Ryan Malone: Building a High Scale, High Performing Remote Company!

Today we are talking about building a high scale remote company.  Try this on for size, a 75-person company without an office! The advantages are different than you might think yet you really must be mindful of who you are hiring. 

 A remote workforce is a time to talent advantage not a save money advantage

Today’s Quote:

“Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is important.” — Stephen Covey

Guest Bio:

Ryan Malone is the CEO of SmartBug Media, which he founded to give clients amazing results and employees a lifetime of memories. Before SmartBug, Ryan ran marketing at several venture-backed and public companies. Ryan enjoys the gym, live music, people watching, and playing terrible guitar. He lives in Orange County with his wife and two amazing daughters.

 

Show Highlights:

• Challenges & benefits of a remote organization
• The importance of cultural fit
• Interview structure for hiring remote employees

Challenges:

Why??

Building a business is hard enough. Why make it more difficult by building a remote business? 

• Be part of the team and be part of the family
• Hire better and faster by being able to hire talent from around the country
• Only option to build the tribe

 Talent Strategy:

• Recruit ahead- create a waiting list. Always interviewing. 

 Building a Marketing culture: 

• People are bought in when they join
• Structure work culture 
• Deep challenging relationships 
• First people hired should be a marketing/pr person. Attract people who are already qualified to the process. 
• Peer-based reference reviews prior to the interview. Inbound recruiting, skill survey
• Video submissions

Benefits of building a remote workforce:

• The talent pool is vast
• Work/ life integration- 
• Flexibility 
• The world will not end if you are not at your desk

Interview process:

• Inbound resume flow (into ATS)
• No headhunting
• ATS- kicks out instructions to make a video to submit 
• Schedule an interview
• All video interviews, mix of behavioral interviewing
• One person focuses on skills, values, tools, cultural
  • Look for Clean work environment, evidence of value, perseverance, curiosity
• Are you an additive to the culture?

Interview structure: 

• A 30-minute call with everyone on the team
• Flexible work model
• Psychological permission be available for your customers/ team but the schedule 

Key Takeaways:

• Hire marketing & pr first
• Use video as a screening tool
• Reference peer review early in the process
• Designate people to be experts in the interview process
• Always be interviewing