When you think about offshoring, your mind might jump to cutting costs. However, gaining strategic offshoring insights can reveal the deeper benefits. But for Anthony Rice, Chief Growth Officer and Co-Founder of PeoplePartners, that’s just scratching the surface. In a candid interview, Anthony unpacked what offshoring should really be about: solving core business problems through smarter design, deeper relationships, and long-term trust.
His insights don’t just reflect PeoplePartners’ positioning as a premium workforce partner, they reflect a broader philosophy that redefines how business owners in Australia and the US can scale. Let’s explore his top takeaways.
1. Start with Trust, Not Tasks
“Clients usually come to us thinking it’s just about hiring one person. But what they really need is to rethink what that person could be doing.”
Anthony starts by reframing the most common misconception in outsourcing: that it’s about slotting a person into a task. Clients often approach PeoplePartners looking for a VA, a graphic designer, or someone to process loans. But Anthony sees this as an opportunity to build something stronger: organised, high-performing workforces where onshore staff can focus on high-value work while the right support team handles the rest. That’s where an offshore staffing strategy becomes powerful.
His team’s approach? Apply Workforce Re-Engineering to uncover the hidden roles businesses might not even realise they need. This isn’t just filling gaps. It’s about identifying inefficiencies and realigning workloads so both onshore and offshore team members can do their best work.
And this process isn’t just consultative; it’s transformative. Anthony sees the discovery call not as a pitch, but as a collaborative audit. “Even if they don’t work with us, the ROI of that first call is in the clarity they walk away with.”
This shift in perspective, from transactional staffing to building workforce clarity, lays the foundation for lasting growth.
He also points out how this early conversation is often the first time a founder pauses to really think about their team’s structure.
For founders still wearing every hat in the business, this realisation can be both liberating and game-changing.
Learn more about our process here.
2. For a BPO Success, Industry Nuances Matter
“RTOs need bigger discussions. EOS-run businesses get ‘right person, right seat’ but still need help with role design.”
One size doesn’t fit all. Anthony explains how different industries require tailored approaches:
- • Mortgage brokers often want “half a person” and focus heavily on price.
- • RTOs need strategic workforce advice to balance staffing ratios.
- • EOS businesses understand team structure but still struggle with execution.
That’s where PeoplePartners stands out, not as a task filler, but as a full workforce partner that adapts to the nuances of each sector.
In each case, Anthony stresses the importance of educating the client.
“We’re not just here to fill the role you asked for. We’re here to help you ask better questions about your org chart.”
He also shares that sometimes, these conversations go beyond headcount.
“We’re helping people see the blind spots in their org chart before those gaps cost them growth.”
Whether it’s understanding a team’s hidden bottlenecks or surfacing opportunities to reallocate talent, Anthony believes PeoplePartners’ biggest value lies in their diagnostic clarity.
To know the industries that PeoplePartners serves, click here.
3. Transparency Above All
PeoplePartners focuses on risk reversal through transparency:
- • Open salary discussions
- • Clear onboarding expectations
- • Shared responsibility for success
This approach builds lasting partnerships instead of short-term wins.
4. AI Isn’t Replacing Offshore Teams. It’s Reframing Them for Workforce Optimisation
“AI is more of a threat to onshore roles than offshore. Global staff who use AI smartly become even more valuable.”
Anthony sees AI not as a replacement but as a force multiplier. Offshore staff who can prompt and partner with AI tools become indispensable. And given the economics, it makes even more sense for businesses to optimise their onshore-offshore mix strategically.
Workforce engineering in this context means:
- • Automating repetitive onshore tasks
- • Upskilling offshore teams to move up the value chain
- • Building a resilient, tech-savvy hybrid workforce
This also demands smarter role design. Instead of replicating yesterday’s job descriptions, Anthony encourages businesses to rethink roles around what AI can do with humans,not instead of them.
Anthony notes that future success belongs to teams who can adapt quickly. “AI isn’t the enemy, stagnation is.”
And as businesses build these hybrid roles, the strategic offshoring opportunity isn’t just in output. It’s in creating future-ready leaders who understand systems, not just skills.
You may also read this related blog: Why Top CEOs Are Rebuilding Their Org Charts
5. What Offshoring Misconceptions Reveal About Leadership
Anthony highlights how offshoring often fails not because of the talent, but because of the leadership. “If communication is inconsistent or expectations aren’t clear, the team member, offshore or onshore, won’t succeed.”
He breaks down the most common issues:
- • Roles that are too broad
- • Lack of onboarding or documentation
- • Poor feedback culture
By championing honest conversations, feedback rhythms, and shared expectations, Anthony positions PeoplePartners as more than a staffing firm; it’s a leadership partner that can offer strategic offshoring.
He believes this mindset shift is key for scaling responsibly.
“It’s not just about hiring global talent. It’s about becoming the kind of leader that talent wants to stay with.”
True offshoring success, he says, has less to do with where people sit and more to do with how they’re led.
Strategic Offshoring as a Leadership Decision
Overall, Anthony talks about fulfillment, fit, and the responsibility leaders have to design roles that don’t just get work done, but bring out the best in people.
Whether you’re a scaling startup or an established business looking to restructure, the lesson is clear: Offshoring isn’t a shortcut. It’s a leadership decision.
And when done with clarity, strategy, and the right partner, it unlocks more than cost savings, it unlocks growth.
Ready to explore strategic offshoring for your team? Book a Call with PeoplePartners today.
