E3: Why Remote Work is Killing Your Startup (And Your Sanity)

San Francisco real estate is back. New York City is back. But the tech community is still obsessed with remote work - "work from anywhere," digital nomad life, "the future is distributed."

Here's my controversial take: Remote work might be killing your tech startup.

I started my career working remotely in 2018 - before it was cool. Had teammates in the UK, Argentina, Poland, even Russia. Loved the flexibility, the freedom, the "future of work" vibe.

Then I experienced hybrid hell. The C-suite worked from a San Francisco office two days a week. I constantly wondered: What's being discussed in that room that I'm not part of?

Now I go to the office 5 days a week. Here's why.

In this episode, I break down:

• My journey from remote work believer to office advocate
• Why "hybrid hell" destroys team dynamics and trust
• The real productivity costs of remote work (that no one talks about)
• Why Amazon and JP Morgan spend billions on office space if remote is better
• How remote work kills velocity and culture in early-stage startups
• The whiteboard problem (and why digital boards suck)
• When remote actually works vs. when it's startup suicide

Real examples: Working from my bedroom in college (disaster). The peer accountability of WeWork glass doors. Managing a 5-person team across continents. Why I'm setting up an offshore base in India.

Controversial truth: Sometimes the old way works because that shit works.

I'm not anti-remote. I run a partially remote team. But if you're struggling with communication, culture, or execution speed - maybe the problem isn't your team. Maybe it's the medium.

For startups, velocity is everything. Every hour of delayed communication can cost your company's life. Remote work adds friction to every direction you might take.

Think I'm wrong? Email [email protected] - I'll read your arguments in future episodes.

New episodes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Full transcript: founderreality.com Daily insights: @TheGeorgePu on Twitter/X Email: [email protected]

Episode details: https://www.founderreality.com/e3-why-remote-work-is-killing-your-startup-and-your-sanity/