CASE STUDY
How Placemakr Built a Global Team and Achieved 3x Growth
Industry:
Real Estate
Network Size:
350+ employees
Headquarters:
Washington D.C., U.S.
Placemakr is a U.S.-based hospitality and real estate company redefining flexible living by blending apartment-style accommodations with hotel services. As the company scaled, it faced a familiar challenge: how to grow fast without compromising talent quality or operational control.
By partnering with Emapta, Placemakr unlocked a new way to scale. The result was a rapidly expanding international team, stronger operational capacity, and revenue growth of 2.5x to 3x since the partnership began.
Years in Business:
9 years
Highlights:
• Grew from 1 to 15 headcount within the first year
• Achieved 2.5x to 3x revenue growth since partnering with Emapta
• Adopted an “international-first” hiring mindset for new roles
Scaling Talent in a Remote-First World
Placemakr’s growth accelerated during and after the shift to remote work. As a fully remote organization in the U.S., the company began rethinking how and where it could access talent.
The challenge wasn’t just about hiring more people. It was about finding exceptional talent at scale while maintaining a cohesive team culture and operational consistency.
“We were trying to think about the best way to scale the company…it really all came down to finding amazing talent,” comments Bao Vuong, President and Co-Founder of Placemakr.
At the same time, Placemakr needed a partner that could provide full operational support without losing control. Transparency, compliance, and the integration of offshore hires into their culture were non-negotiable. Emapta became that partner.
Finance and accounting roles became the starting point. These functions had clear processes and strong internal leadership, making them ideal for testing an international expansion strategy.
A Model Built on Control and Transparency
Placemakr found the right fit in Emapta’s dedicated staffing model.
What first stood out was not just the ability to hire globally, but the structure behind it. Emapta provided a full-service solution covering recruitment, HR, payroll, and compliance, while allowing Placemakr to retain full team control.
“It was a full end-to-end process, and we still had control over that. That gave us a lot more comfort in the long run,” shares Vuong.
Transparency was another key factor. Placemakr had full visibility into costs, salaries, and team structure, ensuring alignment between business goals and employee experience.
Just as important, international hires were not treated as external resources. They became a seamless extension of the company.
“What’s important for us is that our teammates feel a part of our team,” he adds.
This shift changed how Placemakr approached hiring altogether; from a local-first mindset to a global talent strategy.
Faster Growth, Stronger Teams, Global Scalability
Rapid Team Expansion
- Grew from 1 hire to 15 within the first year
- Expanded to 25 in 2025 and 30 by early 2026
Global Workforce Model
- Over 350 total employees globally
- Teams distributed across LATAM and the Philippines
Revenue Growth
- Achieved 2.5x to 3x revenue growth since partnering with Emapta
Strategic Hiring Shift
- Adopted an “international-first” hiring mindset for new roles
Why Outsourcing with Emapta
Placemakr’s experience reflects the core strengths of Emapta’s model, applied in a real, high-growth environment.
Access to High-Performing Global Talent
Expanding beyond the U.S. unlocked a deeper talent pool. The team in Colombia brought not just technical expertise, but strong ownership and a growth mindset, enabling Placemakr to scale confidently across functions.
Scalability Without Friction
From a single hire to a 30-person team in under two years, Placemakr scaled quickly without disrupting operations, aligning with Emapta’s ability to grow teams in step with business demand.
Full Transparency and Control
Placemakr maintained full visibility into costs and team structure, while retaining control over processes, hiring decisions, and employee experience, ensuring true integration with their business.
Operational Efficiency Through End-to-End Support
By having Emapta handle recruitment, HR, payroll, and compliance, Placemakr reduced operational complexity and focused on growth priorities.
Culture Alignment and Retention
International team members were fully embedded into Placemakr’s culture, reinforcing a “one team” mindset that supported long-term engagement and performance.
Cost Efficiency at Scale
The consistent decision to prioritize international hiring reflects strong economic value and sustainable scaling efficiency.
From Remote Company to Global Talent Engine
Placemakr’s approach to building teams has fundamentally changed.
By partnering with Emapta, the company moved from a U.S.-centric hiring model to a global-first strategy, unlocking access to better talent, faster scaling, and meaningful business growth.
The result is a more agile, resilient organization; one that sees international hiring not as an alternative, but as the default path forward.
Build Your Next Team Without Limits
If you’re scaling fast and struggling to find the right talent locally, there’s another way forward.
Emapta helps you build a high-performing global team that seamlessly integrates with your business while ensuring you retain control, visibility, and quality.
Contact our expert growth advisors and start building your team without borders.
We place integrity at the heart of everything we do and truly value the human experience. That’s why, for clients, it’s a profound and transformational process that gives them the opportunity to achieve the business growth they desire.
Tim Vorbach
Founder
High-Performing Dedicated Teams
We help you build and operate your team transparently, efficiently, and equitably for both you and your talented workforce.
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