – The “Offshore Team Death Trap” and top pitfalls
• [14:03] – LATAM talent cost analysis versus US hiring
• [16:03] – Introduction to the REMOTE Intelligence Framework
• [17:15] – The current state of AI in LATAM and at Near You
• [22:48] – When startups should consider offshore/remote teams
• [29:08] – Big lessons: Execution over ideas; resilience; team support
• [35:09] – The explosion of entrepreneurial ambition in Mexican universities
• [38:08] – How cross-border founders are accelerating LATAM’s future

Tone & Style

Luis brings warmth, humor, and hard-won wisdom, sharing vivid anecdotes from his own journey, and offering practical frameworks and candid advice. Keith supplements with founder-centric curiosity and grounded optimism, probing for step-by-step guidance founders can use.

Conclusion

This episode is a crash course on remote team-building, especially leveraging the untapped potential of LATAM talent. Luis delivers a blend of inspirational storytelling and actionable frameworks, offering a roadmap for founders looking to avoid common offshoring pitfalls, embrace global talent, and scale smarter in the post-pandemic, AI-powered age. The message is clear: success with remote teams comes down to process, cultural intelligence, and a commitment to learning from both wins and losses.