“Why don’t you just hire in the US?? Oh right – it costs 5 times more!! YOU’RE SO EVIL! BUSINESS OWNER! SCROOGE!!!”
Yes.
Exactly.
Another genius screaming “businesses are evil!” who’s never had the gusto to even open a lemonade stand.
And yet it’s only the beginning…people think this is how it goes:
→ Business owner sits on cash
→ Hires overseas to get richer
→ Exploits people for fun
How the world actually works:
$80K US role vs. $30K overseas for same skills.
That $50K difference is the line between making payroll or closing doors.
It’s not “cheap labor.”
It’s survival.
Those people whining about evil businesses have never had to make the hard calls:
→ Paying yourself or your team
→ Hiring someone or keeping lights on
→Growing or going bankrupt
We have. Every month.
Here’s basic business economics for many a small business:
Revenue: $500K/year
Operating costs: $300K
Left over: $200K
Hire 3 people at $80K each in US: $240K
You’re $40K in the hole. Dead.
Or…
Hire 3 overseas at $30K each: $90K
You have $110K to grow and survive.
It’s basic math.
And, besides that:
Every dollar comes from revenue.
Not magic trees.
Not trust funds.
From customers who can leave anytime.
When costs go up:
- Raise prices (lose customers)
- Cut staff (burnout)
- Hire smarter (stay alive)
- Close down
Pick one.
There’s no option where you “just pay US salaries and it works.”
“Just hire in the US!”
With what money?
Most business owners are one bad quarter from shutting down.
Most haven’t had a vacation in years.
Most work 80-hour weeks and weekends.
But sure, we’re “greedy.”
Now, for the kicker that may surprise you:
Hiring overseas isn’t about profit.
It’s about hiring at all.
Company hires 3 overseas, grows.
OR
Company can’t afford anyone, dies.
Those are the actual options.
What the whiny crowd haven’t ever dealt with:
- Panic about payroll
- 6 months without paying yourself
- Choosing between insurance and hiring
- Risking everything on an idea
WE have.
And we’re tired of lectures from people who’ve risked nothing.
There’s more though:
→ US dev: $120K
→ Eastern Euro dev: $50K
Same skills. Same quality.
But we’re all “cheap” for choosing $50K?
You’ve never had skin in the game. Never risked your money. Never signed a personal guarantee. Never missed birthdays working. You just show up. Get paid. Go home.
And lecture US about spending OUR money.
The audacity is astounding.
We’re the ones who:
- Risk everything to create jobs
- Work twice as hard for half the security
- Carry the weight while you punch out
- Make the impossible calls
Running a business means impossible decisions.
Stretching every dollar.
Hiring smart, not expensive.
If you think that’s “exploitation,” you’ve never been responsible for anything bigger than your Netflix subscription.
Try running a business for 6 months.
Try choosing between hiring and eating.
Then come lecture me.
If you’re a business owner, founder, or hiring manager who agrees with my take, we’d probably work well together.
Click here to learn how we place the top global talent into your organizations, without the fluff:
Kyle Mau
