How Firstbase helped Extrashift execute their vision

Extrashift is a Buenos Aires-based QA and project management firm that specializes in supporting early-stage startups.

The idea for Extrashift started when founder Anabella Guimarey received a LinkedIn message from a founder struggling to move her startup forward. After taking a look at contracts, timelines, and other documents, Anabella realized that the company needed an effective project manager.

While founders often have great ideas and/or amazing skills, project management is a common sticking point for growing startups. With so much changing on a day-to-day basis, it can be difficult to prioritize tasks and move toward organizational goals. Extrashift has been able to connect with a variety of startups from around the world.

Co-founder Anabella Guimarey and her team of female founders decided to incorporate Extrashift through Firstbase, so we were excited to have the opportunity to discuss her experience and learn more about how the Firstbase platform helped Extrashift accelerate their growth.

Why Anabella chose Firstbase over Stripe Atlas

When Anabella was ready to move forward and incorporate Extrashift, the first name that came to mind was Stripe Atlas. She learned about us when researching other options and became interested after discovering that Firstbase is backed by Y Combinator.

The Extrashift team was still hesitating on the right entity type for their upcoming incorporation. The Firstbase LLC vs. C Corp quiz quickly gave them the recommendation they needed and explained why an LLC made more sense for their situation.

The next question was which state to incorporate in, and again Firstbase was able to recommend Wyoming based on information about Extrashift’s business goals. After a short conversation with our customer support team, Anabella was finally prepared to turn Extrashift into a US business.

“When I had questions about the best path for my business, the Firstbase team was there to make sure I got where I needed to be. They quickly explained the pros and cons of different states and entity types and gave me confidence that I was making the right decision for Extrashift.”

Since Stripe Atlas only supports incorporation in Delaware, it was clear that Firstbase was the better option for Extrashift. Anabella saved more than $100 with Firstbase — just $399 for incorporation (regardless of state) compared to $500 with Stripe Atlas (Delaware only).

Start, Agent, Mailroom, and more

After entering her business information and desired state + entity type, all Anabella had to do was relax and wait for us to complete her incorporation.

‍“What I liked about Firstbase was that they were upfront. They told me exactly what to expect and made sure I understood each step of the incorporation process. It was important to me that I could get in touch with a real person when I had questions.”

Anabella set up her new business bank account as soon as she completed the incorporation application, with no need to wait for an EIN. Even better, Extrashift cut substantial costs through the Firstbase rewards program.

They earned 45,000 bonus points through our partner offer with Brex. Depending on the redemption method, that’s up to $450 in extra cash at a pivotal time in Extrashift’s trajectory.

Today, Anabella uses the Firstbase rewards platform as well as Agent and Mailroom to stay on top of Extrashift’s compliance and mail needs. With Mailroom, Anabella gets a US business address that she can use to receive and send documents like any other American company.

“Firstbase Mailroom enabled me to present a professional image while managing mail like I would at a regular office. It was also easy to send digital documents as physical mail.”

Insights

As a team of three female founders, Extrashift brings a unique perspective that needs to be included in the startup conversation. Anabella sees this as an opportunity to offer something different and build effective relationships with customers, employees, and business partners.

“We focus on showing empathy to the people we work with and helping them find real solutions to their challenges. It’s not always just about closing the deal — sometimes you need to go above and beyond to show that you’re invested in your customers beyond how they affect your own bottom line.”

Extrashift’s three founders alternate in the CEO role every two years, enabling the team to stay on a clear track without giving anyone a long-term appointment. This arrangement shows the deep trust that’s been built into the company’s culture from the very beginning.

Anabella has found that the alternating setup improves working relationships and ensures that no one person has too much control over the company’s trajectory.

“I’m very lucky to have the opportunity to work with such an amazing group of female founders. Most entrepreneurs are used to talking and selling, but the Extrashift team is made up of incredible listeners. We have confidence in each other and that gives us the foundation we need to deliver exceptional service and results for our clients.”

Wrapping up

Anabella and her team embody some of the key values that we appreciate in the Firstbase community. They took their years of experience in project management to get out of the traditional nine to five and build a new business on their own terms.

When it was time to incorporate, Firstbase had everything Extrashift was looking for: low prices, personalized recommendations, compliance + operational support, and lots of savings from our partnership program. We’re in awe of what Anabella and her co-founders have accomplished and can’t wait to see where Extrashift goes next!

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