Blog MiDi

What happens when a frustrating hiring process turns into a company that transforms how talent is sourced across Latin America? That’s the story behind Lupa Hire, founded by Joseph W.—a former product leader turned ecosystem builder.

In this second episode of The Remote Advantage, we talk about Lupa’s origin, the persistent gaps in traditional recruiting models, and why Joseph believes Latin America is positioned to become the world’s top hub for remote talent.

From pain point to purpose: how Lupa got started

Unlike many startup stories, Lupa didn’t begin with a grand idea or pitch deck. It started with a need.

Joseph was working at WPPY (a $6B tech unicorn born in Colombia) where hiring talent across multiple LATAM countries became a daily challenge. The speed was slow, the quality inconsistent, and nobody could help him navigate the complexity of hiring across nine countries with different laws, cultures, and time zones.

So he took over the process, applied product thinking, and got results—quickly. What started as a hands-on experiment turned into referrals, and those referrals turned into a full-time business.

Beyond placements: redefining what recruiting means

Most companies see staffing as a transactional service. Lupa takes a different approach—acting more like a strategic partner than a headhunter.

Here’s what makes Lupa different:

• They consult before recruiting. Every client gets help defining the actual problem before hiring.
• They care about match quality, not just placements.
• They guide US companies through onboarding Latin American talent, helping them adjust to cultural nuances.
• They’re selective about who they work with. If a company doesn’t offer good conditions, they walk away.

That hands-on, consultative approach has resulted in a 60–70% success rate in placements, well above the industry average.

Hiring is hard. Paying is harder.

As Joseph puts it: “The one thing you don’t want to mess up as a business owner is payroll. People work for money.”

And when it comes to paying contractors in LATAM, many companies hesitate because of the complexity. Taxes, contracts, delivery delays, FX costs—it’s a minefield. But it doesn’t have to be.

That’s where platforms like MiDi come in. With MiDi, companies can pay all their contractors in USD with a single monthly payment, and the platform handles distribution to each country—typically within 30 minutes to 4 hours. Contractors get a US account and Visa card, and companies get a single dashboard to track everything.

Want to learn more? Here’s a full comparison of the best payroll outsourcing companies for LATAM.

LATAM remote talent is just getting started

Joseph believes we’re still early in LATAM’s remote work boom.

In the next 5 to 10 years, he sees:

• More professionals learning English and tech skills to access global jobs.
• LATAM becoming a hub for senior roles, not just low-cost labor.
• A growing awareness that remote jobs don’t require relocation to the US anymore.

This shift is already underway—and those who adapt early will benefit the most.

Building an ecosystem, not just filling roles

What does it mean to build a remote work ecosystem?

For Joseph, it’s about relationships. Supporting other founders. Mentoring talent. Offering more than just jobs or contracts—it’s about access, belief, and opportunities that ripple outward.

It’s also about normalizing success in communities across Latin America. When someone sees their friend working for a global company from their hometown, it creates a snowball effect of possibility.

The importance of solving payroll at scale

Hiring talent is one thing. Paying them well, in USD, consistently and without friction—that’s the challenge.

Platforms like MiDi aren’t just payment tools; they’re infrastructure for the future of work in LATAM. By giving contractors access to US accounts and Visa cards, they remove a key friction point that has long discouraged companies from scaling remote teams in the region.

As Joseph says: “It shouldn’t be scary to be hired as a contractor. With the right setup, both sides benefit. The company pays less, and the contractor earns more.”

Want to expand your remote team in LATAM?

If you’re hiring remote talent in Latin America and want to simplify how you pay contractors in USD, let’s talk.

At MiDi, we help US companies onboard and pay LATAM teams with:

• A single USD payment each month
• Fast payouts (30 minutes to 4 hours)
• US accounts and Visa cards for each contractor
• No friction, no hidden FX markups, no drama

👉 Book your discovery call now

*MiDi Technologies LLC (“MiDi”) is a financial technology company.  MiDi is not a bank, does not take deposits.  Banking services available through the MiDi mobile application are currently provided by Banco San Juan International, Inc. (“BSJI”), a Puerto Rican bank that is an affiliate of MiDi.  In the future, banking services on the MiDi mobile application may be provided by other unaffiliated banks.