Sponsored by: Plus Forty helps CPG and e-com brands scale with vetted offshore talent – without the admin or the overhead. From executive assistants to media buyers and sales support, they handle sourcing, pre-vetting, contracts, payroll, insurance, and more, so you can confidently grow your business.

When I launched my first CPG brand, it felt like I was wearing 12 hats—sometimes all before noon. From juggling wholesale orders to responding to customer emails to updating retail pitch decks, it was a constant sprint. I knew I needed help, but every time I looked at the numbers, a full-time hire just didn’t make sense. Sound familiar?

If you’re running a lean CPG operation, chances are you’re in the same boat: strapped for time, stretched thin, and unsure how to scale without breaking the bank. It’s the classic early-stage dilemma—growth demands support, but premature hiring can cripple cash flow. That’s exactly where leveraging offshore talent becomes a game-changer. Offshore team members allow you to extend your capacity, streamline operations, and regain focus—without taking on the overhead of a full-time employee.

When You Need Help, But Can’t Afford a Full-Time Employee

Early-stage CPG brands often hit the same inflection point: sales are picking up, retailer interest is growing, and your inbox is overflowing. You know that a few more hours in the day—or a few more hands on deck—could unlock serious momentum. But full-time salaries, benefits, onboarding, and payroll taxes? That’s a level of commitment most bootstrapped or lightly funded brands just can’t afford yet.

This is where many founders stall—stuck between needing support and fearing the cost of traditional hiring. But waiting too long slows growth and accelerates burnout. Offshore talent offers a smarter middle path. Think of offshore professionals as your operational Swiss Army knife: skilled contributors who take on meaningful work without long-term financial risk, allowing you to move faster and smarter.

Offshore Talent vs. Full-Time Hire: Cost, Flexibility, and Speed

Hiring a full-time employee is a major investment. In today’s market, a qualified operations coordinator or marketing associate can cost $50K–$75K annually—before benefits, payroll taxes, and equipment. And the time cost is significant: recruiting, interviewing, onboarding, training. It can take months before a new hire delivers full productivity.

By contrast, offshore talent can be onboarded in days at a fraction of the cost. These professionals work on flexible contracts—hourly or project-based—so you only pay for what you need. That’s huge for lean teams with fluctuating workloads. Need 10 hours of support this week and 20 next week? No problem. You get scalable support without locking yourself into fixed overhead.

Flexibility isn’t just about hours—it’s about specialization. Offshore talent today includes highly trained professionals across CPG-specific functions: wholesale sales support, retail research, marketing automation, finance support, and supply chain coordination. And with platforms like PlusForty.co, you get matched with offshore talent who already understand the unique challenges of growing a CPG brand.

Operational Areas Where Offshore Talent Can Fill Gaps

Here’s how CPG founders are using offshore talent to extend their team across four core business areas:

Sales

• Retail Prospecting: Research ideal stockist, build target lists, and prep outreach templates.
• Follow-Up: Keep retailers warm after trade shows, sampling programs, or cold outreach.
• CRM Management: Keep your pipeline organized and moving so opportunities don’t slip through the cracks.

Marketing

• Social Media Scheduling: Batch content, write captions, and schedule posts across platforms.
• Email Campaign Setup: Format campaigns, segment lists, and schedule sends in Klaviyo or Mailchimp.
• Influencer Outreach: Research, initiate communication, and coordinate collaborations—so you can stay focused on strategy.
• Performance Marketing: Creation and management campaigns on platforms like Meta and Google.

Operations

• Order Management: Enter orders, track shipments, and update customers.
• Inventory Tracking: Get regular dashboards and stay ahead of stockouts.
• Vendor Coordination: Manage communication with co-packers, suppliers, and logistics partners.

Finance

• Expense Categorization: Support bookkeeping using QuickBooks or Xero.
• Invoice Tracking: Ensure invoices are sent on time and followed up on to improve cash flow.
• Reporting Prep: Pull data for investor updates, grants, or board meetings.

Final Thoughts: Scale Smarter, Not Just Bigger

Hiring doesn’t have to be all or nothing. For most CPG startups, the smartest path to scale begins with flexible support that meets you where you are—before you’re ready for a full-time hire. That’s why tapping into offshore talent is such a powerful strategy.

And you don’t have to navigate it alone. PlusForty.co specializes in connecting growing CPG brands with vetted offshore professionals who already understand the industry. Whether you need sales support, operations help, or marketing execution, they quickly match you with the right person—so you spend more time building and less time burning out.

Before committing to another full-time salary, ask yourself: What could you accomplish with 10 extra hours a week?

Then let an offshore team member help you get there.