Thrive in Remote Business with Liam Martin

In this episode, we sit down with Liam Martin, co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer of Time Doctor, a leading productivity tracking tool designed for remote teams. Liam is also the founder of Running Remote, one of the largest conferences dedicated to remote work, and the author of the best-selling book, "Running Remote." With nearly two decades in the industry, Liam has been a driving force behind the asynchronous work revolution, helping businesses adapt to a location-independent world. His expertise has been featured in Forbes, TechCrunch, and major business publications. If you've ever wondered how remote work is shaping the future - or if your company is still figuring out how to make it work - this episode is packed with valuable insights.

 

What You’ll Learn:

• How remote work has evolved and why it’s here to stay.
• The biggest myths about office efficiency and why in-person work isn’t always more productive.
• Why many corporations push return-to-office (RTO) mandates and the real financial motivations behind them.
• The importance of asynchronous work and how companies can implement it successfully.
• How businesses can retain top talent by offering flexible work arrangements.
• The cost of traditional office work, including hidden expenses employees often overlook.
• Why middle management is struggling with the shift to remote work.
• How AI and automation will impact remote work in the coming years.
• A fascinating new study on why some companies are forcing employees back to the office.

 

"The reality is that remote work is about control. Employees want more control over their lives, and companies are trying to take it back." 

Liam breaks down the power struggle happening in workplaces worldwide. Companies want employees back in the office, but not because of productivity concerns - it's about control, surveillance, and outdated management styles. Employees, on the other hand, have experienced a better quality of life with remote work and aren’t willing to give that up easily. The companies that figure out how to manage employees like adults, rather than monitoring their every move, will thrive in this new era of work.

 

Overview:

This episode is a deep dive into the state of remote work - where it’s been, where it’s going, and why so many companies are still getting it wrong. Liam shares his journey from running a fully remote business to launching Running Remote, a global conference that helps businesses adapt to a location-independent workforce. We talk about the corporate resistance to remote work, the hidden financial reasons behind return-to-office mandates, and why companies like NVIDIA and Apple are staying remote while others struggle.

Ross and I also break down our own experiences running Epic Made as a remote-first creative studio. We discuss the cultural shift in work expectations, why the old-school idea of "butts in seats" is a broken model, and how companies that embrace asynchronous work and digital collaboration are outpacing their competitors. If you're a business owner, a remote worker, or just someone curious about how work is evolving, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.