Scaling Content Creation Agency: Story League's Remotify Case Study

Luke Buesnel knows a good story when he hears one. The Australian entrepreneur, who has worked as a media and political adviser, journalist, radio broadcaster, producer and podcaster, also has a solid understanding of business – and what makes it work.

As the founder of Story League, a content creation agency that works with clients to build audience reach and customer base, Luke knows that stories have the power to positively impact business.

So, when he heard the story behind the Philippines-based Employer of Record (EOR) and outsourcing company Remotify, he knew he was on to something great.

Remotify is the next-generation remote hiring solution committed to supporting international businesses in employing top talent from the Philippines while handling human resources (HR) administration. Remotify’s EOR services ensure that you don’t have to worry about employment-related tasks so that you can focus on growing your business. At the same time, Remotify provides tools to enable your team to work efficiently while providing a people-first community that encourages your team to be engaged even in a remote set-up.  

For a business owner like Luke, Remotify is a dream come true.

Luke launched Story League four years ago out of his desire to make a positive difference in the business-marketing world.

Like any new venture, the journey hasn’t been without its challenges. Initially, it was a balancing act for Luke as he tried to manage everything from lead generation and onboarding new clients, to approving content, hiring and managing staff, dealing with remote employee complexities, and handling payroll for his team and suppliers.

This was when he discovered Remotify and realised the HR supplier could offer the support he was looking for.

“Remotify was the only one in their industry that stood out, and they were the only one I scheduled a video call with,” he says.

Since employing the services of Remotify, Story League has grown to become a six-person team including Luke, giving them more time and resources to grow their client base from across Australia and overseas.

Addressing the growing pains within Story League 

Growing a business is a challenging process. As any successful business leader will tell you, the key is in surrounding yourself with the right team and services, and chances it won’t always go right. 

Choosing the wrong people to work with can negatively impact a business, and slow down its earning potential.

When Luke first established Story League he was forced to overcome not one, but two hurdles that could have had significant lasting impacts on his business.

The first – a faulty contract deal, and no fault of Luke’s – cost the business $16,000. The second issue arose when Luke previously engaged another offshore HR supplier to manage the Story League team.

What ensued were late and inaccurate payments, inapplicable tax charges, and a clear lack of communication from the supplier – all of which led to disgruntled employees (and a stressed-out boss).

“I was wary of partnering with another HR supplier,” Luke admits. “It was actually a pain point for the team because they wanted HR services to legitimise their employment and ensure that they were compliant with their government taxes.

Unfortunately, these issues are not uncommon in the business world.

Leading industry publication Entrepreneur reports that there are seven scaling challenges that can sink even the most successful of companies – one is working with the wrong people, another is ignoring issues when they arise.

As Luke discovered from his own experience, sourcing relevant solutions in a timely manner is a must. This can prevent problems from snowballing into an even bigger issue.

For Story League, the answer came in the form of Remotify’s services. Luke was able to address the needs of his team and reduce administrative tasks while avoiding the issues he had faced with his former HR provider.

“I became sold on Remotify because they’re clearly committed to the people they work with and for. I also liked that Remotify didn’t shy away from the fact that they were a start-up. It made them more credible and trustworthy because they didn’t big-note themselves.”

Remotify’s handcrafted experience and human approach were a cut above the rest 

Remotify Founder and CEO Maria Sucgang says the relationship with Luke, and the success of his business is confirmation that Remotify is making a positive difference in the industry.

“We launched our website in July 2021, handcrafting all the services we provide and making sure that they were ready for our potential clients, and by August 2021, we signed Story League. We wanted to make sure that the experiences were ready before we launched Remotify, so it gave us a big feeling of validation to get Story League as a client just a few weeks after launching. When Luke came to us, he said that he wanted to give benefits to his team. That’s when we knew we’d be a good fit for Story League.”

There are a lot of things to factor in when managing a local payroll system for remote employers.

As an Employer of Record, we help international businesses to employ top talents in the Philippines securely and cost-effectively without the need to set up a local entity.

Our done-for-you employment solution now handles Story League’s hiring compliance, payroll, administrative needs, and team engagement through our remote-first INSPIRE culture.

Not only has our service taken Story League’s growth to the next level, but it has also removed common remote payroll headaches.

For business owners, our services take away the need to understand and self-manage various rules and regulations, holiday accrual and late invoice payments.  

For Luke, the added bonus of our ‘people first’ approach is a win-win.

“It’s a stark contrast to my previous HR supplier, who didn't even bother to acknowledge me while I was in their Manila office to train my team for one week. In comparison, when I arrived back in the Philippines to meet my team after lockdowns, Remotify organised a meet and greet at a cafe (and shouted the coffees) before taking me and my wife on a sightseeing tour of the city.

“Remotify’s human approach made me feel safe and comfortable about partnering with them. They weren’t trying to sell me something, they were focused on what they wanted to achieve for their company and for the clients they work with, like Story League. It wasn’t just lip service, I saw it in practise,” Luke continues. 

An authentic partnership between Story League and Remotify

The role of authenticity in business is vital. Authentic drivers, authentic output and authentic relationships are key to success.

And, while it’s true that we must move outside our comfort zone in order to thrive, business leaders must also remain steadfast in their ability to form authentic partnerships.

As strongly demonstrated between Remotify and Australian-based business Story League, a people-first culture expands client engagement, boosts retention and team connection, and allows room for education and subsequent growth.

Engaging the services of an EOR organisation allows businesses the opportunity to outsource company operations that inhibit their leaders to work to their full potential.

As Story League’s Luke discovered, outsourcing payroll and HR components encourage a renewed focus on the task at hand – and an increase in profitability.

Employing international staff, in this case, from the Philippines, has been a safe and efficient way to do business.

Navigating the legalities and responsibilities of hiring remotely can be time-consuming. In terms of contracts, your company must be listed as a legal employer in the Philippines by building a local entity or partnering with outsourcing agencies like Remotify.

It is important to trust an HR supplier and their knowledge of local labour laws and employment contracts.

Of course, ensuring your employees are properly invested in the culture of the company is also beneficial.

“Problems occur not with outsourced staff, but when the business owner doesn’t put in the effort to get staff buy-in. Partnering with an EOR service provider can make the outsourcing process smoother, ensuring that the staff are onboarded properly and that they have a clear understanding of the company’s values and vision-mission,” Luke says.

In short, Remotify is a growth driver for business.

 “I don’t have to worry about HR-related issues anymore, such as calculating invoices, taxes and benefits, because it’s taken care of by Remotify. My staff has also given a lot of positive feedback, they feel supported by the Remotify team and they’re happy about the warm and inclusive remote-first culture that Remotify has built,” he continues. 

Remotify prides itself on providing the highest quality of service for its customers and removing the heavy lifting associated with administrative HR tasks.

The answer is clear

Running a business and a successful one at that is no mean feat. Building a sustainable and reputable service takes an incomprehensible amount of time - sometimes more time than a person can physically commit. 

This is why it’s vital for any business leader, whether it be an SME or a large corporate, to feel supported by employees, contractors and external services. It starts at the bottom up – no task, no matter how mundane is inconsequential. 

For Maria Sugang, who has worked with hundreds of organisations of various sizes and scales, the key is to invest in and build the right team to ensure your business can thrive.

“At Remotify, it gives us a sense of pride to ensure businesses and their team members are supported and that they enjoy the services we offer,” she says.

Do you have a team in place but you don’t know where to start with your HR processes? Let’s chat and we’ll help you identify the right HR services for your business.