How Fluz leverages Remote’s contractor management platform to evolve into a finance app powerhouse

Marie Nayaka

By Marie Nayaka

Founded in 2016, Fluz runs a cashback app that is unlike conventional rewards programmes. It taps into social networks so users can earn money whenever they—or someone in their network—make a purchase, following the motto “the more you spend, the more you earn.”

As the business expanded, its objectives broadened. Aspiring to become a full-service finance app—moving well beyond cashback—Fluz required the expertise of elite fintech professionals. To access that talent, it needed a reliable global HR partner with proven capabilities.

Below we outline why Fluz partners with Remote to recruit worldwide at scale while staying compliant and adaptable at every stage.

Fluz at a glance

  • Headquarters: New York

  • Founded: 2016

  • Number of contractors with Remote: 24

  • Industry: Fintech

Initially, Fluz’s entire workforce—including its founders, engineers and designers—was located in New York. When the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, the company adopted a remote working policy and simultaneously managed a substantial increase in both app users and staff.

Around that period, two key team members chose to relocate to Canada—this prompted Fluz to engage Remote for the first time. Fluz needed a compliant way to accommodate their move and keep operations in order.

“Remote played a pivotal role in allowing those two employees to remain with the company,” says Amador Pilapil, Fluz’s Head of people. “They handled contracts, paperwork, and compliance, which was a great relief. They guided us through every step, and the whole process was effortless.”

With that positive initial experience, Fluz soon realised Remote could address other operational challenges as well.

Accessing the world’s leading contractor talent

To support its fast growth, Fluz was already engaging contractors both in the US and overseas. However, contractor administration was manual, opaque and not scalable.

For example, Fluz was conducting identity checks and managing paperwork for every contractor, including handling personal details and contractor agreements. According to Pilapil, these tasks consumed several hours weekly and introduced the risk of human error. The company required a far more robust approach.

“When we discovered that Remote was offering a contractor management platform, we moved our international contractors across,” says Pilapil. “The improvement was immediate.”

Beyond removing time-consuming administrative duties, the migration allowed Fluz to scale its international contractor base. With most of its customer care team located in the Philippines, this approach proved sensible and effective.

“Our contractors deliver a level of support comparable to domestic teams,” Pilapil explains. “That enables us to engage excellent talent to support our operations while creating opportunities for people who really need them. It’s a highly successful arrangement for our business.”

A more efficient approach

Remote’s Contractor Management platform also streamlines how Fluz handles payments, eliminating the inconsistencies of the prior manual processes.

“We uncovered instances where contractors had left the company, yet automatic wire transfers kept going,” says Pilapil. “We needed a better system.”

Via Remote, Fluz can now pay monthly invoices in bulk (in each contractor’s local currency) with just a few clicks. Instead of processing ad-hoc one-off wire transfers, invoices are uploaded to Remote, approved there, and consolidated into a single monthly payment per contractor. The workflow is fast and simple, removing the need for repeated back-and-forth to settle expenses.

Remote provides us with complete control over contractor management. The modest monthly fee is negligible compared with the assurance that we are paying people correctly, compliantly and efficiently.

Trust, transparency, and security

For Fluz, locating the right contractors and building trust are essential.

“Remote supports this by offering a professional platform that promotes accountability from contractors,” says Pilapil. “They must upload all required documents and can view their record in one place. Overall, communication is much clearer.”

In return, Remote offers contractors a transparent interface where they can submit invoices, review transaction history, and see precisely when and how payments will be made.

“The feedback from our contractors has been overwhelmingly positive,” Pilapil adds. “They appreciate not having to email me for invoice copies, requests, or to update their details.

“Remote simplifies our contractors’ lives. It’s beneficial all round.”

Fluz is also able to process contractors’ personally identifiable information securely—an especially important point for a fintech company.

“The workflow is far slicker than our previous method,” Pilapil notes. “Contractors no longer email us sensitive material such as ID scans, bank account numbers, or withdrawal details.”

Finally, by managing its international contractor workforce through Remote, Fluz avoids concerns around worker misclassification and legal compliance. Remote ensures that paperwork and payment processes adhere to labour and taxation laws in each jurisdiction, allowing Fluz to pursue global expansion with confidence.

A helping hand

For Pilapil, much of that confidence stems from Remote’s experience, expertise and high level of support.

“Although I do not have a background in international hiring, the Remote team is always available to discuss and clarify matters,” he says. “We were apprehensive because there is a lot to consider, but their in-house specialists reassured us.

“Our account manager is consistently reachable and will either email contextual updates or offer a quick call to address my queries. I value that flexibility and partnership.”

Remote provides outstanding support, which is one reason we expanded our collaboration with them.

Scalability is another vital aspect of the partnership—particularly for a fast-growing start-up like Fluz.

“What sets Remote apart from all other platforms is that it is 100% scalable and reliable,” says Pilapil. “It’s so simple to onboard, manage, and pay employees and contractors. We set people up and then we don’t have to worry about it. It’s brilliant.”

What’s next for Fluz

Fluz has bold product expansion plans, and company growth is central to enabling them. For Pilapil, that involves recruiting globally for engineering teams, with a particular focus on Europe.

“We are confident we will receive full support from the entire Remote team to navigate new countries and their differing labour laws,” he says. “That partnership is very reassuring as we scale the business.”

In the meantime, Pilapil is keen to reflect on how far the company has progressed—and the positive influence Remote has had.

“I’m proud of all that we’ve achieved,” he concludes. “I look forward to deepening our partnership and introducing Fluz to customers around the world.”

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