I have built two teams in Mexico from the ground up and managed two more. I have done everything from interview law firms in Mexico, draft cross border contracts, hire and manage recruiters in Mexico, and recruit directly across Mexico in addition to actually managing project delivery between multiple remote teams. I have seen and done quite a lot between the US and Mexico and have had nothing but a positive experience building and working with teams in Mexico. Here’s why:
First off, when I say Mexico I mean all of Mexico. You can find brilliant engineers in towns across Mexico from some of the smallest towns to the largest. Guadalajara is really the center of Mexico’s tech scene and home to a thriving tech community. It is also home to some major universities that turn out numerous PhDs and in fields such as computer vision, machine learning and various other fields. ITESO, Universidad de Guadalajara and Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara are well respected institutions in GDL as it is commonly referred to. That said, I have recruited across Mexico and there is amazing talent to be found everywhere.
Secondly, logistics. Guadalajara shares the same timezone as Austin, TX and is only 4hrs from San Francisco with daily flights. The teams in Mexico share the same work day as those of us working in the US, as opposed to teams in Europe, South Asia and elsewhere, and it is easy enough to bring teams in for short periods or, better yet, travel to GDL for a few days to get some face time with the team. (Of course, we hope to once again have some face time once the pandemic dies down.)
Another thing to consider is the infrastructure that is in place to support you. First off, Startup GDL is a non-profit in Guadalajara that was setup with the express purpose of helping startups get up and running quickly and easily. Baker McKenzie has law offices across Mexico and JA Del Rio is a well established accounting firm that can help with all your tax and accounting needs. I have found all these firms to be very welcoming and helpful even when it comes to just understanding the operational landscape and baseline requirements. There are a ton of co-working spaces where one can quickly and easily establish and office for when we are once again working in close proximity. Central Bosch is an excellent spot located in Plaza Sania.
If you are not interested in going to the trouble of setting up in Mexico you should consider a nearshore service such as Wizeline. They are based in Guadalajara but also have offices here in San Francisco and in Asia. I have extensive experience working with Wizeline and find them to be an incredibly talented pool of individuals who work with some the largest enterprise customers as well as smaller fast-paced startups. Definitely consider giving them a call.
Lastly, I personally find Mexico to be a wonderful country and Guadalajara is safe, beautiful, bustling metropolis that is well worth a visit. There is so much to see and if you need a break the coast if just a short flight away. Of course, there is always the food which is absolutely incredible.
Feel free to reach out. I am happy to tell you more.