When I was teaching myself how to code, design and build on the web I began to understand and appreciate the power in being able to have my primary tools in tow and quickly get to work whenever I was most driven to learn. As I progressed in my career I experienced working from an office building full time and trying to time-box my productivity in both time and space. It was hard for me and I began to gravitate towards experiences that allowed me to leverage my personal momentums and desire for work-life balance.
Do you still work remotely? When do you anticipate Workfrom getting a dedicated office?
I work remotely everyday now. I’m often working from the very places we support and list. Workfrom doesn’t have a physical office. Our team is virtual and our office is the world around us. I’m super excited that we’re building a company that helps others work from wherever they roam and I intend to foster a company culture that does the same.
Finding places to get work done before Workfrom was hit-or-miss at best. A search on Yelp or Foursquare for places with WiFi would often send me to places that were simply not good for getting work done. There may be WiFi – but far too slow or unreliable. Often there were no accessible power outlets or comfortable seating. The experience for me was so bad that I began to make a list in Evernote of the places I found that did work. This list grew and grew and eventually populated the first version of Workfrom.
Simple. We should all be free to work in ways that support productivity and balance. For so many of us this means knowing where to land when we want to do good work. Workfrom is hands down the best way to find and enjoy places to do good work, curated and vetted by others who get it.
How did you meet your cofounders?
I met Jewel in a coffee shop that I was scouting for Workfrom. Seems so appropriate doesn’t it? I met Zack when running with a group of folks that all worked at the same company over a period of years. He and I became friends almost immediately.
What would you like to see above all else come from Workfrom next year?
I want to welcome so many more into our community. I want to continue to help people find places the best support their work styles and help these places connect with great people who are eager to support and enjoy them.
Find your go-to places and get out of the house often. Go and explore! Connect with others! An important part of working remotely happens to be the affordance of crafting your work style to be happy and productive. It’s easy to get isolated, overworked and lonely. Working remotely can be challenging but it can also be your ticket to meaningful, location independent experiences. It’s absolutely ok to work at home in the same clothes you slept in, but do have a sense of possibility each day and use the ability to work from anywhere to explore.