In this episode of Max Value Podcast, host Ben Towne sits down with Anshul Agrawal, founder of June 15th Consulting, to explore how small and mid-size CPA firms can access global talent without setting up their own offshore entities. Anshul explains the three engagement models — agency, employer-of-record direct hire, and self-setup — and how his services help firms hire offshore employees in India, Argentina, or the Philippines with full ownership and control. The conversation covers how to choose the right geography, why education and process readiness are the real first steps, and how the “augment, not replace” mindset applies to accounting talent. Both hosts emphasize that offshoring is not a plug-and-play solution: it requires months of preparation, robust communication procedures, and a three-year maturity horizon to see its full benefits. The episode closes with a personal segment where Anshul shares his love of historical and post-apocalyptic fiction, his background in face reading, and his best advice for finding him on LinkedIn.
Chapter 1: Welcome to Max Value
Ben Towne introduces the episode with a preview of its main themes — augmenting not replacing, global talent geography choices, and the realities of offshoring. Guest Anshul Agrawal introduces himself as a 13-year global expansion veteran who pivoted after COVID to helping small and mid-size CPA firms engage offshore talent, bridging cultures and filling a growing talent gap in accounting.
Chapter 2: Defining the Ideal Firm for Direct Offshore Hiring
Anshul defines his sweet spot as firms under 20 employees or up to $20–30M in revenue — but emphasizes that what really matters is mindset, not size. Firms that value control, ownership, and better integration are ideal clients. He outlines the three engagement models: traditional agency, direct hire via employer of record, and full self-setup — with smaller firms increasingly seeking direct hire options.
Chapter 3: Agency Model vs. Direct Hire — Understanding the Tradeoffs
Anshul explains his three-service package: knowledge and advisory, local compliance as employer of record, and on-the-ground support. This makes direct hire accessible to smaller firms without requiring entity registration or travel. Ben shares his own experience setting up an entity in India and acknowledges that using a service like Anshul’s would have been far more practical for a firm of his size.
Chapter 4: Choosing the Right Geography — India, Philippines, or Argentina?
Anshul walks through how each location came onto his radar: India through his first client referral (with Ahmedabad as the preferred tier-2 city), Philippines as a lower-turnover alternative, and Argentina as a time-zone-friendly nearshore option. Notably, every client presented with both Philippines and Argentina has chosen Argentina — valuing time zone collaboration above cost savings.
Chapter 5: Culture, Time Zones, and Strategic Alignment
Ben notes that his own team in Ahmedabad handles valuation outsourcing while his Colombian virtual assistant Geraldine offers nearshore benefits. The hosts compare Latin American and Indian working cultures, with Ben describing Colombia’s cultural proximity to Canada as similar to the difference between California and Florida. Both agree that building cross-cultural bridges creates strategic and personal value.
Chapter 6: The First Step — Education Before Execution
Anshul’s top recommendation is education first: free videos, white papers, ebooks, and peer conversations with firms that have offshored both successfully and unsuccessfully. The hosts agree that the augmentation step should start small — one person, one process — to test communication structures and procedural readiness before scaling up.
Chapter 7: The Three-Pillar Future of Firm Scaling
Ben articulates the three-pillar model for the firm of the future: global staffing, technology/AI leverage, and a solid domestic core. He and Anshul agree that no single source — not even a well-researched ebook — should drive the decision alone. The right mix is different for every firm, and straight-shooting advisors who present all options honestly are critical to making good decisions.
Chapter 8: Why Firms Fail at Offshoring — Trust vs. Expertise
Anshul raises a key failure pattern: CPA firms tend to go to someone they already trust rather than seeking out genuine offshoring expertise. Trust is necessary but not sufficient — firms need advisors who know the full picture. Both hosts agree that the profession needs more straight shooters willing to say “this works for you” or “this doesn’t work for you” based on the firm’s actual situation.
Chapter 9: Operational Discipline — The Hidden Work Behind Offshore Success
Ben identifies operational readiness as the biggest hidden failure point: many firms lack written procedures, standardized formats, and proper IT compliance (such as IRC 7216 consent for tax offshoring). Anshul has extended his readiness timeline from 3–4 months to at least 6 months based on experience. The onshore preparation work is just as important — and often more time-consuming — than the offshore setup itself.
Chapter 10: The Long Game — A Three-Year Offshore Maturity Model
Anshul frames the offshore journey as a three-year progression: Year 1 is the Year of Learning (wins and roadblocks), Year 2 is the Year of Optimization (removing friction, building confidence), and Year 3 is the Year of Celebration (realizing the promised returns). Ben echoes this with a sports analogy — rookie season, sophomore season, and career peak. Both warn that treating offshoring as a plug-and-play solution leads to disappointment.
Chapter 11: Personal Insights — Leadership, Learning, and Perspective
Anshul reveals that he used to be an amateur face reader — analyzing personality traits from facial features — and that this practice helped him read people in informal settings. He also shares his shift from non-fiction to fiction reading, particularly historical fiction, refugee stories, and post-apocalyptic sci-fi. Ben introduces the word “entrapptologist” — a self-coined term for a business valuation expert — which appears on his LinkedIn profile.
Chapter 12: Final Thoughts and Where to Connect
Ben thanks Anshul for a rich conversation covering the full arc from strategy to personal insights. Anshul directs listeners to LinkedIn as his primary contact point. The episode closes with mutual appreciation, a commitment to collaborate further, and the standard Max Value Podcast call to subscribe, like, and comment.
