Packed back to back with amazing speakers, Running Remote once again didn’t disappoint!
Although it was tough to pick, here are our favorite speeches/sessions from this year’s conference.
Impact of Building The Most Successful Remote Work Relocation Program in the World.
Speaker: Justin Harlan, Managing Director @ Tulsa Remote
Considering our personal and professional background, this was one of our most anticipated speeches at this year’s Running Remote conference. We already mentioned in our “preparing for the conference” article that we were eagerly awaiting this talk and we’re glad to say that it lived up to the expectations (and beyond).
Justin Harlan, the managing director at Tulsa Remote, shared with the audience some valuable insights on how Tulsa Remote became one of the most globally successful remote work relocation programs.
Over the last four years, they have attracted over 3000 remote workers and retained almost 90% of them, who extended their stays beyond the obligatory 12 months stipulated by the Tulsa Remote program.
Justin spoke extensively about the environment they’ve created in Tulsa, which is conducive to up-and-coming entrepreneurs due to the abundance of resources available. He highlighted that 1 out of 5 individuals enrolled in the program ended up starting a business as a result of how well they assimilated.
He emphasized that none of this would be possible without the proper structure of the program, which was supported by investments, and thoughtfully laid out.
Particularly interesting to us was his discussion on scaling the community, highlighting the differences in managing 70 versus 3000 people and the need for a more structured approach.
Justin also touched on how these developments are impacting Tulsa’s economy in a bigger picture, with over $560 million brought in through remote workers’ salaries and more than 1300 local jobs created to meet the demands of the city’s new demographic.
Finally, Justin introduced us to the launch of a new Digital Nomad Program that we can expect later this year, which will be meant to cater to those interested in shorter trial periods. This news left everybody excited, as it will make it much easier for many others to experience Tulsa in the future!
Tulsa Remote is only one of the relocation programs currently happening in the world, and it’s very interesting to see how governments and cities can leverage a more global talent for their economic and urban development.
How to Design Your Business on Your Own Term
Speaker: Mrs. Ilma Tikki – Co-founder & President @ Mailerlite
As we mentioned in the introduction of this article, the Deep Dive stage really made an impression on us this year.
There is nothing as valuable as hearing a personal, raw, and transparent experience of a successful business owner or a professional, directly from them, almost as if you invited them for a coffee.
All success stories are painted in challenges and struggles and we rarely get a chance to hear about them. Having the opportunity to look inside the brain of the decision-maker who takes you back on a journey when they made the decision is an incomparable insight and inspiration.
This year, one of the stories we liked the most was that from Mrs. Ilma Tikki, the Co-founder and President of Mailerlite, who took us inside her mind to tell us a story of how she grew a business on her own terms that ultimately became a global success story.
Not only did Mrs. Ilma share some of her personal and professional challenges along the way, but she emphasized that you can achieve anything if you dare to dream and step out of your comfort zone.
The key takeaway from her speech was the idea that a successful business often reflects the extent of a person’s determination, and adjusting a business journey to your own life and personal story can only make it stronger.
People often think that behind every successful business is a perfect business idea, but the truth is that more often there is determination, hard work, flexibility, and an unmatched motivation to make it happen. In that sense, tailoring a business to our terms helps us stay on that motivation track and helps us make sense of what we’re doing even in the toughest times.
This is exactly what we take from Ilma’s story, as it is something that can be applied to any business and any industry.
Balancing Work Culture, Global Mobility, and Legal Responsibility
Panel: Masha Sutherlin – Director @ Deel, Mrs. Crystal Gaskin – Former CPO @ Mailchimp, Howard Wu – CEO @ Whereby moderated by Gonçalo Hall – CEO @ NomadX
The RR conference is well-known for its insightful panels that gather global leaders in one place, always moderated by a hand-picked industry professional who knows how to engage the panelists.
Like every year, there were many interesting panels at this year’s RR in Lisbon, with many amazing panelists and discussions, but this one especially stuck with us.
It’s needless to say it gathered some very insightful individuals, but the main reason we loved it so much is how natural the flow of the conversation was.
Everything from the honest stories and experiences of participating panelists to the amazing moderation skills of Goncalo Hall who always knew how to shift the conversation in the right direction with his take on some of the topics, made this panel a top-notch listening experience.
During the hour-long session, the panel covered a variety of topics, primarily focusing on the complexities of providing work flexibility at scale. This included tracking employee locations, managing political ramifications, and balancing legal responsibilities while nurturing an empowered company culture.
The panelists shared their personal experiences, offering both humorous and insightful anecdotes, but mostly, the audience was able to take some crucial aspects of employing remotely that we often forget about.
It is not an easy task for companies to maintain the same culture, happiness, and legal implications when operating remotely. It is a big conversation to unpack and we were glad we had a chance to hear it and develop a better understanding of the challenges.
