The gap between what’s said and what’s true
If you’re not looking past the surface, you’re making the wrong calls
Hey there,
A couple of weeks ago, I was talking here about partnerships and introductions. It’s been on my mind since then.
The ones I take seriously aren’t the people chasing a referral fee. They’re the ones who actually try my product before recommending it. Same for me: I’ve run payroll internationally with more than half a dozen providers, so that I know exactly what I’m recommending and when it’s the right fit.
Because if you’re putting your name on something, you should know how it feels to actually use it.
It’s the same mindset I’m bringing to my new Twitter account. I used to have one in college (it was wildly popular for all the wrong reasons), and I deleted it before applying for jobs. Now I’m starting fresh, with intention and a lot more to say about building teams, hiring in Latin America, and running a business you can be proud of.
If you want to follow along, I’m at @josephburnslupa.
This week’s newsletter leans into that same idea: being intentional about what you back, what you share, and what you attach your name to.
Let’s get into it.
🌐 News Shortlist
1. AI pricing is here, and people already hate it
Recap: Delta says it’s not using AI to get an advantage from every passenger at their personal “pain point,” after lawmakers accused them of testing exactly that. Instead, they claim the AI just helps humans forecast demand and set fares, not target individuals. They’re testing it now on 3% of routes, aiming for 20% by year-end.
Here’s my founder takeaway: pricing is where trust lives or dies. The second your customers believe your pricing is designed to extract, not serve, you’re in trouble. That’s true whether you’re selling plane tickets, SaaS, or coffee.
Dynamic pricing works when it feels fair—surge pricing when demand spikes, discounts when supply is high. But “AI pricing” sets off alarms because people imagine you’re running an algorithm that’s reading their bank account and charging accordingly.
If Delta wanted this to work, they’d need industry-wide adoption. Airline tickets are a direct comparison market. If one player goes full AI-maximization and another keeps it simple, the latter wins on perception alone.
That’s the real lesson: you can use AI to optimize revenue, but if you burn trust in the process, you’re just running a faster race to churn.
Advice:
If you’re going to use AI for pricing, lead with transparency. Explain how it works, why it benefits the customer, and where the boundaries are. People will forgive optimization. They won’t forgive feeling exploited.
2. When the boss says there’s no problem, there’s probably a problem
Recap: Google’s head of Search says AI features like AI Overviews aren’t hurting website traffic. Organic clicks, she claims, are “relatively stable,” and click quality is actually better.
Check this out: Pew Research just found that clicks drop when AI Overviews show up. Business Insider reports some publishers seeing traffic down more than 50% over the past two years.
When a company has to insist there’s no problem publicly, it’s usually the opposite. It’s the corporate version of “everything’s fine” while holding a fire extinguisher.
Let me tell you what I’m seeing in my world: more than half of my inbound leads now come from ChatGPT, not Google. Why? Because my Latin American team is building content that ranks for LLMs, not just search engines. It’s still SEO, but for the AI era.
Advice:
If you’re still relying only on Google for discovery, you’re wasting time. Keep your SEO work going, but start optimizing for where attention is moving, not just where it’s been. That means figuring out how your content appears in AI answers, on TikTok, in Reddit threads, not just in blue links.
If you want to see how we’re doing it, click here to book a consultation. I’ll show you exactly how to make your business discoverable in the age of AI search.
3. Brazil’s “funding crash” isn’t what it looks like
Recap: Headlines last week screamed that Brazilian startup funding “plummeted” 65% in Q2 to a two-year low. The culprit, according to KPMG, was investor pullback after U.S. tariffs and high interest rates. Mexico, meanwhile, raised 2.5x more in the same period.
What are the headlines not telling you? In Q1, one company (CloudWalk) raised $572M. Take that out, and the totals look pretty standard.
That’s why these “plunge” stories are tricky. They’re comparing two numbers without context. One quarter had an outlier round. The next didn’t. The underlying pace of deals didn’t suddenly collapse.
KPMG might have buried that detail in the report. But most journalists ran with the scary headline instead. And that’s how you end up with a stat that sounds like a market meltdown when it’s just math.
Advice:
If you’re following startup trends, always read past the headline. Look at deal count, stage mix, and who’s actually raising. Big checks can distort a whole quarter’s story.
And if you want a real read on the LatAm ecosystem, get it from people who are actually tracking deals week to week, not just skimming the quarterly report.
🔎 Remote Jobs Shortlist
These are the new openings my clients have this week.
Even if you’re not hiring, it’s worth seeing what roles great companies are opening and what that says about where things are headed. Check out the full list here.
1. Client Relationship Manager
This US-based marketing team has built a lean, high-performing operation—serving clients directly and delivering measurable results. Now they need someone to take over a critical Meta Ads role after a recent departure.
You’ll own campaign strategy and execution for US clients, speaking with them directly and driving performance across multiple accounts. The role is fully remote, but you’ll be working US hours and expected to bring that same level of polish and client service.
You’ve probably run high-budget Meta Ads campaigns before, managed client relationships, and can explain results in a way that builds trust. You’re comfortable in strategy calls, proactive in optimization, and quick to spot what’s working (and what’s not).
If you want to join a proven team where your work is visible and your results directly impact the business, this is it.
💵 $2,800 - $3,500 USD/month
📍LatAm Remote
2. Customer Service Representative
This fast-growing, family-focused program is looking for someone to be the first voice and point of contact for parents and visitors.
You’ll guide families through enrollment and scheduling, answer calls and emails, handle billing, and follow up to make sure every customer leaves happy. You’ll also keep systems updated, manage records, and help with outreach to bring in new business.
You’ve worked in customer service before—ideally somewhere fast-paced and kid-friendly. You know how to listen, solve problems, and keep things friendly and professional, even when the inbox is full and the phone won’t stop ringing.
If you want a front-row seat to a team environment where kids are learning, moving, and celebrating every day, this is the role for you.
💵 $1,500 - $1,800 USD/month
📍LatAm Remote
3. Customer Success Manager
This AI-powered vehicel inspections startup is scaling fast — and their #1 strategic customer is ready to expand into new global markets.
You’ll be embedded 100% with this account, acting as their trusted advisor and operational partner. That means guiding onboarding, driving adoption, joining pilots, and making sure the tech works seamlessly as they introduce it in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and India.
You’ve spent years in Finished Vehicle Logistics — maybe in vehicle transport, port processing, or OEM outbound — and you know the workflows inside out. You’ve also managed client relationships in SaaS, worked cross-functionally with product teams, and you’re comfortable being an extension of the customer’s own team.
If you want to take your FVL expertise into a fast-growing, VC-backed tech company — and own the success of a single, high-impact customer with massive reach — this is your chance.
💵$3,000 - $4,000 USD/month
📍Colombia
That’s it for this week.
If there’s a thread running through all three stories, it’s this: context matters. Whether it’s pricing, traffic, or funding, the headline rarely tells the whole truth.
And if you’re making decisions based only on what’s loud, you’re probably making the wrong ones.
If you’ve got a perspective I’m missing or a story worth digging into, hit reply.
And if you’re building in Latin America and want help finding the right people to grow with, you know where to find me.
Until next time,
Joseph Burns
CEO & Founder, Lupa