Headshot of Curtis Sparre, Founder of Bospar, a public relations agency.
Curtis Sparrer, Founder of Bospar, counsels business owners to invest in their teams. — Bospar

If you could create your own fantasy board of directors, who would be on it? CO— connects you with thought leaders from across the business spectrum and asks them to help solve your biggest business challenges. In this edition, we ask an expert to share business tips for remote-based ventures.

In this edition of "Ask the Board," we feature Curtis Sparrer, Founder of Bospar, an award-winning, remote-first boutique public relations (PR) agency that is celebrating its 10th anniversary this month. Sparrer shared his advice for other remote-based business owners.

Invest in the right things

Allocate some of your budget toward search engine optimization, awards, speaking, and your own PR program. Remember, since you don't have a physical address, you need to make your virtual address look as good as possible.

Also, invest in your team. We do this through increased salaries, reimbursements, and additional paid time off for our team. We forgo required weekend retreats and after-hour dinners, as forced fun defeats the purpose of a flexible, remote workforce.

Put an emphasis on video communication

Email and phone conversations are great, but they're not the same as video calls. Take advantage of the opportunity to learn people's physical cues and hang out with them face to face through video. Fortunately, there are plenty of video platforms on the market these days.

Just because you work remotely doesn't mean you can't develop a strong culture that everyone appreciates.

Curtis Sparrer, Founder of Bospar

Establish core working hours

During core working hours, your team is guaranteed to be online, no matter where they work. At Bospar, for example, we are all online between 12-6 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time/9 a.m.-3 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time. This ensures our teams can collaborate in real time.

Despite these core working hours, however, we're flexible. Remote work gives our team the flexibility to live bicoastally (or bicontinentally!), and as long as they get their work done, we are happy to let them do as they please.

Create a homegrown culture

The right remote culture allows your staff to grow and prosper. We have a book club, in-person team lunches, and trips to visit clients and teams. Just because you work remotely doesn't mean you can’t develop a strong culture that everyone appreciates. A homegrown culture is vital if you'd like to attract and retain top talent.

Have a plan for technological issues

It's important to create redundancies in case of technological issues. After all, technology is the backbone of your entire business. It's what allows your team to work together. The worst thing to happen to us in the early days of Bospar was a computer crash. Have Slack and Outlook on your phone and a second computer at the ready in case of emergencies!

Be flexible with where your team is located

Yes, it is great to have a team based in New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, but your best worker might be located in Kansas City, or your clients might be based in Idaho. With people all over the country, you'd be guaranteed to meet a client where they are and give staff opportunities to grow outside of what their city would allow alone.

Let your employees have a life outside of work

Don't depend on people to be chained to their phones or email, just because they work remotely. There's a good chance they have families, friends, hobbies, and interests they want to enjoy outside of work. A healthy work-life balance is essential.

CO— aims to bring you inspiration from leading respected experts. However, before making any business decision, you should consult a professional who can advise you based on your individual situation.

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