The Invisible Work That Can Wear You Out

The Invisible Work That Can Wear You Out

Healthcare, High-Performance Collaboration, Success Stories, Team Performance

Written by: Yamila Solari
Illustration of emotional labor in software teams showing happy and stressed faces, symbolizing the hidden work of managing emotions at work.
In 1983, sociologist Arlie Hochschild coined the term emotional labor to describe the work people do when they manage their emotions to fit the expectations of their role, even when it doesn’t match how they actually feel. At the time, this was mostly associated with hospitality jobs where employees were expected to “grin and bear it” for the sake of clients.

But over the years we’ve realized that emotional labor shows up everywhere, including in tech teams. Any time people can’t fully express what they’re feeling, some degree of emotional labor is happening. It often falls on the team lead’s shoulders, but not exclusively; any member of a team can find themselves carrying this hidden load.

Two kinds of emotional labor

Experts often divide emotional labor into self-focused and other-focused.

  • Self-focused: When you regulate your own emotions to match the job. This can be surface acting (putting on a smile while you’re stressed) or deep acting (convincing yourself to feel more positive so your reaction seems genuine). Both consume mental energy.
  • Other-focused: When you carry the responsibility of keeping the peace in your team. Maybe you bite your tongue to avoid conflict, or you’re the one who smooths over tension so others don’t have to. Over time, this extra work often falls on a few individuals, especially those seen as “the calm one” or “the peacemaker.”

The reality is that jobs demanding high levels of emotional labor, whether client-facing or within tough team cultures, take a toll. In my view, emotional labor is sustainable only when:

  • the effort is light,
  • it is shared fairly across the team, and
  • it is mostly self-focused.

When emotional labor becomes intense, unevenly distributed, and heavily other-focused, morale suffers. That’s when we see stress, fatigue, cognitive dissonance, reduced self-confidence, and eventually burnout.

Nearshore software development team collaborating in a meeting room, demonstrating how shared emotional labor supports high-performing delivery.
Balanced emotional labor helps nearshore teams communicate clearly and maintain steady velocity.

Emotional labor in teams

High-performing teams, especially in software development, usually already enjoy psychological safety and healthy communication practices, which allow emotions to be expressed more freely. But even in those environments, someone may still end up carrying too much of the invisible emotional work, and it can be draining. That’s why it helps to define what an unfair share of emotional labor looks like in the context of teamwork.

An unfair share of emotional labor happens when one or two people consistently absorb the responsibility of managing team emotions and dynamics, while others contribute little to that invisible work. In other words, the same few people keep the team afloat, at the expense of their own mental energy, while others simply ride the wave.

Signs you’re carrying too much

You might be doing an unfair share of emotional labor if you:

  • Frequently mediate conflicts or soothe tensions.
  • Modulate your emotions to avoid rocking the boat.
  • Track everyone’s triggers and adjust your behavior to protect others.
  • Are often asked to “fix” situations or calm down upset colleagues.
  • Feel pressure to always be positive, no matter what.
  • Step in to help even when it’s not your responsibility.
  • Regularly provide emotional support or advice.
  • Let subtle offenses slide to keep the peace.
  • Absorb client frustration to shield your team.

When one person consistently takes on these responsibilities, it’s not only exhausting for them — it also prevents the team from building resilience together.

Tech leader managing multiple thoughts and decisions, representing the mental load and emotional labor of guiding a software team.
Leaders carry a unique emotional load—naming it and sharing it keeps teams resilient.

Tips to manage other-focused emotional labor

  • Acknowledge it. Start noticing the moments you take on emotional work. Awareness is the first step.
  • Get perspective. Talk with a coach or your team leader. What would actually happen if you didn’t smooth things over? Sometimes the team needs to face conflict to grow.
  • Speak up. Within Scrum, Retrospectives are a safe place to share how this invisible work is affecting you. Naming it helps balance the load.
  • Own your feelings. Practice saying “Here’s what I observed, and here’s how it made me feel.” This keeps you focused on your experience instead of controlling the team’s mood.
  • If you lead a team, create safety. Make space for emotions as part of your culture. When people can express frustration, joy, or disagreement without fear, conflict gets resolved earlier and resentment doesn’t snowball.

Final thought

Emotional labor isn’t inherently bad — it’s part of working with people. But when it’s heavy, uneven, and invisible, it quietly drains teams. By naming it, sharing the responsibility, and creating a culture where emotions can be expressed safely, we can turn it from a hidden burden into a shared skill that strengthens the team.

Yamila Solari

Yamila Solari

General Manager

“They have programmers in Mexico?”: The story of remote work at Scio with CEO and Founder Luis Aburto (Part 1)

“They have programmers in Mexico?”: The story of remote work at Scio with CEO and Founder Luis Aburto (Part 1)

Interculturality, Latin America Nearshoring, Nearshore Software Development, Outsourced Engineering Team, Scio, Software Development, Strategic Digital Nearshoring, Success Stories

By Scio Team 
Luis Aburto, CEO and Founder of Scio, a nearshore software development company in Mexico, specializing in remote teams for U.S. tech companies.
When it comes to working remotely and managing a hybrid working model, nothing is better than hearing it from someone doing it since 2003. So we sat down with Luis Aburto, CEO and Founder of Scio to find out what worked, what didn’t, what is Nearshore development, and the long road from emails to agile methodologies. Enjoy!
As a potential client, if I wanted to work with Nearshore developers, I would like to know how they can maintain cohesion in the team. Anyone can say “I’ll find you a developer” and then open LinkedIn, but that doesn’t make you a recruiter. It’s not about just finding resources, it’s about building high-performing teams of people who integrate well, and I’d like to see how they achieve that and motivate their collaborators to strive for a well-done job. That’s what I would look for in a Nearshore company. Scio started all the way back in 2003, and in the years since, it refined a unique perspective on software development, remote hybrid work, and what’s next for a programmer interested in joining an industry at the forefront of innovation and adaptability. But how did it all begin?
Luis Aburto, CEO and Founder of Scio, a nearshore software development company in Mexico, specializing in remote teams for U.S. tech companies.
Luis Aburto, CEO & Founder of Scio, on building nearshore software teams for U.S. companies—especially in Texas.

Nearshore: A new way to develop software

Well, at the end of the 90s, very few organizations in the US realized that software development could be done in Mexico. Clients had the idea that “IT outsourcing” was something you did in India, and nowhere else you could get these kinds of services. One of the first companies to talk about “Nearshore development” was Softtek, which started to promote this model around 1998 or so. At the time, the attitude was something like “Seriously? They have programmers in Mexico?”, and certain friction existed towards the idea of outsourcing development here. Now, since Scio began, our focus has been working with North American clients so, by definition, we have been doing remote work since day one. Sure, we occasionally visited clients to discuss the stages of a project, collect requirements, and present advances, but collaboration has mainly been remote, through conference calls and the like. Technology wasn’t what it is now. Skype was the most advanced thing then, but Internet speeds gave us barely enough quality to do videoconferences, so we used phone landlines and conference speakers to make calls. It sounds quaint nowadays, I think, but it helped us start developing efficient ways to collaborate remotely. It all happened exclusively at the office, too. Today it is very common to have a good broadband connection with optical fiber at home, but in ’03, dedicated Internet connections for businesses were barely enough, so if you worked from home, sending your code to a remote server somewhere and trying to integrate it with the code written by the office team was a very slow process, and not efficient at all.
Vintage office desk with a typewriter, invoices, and coins—illustrating the pre-Cloud era of software development and Scio’s early remote-work context serving U.S. clients from Mexico.
Early nearshore realities: collaborating with U.S. clients from Mexico before Cloud DevOps—foundations that shaped Scio’s modern remote delivery.
Also, we didn’t have stuff like GitHub or Azure DevOps, where everybody can send their code to the Cloud and run tests from there, so even if your clients were remote, you needed to be at the office to access your Source Code Repository with reasonable speed. Internet speeds eventually started to get better and the possibility of working from home became more feasible. Around 2012 we started by implementing a policy where you could choose one day to work remotely per week, so by the time this pandemic got here, everyone already had a computer and good Internet plans, so it wasn’t a very radical change for us. We just leaped from doing it a single day of the week to doing it daily. And yes, I do mean “this” pandemic because it isn’t the first one Scio has gone through. Back in 2009, we had the Swine Flu (AH1N1) in Mexico, and we had to completely shut down because going home and working from there couldn’t be done by everyone. The infrastructure necessary wasn’t there yet, so you couldn’t ask the team to work remotely overnight, even for a short while.
Other things changed once we could implement this “Home Office Day” policy, mainly realizing this was not a “lost” day of work. The response to it was great, as you could keep in contact with the team without getting lost in a “black hole” of not knowing what was going on, and do other stuff if your tasks allowed it. Eventually, we had a couple of team members that, for personal reasons, left the office to work remotely full-time. The spouse of one of them got a job in Guadalajara and he didn’t want to leave us, so asked if we would be okay with this arrangement. After some time seeing how well this worked out, we fully opened to the idea of hiring more people remotely, to the point we had four full-time collaborators in Guadalajara on a co-working space we rented so they wouldn’t feel alone.
Computer screens with programming code reflected on eyeglasses, symbolizing Scio’s transition from email-based workflows to agile methodologies for U.S. clients.
Scio’s shift from email-heavy workflows to agile practices transformed collaboration with U.S. tech companies.

A technology leap

For our clients, things worked a little differently too. Back in the early 2000’s, collaboration happened a lot through email, where you had these long chains of messages that contained whole project proposals and development plans. You can still do that of course, but it’s more common nowadays to just say “hey, let’s have a quick call, I’ll explain this and you can give me your feedback” to arrive at a decision, than having to compose an email, read it, discuss it with every relevant person, take note of all the stuff that wasn’t clear, and respond back and forth during the whole dev cycle. This was our very early collaboration flow until agile methodologies became the norm. Soon our teams had daily scrum meetings with clients, with the key difference that, instead of a call of 10 or 15 participants joining from home, you had a meeting between two boardrooms: on one side of the call was the team at Scio, and on the other, our counterparts at the client’s office. Everyone gave their status and comments, and once we finished, further exchanges were done by email or phone calls. We canceled several phone lines last year, by the way, when we realized they hadn’t been used in years. In the beginning, we needed lots of lines for every team to keep in touch with their respective clients, but now Zoom, Hangouts, Microsoft Teams, and Slack offer plenty of more convenient options to do so. Shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic, this was still our collaboration dynamic, with two meeting rooms giving their respective status, and anyone working from home for the day joining the call.
Developer working remotely on a laptop during a video call, showing Scio’s bilingual nearshore collaboration with U.S. tech teams.
Scio’s remote-ready developers in Mexico work seamlessly with U.S. teams thanks to strong English skills and cultural alignment.
But now that everyone is working remotely, barriers have started to diminish, both in culture and in attitude. In the US you are probably already working with people in California, Texas, or New York, so working with someone in Mexico doesn’t feel different, as long as the language skills of the person are good. The newer generations of developers and engineers have a better level of English now than just a few years ago. Maybe because there are more opportunities to get acquainted with the language; earlier you had to go to very specific stores to get books and other materials in English, which wasn’t cheap, and without stuff like YouTube and Netflix, the type of content you could get to practice was very limited. This evolution of the software developers, when you are not limited to local options as long as you have the necessary skills to collaborate with a remote team, is very notable. The people we used to hire outside of Morelia were the ones willing to move here, and the process of seeking out people to explicitly be remote collaborators was gradual until we developed a whole process to assess which ones fit Scio’s culture the best.
Team meeting in a bright office, illustrating the importance of soft skills in Scio’s nearshore software development teams for U.S. companies.
At Scio, strong communication and collaboration skills are as valuable as technical expertise when working with U.S. clients.

Soft skills: The key to a good team

In that sense, I think soft skills will have more weight in the long run than purely technical skills. Someone with an average technical level, but who is proactive, knows how to communicate, and can identify priorities is someone who brings more value to a team than a technology wizard that doesn’t play along and keeps themself isolated, or assumes stuff instead of validating it. You would think social skills are irrelevant for someone working remotely when they are actually critical to collaborate effectively. Some people prefer to not interact with others and would rather just get instructions on what to do, but this only works for well-defined tasks in which it is very clear what you are trying to accomplish. I know this is the optimal way to collaborate for those developers who are less interested in social aspects, but it doesn’t work for projects that require innovation, creativity, and problem solving, with complex workflows involving tons of people whose input is important at every step. This is why, I think the “introvert programmer” stereotype is something of a myth, at least nowadays. This profession is moving towards a place where the most valuable persons are the ones with a well-rounded profile, capable of communicating with the business sponsors, his or her coworkers, and final users, and not only those who are super-gifted in their programming skills. People in software, as a whole, are becoming more versatile, and the ones capable of connecting are going to be more visible and be considered more valuable, getting more opportunities in their careers. This is what I can say about the path that the people at Scio have followed so far. From now on, collaboration is a priority because remote work makes it more important than ever, and motivating and stimulating this collaboration, indeed this cohesion, is what will differentiate good Nearshore companies from the best ones.
From Fast to Purposeful: Building with Shared Value

From Fast to Purposeful: Building with Shared Value

Communication & Collaboration, Shared Value, Success Stories

By Guillermo Tena
Team collaborating around a shared project, symbolizing how Shared Value in product strategy combines profitability with positive social impact.
A few years ago, I discovered something that changed the way I build. I’ve worked on everything from launching zero-budget apps to transforming forgotten public spaces into cultural landmarks. I’ve built for startups, for governments, for brands. And I’ve learned something I wish more product and strategy leaders would talk about:

Today, we can build faster than ever. But if we’re not careful about what we build—and for whom—we’re just adding noise.

That’s why I now believe deeply in something called Shared Value—the idea that businesses can be profitable because they create meaningful value for society. Not as charity. Not as ESG compliance. But as strategy. As a model that works because it’s built to benefit everyone in the system.

Let me show you what I mean.

What Is Shared Value?

Michael Porter and Mark Kramer defined it as:

«Policies and operating practices that enhance the competitiveness of a company while simultaneously advancing the economic and social conditions in the communities in which it operates.»

In plain terms? Business models that win when society wins.

Shared Value isn’t a donation. It’s not a marketing campaign. It’s not an add-on.

It’s a smarter way to build.

The Three Lenses of Creating Shared Value (CSV)

To bring this strategy to life, there are three powerful lenses you can use:

1. Re-imagining Products & Markets
Build offerings that meet an unmet social need. Think affordable fintech for the unbanked, or healthy food options in food deserts.

2. Redesigning the Value Chain
Reduce costs or risks by tackling structural inefficiencies—like waste, energy use, or poor supplier livelihoods.

3. Building Local Clusters
Strengthen the local ecosystems (schools, suppliers, infrastructure) that your business depends on to thrive.

These lenses aren’t theoretical. They’re practical. I’ve applied all three across the projects I’m about to share with you.

Khero app and cultural event visuals, showcasing how running and walking are converted into donations for social causes through Shared Value strategy.
Khero turns every kilometer walked or run into donations for NGOs, aligning brand sponsorship with measurable social impact.

Case Study 1: KHERO — Running with Purpose

KHERO was born out of a simple but powerful insight: People want to do good. They just need a simple, meaningful way to do it.

We built an app that lets people turn every kilometer they walk or run into a donation to a cause they believe in—funded by brand sponsors.

We called it KHERO (kilometer + hero). We called the movement Runfunding.

Our MVP? A 21-day challenge, 468 users, $30,000 pesos donated to a cancer shelter. No paid marketing. Just belief.

In our first year:

  • 10,000+ users
  • Over 200,000 kilometers logged
  • 5 NGOs supported
  • 2 innovation awards

Why did it work?
Because people weren’t just moving—they were mobilized. Brands weren’t just sponsoring—they were activating purpose.

We re-imagined the product and market: turning exercise into purpose, and marketing into measurable impact.
That’s Shared Value.

Case Study 2: Calaverandia & Navidalia — Culture as Experience

Later, we saw a different opportunity: what if we could transform abandoned public parks into cultural destinations?

That’s how Calaverandia (Día de Muertos park) and later Navidalia (a multicultural Christmas experience) were born.

Here’s the model:

  • Government grants seasonal access to a public park
  • We invest in infrastructure, design and experience
  • Locals sell food and crafts inside
  • The public enjoys the park free by day, and buys tickets for the immersive night version

In year one, over 40,000 people came.
The economic ripple effects were immediate.
The cultural pride was palpable.

We didn’t just build a theme park.
We activated a dormant space, created jobs, inspired communities, and generated revenue.

We built a local cluster, enhanced public assets, and activated a neglected value chain.

That’s Shared Value, too.

Illustration of building blocks with icons representing growth, innovation, and team members, symbolizing the competitive advantages of Shared Value strategies.
Visual metaphor of Shared Value: aligning business growth with innovation, talent attraction, and societal benefits.

Why Shared Value Works

I’ve seen firsthand why Shared Value isn’t just a feel-good idea—it’s a competitive edge:

  • Demand catalyst: Solving real problems unlocks new customers and long-term loyalty.
  • Defensible edge: Competitors can copy features, but not a mission-critical impact model.
  • Talent magnet: Purpose-fueled teams outperform when they see their work making a tangible difference.

In both KHERO and Calaverandia/Navidalia, our CAC was lower. Our brand equity was higher. Our partnerships were stronger. And our growth was sustainable because people wanted us to win.

Questions I Ask Before I Build Anything Now

  • If we disappear tomorrow, who would miss us, and why?
  • Is this solving a problem for real people, not just the bottom line?
  • Can our success translate into value for communities, not just customers?

If I can answer those honestly, I know I’m on the right path.

A Word to Fellow Builders

If you’re a CTO, CEO, or COO reading this: you already know how to move fast.
You already know how to scale, automate, optimize.

But I’d invite you to ask:

Are we building something that only serves us, or something that serves everyone involved?

Tech is moving fast. AI is accelerating everything. Capital is more efficient.

But the companies that will truly endure are the ones that build trust, create belonging, and solve deeper problems.

Not just fast. But better.

Not just profitable. But resonant.

That’s Shared Value.
That’s what I build for now.

Interested in designing products, services, or experiences around Shared Value? Let’s build something meaningful together.

Guillermo Tena

Guillermo Tena

Head of Growth
Founder @ KHERO (clients: Continental, AMEX GBT, etc.) Head of Growth @ SCIO Consultant & Lecturer in Growth and Consumer Behavior

Enriching the Space for Women in Tech: The Power of Circles 

Enriching the Space for Women in Tech: The Power of Circles 

High-Performance Collaboration, Interculturality, Project Management, Strategic Digital Nearshoring, Success Stories

Written by Yamila Solari – 

HOW WOMEN CIRCLES IN TECH SUPPORT DIVERSITY

Women have gathered in circles since the beginning of history, sharing stories, offering support, and cultivating growth—a practice that continues to shape the professional landscape today. In this article, I focus on professional women circles, which are created to support the advancement of women in the workplace. Specifically, I will share our own experience at Scio with our circles for women in tech, explore the impact these circles could have in the male-dominated tech industry and reflect on how men circles are also important to increase diversity.

Background

The history of women’s circles experienced a significant interruption during the 16th and 17th centuries. The rise of the witch trials in Europe led to the persecution of women who participated in these gatherings, forcing them to dissolve or go into secrecy. However, by the 19th century, women’s circles reemerged as organized clubs and societies in parts of the world, including the United States. These groups focused on education, social reform, women’s rights, and community improvement.

While the structure of these gatherings has evolved, their core purpose of connection and empowerment remains steadfast. Today, modern women’s circles address a wide range of interests, from spiritual exploration and collective healing to professional and personal growth.

Most recently, Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In movement has reinvigorated the concept of professional circles by making them more accessible through free educational materials. Lean In circles emphasize leadership development, career advancement, and mutual support, among other topics, and have inspired countless women to create their own circles.

Our Experience at Scio

Our Experience at Scio

At Scio, we wanted to support women in tech and decided to start within our organization, so two senior colleagues and I began exploring options. We discovered LeanIn.Org, an organization that has inspired the creation of over 60,000 circles in more than 188 countries, with 85% of participants reporting positive changes in their lives due to their involvement.

We launched our first circle in June 2023 and have been meeting monthly ever since. Initially, we followed the topics provided by LeanIn.Org, but we soon began developing our own. These have included not only general leadership issues but also challenges uniquely faced by women in male-dominated industries. Topics have included Being the Only One in the Room, How to Respond to Microaggressions, Overcoming Self-Doubt, and Getting the Recognition You Deserve, among others.

In a recent retrospective session, participants shared how the women circle has benefited them:

  • Learning skills and tools to grow professionally
  • Building stronger relationships with other women in the organization
  • Increasing self-confidence by reflecting on achievements
  • Becoming more assertive
  • Feeling supported by other women
  • Gaining the courage to try new things

One participant shared how strategies discussed in the circle encouraged her to advocate for her ideas during a critical project meeting. Another mentioned that the circle’s support was invaluable during a turbulent personal time. These achievements fill us with pride and determination. We plan to continue meeting monthly, rotating moderation and topic preparation to develop leadership skills further.

Women in Tech Circles Can Support Diversity

Globally, only 47.7% of working-age women participate in the workforce. In technology-related fields, women make up less than a third of the global workforce, according to the World Bank. The picture is slightly better in advanced economies like the United States, where women held 35% of tech jobs at the end of 2023. However, their representation drops to less than one-third in leadership positions.

In LATAM, representation varies by country. For instance, women make up an average of 20% of the tech workforce in Brazil and 17% in Mexico. While progress has been made in promoting the entry of women into the industry, much work remains to be done.

At Scio, we’ve found that women’s circles effectively empower women in tech to overcome obstacles in their careers and help them remain in the industry. While quantitative data on the direct impact of women in tech circles on increasing diversity is limited, we believe these groups can also serve as a tool for attracting more women to tech. By creating and publicizing spaces that specifically support women, companies can demonstrate their commitment to fostering an inclusive environment.

Men’s Circles Are Important Too

Men’s Circles Are Important Too 

Professional men’s circles, while sometimes critiqued for perpetuating exclusivity, can play a pivotal role in advancing workplace equity. By incorporating discussions on gender dynamics and the unique challenges faced by women in tech, these groups can raise awareness and inspire male professionals to become allies. Programs like Catalyst’s Men Advocating Real Change (MARC) exemplify this approach, equipping men with the tools to advocate for gender equality within their organizations. 

Engaging men in these conversations is essential, as their involvement significantly enhances the success of equity initiatives. Research indicates that such programs are three times more effective when men actively participate. By fostering understanding and allyship, men’s circles can support individual growth and drive systemic change toward more inclusive workplaces. 

Create Your Own Circle 

Whether you’re seeking personal support or aiming to foster inclusivity in your organization, professional circles can be a transformative tool. If you cannot find a circle to join, create one yourself. Resources like Lean In Circles or WomenTech Circles offer guidance on getting started. Once you’ve mastered the basics, explore other topics that resonate with your group. The key is to take the first step—because creating a circle can lead to meaningful change, one meeting at a time. 

To learn more:

The Global Women’s Workforce

The Women Tech Talent Landscape in LATAM

Women in Tech: How Companies Can Attract, Support, and Retain Them

Transform your workplace culture

Thought Leadership: How men can advance gender equity at work

Yamila Solari

Yamila Solari

General Manager

Bridging Borders: 7 key lessons learned over 18 years of serving US Clients

Bridging Borders: 7 key lessons learned over 18 years of serving US Clients

Customer Experience, Nearshore, Success Stories

Curated by: Rod Aburto

For over 18 years, I have had the privilege of working with software development teams in Mexico and other countries in Latin America, while serving clients based in the United States. This unique professional journey has provided me with invaluable insights and experiences, highlighting the benefits and challenges of the Nearshore model in the realm of software development. In this blog post, I will share some of the key lessons learned and the remarkable advantages that emerge from this collaborative approach. 

The craftsmanship of software development 4

1. The Nearshore Advantage: 

The Nearshore model refers to the practice of outsourcing software development services to neighboring countries with geographical proximity and cultural affinity. Latin America, with its rich pool of talented professionals, has emerged as a preferred destination for US clients seeking high-quality software solutions. The proximity offers significant advantages such as overlapping time zones, cultural similarities, and ease of travel, making collaboration seamless and effective. 

2. Cultural Alignment: 

Latin American countries, including Mexico, share cultural affinities with the United States, such as a similar work ethic, business practices, and familiarity with American market dynamics. This cultural alignment fosters effective communication, shared values, and a deep understanding of client requirements. It also helps create a harmonious work environment that facilitates collaboration, trust-building, and successful project outcomes. 

The craftsmanship of software development 4

3. Proximity and Time Zone Synergy:

Latin American countries, including Mexico, offer a nearshore advantage to US clients by being in the same or similar time zones. This proximity allows for real-time collaboration, agile development cycles, and seamless communication. The ability to address client queries, provide timely updates, and resolve issues promptly has been instrumental in maintaining high client satisfaction levels and fostering long-term partnerships.

4. Cost-effectiveness and Value Proposition:

The Nearshore model in Latin America provides a cost-effective alternative to onshore development while ensuring the delivery of high-quality software solutions. The region offers competitive rates for software development services compared to the US market, without

compromising on talent and expertise. The cost advantage is complemented by the region’s robust infrastructure, technological capabilities, and access to a skilled workforce, making it an attractive proposition for US clients.

The craftsmanship of software development 4

5. Language Proficiency and Communication:

Proficiency in the English language is a key strength of Latin American software development teams. English language skills are highly emphasized in education and professional settings, enabling effective communication and seamless collaboration with US clients. The ability to comprehend complex requirements, actively participate in discussions, and articulate ideas fluently has been a significant enabler of successful project outcomes and client satisfaction.

6. Agile and Collaborative Approach:

Latin American software development teams have embraced agile methodologies and collaborative work environments. They prioritize close collaboration with clients, iterative development cycles, and frequent communication to ensure that project goals are met effectively. This agile approach, coupled with the Nearshore advantage, allows for rapid adaptation to changing requirements, quick decision-making, and accelerated time-to-market for software solutions.

The craftsmanship of software development 4

7. Knowledge Sharing and Professional Growth:

The Nearshore model in Latin America has created opportunities for knowledge sharing and professional growth, both for the software development teams and the clients. The exchange of best practices, industry insights, and technological advancements between the US and Latin American professionals has fostered a mutually beneficial learning environment. This continuous knowledge transfer has elevated the skill sets of the software engineers, enabling them to deliver cutting-edge solutions.

Conclusion:

The experience gained over 18+ years of working with software development teams in Latin America, particularly Mexico, while serving US clients, has reaffirmed the remarkable advantages of the Nearshore model. The cultural alignment, time zone synergy, cost-effectiveness, language proficiency, agile approach, and knowledge sharing have collectively contributed to the success of this collaborative model. Through bridging borders, we have witnessed the power of diversity, innovation, and efficient project execution. As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, the lessons learned from this experience will continue to shape the future of software development, encouraging global collaboration for mutual growth and success.

Scio is an established Nearshore software development company based in Mexico that specializes in providing high-quality, cost-effective technologies for pioneering tech companies. We have been building and mentoring teams of engineers since 2003 and our experience gives us access not only to the knowledge but also the expertise needed when tackling any project. Get started today by contacting us about your project needs – We have teams available to help you achieve your business goals. Get in contact today!

CPH Success Story: The Key to a Winning Partnership between Nearshore Companies and their Clients

CPH Success Story: The Key to a Winning Partnership between Nearshore Companies and their Clients

Nearshore, Scio, Success Stories

Curated by: Sergio A. Martínez

True collaboration creates great software. It’s more than a buzzword—it’s an essential part of development, with meaning beyond just sharing information back and forth. The collaboration is about forming strong relationships, providing clear communication pathways, and proactively anticipating problems before they arise, so if you’re partnering with a Nearshore company like Scio, you can have the comfort of knowing that any challenge that might get in the way will have a swift response from everyone involved if this approach is shared among developers, managers, and shareholders.

Benefits of having a software partner and making the leap to a more tech-focused productivity

After all, we believe true collaboration means that projects are no longer siloed on an individual basis but rather function as a collective effort, allowing everyone to quickly come up with creative solutions that benefit from a diversity of ideas and thought processes. A good dynamic between partners allows developers of various contexts to join forces and reach new heights in software innovation, and having both entities coming together in agreement is key. Otherwise, the failure to establish this kind of relationship almost guarantees the worst outcome conceivable, so recognizing the similarities and differences between service providers and clients, and building upon areas of agreement, is what makes true innovation flourish. 

However, what is the “magic ingredient” that makes this kind of collaboration work? Is a software project just one party simply providing services for the other, or should it be more than that? To this end, we want to share the story of Ameet Shahani, Director of Technology at CPH & Associates, which is one of Scio’s longest partnerships to date, to understand how building these relationships are more critical than ever to create, how products that innovate are produced, and the importance of a cultural match to reach a positive outcome for everyone involved, from shareholders to management, to developers on both sides.

Dissecting the meaning of collaboration

Effective Collaboration: The Key to a Winning Partnership between Nearshore Companies and their Clients

When both organizations share a business culture affinity, they are better equipped to understand each other’s priorities and expectations. This is clear and almost self-evident, but in settings that involve business expectations, specific requirements, and solving the complex system of interconnected puzzles that is software development, the concepts of transparency, open communication, and building trust to reach mutual understanding have some nuance that need to be carefully navigated.

So, while success ultimately comes down to implementing the solutions designed by the experienced software engineers and developers from both organizations, achieving this level of collaboration calls for a type of “cultural” match that needs to be taken into account. In the specific context of Nearshore partnerships, development teams that work across borders should seek an alignment between values, beliefs, and approaches that allows both sides to learn and support each other during their product development journey. If both groups have a culture match (i.e. if they mirror one another in how they approach software development and hold similar standards) this will prevent a lot of friction or misunderstandings, making for a more balanced relationship that leads to successful outcomes for the software project down the road.

In consequence, establishing a successful software development business relationship requires certain factors to make it thrive, and Nearshore software partnerships can provide the optimal combination of many of these elements necessary for success, namely: Trust, Communication, Industry experience, and Technology expertise. 

  • Trust: Building trust should be the center of any successful business relationship, with both parties gaining a mutual understanding that allows for the creation of quality software without putting too much pressure on resources or scope. If partners don’t trust each other, the frustration and bad communication that follows will ultimately result in delays and mistakes during the project timeline. Achieving a successful software development partnership requires that everyone involved has a good faith approach and the necessary confidence in one another throughout the entire process.
  • Communication: Good communication ensures everyone is up-to-date on decisions, making sure there is no wasted effort with conflicting ideas. In addition, discussing potential solutions to problems that arise helps keep the project moving forward while ensuring design decisions match the vision of both partners in the software development partnership. Therefore, it’s clear that effective communication is key for any successful project.
  • Industry experience: It helps providers craft better solutions to address a client’s needs, as well as establish smoother workflows that result in remarkable deliverables. Through experience, a provider can evaluate what will benefit their client the most, allowing an organization to suggest innovative approaches and technological advancements that expand the capabilities of existing applications or systems, which increases productivity and efficiency as well as reducing operational costs on the client’s side. Simply put, customers can be sure they are getting the highest quality services when they pick an experienced software provider.
  • Technology expertise: No matter the size of the company, its success relies heavily upon its team’s ability to use technology efficiently and innovatively. By guiding those who may have less experience with technology, teams can leverage their strengths to create better outcomes than any individual would be able to accomplish alone. This makes having strong technical proficiency mandatory for any successful software development collaboration.

In short, the correct combination of these elements is what enables a partnership to work productively, guaranteeing successful outcomes at the end of any development cycle. However, after all this theoretical understanding of how these relationships work, how does it look in practice? To illustrate with an example, let’s check out one of Scio’s very own study cases when it comes to collaboration and partnership in Nearshore development projects.

A first approach

Effective Collaboration: The Key to a Winning Partnership between Nearshore Companies and their Clients

In 2014, Scio took on a new challenge. CPH & Associates, an insurance company based in Chicago, was looking to streamline its operations by deploying a digital platform where a customer could connect with their insurance providers in a single place. On paper, that sounds like a straightforward idea that theoretically would just need a list of requirements and adequate talent to pull off. And this talent was to be found outside the immediate location of Chicago; the management at CPH decided that it would be best to work with a Nearshore development company in Mexico.

As one might expect, getting these projects off the ground is different from just assembling the necessary pieces of a puzzle: the process to get there has to make sense. And paying attention to the corporate culture fit between a software development company and their client is the first step: clients want to be reassured that any software developers they choose understand their core values and aren’t just focusing on the task at hand, but building towards a long-term goal. As a result, making sure that both parties share similar philosophies and outlooks can have an exponential effect on the success of any project. 

In this retrospective talk with Ameet, we discussed how refining the collaboration between both companies took some time, but the decision came about when Scio started proposing the kind of solutions that CPH wanted and saw opportunities that others didn’t, instead of just talking numbers. In his words, their first approach to working together had “the most substance”, so we took a chance and got to work. However, establishing a productive collaboration dynamic took careful calibration, even if both parties had the best disposition and the necessary expertise to make it work. The first team from Scio that joined this project was pretty good, in Ameet’s own words, but the specific requirements needed for a company that delves into insurance, as well as developing a product unprecedented for CPH, made it necessary to invest some time to iron out the kinks of the collaboration to a state of equilibrium where both parties were comfortable. Almost a decade later, this partnership thrives thanks to this effort, and the learning experience for Scio and CPH has been invaluable.  

This highlights how establishing a good remote partnership between software development companies and clients is no small feat. It relies on how well both parties communicate and cooperate, and this in turn is largely dictated by the internal culture of each organization, which reflects their core values, approaches, and general viewpoint. In the case of Scio and CPH, this cultural match was apparent from the get-go, which allowed for experimentation before going into full-fledged collaboration in development. Cultural affinity paves the way for a mutually beneficial working environment, not just between the two companies but also with other partners or stakeholders that may be involved, and in this case, it created an environment where growth and learning were a core element of the overall partnership, with interesting implications for both teams in the long turn.

A learning experience

Learning through collaboration between software development companies is a powerful idea, meaning more than sharing knowledge or brainstorming innovative solutions; it is a growth process that could be mutually beneficial for both organizations if they approach this concept the correct way. Collaboration helps teams become confident, capable, and successful, yes, but the opportunities to learn on the field, so to speak, can be few and far between when most projects have goals that need to be reached as soon as possible. That is usually not an environment conducive to learning, but it also sets apart the kind of collaborative spirit built between Scio and CPH over the course of their partnership.

After all, through 9 years of working together, it’s natural that plenty of Scio’s developers have had the chance to participate in this project. On one hand, this gives them the unique chance of trying their hand at a project with a very well-established workflow, plenty of documentation, and steady progress. On the other hand, this opportunity wouldn’t exist without a trust built upon years of collaboration, where Scio is sending the kind of talent that can shine if given the chance to learn and grow in their skills. 

Ameet would be the first to admit that the project at CPH isn’t the sexiest out there (at least not compared with recent technology developments like AI, the metaverse, or blockchains), but it requires attention, experience, and high-level skills that could lead to burnout if a developer stays for too long on the project. And this is a situation that neither CPH nor Scio wants to encourage, which is an important cultural match between both companies. As we mentioned earlier, far from creating additional challenges thanks to a steady rotation of talent, trust, and technological expertise ensure this dynamic works; on one hand, CPH trusts Scio to always bring their best talent forward, experienced or not, to contribute to the project in a meaningful way, and Scio leverages their industry know-how to create a highly efficient product that stands out against competitors in the market. By working together and sharing information, both companies can hone their craft, develop new ideas, and ultimately deliver better products to their clients. 

Final words

“You teach and learn at the same time”: The value of an internal project for a Nearshore company like Scio

Ultimately, learning through collaboration is just one of many ways these kinds of Nearshore partnerships provide an efficient way for businesses to build upon the expertise of the entire industry—all while ensuring that everyone involved benefits from shared experiences. An experienced Nearshore software company will have the resources and expertise to ensure everyone involved forms a cohesive team, acting as mediators for any communication breakdowns. However, an effective relationship requires more than technology: it also needs an equal acknowledgment of all sides, and the capability to learn quickly. Software development is a complex process that requires various skills and coordination, so by joining forces and pooling their knowledge, the strengths of each company can be combined to create innovative solutions at any time. This sort of synergy is essential for software development teams to have to stay ahead of the competition, develop stronger products, and ultimately, change things for the better.

Nearshoring, in other words, allows companies to create a cultural match with their clients, resulting in better products that lead to more positive outcomes because it enables firms to leverage the skills and qualifications of local professionals abroad while fostering improved collaboration due to a common language and cultural backgrounds. Working Nearshore also facilitates better communication since it reduces geographical barriers and helps ensure that software developers around the world have access to advanced technology without disruption. However, beyond these numerous benefits, it’s about creating an environment where both companies can comfortably understand each other, allowing them both to work together optimally. Upon making this connection, the result will be more successful outcomes of high-quality products that deliver exactly what everyone wants.

The Key Takeaways

  • The meaning of collaboration between client and Nearshore development company is more nuanced and complex than it might look at first glance.
  • Building a partnership and collaboration dynamic that benefits both parties requires a cultural match that ensures a smooth integration that leads to innovation and positive outcomes.
  • In the case of Scio and CPH, one of our longest partnerships, this cultural match has given both companies the opportunity to grow and learn thanks to their collaboration dynamic.
  • Ultimately, the idea of “culture” in a corporate context is more than a buzzword; it’s a way to ensure a positive outcome by examining affinities between companies, so they can develop great products.

Scio is an established Nearshore software development company based in Mexico that specializes in providing high-quality, cost-effective technologies for pioneering tech companies. We have been building and mentoring teams of engineers since 2003 and our experience gives us access not only to the knowledge but also the expertise needed when tackling any project. Get started today by contacting us about your project needs – We have teams available to help you achieve your business goals. Get in contact today!