How Esusu Built a World-Class Fintech Team on One Belief: Talent Has No Borders

Esusu started building its team in the Philippines the way a lot of fast-moving startups do — with independent contractors. It worked to get the company off the ground. But as the team grew, the independent contractor model started carrying risks that couldn't be ignored.

HR, tax, and legal exposure. No single partner managing devices or payroll on the ground. And a team already running Esusu's operations who needed to move forward rather than be replaced.

The transition also had to protect the existing team. These weren't interchangeable seats — they were people who had been part of Esusu's culture since nearly the beginning. The wrong move would break delivery. The right move had to feel like an upgrade.

Esusu needed a partner willing to integrate into their existing setup — not force them onto a rigid vendor template. Booth absorbed the full operating stack and ran the transition in-flight, without breaking what was already working.

Booth delivered:

• Contractor-to-employee transition without delivery disruption, transitioning the existing team into a compliant, fully managed 51-person workforce — without replacing a single person.
  
  
• Full operating stack ownership — HR, Payroll, Legal, and device management consolidated under one accountable partner, removing the piecemeal vendor risk of the independent contractor model.
  
  
• Tailor-fit integration into Esusu's existing tools, workflows, and team structure, rather than imposing a standard template.
  
  
• Specialized fintech role coverage across Risk Reporting, Rent Reporting, Client Onboarding, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, and a Country Manager on the ground — well beyond generic back-office staffing.
  
  
• In-market presence and infrastructure — a Manila office where the team could gather, connect, and be supported, with in-person visits from Esusu leadership built in.

The result: Esusu's team in the Philippines didn't feel like an outsourced function. It felt — and operated — like part of the company.

A Gala Night in the Philippines with Esusu—featuring milestone awards, values ambassadors, and a fireside chat with the team.

Transitioning with Booth gave Esusu:

• A compliant, fully managed team — no disruption: Grown from a handful of independent contractors to a fully managed team of 51 — with no gap in delivery across customer support, risk reporting, or rent reporting workflows.
  
  
• One partner, one scope, no hidden costs: HR, Payroll, Legal, and devices consolidated under Booth — replacing a fragmented, compliance-exposed independent contractor model with a single accountable relationship.
  
  
• Role depth that matches the business: A team that spans 8 function types — from frontline Phone and Customer Support to Risk Reporting Analysts, Rent Reporting Analysts, and a Country Manager embedded on the ground.
  
  
• A Philippines hub that's a strategic asset: 51 people representing roughly a quarter of Esusu's total headcount, with the infrastructure, office presence, and culture to grow further.

The Esusu team collaborated with Rise Against Hunger PH for a hands-on meal-packing activity as part of their community outreach.

For Esusu, building a global team was never a shortcut. It was a philosophy — that talent can be found anywhere, and that if you build the infrastructure to support it properly, you can build your operation anywhere too.