#511 Why Latin America Is Becoming the Go-To Talent Hub for Global Startups

The CTO Show with Mehmet Gonullu

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, I sit down with Leandro Cartelli, CEO of Lana Talent, to explore how Latin America is emerging as one of the most strategic regions for global hiring. From Argentina to the world, Lean shares insights from 15+ years in talent acquisition—helping startups and SMBs build cost-effective, high-performing remote teams.

We discuss why the “right hire” is evolving in the age of AI, the real cost of bad hiring decisions, and how Latin American talent is powering startups across the US, Canada, Europe, and beyond.

Key Takeaways

• Why bad hires cost up to 200% of annual salary and how to avoid them

• The shift from hard skills to soft skills in defining the “right hire”

• How AI is reshaping both the recruiter’s process and the candidate’s journey

• Why Latin America offers top talent at 30–50% lower cost without sacrificing quality

• The critical role of transparency and trust in hiring and retention

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What You’ll Learn

• How startups can leverage Latin America for affordable, high-quality teams

• The future of hiring in the AI-driven job market

• The biggest mistakes founders make when recruiting talent

• Why candidate experience directly impacts business performance

• The importance of development and growth conversations in retention

About the Guest

Leandro Cartelli is the CEO and Founder of Lana Talent, a staffing and recruiting company specializing in building remote teams in Latin America for global businesses. With over 15 years of leadership in talent acquisition at firms like Accenture and within the pharma and tech sectors, Lean is passionate about connecting startups and SMBs with world-class talent in an affordable, scalable way.

https://lanatalent.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/leancartelli/

Episode Highlights

⏱️ [00:03:00] Lean’s journey from Accenture to founding Lana Talent

⏱️ [00:07:00] When to use in-house hiring vs. external partners

⏱️ [00:13:00] The hidden costs of bad hiring decisions

⏱️ [00:15:00] How the definition of the “right hire” has shifted in the AI era

⏱️ [00:20:00] The loop of AI recruiters vs. AI applicants

⏱️ [00:30:00] Why development and transparency matter more than ever

⏱️ [00:38:00] How COVID accelerated remote hiring across Latin America

⏱️ [00:43:00] The top three functions LATAM talent fills for startups

⏱️ [00:48:00] How Lana Talent bridges global founders with Latin American talent