Doing Business in Medellín, Colombia (Expat Founder Story) 🎙 The Nearshore Cafe Podcast

Описание: 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 Chad Smalley, an entrepreneur and longtime expat who has built businesses across Panama and Colombia—including time in Bogotá, Medellín, and now Mexico City.

Chad shares how his expat journey began in Boquete, Panama (2007), where he spotted a real market gap and built a Spanish-language CRM for Panama’s booming real estate industry—scaling to a team of 15 and serving nearly the entire market. From there, the conversation moves into what it takes to operate and grow in Colombia, why Bogotá vs Medellín feel like two different business environments, and how cultural dynamics shape hiring, loyalty, and execution.

The episode also pivots into Chad’s newest venture: a platform connecting global brands with Latin American influencers and UGC creators, built to solve cross-border challenges like creator trust, communication, payments, and product delivery—especially as TikTok Shop and social commerce accelerate worldwide.

✅ What you’ll learn in this episode:
• Texas → Panama → Colombia: Chad’s expat founder story
• Building and exiting a SaaS CRM business in Panama
• Hiring in Latin America: culture, loyalty, and leadership
• Bogotá vs Medellín: business pace, talent, and lifestyle
• Credibility + referrals: how enterprise deals happen in LATAM
• TikTok Shop, social commerce, and influencer marketing in Latin America
• UGC vs affiliate campaigns + real unit economics (LATAM vs U.S.)
• Medellín weekend trips, scuba diving, and local food picks

🎧 If you’re an entrepreneur exploring Colombia, building teams in Latin America, or interested in influencer marketing + social commerce in LATAM, this episode is a must-watch.

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

⏱️ Chapters
00:00 – Welcome & Sponsor: Plugg Technologies
00:39 – Meet Chad Smalley (Medellín, Bogotá, Mexico City)
00:54 – From Texas to Colombia: the expat origin story
01:15 – Why Panama (2007) and what expat life looked like
02:45 – Building a Spanish CRM for Panama real estate (team of 15)
03:15 – SaaS billing before subscriptions (motorcycle invoices)
04:11 – Panama lifestyle, costs, and the free trade zone
05:09 – Recruiting and leading teams in Panama vs Colombia
06:23 – Dollar stability vs currency volatility in Colombia
07:01 – Best practice: why you need a strong local accountant
07:44 – Exiting Panama and starting over in Colombia
08:37 – Colombia’s tech lag: challenges + opportunities (Groupon era)
09:32 – Rappi and the rise of last-mile delivery apps
10:22 – Bogotá: expat community + investment environment
11:13 – Bogotá vs Medellín: culture and climate differences
11:45 – Medellín growth + digital nomads impact on costs
12:37 – Scaling SaaS sales in Bogotá (regional director experience)
14:16 – Hiring in LATAM: LinkedIn, referrals, hiring partners
15:12 – Credibility + trust: winning enterprise buyers in LATAM
17:09 – Language + local support = huge SaaS opportunity
18:32 – Startups vs big companies: employment preferences
19:19 – Medellín startup life: building while living cheaper
20:13 – Why influencer marketing is exploding (TikTok Shop)
21:28 – Chad’s new platform: LATAM creators + global brands
22:46 – Education, trust, payments, and product delivery challenges
23:23 – Why brands want LATAM without legal entities
24:05 – Amazon direct shipping arriving in Colombia
24:49 – Why influencer communities sell even better in LATAM
26:12 – Unit economics: UGC rates + affiliate commissions
28:08 – Medellín lifestyle: weekend trips + scuba diving
28:56 – Food recommendations in Medellín
29:48 – How to reach Chad (LinkedIn)
30:16 – Wrap-up + Sponsor thanks

🔗 Guest
Chad Smalley
Connect on LinkedIn (shared in episode)

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Website: https://www.nearshorecafepodcast.com
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