As co-founder of the thriving Salesforce consulting firm Comnexa, Phil Cuming was riding a wave of success. New clients were pouring in and existing projects expanding, putting the company on a path to even greater heights.
This success, however, brought a unique challenge.
While Jersey, with its supportive business environment and thriving digital sector, offered fertile ground for Comnexa's initial growth and continued operational and commercial success, the island's specialised talent pool was limited. Therefore, finding the right people with the necessary Salesforce expertise to keep pace with their ambitious expansion plans was proving difficult.
Phil knew that he needed more hands on deck, whilst protecting the positive culture and client experience that Comnexa created.
The obvious solution – expanding recruitment to the UK mainland – came with its own set of hurdles.
"The costs to hire talent in the UK is very high, and that market came with a few added challenges. Not only are the salaries significantly higher, but many of the Salesforce consultants out there typically work for our competitors, adding more complexity into the mix.”
Phil and his team began exploring alternatives. Their research led them to Portugal's burgeoning tech scene, known for its highly skilled developers and competitive market rates. But as any business leader knows, recognising an opportunity is one thing – executing it successfully is another entirely.
As Phil started exploring expanding into Portugal, he started asking himself some questions:
"I remember sitting at my desk, staring at this long list of questions," Phil recalls. "It was overwhelming. We knew we needed help, but we had no idea how complex finding the right help would turn out to be."
After digging into potential solutions for hiring overseas, Phil decided an Employer of Record (EOR) made the most strategic sense for Comnexa's needs.
He opted to partner with an EOR that seemed reputable based on their advertised capabilities. However, it wasn't long before Phil uncovered major gaps between what had been promised and what was actually delivered.
"Every conversation felt like I was talking to a sales team rather than a team of HR experts," Phil remembers. "They kept talking to me about how they could offer employment in over 100 countries, but I only needed to employ well in one - Portugal. I needed someone who understood Portuguese employment law inside and out, not someone trying to sell me on global reach."
The frustrations mounted as Phil found himself explaining the same situations to different representatives time and again. Without a dedicated account manager, each interaction felt like starting from scratch. "It was exhausting," he admits. "You build no relationship, no understanding. Every call meant repeating our story, our needs, our concerns to someone new."
The moment that ultimately pushed Phil to seek a new EOR partner came during a sensitive employee transition. When Comnexa needed to end an employment relationship during a probationary period, they discovered their EOR had failed to inform them about recent changes to Portuguese labour laws.
"We wanted to handle the situation properly - both for our company and the employee," Phil explains.
"Instead, we found ourselves dealing with unexpected costs and creating unnecessary uncertainty for the departing employee because we weren't informed of the legal updates. That was the moment we realised we needed more than just a service provider - we needed a partner who would keep us informed and help us navigate these situations properly."
After this experience, Phil approached his search for a new EOR partner with heightened scepticism. When he discovered Boundless, the contrast was immediately apparent.
"The first conversation was completely different," Phil recalls. "Instead of rattling off a list of countries they operated in, they asked about our business. They wanted to understand our specific needs in Portugal, our growth plans, our concerns. It felt like talking to a genuine partner rather than just getting a sales pitch."
What particularly stood out was Boundless's transparent approach to their services. "Boundless were upfront about focusing on fewer countries but doing it right," Phil explains. "After our previous experience, that actually gave me more confidence, not less. It showed they prioritised quality over quantity."
Switching to a new EOR provider could have been a demanding undertaking for Phil and Comnexa. But Boundless went the extra mile to transform what could have been a complicated transition into a remarkably smooth process.
"We had a new hire we needed to bring on almost immediately," Phil explains. "The Boundless team managed to complete the entire process – from initial consultation to signed contracts – in just five days. That level of efficiency was impressive."
What began as a solution to an immediate hiring need quickly evolved into a trusted partnership. Boundless’s dedicated HR account manager, Justyna, worked closely with Phil to understand Comnexa's growth strategy and provide proactive support every step of the way.
Importantly, Justyna has remained a diligent and attentive account manager long after the initial onboarding. Her consistent care and focus on understanding Comnexa's needs has been invaluable in building a partnership that enables their vision.
"The difference is night and day," Phil shares. "We receive regular updates about changes in Portuguese employment law, and there's always someone who knows our business ready to help. It's not just about processing payroll – it's about having a partner who's invested in our success.
With Boundless’s support, Comnexa's presence in Portugal grew rapidly. From their initial hire, the team expanded to nine employees – an 800% increase that transformed their delivery capabilities.
"Having Boundless handle all the employment complexities gave us the confidence to scale," Phil notes. "We could focus on growing our business in Portugal knowing our employees and compliance requirements were in good hands."
Boundless’s streamlined billing process (just one invoice) proved particularly valuable as the team grew. "Instead of juggling multiple payments and invoices, we receive one consolidated monthly bill for all our employees on the Boundless platform,"
Phil explains. "It might seem like a small thing, but it saves hours of administrative work and makes financial planning much more straightforward."
Perhaps the most telling indicator of success has been the feedback from Comnexa's Portuguese team members. "Everyone is super happy with Boundless," Phil confirms.
"Our employees feel well-supported, and there's a level of professionalism and care that makes them feel valued. That's exactly what we wanted – a partner who would treat our team members as well as we do."
Comnexa's Portuguese operation is thriving, and Phil feels confident about further expansion. "Without Boundless, we would have had to go through the arduous route of setting up and running our own entity. To be honest, we may have even abandoned the idea of hiring in Portugal altogether," he admits. "Instead, we've built a successful international team that's driving our business forward."
When asked what advice he'd give to other companies considering international hiring, Phil emphasises the importance of finding the right partner.
"Don't just look at country coverage or pricing," he advises. "Look for a partner who truly understands the markets you're interested in, who communicates proactively, and who cares about doing things the right way. That's what we found with Boundless."