Meet Carlos Escutia, Founder & CEO at GroWrk:
Carlos Escutia is a seasoned entrepreneur and visionary in the tech world. As a three-time venture-backed founder, Carlos has a strong track record of success in launching and scaling technology-focused businesses. Prior to his current venture, he served as the founder of Casa One, a pioneering furniture rental technology platform. Casa One attracted significant investment, raising nearly $80 million from well-known investors including Axel.
Carlos’ entrepreneurial journey is driven by his ability to identify and solve pressing business challenges. His latest venture, GroWrk, was born out of the difficulties he faced while scaling teams globally at Casa One. He experienced firsthand the logistical complexities of managing remote teams, from delivering and recovering company equipment to ensuring compliance with business regulations.
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Quick Read: Carlos Escutia, Founder & CEO at GroWrk
How does GroWrk’s platform help companies expand globally and overcome the challenges of equipping and managing IT assets across multiple locations?
Carlos explained that traditionally companies handle IT asset management in-house, leading to high costs, risks, and lack of device recovery options. GroWrk’s platform streamlines the procurement, management, and services of IT assets on a global scale. It integrates seamlessly with existing systems, provides visibility and control over expenses, and standardizes service levels through partnerships and software infrastructure. Carlos stated, “All of that is solved by working with us.”
“Ours can integrate pretty seamlessly so that it becomes a streamlined process that provides visibility to all stakeholders in your organization and allows you to have better control on your expenses around IT technology.”
How does GroWrk manage logistics and support across 150 countries?
Carlos explained that GroWrk combines its own infrastructure with partnerships to deliver services. While having local capabilities in the US, the company seeks the best tier one partners in each country. The goal is to standardize service level agreements (SLAs) globally through software infrastructure. Carlos emphasized the complexity of managing logistics and achieving SLAs, stating:
“You can’t be a jack of all trades and master of none.”
Why should companies choose GroWrk’s services over providing cash bonuses for employees to set up their home offices?
Carlos differentiated between workspace and IT solutions. While providing stipends for workspace setup is suitable, GroWrk focuses exclusively on IT equipment and solutions. Carlos outlined the benefits of working with GroWrk, including access to better pricing due to the company’s significant volume of equipment purchases, ongoing service support, fast device replacements, and automation through the platform. He emphasized the cost and time-saving advantages of GroWrk’s solution.
What are some legal consequences companies may face related to remote work and IT equipment?
Carlos discussed legal consequences related to workspace equipment, where companies may be sued if they neglect proper setup, leading to employee injuries. Regarding IT equipment, he highlighted the risks of data breaches and shared a specific case of an employee withholding sensitive data. Carlos emphasized the importance of managing data security and ensuring proper device recovery processes to minimize risks and potential lawsuits.
What does the future hold for remote work and the global hiring trend?
Summary: Carlos expressed confidence that the trend of companies expanding globally to cut costs and access talent will continue to grow. He emphasized the benefits for both organizations and employees, such as cost savings, improved quality of life, and opportunities for social mobility. Carlos stated:
“This is going to be prevalent… we’re seeing exactly the same trends.”
He predicted that remote work and global hiring will become the norm rather than a special perk, enabling companies to operate effectively and employees to work from anywhere.
Will GroWrk expand beyond equipment and manage other categories or services for distributed employees?
Carlos explained that GroWrk aims to become a next-generation IT service management platform. While the company currently focuses on IT asset procurement and management, they plan to expand into security solutions and optimize processes using artificial intelligence. Carlos emphasized their focus on being known as the go-to company for IT service management at a global scale, catering to the specific needs of distributed employees.
