Outsourcing might not always be the most popular topic, but it’s an omnipresent one- especially when it comes to saving your budget. Today on the eCom Ops Podcast, we’re diving into this with Yoni Kozminski, founder of MultiplyMii and Escala. It’s Yoni’s second time on the show, and we’ll explore how his companies have evolved since his last visit. We’ll discuss the key differences between hiring freelancers versus full-time offshore employees and how eCommerce businesses can benefit from offshore recruitment strategies.
About
Yoni Kozminski is the Founder and CEO of MultiplyMii, a staffing company that provides top Filipino talent to global businesses, helping them reduce operating costs and achieve sustainable growth. With over a decade of experience in digital marketing and creative advertising, Yoni has worked with leading brands such as Sony and MasterCard and eight-figure eCommerce businesses across Australia, Israel, and Los Angeles. He aims to empower SMEs and Filipino professionals by creating partnerships that drive efficiency and tangible improvements.
In addition to MultiplyMii, Yoni founded Escala Consulting, a process improvement consultancy, and serves as a founding partner at South Col, a venture capital firm for eCommerce brands. He is also the host of the Successful Scales podcast, where he shares insights on scaling businesses and fostering growth. Yoni’s expertise spans digital transformation, staffing solutions, and eCommerce, making him a trusted mentor and thought leader.
MultiplyMii is a comprehensive staffing and HR solutions company that helps eCommerce businesses, Amazon sellers, and agencies scale by placing the right people in the right roles. Specializing in Filipino talent, MultiplyMii offers services such as new hire vetting, onboarding, payroll, benefits management, and ongoing performance management. Their holistic approach allows businesses to operate more efficiently while significantly reducing costs.
Escala Consulting complements MultiplyMii by offering boutique process improvement and digital transformation services to SMEs. By leveraging expertise from top consulting firms, Escala helps businesses achieve true scale through a proven methodology, delivering rapid improvements and measurable growth. Together, MultiplyMii and Escala provide businesses with the tools and talent to reach their full potential.
The Key Takeaways
Why Offshore Recruitment Works for Scaling eCommerce Businesses
- Yoni explains how MultiplyMii focuses on finding high-level talent in the Philippines, helping eCommerce businesses grow by offering full-time roles, such as PPC managers and customer support staff, for lower costs compared to agencies or hiring locally.
- Offshore recruitment helps businesses build lasting relationships and maintain company culture. Yoni emphasizes that the real value lies in avoiding the need to constantly retrain freelancers or agencies, leading to more consistent growth and development.
Freelancers vs. Full-Time Offshore Teams: Which Is Better for Your Business?
- Yoni breaks down when it makes sense to hire freelancers and when businesses should consider full-time offshore teams. Freelancers are great for short-term, specialized projects, but a dedicated team member is far more beneficial for growing businesses needing consistent roles (e.g., SEO, customer support, PPC).
- He elaborates on the cost savings of hiring full-time offshore staff. For example, businesses could pay $3,000 monthly for a full-time role, which would cost $20,000 to $30,000 if they opted for an agency. Yoni highlights the advantages of building in-house expertise without raising significant capital.
Why the Philippines? Yoni’s Strategic Choice
- Yoni shares his insights on why the Philippines is his go-to region for offshore recruitment. With a population of 120 million and a growing number of English-speaking college graduates, the Philippines offers a large talent pool, culturally aligned with Western work practices.
- He contrasts this with other regions, noting that while countries like India and Pakistan have strong technical talent, the Philippines stands out for its language proficiency, cultural fit, and work ethic. Yoni also emphasizes the high retention rate in the Philippines, as many workers become family breadwinners and are motivated to stay long-term.
How to Find High-Quality Talent Offshore
- Yoni explains how MultiplyMii goes beyond traditional hiring platforms like Upwork by leveraging a team of full-time recruiters to headhunt passive candidates who aren’t actively seeking new roles. This strategy ensures they find top-tier talent typically unavailable through standard job boards.
- He examines MultiplyMii’s rigorous screening process, which requires recruiters to understand cultural fit, technical skills, and long-term potential to ensure seamless integration with the company’s vision.
Digital Marketing Strategies for eCommerce Growth
- Drawing from his experience working with major brands like Sony, MasterCard, and Mercedes Benz, Yoni explains how these strategies can be applied to smaller eCommerce businesses. He shares how he scaled an eCommerce company from $2 million to $5 million in revenue within 12 months, largely by leveraging a Filipino team for digital marketing and customer support roles.
- Yoni stresses the importance of hiring individuals with the right skill set to handle SEO, PPC, and other marketing efforts in-house, avoiding the pitfalls of agencies that often charge high fees for minimal dedicated hours.
The Power of Retention and Building Long-Term Teams
- A significant takeaway is Yoni’s emphasis on employee retention. He explains how MultiplyMii focuses on building long-term relationships with offshore employees, citing that many of his original hires are still with him years later. This loyalty and consistency are invaluable for businesses that want to scale smoothly.
- Yoni also discusses how investing in career development and providing job security for offshore workers leads to a strong, motivated team that sticks with the company, reducing turnover and ensuring stability.
Key Questions for Hiring the Right People
- Yoni shares unique strategies for identifying the best candidates, including asking about a candidate’s proudest achievements in their previous roles and what their former managers would say about their strengths and weaknesses. These questions help determine whether the candidate is genuinely passionate and aligned with the business’s needs.
- He also warns against candidates who speak negatively about their previous employers, as this can be a red flag for future performance.
Exclusive Resources for Entrepreneurs
Yoni is offering several valuable resources to help entrepreneurs streamline their operations and focus on growth:
- Webinar: Learn how to accelerate product launches, delegate more effectively, and break free from daily operations to concentrate on strategic growth.
- Miro Board Template: Access an editable Miro board pre-populated with Escala’s template to help delegate accountability across your organization.
- Salary Guide in the Philippines: Discover the true cost of remote talent with this comprehensive salary guide, designed to help you make informed decisions about hiring in the Philippines.
These resources are available for download on the MultiplyMii website.
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