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Episode 26: Jack Dorsey and Matt Mullenweg on Remote Collaboration, Finding Serendipity, and the Art of Deliberate Work

Join us for the latest episode of Distributed, as Matt Mullenweg interviews Jack Dorsey, co-founder and CEO of Twitter and Square. They discuss how both companies have embraced remote collaboration, the underrated value of deliberate work, and how questioning preconceived models from the get-go can change everything. More Subscribe to Distributed at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, RSS, or wherever you like to listen.

Episode 25: Davit Baghdasaryan on the Science of Sound in a Distributed Work World

As audio and video conferencing surge worldwide, Matt talks through the science of sound with Davit Baghdasaryan, the CEO of Krisp, a fast-growing company offering AI-powered noise cancellation technology for removing background noise on any conferencing platform. Krisp’s technology, including its proprietary deep neural network krispNet DNN, processes audio securely on the user’s computer. More Subscribe to Distributed at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, RSS, or wherever you like to listen.

Episode 23: Lara Hogan on the Secret to Being a Successful Manager

Are companies setting up their managers for success? What are BICEPS? How do you assemble your colleagues like a management Voltron? Lara Hogan is the founder of Wherewithall, a firm that specializes in management and leadership training. She’s the author of Resilient Management, a must-read for anyone who is a manager, wants to become one, or generally just wants to learn how to be a better teammate.More Subscribe to Distributed at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, RSS, or wherever you like to listen.

Episode 22: Raj Choudhury Sees a Future Where You Don’t Have to Move Your Family for a Job

"We have introduced so many frictions to people’s lives by forcing them to move." Prithwiraj (Raj) Choudhury, the Lumry Family Associate Professor at Harvard Business School, studies the future of work -- specifically the changing geography of work. What happens to cities, to immigration policies, and to issues around gender equity when more companies let people work from anywhere? More Subscribe to Distributed at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, RSS, or wherever you like to listen.

Episode 21: Morra Aarons-Mele on Introversion and Anxiety in Remote Work

Is working from home a breakthrough for introverts? The answer, of course, is not so simple. Morra Aarons-Mele is the host of The Anxious Achiever podcast for HBR Presents from Harvard Business Review, and founder of award-winning social impact agency Women Online and its database of women influencers, The Mission List. She’s also the author of Hiding in the Bathroom: How to Get Out There (When You’d Rather Stay Home). To learn more about Aarons-Mele’s work, go to womenandwork.org.More Subscribe to Distributed at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, RSS, or wherever you like to listen.

Matt Mullenweg with Reid Hoffman on Managing Remote Teams

"What's enabled by being distributed that's more powerful?"More

Episode 20: Adam Gazzaley on the Distracted Mind During a Crisis

Matt Mullenweg speaks with neuroscientist Dr. Adam Gazzaley, co-author of the book The Distracted Mind: Ancient Brains in a High-Tech World, about how our brains work, particularly during times like the current pandemic. How does the brain handle internal and external stimuli, and what do we know about the effect of practices like meditation, exercise, nutrition, and sleep? More Subscribe to Distributed at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, RSS, or wherever you like to listen.

Matt Mullenweg with Sam Harris on Distributed Work’s Five Levels of Autonomy

On a recent episode of Sam Harris's excellent Making Sense podcast, Matt shared insights for managers and companies who are currently exploring remote work for the first time. More

Vanessa Van Edwards on Navigating the Virtual Workplace in Stressful Times

The world has dramatically changed in just a few weeks. As companies around the world shift to remote work, how do we navigate this crisis? Distributed host Matt Mullenweg talks to Vanessa Van Edwards, bestselling author, speaker, and founder of Science of People, about how we communicate with our friends, family, and coworkers during a time when Zoom and Slack are our primary tools for understanding each other.More Subscribe to Distributed at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, RSS, or wherever you like to listen.

Episode 18: Jason Fried on Treating Workers Like Adults

For our first episode of the year, host Matt Mullenweg talks to Jason Fried, the CEO of Basecamp. Jason runs a semi-distributed company that’s been making project management software for 20 years. He’s accumulated a wealth of wisdom about how trusting employees and treating them with respect can yield long-term success. For more, go to Distributed.blog.More

Working Smaller, Slower, and Smarter

Jason Fried, the co-founder and CEO of Basecamp, collects mechanical watches. He appreciates their simplicity. He once wrote in a blog post, “When I look at my watch, it gives me the time. It asks nothing in return. It’s a loyal companion without demands. In contrast, if I look at my phone for the time,…More Distributed Podcast: Jason Fried on Treating Workers Like Adults. Read the transcript.

Episode 17: Matt Mullenweg Reflects on Distributed Work in 2019

To close out the year, our host Matt Mullenweg is joined once again by Automattic’s Mark Armstrong to discuss the state of distributed work as we transition into a new decade. Matt discusses his key takeaways from his 2019 conversations on the podcast, and reflects on his year as the CEO of a growing distributed company. m For more, go to Distributed.blog.More Distributed Podcast: Matt Mullenweg Reflects on Distributed Work in 2019.

Eight Lessons from the Distributed Podcast So Far

Looking back over the 2019 run of the Distributed podcast, one is struck by the wealth of insights our guests have shared in each and every episode. We’ve spoken to CEOs, activists, lawyers, authors, and a life coach, among others — a diverse cross-section of people with a deep interest in the future of work. …More Distributed Podcast: Matt Mullenweg Reflects on Distributed Work in 2019. Read the transcript.

Episode 16: Glitch CEO Anil Dash on Strengthening Values in a Distributed Startup

Anil Dash didn’t like the direction the web was going, so he joined a tech company that promised to take web development back to its indie roots. That company became known as Glitch, a semi-distributed company based in NYC. In this episode, Matt and Anil talk about the good old days of blogging and how the ideals of those pioneers inform the way Glitch treats its employees and its product. For more, go to Distributed.blog.More Distributed Podcast: Hear Matt Mullenweg in conversation with Anil Dash.

To Remake Tech, Remake the Tech Company

Anil Dash has been blogging for 20 years, getting his start during the medium’s earliest days. In the summer of ‘99, he was looking for a way to pass the time during his three-hour train commute. Having recently discovered a small community of techie bloggers, Anil thought he’d try his hand at this emerging craft.…More Distributed Podcast: Hear Matt Mullenweg in conversation with Anil Dash. Read the transcript.

Episode 15: Inside the Grand Meetup

On this episode of the Distributed podcast, we get an insider’s look at the Grand Meetup, Automattic’s annual weeklong all-staff event, where employees have an opportunity to collaborate, learn from one another, and hang out face-to-face. Folks from across the company share what makes this gathering so special, talk about social cohesion in the context of a large distributed company, and reflect on what’s great (and what’s tough) about the distributed lifestyle. For more, go to Distributed.blog. Produced by the Automattic Editorial team and Charts & Leisure: Jason Oberholtzer, Cole Stryker, Levi Sharpe, Michael Simonelli, and Meghal Janardan. Theme music by Jason Oberholtzer. Cover art by Matt Avery.More Distributed Podcast: Inside the 2019 Grand Meetup

The Importance of IRL in a World of Screens

Since launching the Distributed podcast, we’ve learned that most distributed companies host in-real-life (IRL) meetups in order to promote social cohesion and a sense of collaboration among colleagues who might not otherwise ever spend time face-to-face. As much as leaders at distributed companies value the many benefits of remote work, they also recognize the importance…More Distributed Podcast: Inside the 2019 Grand Meetup. Read the transcript.

Episode 14: InVision CEO Clark Valberg on Distributed Design

InVision CEO Clark Valberg needed a tool to help his distributed team collaborate on design projects. So he created it — and it became the company’s flagship product, one that every Fortune 100 company now uses. In this episode, Clark joins our host Matt Mullenweg to discuss how he built his distributed company, and how that structure informs InVision’s collaborative-design products. For more, go to Distributed.blog. Produced by the Automattic Editorial team and Charts & Leisure: Jason Oberholtzer, Cole Stryker, Levi Sharpe, Michael Simonelli, and Meghal Janardan. Theme music by Jason Oberholtzer. Cover art by Matt Avery.More Distributed Podcast: Hear Matt Mullenweg in conversation with Clark Valberg.

Building the Tools that Bring the Screen to Life

For Clark Valberg, the CEO of InVision, the defining space of the modern age is not any specific physical location. It’s the screen. We spend most of our waking hours looking at screens — mobile devices, TVs, computers. The screen is a layer that sits on top of our physical reality and mediates our relationship…More Distributed Podcast: Hear Matt Mullenweg in conversation with Clark Valberg.

Episode 13: Attorney Lydia X. Z. Brown on Making Work More Accessible

Because of their background in working with disabled and marginalized people, attorney and activist Lydia X.Z. Brown has a deep understanding of how different workplace environments can best serve diverse workforces. Today they join our host Matt Mullenweg to discuss what distributed companies can do to make workflows and working conditions more inclusive. For more, go to Distributed.blog. Produced by Mark Armstrong and the team at Charts & Leisure: Jason Oberholtzer, Whitney Donaldson, Cole Stryker, Levi Sharpe, and Michael Simonelli. Theme music by Jason Oberholtzer. Cover art by Matt Avery.More

Making Work Accessible, Wherever it Happens

Lydia X. Z. Brown is a lot of things — writer, advocate, organizer, strategist, educator, speaker, and attorney. Why do they spread their time and expertise across so many arenas? Because Lydia chooses to dedicate every aspect of their life to promoting social justice for some of the world’s most marginalized people. I have believed…More Distributed Podcast: Hear Matt Mullenweg in conversation with Lydia X. Z. Brown. Read the transcript.

Episode 12: Toptal’s Taso Du Val on Finding the Top Distributed Talent

When hiring managers interview a candidate for a high-level role, they want to be sure that the person they choose will be productive and able to work well with their prospective team. But what if the hiring process takes place over video chat? A growing number of companies outsource the vetting process to a company like Toptal, a freelance marketplace. Toptal’s CEO Taso Du Val joins us on this episode of the Distributed podcast, with Matt Mullenweg. For more, go to Distributed.blog. Produced by Mark Armstrong and the team at Charts & Leisure: Jason Oberholtzer, Whitney Donaldson, Cole Stryker, Levi Sharpe, and Michael Simonelli. Theme music by Jason Oberholtzer. Cover art by Matt Avery.More

Inside Toptal’s Distributed Screening Process

In tech hubs like San Francisco and New York, the demand for top-tier talent can outstrip supply, so HR departments find themselves in a fierce competition for local job applicants. In response, some companies have turned to the distributed model, which allows them to reach beyond hub cities and to access qualified candidates around the…More Distributed Podcast: Hear Matt Mullenweg in conversation with Taso Du Val. Read the transcript.

The Machine that Turns Ideas into Real Things

Over the last 28 years, Stephen Wolfram has led his partially-distributed company from his home in Massachusetts. Over that time he’s developed countless productivity tools and collaborative processes that help Wolfram Research create world-changing tech. More Distributed Podcast: Hear Matt Mullenweg in conversation with Stephen Wolfram. Read the transcript.

Stephen Wolfram on 28 Years of Remote Work

Stephen Wolfram started out on an academic career path, but eventually realized that founding a company would allow him to pursue his scientific work more efficiently. He’s served as a remote CEO of Wolfram Research for the last 28 years. In this episode, Stephen shares with host Matt Mullenweg — another remote CEO — his perspective on the value of geo-distribution, and the processes his partially-distributed company uses to make world-changing software. For more, go to Distributed.blog. Produced by Mark Armstrong and the team at Charts & Leisure: Jason Oberholtzer, Whitney Donaldson, Cole Stryker, Levi Sharpe, and Michael Simonelli. Theme music by Jason Oberholtzer. Cover art by Matt Avery.More

Welcome to the Chaos

Sonal Gupta leads Automattic’s Other Bets division, a team that develops experimental products that hover around Automattic’s core business. She relies on her legal background in order to clearly communicate the team’s new ideas to the rest of the company. More Distributed Podcast: Hear Matt Mullenweg in conversation with Sonal Gupta. Read the transcript.

Automattic’s Sonal Gupta on Communication and Chaos

Sonal Gupta leads Automattic’s Other Bets division, a team that develops experimental products that hover around Automattic’s core business. She relies on her legal background in order to clearly communicate the team’s new ideas to the rest of the company. For more, go to Distributed.blog. Produced by Mark Armstrong and the team at Charts & Leisure: Jason Oberholtzer, Whitney Donaldson, Cole Stryker, Levi Sharpe, and Michael Simonelli. Theme music by Jason Oberholtzer. Cover art by Matt Avery.More

Author Scott Berkun on Managing Distributed Teams with Respect

Our host Matt Mullenweg gets together with an old colleague, Scott Berkun. Scott’s an author and tech industry veteran who in 2013 wrote a book about his experience with distributed work at Automattic. Now he’s catching up with Matt to talk about what’s changed since they worked together back in the day. For more, go to Distributed.blog. Produced by Mark Armstrong and the team at Charts & Leisure: Jason Oberholtzer, Whitney Donaldson, Cole Stryker, Levi Sharpe, and Michael Simonelli. Theme music by Jason Oberholtzer. Cover art by Matt Avery.More

Observe, Don’t Surveil: Managing Distributed Teams with Respect

Our host Matt Mullenweg gets together with an old colleague, Scott Berkun. Scott’s an author and tech industry veteran who in 2013 wrote a book about his experience with distributed work at Automattic. Now he’s catching up with Matt to talk about what’s changed since they worked together back in the day.More Distributed Podcast: Hear Matt Mullenweg in conversation with Scott Berkun. Read the transcript.

Automattic’s Cate Huston on Building Distributed Engineering Teams

Our host Matt Mullenweg gets together with Cate Huston, Automattic’s Head of Developer Experience, to talk about the kinds of engineers that excel in distributed environments, and how companies can create the conditions that help engineers thrive. For more, go to Distributed.blog. Produced by Mark Armstrong and the team at Charts & Leisure: Jason Oberholtzer, Whitney Donaldson, Cole Stryker, Levi Sharpe, and Michael Simonelli. Theme music by Jason Oberholtzer. Cover art by Matt Avery.More

How to Build and Strengthen Distributed Engineering Teams

Our host Matt Mullenweg gets together with Cate Huston, Automattic’s Head of Developer Experience, to talk about the kinds of engineers that excel in distributed environments, and how companies can create the conditions that help engineers thrive.More Distributed Podcast: Hear Matt Mullenweg in conversation with Cate Huston. Read the transcript.

Leadership Coach Leo Widrich on Emotional Wellness for Distributed Workers

Our host Matt Mullenweg sits down with leadership coach Leo Widrich to talk about how distributed workers can build emotional resilience and stay connected. For more, go to Distributed.blog. Produced by Mark Armstrong and the team at Charts & Leisure: Jason Oberholtzer, Whitney Donaldson, Cole Stryker, Levi Sharpe, and Michael Simonelli. Theme music by Jason Oberholtzer. Cover art by Matt Avery.More

How to Stay Connected in a Distributed World

Our host Matt Mullenweg sits down with leadership coach Leo Widrich to talk about how distributed workers can build emotional resilience and stay connected. More Distributed Podcast: Hear Matt Mullenweg in conversation with Leo Widrich. Read the transcript.

Helping Creativity Happen from a Distance

Our host Matt Mullenweg sits down with design leader John Maeda for a discussion about how creative collaboration happens in a distributed context. More Distributed Podcast: Hear Matt Mullenweg in conversation with John Maeda. Read the transcript.

Design leader John Maeda on how to foster creative collaboration on distributed teams

Our host Matt Mullenweg sits down with design leader John Maeda for a discussion about how creative collaboration happens in a distributed context. For more, go to Distributed.blog. Produced by Mark Armstrong and the team at Charts & Leisure: Jason Oberholtzer, Whitney Donaldson, Cole Stryker, Levi Sharpe, and Michael Simonelli. Theme music by Jason Oberholtzer. Cover art by Matt Avery. More

Engineering with Empathy

Upwork's Han Yuan shares his insights on the “soft” skills engineers need to work effectively in a distributed world.More Distributed Podcast: Hear Matt Mullenweg in conversation with Zoe Harte and Han Yuan. Read the transcript.

How to do HR in a Blended Company

Upwork's Zoe Harte discusses how she helps run a blended team of full-time and freelance employees.More Distributed Podcast: Hear Matt Mullenweg in conversation with Zoe Harte and Han Yuan. Read the transcript.

Upwork’s Zoe Harte and Han Yuan on Managing People and Products in a Distributed Company

Upwork's Zoe Harte discusses how she helps run a blended team of full-time and freelance employees. Then Upwork's Han Yuan shares his insights on the “soft” skills engineers need to work effectively in a distributed world. For more, go to Distributed.blog. Produced by Mark Armstrong and the team at Charts & Leisure: Jason Oberholtzer, Whitney Donaldson, Cole Stryker, Levi Sharpe, and Michael Simonelli. Theme music by Jason Oberholtzer. Cover art by Matt Avery.More

On Building Automattic

Automattic founder Matt Mullenweg tells the story of how he built one of the world's biggest fully distributed companies. More Distributed Podcast: Hear Mark Armstrong in conversation with Matt Mullenweg. Read the transcript.

Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg on building a fully distributed company

Automattic editor Mark Armstrong turns the interview table on our host, Matt Mullenweg, to discuss how Automattic became one of the biggest fully distributed companies in the world. For more, go to Distributed.blog. Produced by Mark Armstrong and the team at Charts & Leisure: Jason Oberholtzer, Whitney Donaldson, Cole Stryker, Levi Sharpe, and Michael Simonelli. Theme music by Jason Oberholtzer. Cover art by Matt Avery.More

Is remote work ‘Bull***t’?

A distributed work skeptic shares her concerns with the model along with recent blockchain innovations.More Distributed Podcast: Hear Matt Mullenweg in conversation with Arianna Simpson. Read the transcript.

VC Arianna Simpson on Distributed Work and the Blockchain

A distributed work skeptic shares her concerns with the model along with recent blockchain innovations. For more, go to Distributed.blog. Produced by Mark Armstrong and the team at Charts & Leisure: Jason Oberholtzer, Whitney Donaldson, Cole Stryker, Levi Sharpe, and Michael Simonelli. Theme music by Jason Oberholtzer. Cover art by Matt Avery.More

Pluto VR Cofounder John Vechey on the Virtual Office

How VR might empower remote workers with high fidelity communication. For more, go to Distributed.blog. Produced by Mark Armstrong and the team at Charts & Leisure: Jason Oberholtzer, Whitney Donaldson, Cole Stryker, Levi Sharpe, and Michael Simonelli. Theme music by Jason Oberholtzer. Cover art by Matt Avery.More Distributed Podcast: Hear Matt Mullenweg in conversation with John Vechey.

For Years, VR Promised to Replace the Office. Could It Really Happen Now?

How VR might empower remote workers with high fidelity communication.More Distributed Podcast: Hear Matt Mullenweg in conversation with John Vechey. Read the transcript.

‘The American Dream Is Broken, and I Think We Have a Shot at Fixing It.’

Upwork CEO Stephane Kasriel on how distributed work will spread opportunity around the globe.More Distributed Podcast: Hear Matt Mullenweg in conversation with Stephane Kasriel. Read the transcript.

Upwork’s Stephane Kasriel on Fixing the American Dream

How changing the way we think about work can give workers freedom and flexibility. For more, go to Distributed.blog. Produced by Mark Armstrong and the team at Charts & Leisure: Jason Oberholtzer, Whitney Donaldson, Cole Stryker, Levi Sharpe, and Michael Simonelli. Theme music by Jason Oberholtzer. Cover art by Matt Avery.More

A new podcast, 15 years in the making.

I created a company with no offices. Now it's time to share what I've learned. More

WordPress Showed Me the Power of Distributed Work. It’s Time to Share What We’ve Learned.

900 employees, 68 countries, and no office. More

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