Remote and flexible work has been a hot topic for years, especially since the pandemic pushed many organisations to embrace working from home almost overnight. But what happens when you design your business to be remote-first from the very beginning?
That’s exactly what Renee Francis, founder of The Bubble Co and Take3, has done. With nearly a decade of running successful marketing agencies fully remotely, Renee has developed deep insights into leadership, hiring, culture, and innovation in a distributed workplace.
In this article, we explore her journey, the challenges she has faced, and the lessons leaders can take away about creating flexible, people-first workplaces.
The Early Vision for Flexibility
When Renee left her corporate career after more than 10 years, she knew one thing for certain: she wanted flexibility.
“One thing that really stifled me was the, structure and the rigidity of corporate world,” she explained. “I really longed for the flexibility to be able to work when I needed to and from where I needed to. And in an industry like ours, which is digital marketing, we really just need a laptop and the Internet and we can work from wherever we are.” So Renee decided to create a business that embraced that freedom from day one.
That business became The Bubble Co, which now has around 15 people across Australia and New Zealand, as well as Take Three, a second agency with eight team members. Both were intentionally built on remote and flexible models long before COVID made remote work mainstream.
The philosophy was clear: work hard, deliver excellent results, but do so in a way that supports individual lifestyles. That means some team members start early, others prefer late nights, and parents often structure their days around family commitments.
Why Remote Work Isn’t for Everyone
One of Renee’s earliest lessons was that remote work, despite its benefits, isn’t suitable for everyone.
“In the beginning, I thought everyone would want what I wanted — flexibility, autonomy, the freedom to choose your schedule. But that’s not true. Some people really prefer a structured nine-to-five and a clear boundary between work and home,” she shared.
Recognising this was a turning point. Instead of expecting remote work to appeal to all, Renee focused on finding the right people for her environment: those with strong self-motivation, discipline, and the ability to thrive without someone physically sitting beside them.
This aligns with broader workplace challenges — as we’ve explored before in Why a High-Performance Culture Isn’t for Everyone. Success comes from the right fit, not a one-size-fits-all approach.
Hiring for Remote Success
Recruitment in a remote-first business looks different. Renee has found that the best-fit team members typically have:
- At least 8–10 years of work experience, so they already have a solid foundation.
- Backgrounds in freelancing or contracting, which shows they’re comfortable working autonomously.
“Flexible work at larger corporations often means working from home two days a week,” Renee explained. “But our model is truly flexible. People can work early mornings, late evenings, or around family commitments. To make that succeed, you need discipline and structure.”
Interestingly, there have been rare exceptions. Renee recalls hiring a young professional in his early twenties who proved he could thrive in this environment despite the lack of in-person mentorship. After months of showing his commitment and capability as a contractor, he became one of their most valued hires when he became an employee.
This highlights an important point: while rules of thumb are helpful, sometimes individual drive and attitude outweigh conventional wisdom. For leaders, that means getting clarity before you start hiring is essential.
The Myth of Innovation Being Lost in Remote Work
A common critique of remote work is that it stifles innovation. Without people physically brainstorming together, how can creativity thrive?
Renee has a different perspective.
“We do spend a lot of time together. We have regular catch-ups, client meetings, and collaborative projects. Sometimes my team even jokes that for a remote business, we see each other a lot!”
This emphasis on connection has led to exciting new services, including an AI-focused SEO offering. With large language models like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Grok changing the way people search, her agencies are helping clients ensure their content shows up in AI-driven answers as well as traditional search engine rankings.
Innovation, as we’ve seen in Preventing Silos and Improving Cross Communication, isn’t about being in the same room — it’s about building the right systems for collaboration.
Leadership Lessons from the Dining Table
Like many entrepreneurs, Renee started small.
“I launched The Bubble Co at my dining table with just my laptop and the internet. At first, I was so grateful anyone wanted to work for us, I almost felt lucky. But over time I realised we’d built something valuable, with global clients and a strong team culture. That shift in mindset helped me grow as a leader.”
Key leadership lessons she shared include:
- Don’t assume people think like you: Leaders must set expectations, provide training, and put structures in place instead of expecting others to work exactly the same way.
- Interviewing is a skill: Early on, Renee underestimated the importance of selecting the right cultural fit. Now, recruitment is a core focus to protect the business’s supportive environment.
- Confidence in your offering: Moving from “I’m lucky to have staff” to “I’m offering a great career opportunity” helped attract and retain stronger talent.
This is consistent with what we’ve discussed in Developing Next Generation Leaders: leadership is about mindset shifts as much as skills.
Building a Remote Culture That Works
Culture can feel intangible in a remote setting, but Renee has worked hard to make it real.
“I experienced both great and poor cultures in my corporate years, and I knew I wanted ours to be supportive, learning-focused, and psychologically safe.”
To bring this vision to life, her agencies implement initiatives like:
- Team drives — challenges around health, fitness, wellbeing, or creativity, with fun prizes.
- Regular catch-ups — structured time for connection, both work-related and social.
- Dedicated chat channels — spaces for learning, updates, and light-hearted banter.
These efforts paid off. In 2024, The Bubble Co was nominated as a finalist for the Commbank Yougn Hero Awards: Best Place to Work.
“That was a full-circle moment,” Renee reflected. “To go from disliking corporate culture to building a business recognised as one of the best places to work was incredibly fulfilling.”
Key Takeaways for Leaders
Renee’s story offers practical lessons for business owners, HR leaders, and managers considering how to build flexibility into their workplaces:
- Flexibility is powerful — but not universal. It suits some people beautifully and others not at all. Recruitment is about finding the right fit, not forcing it.
- Systems and structure make flexibility possible. Remote work isn’t a free-for-all; it requires processes and discipline to succeed.
- Innovation thrives when connection thrives. Remote doesn’t mean isolated. Frequent collaboration, client engagement, and shared projects keep creativity alive.
- Leadership requires mindset shifts. Moving from gratitude to confidence helps founders build stronger teams and attract top talent.
- Culture must be intentional. Recognition, wellbeing initiatives, and clear communication channels are essential to building belonging in a remote team.
As originally published on https://www.amplifyhr.com.au/
