Where did you launch your startup — at the kitchen table, in the local coffee shop or perhaps in one of the many co-working spaces around the country? Technological innovation means that now you can start up pretty much anywhere; some people don’t even have an office.
But how does it work practically when co-founders of a business are based in entirely different countries? Can it work? Matt Hayes, co-founder of technology start-up Kickdynamic, offers an emphatic “yes”. He and his Italian co-founders launched their business while Hayes was working in San Francisco. “Gabri and Ricky are the founding engineers who built the platform while working in Italy while I was in San Francisco and then London product managing, marketing and selling,” he explains. “Don’t think you need an office or to be in the same location to run a business. Today you can set up and run a startup in different locations if you have the right co-founders.”
You might think that face-to-face interaction is vital when running a small business, but according to Mark Kedgley, co-founder of UK and US-based software business New Net Technologies, this may not hold true anymore. “We get to meet face-to-face three or four times a year during reciprocal visits and we speak every day via all forms of communication, for example email and IMs,” he says.
Tech tools
The fact is that with an abundance of new technology, remote working (and co-working) can be as straightforward as working in the same office. From video conference facilities like Skype to co-working platforms such as Google Drive and Microsoft Office 365 along with other collaboration tools, running the business from different locations is less onerous than it used to be.
Guy Monson and Mike Coombes – based in France and Wales respectively – launched their business in 1996 and have benefited from rapid improvements in technology as they have lived in different places over the years. “At the start we often had dial-up networking from the different locations where we were working, connections were slow and less reliable than they are today, but we still managed,” says Monson. “Today, high-speed broadband in our homes, as well as in cafes, bars and hotels, combined with faster mobile networks means that staying connected is much easier. Conference calls are easy to set up, sharing images and data is quick and reliable.”
For New Net Technologies a combination of tools, including a web-based CRM and conferencing platform, keeps things smooth. This, says Kedgley, has allowed the two to attend sales calls and representations with no issue of geographies. “It goes without saying that iPhones for email and Skype keep us in touch outside of local office hours as well,” he adds. And for the customers? “It’s an approach that is completely accepted by customers too,” he says.
Flexibility and the global factor
Having launched the business as a global startup, flexibility is in the DNA of Kickdynamic and Hayes is quick to mention this strength. “Working like this offers work flexibility,” he says, adding that it also adds focus to the company. “When we meet during the day it is for specific tasks or projects so we are focused and get them done. Half of most office-based meeting times are spent not focused on work, or getting the job done, but for a startup focus is vitally important.”
Being in different countries has presented more opportunities than challenges for New Net Technologies. “Having the geographical split has helped us enormously in our market; having a presence in UK and US time zones immediately gives the business a global feel,” says Kedgley. “Selling into the US market is great, assisted by being on the same time zone and internal air network. We couldn’t gain the traction here in the USA without being here.”
Downsides
On the flipside the time zone benefit does mean that the working day can quickly become longer. “We benefit from the time zone as it extends our operational day – we still only each have an eight-hour working day, but the time difference gives the business an extended working window. The downside is that you end up with a standard working day, plus more. You become on-call during out of hours,” says Kedgley.
And while Hayes of Kickdynamic is a fan of his business set-up he recognises the drawback of missing the immediate contact in an office. “Not having enough face-to-face time can be a downside – we make sure we have a meeting where we are all in the same place at least once a month. This does come at a cost, but can become a problem if you don’t do it,” he says.
Plan and set clear goals
While these three businesses have all made this model work to their advantage it may not suit everybody. “I don’t think all people can work in that environment,” says Hayes. “You do need regular face-to-face time to plan the business, work on projects, and have some fun. Get the right team. Agree early the responsibilities of each person. Having clear tasks and goals will help you work on your own accord and as a team take responsibility for getting your startup making money.”
Monson’s advice is to experiment with the technology. “Work out when it’s useful and what its limitations are,” he says. “Where possible, set up regular meetings with a pre-agreed agenda and then make sure that people push things into those meetings if they are better dealt with face-to-face and round a table. All the rest you should be able to do remotely.”
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