Partnering with Developers Abroad

Founder Lessons | Global Talent, Local Impact.

How I saw a gap in car rentals — and launched a keyless fleet company from scratch.

No counters. No lines. No keys. CarsNow was born from a problem I kept running into with rentals: delays and bad service. We built a system that uses tech + partnerships to let users unlock a car from their phone. Here’s how we launched, marketed, and scaled.

When I worked with my dev, it reminded me of the early startup grind — no fluff, just focus. They debugged at midnight, fixed hot-patches before coffee, and built things that made life easier for the company. You don’t need a Silicon Valley zip code to build dope software. You need communication, respect, and a shared obsession with solving the right problems.

You don’t need a Silicon Valley team to build Silicon Valley-level tech.
That’s what I learned when I started working with developers.

I didn’t have a big software budget. What I had was vision, clear requirements, and the willingness to lead from the front.

Why I Went International

• U.S.-based devs were 3x the cost—with waitlists.
• I needed agile, creative thinkers, not just code monkeys.
• I wanted people who could build, not just follow instructions.

So I connected with dev teams in Europe and Mexico City, shared a rough UI sketch and said:
“Let’s figure this out together.”

What We Built

We started with the CarsNow App. Then the TN App—a fleet management tool with:

• VIN scanning
• Route optimization
• Technician check-ins
• In-app image uploads
• Multi-location support

The key? We broke the work into small milestones and met weekly—always aligned on the why, not just the what.

What Made It Work

• Mutual respect. I treated them like partners, not outsourcers.
• Clear documentation. Loom videos, screenshots, user stories.
• Pay on time, every time. Trust is a currency.
• Build around time zones.

What to Watch For

• Watch your scope creep. Great developers want to solve everything. Stay focused.
• Make sure your wireframes are solid—they save thousands in confusion.
• Hire thinkers, not task-takers. If they’re just following orders, you’re missing out.

Great developers aren’t defined by borders.
They’re defined by how they think, how they solve problems, and how well you collaborate with them.

The future is remote. Build like it.