Read the Conversation
Meeting highlights:
- ECI’s Journey: ECI has scaled rapidly as a regional player, anchored by Costa Rican talent and global standards.
- Service Model and Project Oversight: Each client engagement begins with a detailed kickoff, dedicated managers, and open communication channels to ensure accountability and results.
- Continuous Performance Monitoring: The company applies Lean principles to service delivery, including regular Gemba walks and bilateral feedback loops with clients and consultants.
- People-First Approach: Measuring success through Net Promoter Score, training, and retention metrics, ECI prioritizes consultant well-being and professional growth.
- Strategic Investments and Infrastructure: The opening of the new product and packaging testing lab reflects a commitment to building local capacity, improving efficiency, and supporting regional exporters.
EF: What attracted you to join Enhanced Compliance Inc. (ECI) in 2021, and what are you most proud of in your journey?
JR: ECI was founded in the United States by Randy Smith, Shital Patel, and Brijesh Patel, all accomplished entrepreneurs in medical devices and pharmaceuticals, who later leveraged their expertise to support other companies through consulting. What initially drew me to ECI was more than just the company’s reputation, which I had known for years through my work in the industry.
Originally from Costa Rica, I moved to the United States to pursue an MBA, initially intending to return home. However, after meeting my wife in Boston and starting a family, I remained in the U.S. for 8 years. While working in Austin, Texas, the pandemic prompted me to reflect on my priorities, particularly regarding family and long-term goals.
At that pivotal moment, I was contacted by a friend who had helped establish CRx Life Sciences, ECI’s first local subsidiary in Costa Rica. Founded in 2019, CRx Life Sciences capitalized on Costa Rica’s free trade zones and robust manufacturing sector, filling a significant gap in consulting support for the medical device industry. This presented the ideal opportunity to return home, collaborate with an outstanding team, and contribute to building something meaningful. I relocated to Costa Rica in May 2021, and I am proud to continue this journey today.
EF: What is ECI’s current footprint in Costa Rica, the strategic importance of these operations, and your specific role within the company?
JR: ECI has recently expanded its operations and now maintains two main facilities. Our primary office, where my team and I are based, is situated in the Coyol Free Trade Zone. In the same area, we have established a new product and packaging testing laboratory, which we are preparing to officially launch. The lab is a substantial 1,300-square-meter facility, fully equipped and currently undergoing validation and certification. Once operational, it will enable us to significantly increase our workforce.
ECI employs approximately 65 individuals, with around 60 serving as consultants in the medical device and pharmaceutical sectors. The addition of the testing lab is expected to drive further growth. Our team of highly skilled engineers and specialists is available to clients on demand. Our model allows companies to access top talent for short-term or urgent projects without the burden of recruitment, training, or retention. We manage all aspects of hiring and development, enabling our clients to focus on their core business.
This approach has proven highly effective. When I joined ECI four years ago, the company had 19 employees; today, we have grown to over 60, and demand for our services continues to increase. Our clients consistently recognize the value we deliver, and we are proud to contribute to the ongoing advancement of the medical device industry in Costa Rica.
EF: What services are currently most in demand from your clients, and how are you preparing for the future in terms of the skills?
JR: Costa Rica has established itself as a leading manufacturing hub, particularly in the medical device industry. Most sought-after roles are manufacturing engineers and quality engineers, which are critical to supporting the sector’s growth. In addition to these core areas, we provide robust support in project and program management, enabling companies to efficiently manage complex operations. Our services also extend to research and development, with a focus on sustaining R&D.
We play a key role in regulatory affairs, ensuring that companies remain compliant with evolving FDA and ISO standards, as well as in risk management and quality compliance. Post-market surveillance is another area experiencing significant growth; more companies are now conducting activities such as product monitoring, complaint handling, and issue investigations from Costa Rica.
Our team includes subject matter experts in biocompatibility, packaging, labeling, and standardization. Packaging, often overlooked, is vital in the medical device sector because it protects the product and ensures it reaches patients safely and in optimal condition. One of our most significant recent initiatives is the launch of our Product and Packaging Distribution and Stability Testing Lab. This facility tests both products and packaging under various simulated transport and environmental conditions to guarantee safety and functionality.
Our new lab offers a faster, cost-effective, and reliable local testing, conveniently located near major manufacturing centers like Coyol, Cartago, and Grecia. This development has been met with enthusiasm from clients, who recognize the value of having these services available locally.
Looking ahead, we plan to introduce additional specialized testing services based on the market needs. With teams in the United States, Ireland, and India, we are well-positioned to leverage global expertise to support clients in Costa Rica as the industry continues to advance.
EF: How do you attract top talent, especially when competing with larger multinationals?
JR: Fostering a strong company culture and a positive work environment is fundamental to our success. The competitive nature of our industry presents unique challenges, particularly when it comes to talent management. We are committed to maintaining integrity in our client relationships, which means we do not recruit talent from our clients. While our consultants often make such a positive impact that clients request to hire them directly, we emphasize that our model is designed to provide ongoing support while ensuring our consultants remain integral members of our team. Our primary focus is to create a healthy and supportive environment for our employees.
EF: As you approach your five-year milestone at the company, what key messages would you include in a celebratory speech?
JR: It was the right decision to move back to Costa Rica with the company. Our success is not about me. It is all thanks to our amazing team, the engineers and talent we have here. My message would be all about appreciation to our team. We would not be where we are without them, and we would not be planning for future growth if we did not believe we have such a strong group of people to build with.
