“The End of the Month” — A Survival Story

How hiring yourself can save you from the chaos of late salaries.

Day 29.
The last packet of instant noodles is gone. The fridge light flickers like a dying star.
Rent is due. Bills are whispering threats from unopened envelopes. Ana has 3.72€ in her bank account and one bar of phone signal left.

Day 30.
“Payday,” they said.
Ana checks her bank app again — still zero. She scrolls through the company group chat. HR says it’s a ‘technical delay.’ It’s the fourth time this year.
She closes the app. She’s not surviving another end-of-month like this.
She doesn’t want to wait on someone else’s timeline to eat, pay bills, or breathe.

What if your company never paid you late again?

That was the day Ana became her own boss — not just legally, but financially.

With her Estonian company already running, she discovered she could hire herself. Yes, really. A real employment contract, a real payday — set by her. Using tools like Companio Work, she made the leap.

She doesn’t just own the company. She works for it — and it pays her like clockwork.

How can I pay myself a salary as an e-resident?

It’s not science fiction — it’s global compliance. With the right setup, your company can legally employ you as a full-time employee. That means:

• A fixed monthly salary

• Payslips and contracts that stand up anywhere

• Full tax and legal compliance

• Social contributions handled

• Predictability. Stability. Control.

 

Salary or dividends: which is better?

✅ Salary: Great for consistency, regular income, and eligibility for benefits like pensions or health coverage.
✅ Dividends: Good for flexibility and tax optimization — but not ideal for monthly stability.

With Companio Work, Ana chose salary — because waiting until year-end for dividends felt like surviving another post-apocalyptic month. No thanks.

But carefull!
👉 Some providers suggest using a Board Member salary paid and taxed in Estonia. But if you live in countries like Spain, this may not be compliant with your local tax laws. Estonia may accept it — but Spain won’t!
What seems like a quick fix could create and uncomfortable situation in your country of residence.
With Companio Work, you get a fully compliant employment setup — wherever you live.

The world has changed. Why hasn’t payday?

Remote companies, borderless work, global teams — yet many founders still wait on late wires and messy freelancer setups.

Hiring yourself is the new survival strategy.
Because in the end times (aka: the last days of the month), you deserve to be your own hero — and your own payroll department.