Our Mission, Vision & Values

We are men, women, people of color, LGBTQ+ folks, immigrants, parents, activists—and we know the importance of contributing to a world that is not only just but fundamentally kind.

We’re passionate about serving clients who want to expand their companies to the USA. Collaboratively, we develop, refine, and regularly review our mission, vision, and corporate values.

OUR PRINCIPLES

Building an organization that lasts

Our Mission

To make it easy for businesses worldwide to expand to the USA.

Our Vision

To be the trusted partner of choice for international companies, testing, expanding, or scaling in the US from market entry to maturity with services that cut through the complexities of doing business in America.

2012

Foothold America co-founder, Rob Johnson, moves his family from London to Boston to expand his consulting firm to the US.

2015

Foothold America offers Employer of Record services to life science clients based in the UK wanting to expand to Boston, USA as a service of our parent company, an international life science consulting firm with US & UK offices.

2017

Foothold America is incorporated in the US and offers services as a stand-alone company to companies in a range of industries in five countries.

2018

Foothold America offers subsidiary setup and people partnership services for non-US scaling companies.

2021

Foothold International Ltd. and Foothold France, Sas are registered to manage our expanding internal workforce.

2022

Foothold America grows to nine internal employees serving hundreds of clients worldwide and employing personnel in more than 25 US states.

Timeline of Foothold America?

Foothold America Co-founder, Robert Johnson, moves his family from London to Boston to expand his consulting firm to the US.

Through our parent company, Foothold America offers Employer of Record services to life science clients based in the UK wanting to expand to Boston, USA.

Foothold America is incorporated in the US and offers services as a stand-alone company to businesses in a range of industries in five countries.

Foothold America offers subsidiary setup and People Partnership Services for international scaling companies.

Foothold International Ltd. and Foothold France, SAS are registered to manage our expanding internal workforce.

Foothold America serves hundreds of clients worldwide and employs personnel across the United States.

The story behind our story

Foothold America was founded to fill an unmet need discovered by a British scientist and Chair of Foothold America, Robert Johnson. He and his family moved to the US from London in 2012 to expand the consulting business he started with a partner.

Excited to take advantage of the opportunity in the US life science hub in Boston, USA. Rob found getting accurate information about tax, entity setup, and hiring was nearly impossible to find for a business of one.

Forging on, it didn’t take long for the Boston business to take off. Soon word got out in the UK life science industry that there was a resource making it possible for other UK companies to have the same success in Boston. Foothold America was born.

In a few short years, Foothold America was serving businesses around the world in dozens of industries as the employer of record with their turnkey solution, Employee Management Service (EMS).

Now, as the trusted partner of choice for businesses of all sizes, Foothold America also provides US entity setup and People Partnership Service (PPS) to guide companies from market entry to maturity and beyond.

Values that matter

Our values are extremely important to us. These are: Client experience, Trust, Diversity/Inclusion, Corporate Culture, Social Responsibility.

Trust like our life
depends on it

We build trust with our clients by providing expert guidance that supports the ease in which they do business in the US. We develop collaborative relationships with our clients, emphasizing our role in protecting their company’s interests.

100% of client respondents said they
trust the information they receive from Foothold America.

Spring 2021 client survey

My number one priority is being there for our clients and bringing solutions to all of our clients, no matter how big or small they may be.

Angelique Soulet-Bangurah, Sr. HR & Client Services Specialist

Client Experience
beyond expectations

We develop and deliver services that we know to be of value to our clients with professionalism and efficiency focusing our actions on the best interest of our clients.

Diversity & Inclusion
is in our DNA

We promote a diverse and inclusive environment where individuals can succeed professionally regardless of race, ethnicity, culture, nationality, religious belief, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or marital status.

The Foothold America team is truly a melange and we’re a stronger company for it. Over 60% of our team lives in a country other than where they were born. We understand what it’s like to manage a different culture or language.

Joanne Farquharson, President & CEO of Foothold America

Never have I worked for a company where
I felt so supported and trusted.

Miruna Eliza Ionescu, Sr. Marketing Manager

Corporate Culture
like no other

Foothold America fosters a collaborative, positive work environment that respects the contributions of each team member and celebrates individual talents and passion. Open communication and willing cooperation form the bedrock of team interactions. We embody a learning mindset and encourage lifetime professional development.

Social Responsibility is a
vital part of our identity

We actively seek opportunities to support organizations and do business with companies that share our desire to serve local communities, promote equity and fairness for all people, and sustain the environment. We encourage and empower employees to do the same in ways that are meaningful to them.

Foothold America has chosen and supports local and national associations that make a difference in first generation access to college, voting rights, and civil rights.

Natalie Gombalova, Digital Marketing Manager

WHO WE ARE

Meet our team of experts

Foothold America has the knowledge and expertise to help you navigate the legal and administrative maze of doing business in the US.

PRESIDENT AND CEO

Joanne M. Farquharson
France based

US entrepreneur with 30 years experience in advising small and medium-sized businesses in employee benefits, insurance, labor law compliance, and risk management. Joanne has a passion for growing small companies and helping business owners actualize their goals.

Director of Operations

Geanice Barganier
US based

Highly knowledgeable Human Capital professional with decades of experience in Human Resources, onboarding and US and global immigration. Geanice specializes in organizational management, vendor management, and compliance.

Head of HR Operations & Client Service

Robert R. Esquijarosa
UK based

Experienced HR & Client Success professional with a demonstrated 15-year history of working in employee relations, payroll & benefits administration, compliance, and recruitment within multiple industries throughout the US and UK.

US Expansion Advisor

Rose Adedeji
UK based

US Expansion Advisor with 20 years of global HR experience, recruitment and client delivery, supporting clients from the UK, Europe, US and Australasia. Rose has extensive knowledge of candidate attraction and employee communication management.

US Expansion Advisor

Laurie Spicer
UK based

Over 25 years of experience doing business in North American, European, and Asian markets, including seven years as an International Trade Advisor with a primary focus and specialism on the complexity of the US market.

Senior Staff Accountant

Ovidio E. Santistevan
US based

Senior Staff Accountant with over 25 years of finance experience and more than ten years as a full-cycle accountant. Ovi takes pride in ensuring that the information he provides to our clients and partners is accurate, relevant, timely and easily understandable.

Senior HR & Client Service Specialist

Angelique Soulet-Bangurah
UK based

Angelique takes pride in providing client solutions, using more than seven years of experience as an HR Generalist with a vast knowledge of onboarding, employee relations and overall HR operations. She’s certified by the HR Certification Institute as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR).

Senior Marketing Manager

Miruna Eliza Ionescu
UK based

Multilingual marketing professional with more than ten years of experience in traditional and digital marketing for B2B and B2C sectors. Miruna has an extensive background in building customer engagement and ensuring that clients have the best tools and information in hand.

CoFounder & Board Chair

Robert Johnson
UK based

Robert is the Co-founder of several successful US and UK life science companies. He serves as the Board Chair of Foothold America influencing the direction of the company.

Digital Marketing Manager

Natalie Gombalova
UK based

This conversion-minded marketer is responsible for strategizing, planning and creating high-calibre content for our website visitor’s digital experience. With over seven years in marketing, Natalie specialises in PPC, SEO, emerging trends, and customer behavioural insights that help clients find the best solutions for their business needs.