Young and Profiting with Hala Taha (Entrepreneurship, Sales, Marketing)
Young and Profiting with Hala Taha (Entrepreneurship, Sales, Marketing)

How She Scaled Howdy From $400 Left to $50M in Recurring Revenue | Entrepreneurship | How We Profit | E11

September 23, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Jacqueline Samira founded Howdy in 2018 after noticing a pattern in Austin’s tech scene: startups raised millions but couldn’t hold onto senior software developers, who kept leapfrogging to better offers. The solution seemed obvious—hire smart people in other time zones—but most existing options were in Asia or Eastern Europe, not Latin America. Samira, a sales veteran with no direct tech background, bet that she could build a company that would recruit, vet, employ, and manage dedicated software teams in Latin America for U.S. tech companies. She started with $150,000 of her own savings, hit rock bottom during COVID when she was nine months pregnant with $400 left, and then watched the business explode when remote work became permanent. Today Howdy does roughly $50 million in annual recurring revenue, has 11 offices across Latin America, and employs over 600 people.

The Business Model: One Offer, 15% Margin, No Lock-In

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (00:22) **What is Howdy?** - Jacqueline Samira introduces Howdy, a company that builds software development teams in Latin America for US tech companies.
  • 2 (05:47) **How Howdy Makes Money** - Jacqueline breaks down the single product offering and the 15% margin that drives the business.
  • 3 (10:08) **Cash Flow Mechanics** - An explanation of how billing and payroll work to keep the operation running.
  • 4 (12:25) **Origin Story: From Sales to Solving a "Dumb Problem"** - Jacqueline describes her sales background and the insight that led her to start Howdy in 2018.
  • 5 (20:30) **The Rock Bottom Moment** - Jacqueline recounts the near-failure of the business during COVID while she was nine months pregnant.
  • 6 (25:28) **Why Raise VC Money?** - Jacqueline explains the decision to take venture capital after reaching $3M ARR.
  • 7 (33:15) **Reflections on Fundraising** - Jacqueline offers a nuanced take on the pros and cons of raising venture capital.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

When Jacqueline Samira started her business, she recognized a massive market inefficiency: U.S. tech companies were struggling to source and retain experienced talent, while skilled professionals across Latin America were being overlooked. She built Howdy to bridge that gap and help companies build dedicated international teams. In this episode, Jacqueline shares how she built Howdy into a $50 million recurring-revenue business, survived a near-collapse during COVID, and scaled the company through strong retention, smart funding, and a simple staffing model.

In this episode, Hala and Jacqueline will discuss: 

(01:36) Howdy’s Core Financial Model

(05:20) Revenue, Payroll, and Cash Flow

(10:25) Starting Howdy and Surviving COVID

(21:15) Raising Capital After $3 Million ARR

(31:10) Ideal Customers and High-Touch Marketing

(40:08) Retention, Referrals, and Customer Expansion

(43:24) Why Psychologists Recruit Howdy Talent

(50:57) Expanding Howdy Across Latin America

(54:33) How AI Is Reshaping Hiring

(57:34) How to Copy This Business Model

Jacqueline Samira is the founder and CEO of Howdy.com, an Austin-based company that helps U.S. tech companies hire and manage teams across Latin America. Before founding Howdy in 2018, she built her career in sales and operations, including leadership roles at Y Combinator-backed technology companies. Howdy joined Y Combinator’s Winter 2021 batch and has appeared on the Inc. 5000 in 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026. Jacqueline was also named to Inc.’s 2026 Female Founders 500 for leading Howdy’s expansion into Mexico and Peru and establishing a branded office in Guadalajara.

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Young and Profiting with Hala Taha (Entrepreneurship, Sales, Marketing)

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