Remotely Cultured

Lisette Sutherland, Director of Collaboration Superpowers and author of Work Together Anywhere, joins Jeanna on this episode of Remotely Cultured. Lisette and Jeanna discuss what's driving leaders to mandate employees return to the office, how leaders can reduce the number of meetings for their teams and ensure the ones they do have are more productive and meaningful, and the key components of seamless online collaboration.

Melissa Moody, General Manager of Matcha and host of the 2 Pizza Marketing podcast, joins Jeanna on this episode of Remotely Cultured. Melissa and Jeanna discuss how to network effectively to create meaningful professional connections, how to build and test rapidly while partnering with product teams, and thoughtful ways to be a better remote leader and build a more inclusive company. She also shares her Wednesday Woman initiative and encourages women leaders to share their successes and be loud about the work they're doing.

Bridget Harris, CEO and Co-Founder of YouCanBookMe, joins Jeanna on this episode of Remotely Cultured. They discuss all things product-led growth, how to market to the right customer (not every customer), why being in love with the problem you're solving (not the solution) is essential for founders, how YouCanBookMe created an intentional remote culture, and the successes and failures of a bootstrapped company growing from $1M to $5M in ARR and $5M to $10M in ARR.

Ali Greene, coauthor of Remote Works and former Director of People Operations at DuckDuckGo, joins Jeanna on this episode of Remotely Cultured. Ali and Jeanna discuss what company culture actually means and how to define it, how leaders can flex their "remote-first muscle" and support their teams to be successful in a remote environment, how to properly assess if a candidate is a good fit for your remote culture in the hiring process, and how to avoid the biggest mistakes companies make when going hybrid or fully distributed.

Curtis Duggan, who leads partnerships at Lemon Squeezy and hosts the Remotely Serious podcast, joins Jeanna to discuss how Lemon Squeezy nailed product-led growth, how they gained organic traction with users on X, and why they're moving into sales-led growth. Curtis also shares his thoughts on all things remote work, including how to delay the gratification of getting things done when working with a distributed team and why a flat hierarchy works for remote-first startups.

Matt Young is the Founder and CEO of Nomadic6, a network of coliving, coworking, and community spaces designed for digital nomads to call home. He is also a founding member of Experienced House, an association of experienced design and community-building leaders. As an advocate for the future of remote and distributed teams, Matt has traveled the globe immersing himself in societies of people building lives of location independence. He and his team launched Nomadic6 while living in Thailand, and he continues his commitment to designing experiences for remote teams to reconnect in exotic places while independently living in some of the world’s most alluring locations. In this episode… As the work environment shifts toward a full-time remote culture, many people yearn for the positive aspects of an onsite workplace, such as socialization and relationship building. So, are there solutions that allow individuals to work remotely, reconnect, and participate in team-building activities? In-person retreats champion collaborations on team projects and reveal work culture for new, onboarding team members. When designing in-person events, such as retreats, the goal is to create a campus experience where you can control the environment and provide a space for guests to thrive mentally and physically. Matt Young recommends using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs — which ensures optimal needs — when designing these experiences. Suggested amenities for guests include comfortable bedding, healthy food and beverage options, and opportunities for activity and fitness. Matt also proposes relaxation-promoting facilities like saunas and jacuzzis. In this episode of Remotely Cultured with Jeanna Barrett, Matt Young, CEO of Nomadic6, discusses the art of creating in-person retreats for remote companies. Matt discusses Nomadic6’s mission and philosophy, how to organize virtual team-building activities for remote teams, the importance of in-person retreats, and building intention meetups to solve problems.

Suzie Cyrenne is the Co-founder and Certified Operating Officer of Buster Fetcher, a software service that detects delivery delays and creates refund requests for merchants. She’s also the Co-founder and COO of Zumalka, a provider of online, high-quality, natural pet products. Suzie is passionate about the empowerment of women in business, which she highlights on her podcast, Women Powering Ecommerce, launched in June 2023. In this episode… Working remotely offers many advantages — however, one of its pitfalls is virtual meeting fatigue, a condition of mental and physical exhaustion caused by excessive video conferences. While teams must meet to ensure everyone is working toward a common goal, how can unnecessary videoconferences be eliminated? Business owner Suzie Cyrenne had previously avoided Zoom meetings to prevent screen time overstimulation. As her companies expanded and teams grew, she realized that daily Slack chats were inadequate for communicating goals and grievances. As a result, Suzie implemented the daily nine-at-nine. During the daily nine-at-nine, all teams convene for a nine-minute Zoom meeting at 9 am to discuss the day’s primary action purposes. To create a positive atmosphere, Suzie curates specific songs to set the tone. In addition, all team leads share a victory from the previous work day and allow team members to voice their complaints. In this episode of Remotely Cultured, Jeanna Barrett welcomes Suzie Cyrenne, Co-founder and COO of Buster Fetcher and Zumalka, to discuss remote work culture and processes. Suzie shares systems for creating efficient operating processes, strategies for building a thriving remote team culture, and explains the daily nine-at-nine.

Tara Robertson is the Head of Demand Generation at Chili Piper, a scheduling and lead-routing solution that helps revenue teams book meetings faster. Tara is a 10-year B2B marketer who’s worked in various marketing roles. Before joining Chili Piper, she led the demand generation team at Top Hat, an educational software company that makes active learning come to life. Tara hosts Chili Piper’s Demand Gen Chat podcast, which discusses tactical methods to improve marketing, and writes the monthly newsletter, The Sauce. In this episode… Thought leadership in B2B marketing is a content marketing approach that positions a company as a trusted industry leader. The goal is to increase brand visibility by establishing the company as an expert in its field. How do companies benefit from thought leadership? Seasoned marketing expert Tara Robertson affirms that using thought leadership drives results and reduces marketing costs. It also increases brand awareness, enhances credibility, and improves lead generation and customer retention. She emphasizes the role of thought leadership in building a personal brand, as it lets you promote your reputation and skills and attract potential employers. Generating thought leadership content can be as simple as writing blog posts, LinkedIn content, newsletters, or hosting a podcast. In this episode of the Remotely Cultured podcast, Jeanna Barrett chats with Tara Robertson, Head of Demand Generation at Chili Piper, for an insightful conversation about B2B marketing. Tara discusses the importance of thought leadership in B2B marketing, tips for working asynchronously and leveraging time zones, and how to create an accessible records system.

Roland Sabates is the Founder and Managing Member of Expat Legal Services Group. The firm provides unique services for American expatriates and foreign nationals, including legal advice, foreign adoption consultancy, international tax advice, and real estate planning. He’s also the President of American Tax Partners. Roland devotes his time to developing creative strategies and solving tax issues for international clients. While at the Tax Institute at H&R Block, he managed a tax research team focused on the needs of American expats, foreign nationals' US tax exposure, and tax filers in Puerto Rico and other US possessions. Roland was the Director of Operations at H&R Block for over two years before practicing tax and real estate law at The Hood Law Group. In this episode… Migrating to another country to start a new life can be an exhilarating experience. However, it can also be a daunting undertaking due to the many complex requirements. What should Americans be aware of before uprooting to a foreign destination? Tax expert Roland Sabates explains that American citizens who hold a US passport should understand that even if they move overseas, they’re still obligated to file taxes annually. In addition, filing an information report is crucial if you possess an out-of-country bank account with a balance over $10,000. This protects individuals from penalty exposure or assumptions of nefarious activities. However, there are some benefits, as Roland defines the foreign-earned income exclusion, which could save you from paying US taxes on amounts of $120,000 or more. In this episode of Remotely Cultured with Jeanna Barrett, Roland Sabates, Founder and Managing Partner at Expat Legal Services Group, talks about unique tax services for American expatriates. Roland discusses tax complexities and responsibilities for American expatriates, how to incorporate a business as an expat entrepreneur, and the intersection of tax and immigration visas.

Joanie Wang is the Director of Marketing and Brand at Expensify, a platform that helps companies manage expenses, including scanning receipts, paying bills, and booking travel. Celebrating nearly 10 years at Expensify, she identifies strategic opportunities to grow the brand globally through storytelling, performance, marketing, and word of mouth. Joanie led Expensify’s award-winning Super Bowl campaign, You Weren’t Born to Do Expenses, and spearheaded the launch of ExpensiCon, the industry’s first all-expenses-paid thought leadership conference. In 2018, Joanie was named a Top 25 Women Leader in SaaS. In this episode… Working remotely isn’t a phenomenon, but it became mainstream at the height of COVID-19. Many people are fascinated by the concept of working from home, but newly hired remote workers sometimes find it challenging. Joanie Wang, a business leader and seasoned distance worker, highlights the various processes to help people transition into a remote-friendly organization. This includes creating how-to guides and SOPs, listing best practices, time management, and setting up dedicated workspaces. Joanie also explains that it helps to create videos clarifying certain processes used as an on-demand tool that employees can reference when needed. Additionally, the videos can expound on various communication devices used in remote cultures, such as Slack. These platforms also may be leveraged for asynchronous meetings by creating special threads that remain active for 24 hours — ensuring all individuals have a chance to read important notes or add to them. In this episode of Remotely Cultured with Jeanna Barrett, Joanie Wang, Director of Marketing and Brand at Expensify, discusses remote-friendly processes. Joanie shares how to leverage Slack for asynchronous meetings, using unused office space for co-working spaces, and explains flat excellence organizational structure.

Angela Cope is the Director of Demand Generation at Softchoice, an IT solutions company providing services such as cloud migration, IT asset management, digital workplace, and generative AI insights. With over 10 years in the B2B technology industry, Angela has utilized her talents and marketing skills at The Mezzanine Group, TechWyse, and SHI International. She is the Founder and Chair of the Pink Ballers Ladies Golf Tournament, an annual event encouraging women and promoting a healthy mindset. Angela is also a former Board Member at WiSH by SHI International, a project connecting and celebrating the diversity of women in technology, and at Softchoice Cares, a community outreach initiative fostering social awareness and change. In this episode… Mindful leadership is the practice of being attentive, aware, and kind as a leader, particularly in challenging and uncertain circumstances. How can leaders communicate effectively, collaborate creatively, and manage stress? Besides helping leaders define team goals, communication allows employees to express and solve their grievances. Business leader Angela Cope recommends implementing the five guiding practices: communication, accountability, respect, staying curious, and the attitude that not every day is “game day.” In the remote space, it’s imperative to set clear expectations. This also means refining your approach when using specific words. Working virtually usually includes having a diverse team across the globe — and certain words translate differently in other languages. The daily practice of learning, growing, and teaching motivates remote employees to ask for help, cultivating a culture of confidence and creativity. Angela also emphasizes being mindful that not every day will be productive — while some people may operate at 100%, others may only be able to give 10% or 60%. In this episode of Remotely Cultured with Jeanna Barrett, Angela Cope, Director of Demand Generation at Softchoice, discusses being a mindful leader in a remote working environment. Angela explains the challenges remote workers experience, the Rule of 7, methods to excel as a remote leader, and more.

Renée Warren is the Founder of We Wild Women, a PR company dedicated to helping women-led businesses elevate their authority and brand recognition. Renée started We Wild Women as a content marketing and PR agency in 2012, taking it from a bootstrap startup to a seven-figure, globally-recognized business. She is an award-winning entrepreneur, thought leader, and the author of Get Covered!: How to Craft, Pitch and Tell Your Startups Story to Get More Customers. Renée is also the host of Into the Wild, a podcast featuring curated interviews with women entrepreneurs sharing inspiring actionable advice on how to launch and grow their dream business. In this episode… Public relations is an unrivaled form of marketing a new business or brand. Unlike paid advertising, PR is a free medium to establish a positive public image and reputation through relationship building and networking. If you’re an up-and-coming entrepreneur ready to raise awareness for your brand, when is an appropriate time to start doing PR? Renée Warren, an expert in public relations, advises that it’s never too soon to start thinking about PR for your startup. However, it is essential to understand your target audience before creating a media list of podcasts, reporters, bloggers, and other media organizations. Albeit, PR is more than speaking with journalists. It’s an avenue to gain recognition through speaking engagements, nominating your business for an award, or other creative approaches to generate buzz. You can also boost your authority in your niche by leveraging social media. By creating engaging, informative, and authentic content, you’re building credibility and trust. PR is a powerful tool that can grow your business if your messaging clearly communicates who and what your brand represents. Join Jeanna Barrett in this episode of Remotely Cultured, as she welcomes Renée Warren, Founder of We Wild Women, to discuss how startup companies can benefit from PR. Renée shares why PR is the ultimate form of marketing, the appropriate time to start branding and PR, and preferred methods for measuring PR success.

Jeanna Barrett is the Founder and Chief Remote Officer for First Page Strategy (FPS), an award-winning remote growth marketing agency. Driven by data and based on inbound marketing methodology, FPS is a leader in achieving increased revenue and long-term, sustainable growth for SaaS, fintech, and startup clients. A one-time up-and-comer in the corporate marketing world, Jeanna gave it up to pursue her goals as an expat entrepreneur in Central America. Now a thought leader in remote work and growth marketing, she has assembled a team of experts around the world, with combined decades of experience in SEO, content, social media, lead gen, and other core aspects of inbound marketing. Jeanna has been named Top 40 Under 40 of brand marketers and Best in the West for financial technology marketing. In this episode… It’s possible to love one's job but be discontent with the work culture. If you’re in this situation, addressing the issue with your manager or human resources department is imperative. But what happens if you can’t resolve the problem? If you’ve followed all protocols to rectify a workplace situation and are still unsatisfied, it may be time to find a new job or consider working for a remote-first company. Business owner and remote-first pioneer Jeanna Barrett experienced a toxic and unsupportive environment and knew she deserved better. So, she created a culture with exceptional communication, a leading-edge tech stack, and modernized access levels. And while she shies away from using the term “family,” Jeanna dedicates herself to building a community that embraces being affable — void of office politics and micromanagement. When employees are happy and comfortable in their job environment, it impacts productivity, which aids business growth. In this episode of Remotely Cultured, we flip the script as Chad Franzen of Rise25 interviews Jeanna Barrett, Founder and Chief Remote Officer of First Page Strategy. Jeanna discusses the reasons for starting her marketing agency, the challenges and opportunities of being a virtual-only workplace, the advantages of creating a positive and supportive work culture, and the motivation behind starting this podcast.

Bridget Deutz is the Founder and Chief Marketing Strategist of Greenline Marketing, a company that specializes in inbound marketing and creative content writing. With nearly a decade of experience in both in-house and agency settings, Bridget is a seasoned marketing expert. She is also a board member of the American Advertising Federation, panelist, music teacher, and a speaker on inbound marketing at various conferences. In this episode… Many companies struggle with creating engaging and effective content for their target audience. They also miss out on the opportunity to leverage video marketing to stand out from the competition. And for extroverts working remotely, it can be challenging to cope with the lack of social interaction and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Bridget Deutz is a marketing strategist, inbound marketing expert, speaker, and experienced content creator. She founded her agency after nearly ten years of experience in the industry, working from home as she helps businesses promote their products and services. And today, she shares her insights, offering a fresh perspective on best tools and practices for creating engaging content and thriving as a remote marketer. In this episode of Remotely Cultured, Jeanna chats with Bridget Deutz, Founder of Greenline Marketing, about the power of inbound marketing and how she manages a remote marketing agency while balancing her personal life. Bridget shares insights into creating video content that resonates with your audience and reveals tips on how she blocks out her calendar, avoids Zoom fatigue, implements no-meeting days, and stays productive in a remote work setting.

Elliott Locke is the Co-Founder and CEO of Abroaden, a first-of-its-kind wealth-tech startup providing financial solutions for people living abroad. A combination of “abroad” and “broaden,” the company's name is a tribute to those living and working abroad. An American expat living in Barcelona, Elliott has over 10 years of experience in banking and fintech and is a certified wealth and investment manager. He is also the Co-Founder of BCN FinTech, an organization committed to invigorating Barcelona’s post-pandemic fintech community. With more companies offering work-from-anywhere jobs, more people are opting to live and work abroad. But there are hurdles expats need to jump, including tax implications and visas. When Elliott moved abroad to study and eventually settle in Europe, he realized many expats didn’t have resources to navigate the logistics of moving to another country. So, he co-founded Abroaden, a wealth-management platform that provides financial information, knowledge, and empowerment to people living and working abroad. Abroaden offers resources and tools, such as modules, workshops, and a partner network of accountants, tax attorneys, and wealth advisors to answer questions about financial options, visas, and more. In this episode of Remotely Cultured, Elliott shares his experience living and working in Spain, Abroaden’s mission, the details of Spain’s remote work visa, and his favorite tools for working from anywhere.

Willo Sana is an entrepreneur, speaker, and coach who has helped hundreds of visionary leaders bring their big ideas to life. She combines emotional support and strategic guidance with a deep understanding of somatic psychology, spirituality, and neuroscience. In this episode of Remotely Cultured, Willo and Jeanna discuss how entrepreneurs can overcome fears, limiting beliefs, and emotional blocks. They also dive deep into strategic guidance, tools, and frameworks that help entrepreneurs align their actions with their vision and flourish in their calling — all while living a liberating life from anywhere in the world. In addition to this, Willo is the Co-Founder of Yes And Yes Yes, a gathering of over 400 thinkers exploring their creative pursuits. She is also the author of Double Down on Your Genius, the up-and-coming inspirational business book for aspiring leaders to leave their comfort zones and embrace the next level. In this episode… Do you ever feel like you’re out of alignment with your true purpose and vision? Do you struggle to balance your work and life energies? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you aren’t alone. Visionary entrepreneur Willo Sana has pioneered spiritual entrepreneurship. If you’re seeking a greater purpose, this approach helps you regain control of your ambitions, realign your values, and discover your unique skills. Personal trauma impacts business relationships significantly, so Willo emphasizes balancing your masculine and feminine energies to integrate the practical with the emotional. She helps creative-minded entrepreneurs tap into abundance by expanding their horizons and taking bold risks to accelerate self-discovery. In this episode of Remotely Cultured, Jeanna Barrett chats with Willo Sana, a seasoned business coach and doula for hatching big ideas. Willo shares how entrepreneurs can overcome fears, limiting beliefs, and emotional blocks. She also dives deep into strategic guidance, tools, and frameworks to help entrepreneurs align their actions with their vision and flourish in their calling while living a liberating life from anywhere in the world.

Cari Murray is the Director of Marketing at Marvin, a user research platform that helps businesses simplify customer research by creating surveys, interviews, and tests, and analyzing the results in one place. With a strong background in content strategy and marketing, Cari has spent most of her career crafting compelling product messaging for companies across various industries, including healthcare, tech, communications, and AI. Before Marvin, she was a marketing executive at firms like Outreach, Accolade, Mighty AI, Limeade, Make-A-Wish Foundation, 3M, Safeway, T-Mobile, and Microsoft. A work-at-home mom, Cari spends her free time reading children's books with her two toddlers and cuddling dogs. In this episode… Many tech companies struggle to create products that resonate with their customers. They rely on assumptions, opinions, or quantitative data without understanding the human needs and emotions behind them. How do you gain insights, feedback, and validation from users seamlessly? Marketing expert Cari Murray recommends prioritizing customer-centric product design and user research, talking to your customers, and listening to their experiences. According to research, 84% of companies that work to improve their customer experience report increased revenue. Besides listening to customers, it is crucial to bring those conversations together into a research repository that’s accessible and shareable with everyone in the company for improved product decision-making. In this episode of Remotely Cultured, Jeanna Barrett chats with Cari Murray, Director of Marketing at Marvin, to discuss the value of user research in product design and marketing as well as how Cari manages a global remote team while balancing motherhood. Cari shares how she uses Marvin to level up her marketing strategy and messaging and reveals her favorite #workfromanywhere tips and tools.

Kelsey Jones is Digital Marketing Consultant and Founder of Six Stories, a digital marketing agency that offers SEO and social media marketing services. She is a seasoned digital marketing consultant and writer, focusing on content-driven methods that enhance engagement and drive traffic. Before Kelsey founded her firm, she worked as VP of Content Strategy at neilpatel.com and as Executive Editor at Search Engine Journal, where she collaborated with top industry professionals. She also co-hosted the Search Engine Nerds podcast, ThinkTank webinar series, and Pubcon interview series, engaging in conversations with renowned marketing experts such as Guy Kawasaki, Jeff Bullas, and Larry Kim. In this episode… Did you know that 68% of online experiences begin with a search engine? Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and content audits are powerful tools for increasing website traffic. How can you attract more visitors to your site? By optimizing content for search and conducting regular audits to identify and fix issues, businesses can improve their online visibility and attract more people. With 16 years of experience specializing in the intersection of SEO and content strategy, Kelsey Jones has mastered the art and science of driving traffic that converts. In this episode of Remotely Cultured, Jeanna discusses how remote work creates career opportunities for women with Kelsey Jones, Digital Marketing Consultant and Founder of Six Stories. Kelsey shares how she helps businesses improve online visibility to attract more visitors, the importance of personal branding, and strategies to improve your content marketing. Kelsey also reveals her most trusted work-from-anywhere tools and advice.

Heidi Joy Tretheway is the Vice President of Marketing at Garden.io, a developer productivity platform designed to simplify environment management and testing for cloud-native apps. Before joining Garden, Heidi held corporate marketing leadership roles at B2B and SaaS companies, including Urban Airship, The OpenStack Foundation, Liveops Inc., Contentful, Signavio, and Quix. Her other accolades include international speaking and authoring 10 books. Heidi works remotely from her home in the Pacific Northwest and Berlin, specializing in European startups. In this episode... With the onset of Covid in 2020, remote work became the new normal. Three years later, it’s hard to conceive that working from home was once an anomaly. Now, when job hunting, it’s nearly impossible not to see “remote work” or “work from anywhere” in the job description. Still, working from home has a stigma, and some companies still require employees to wear business attire during virtual conferences. However, many veteran remote workers, such as Heidi Joy Tretheway, are changing how work-from-home employees are viewed. The WFH lifestyle is not a trend that will eventually fade. In fact, as of June 2022, 80% of people hold remote or hybrid jobs, and it’s expected that this work model will grow to 81% in 2024. So, aside from growth in numbers, what other changes can we expect to see in the remote or hybrid work model? In this episode of Remotely Cultured, join host Jeanna Barrett as she welcomes Garden.io’s Vice President of Marketing, Heidi Joy Tretheway, to discuss changes in the remote workforce. Heidi discusses her experience working abroad, European work culture versus American, documentation in the remote work model, strategies for becoming an exceptional remote worker, and how to empower your workers to be self-sufficient. Plus, Heidi shares why storytelling is vital to marketing.