Running Remote Conference

Distributed work doesn’t scale by accident.
It’s designed.

At Running Remote 2026, Allison Vendt (Dropbox), Scott A. Aicher (CXC), Nawal Fakhoury (HubSpot), Gianna Driver (One Workplace), and Mikaela Cohen (Morning Brew) came together to discuss what it really takes to build distributed organizations that last.

The conversation went beyond remote work policies and flexibility.
It focused on the fundamentals:
• Clear ownership
• Intentional governance
• Thoughtful operating models
• Leadership systems that scale

One theme stood out:
The most successful distributed companies don’t leave culture, communication, or decision-making to chance.
They design for them.

Because flexibility isn’t the outcome.
It’s the result of building the right systems first. 🚀

Remote work connects people across cities, countries, and time zones.

But every once in a while, everyone ends up in the same place 💜

And somehow, those Slack messages, Zoom calls, and LinkedIn connections become something more.

That’s part of the magic of Running Remote 2026.

Some of the best conversations at a conference don’t happen on stage.

At Running Remote 2026, Office Hours created space for something simple but powerful:

10 minutes • 1:1 • Fully focused conversations with leaders shaping the future of work.

No slides. No pitch.

Just honest questions, practical insights, and real conversations about the challenges leaders are navigating right now.

Sometimes the biggest ideas don’t come from the stage.

They happen across a table. ☕

Fear doesn’t disappear.
Change doesn’t slow down.
So how do leaders keep moving forward anyway?

At Running Remote 2026, Nadia Vatalidis (she/her/hers), Head of People at Doist, took the stage for a keynote that challenged how we think about courage and resilience.

⚡ Courage isn’t the absence of fear.
⚡ Resilience isn’t just endurance.

In a world shaped by constant change, Nadia explored the practical side of staying power, the mindset shifts and tactical tools leaders need to navigate uncertainty with clarity, grace, and grit.

Because resilience isn’t about pushing harder.
It’s about learning how to keep adapting when the rules keep changin

Sometimes the next level of growth
isn’t working harder.

It’s changing your environment.

Talon came to Bali from New York and Austin after months of nonstop work — building his agency, grinding in the office, and spending most of his days behind a screen.

But coming back to Bali reminded him of something important:
balance matters too.

From reconnecting with old friends…
to joining mastermind conversations with other founders and creatives…
to building his business inside Tribal itself.

Because sometimes, the right environment doesn’t just help you work better.
It helps you think differently.

At Tribal, we see it often:
people arriving for a place to work —
and leaving with new ideas, perspectives, and connections.

What’s one thing Bali has changed for you?

NEW: Questions From the Running Remote Community 💬

At Running Remote 2026, attendees used our spaces feature in the Brella app to ask honest questions, share challenges, and spark conversations with other leaders navigating the future of work.

We loved the questions so much that we’re bringing some of them here.

First up from Susan Teague:
“How does having a remote workforce impact your approach to leadership development?”

Has remote work changed:
• how you coach managers?
• how leaders build trust?
• how feedback and growth happen?
• what leadership skills matter most?

We’d love to hear how your organization is thinking about this 👇

Two weeks since Running Remote 2026… and we’re still thinking about the conversations, ideas, and connections that came out of those few days in Austin 💜

From AI and distributed leadership to culture, trust, and intentional connection, this year’s discussions went far beyond remote work policies.

Now we’re curious:
What’s the biggest lesson, insight, or shift in perspective you took away from Running Remote 2026?

👇 Tell us below.

Are you choosing the right people tech, or just going with the most compelling pitch in the moment?

The HR tech market is moving faster than ever. Between AI disruption, tighter budgets, shifting pricing models, and new platforms launching constantly, there's no room for bad buying decisions.

That’s exactly why our dear Shelby Wolpa created the People Tech Systems Guide (Fifth Edition)—now available as a FREE RESOURCE

The guide is used by hundreds of People leaders navigating critical systems decisions, drawing on my experiences over the last 20+ years building and advising People teams.

What’s new this year:
• Where AI is truly driving value across the HR stack
• How recruiting is evolving amid AI, applicant fraud, and hiring volume shifts
• Guidance on what to buy, when to buy it, and why
• SaaS pricing + negotiation strategies for today’s market
100+ pre-vetted tools, including featured spotlights on solutions pushing the market forward from ChartHop, Gem, Kinfolk, Nava, and GoodTime

Plus, operator playbooks and resources, and insights from industry experts, including Cara Brennan Allamano, Theresa Fesinstine, Mindy H., Brett Ungashick, and more.

Download the guide: link in 's bio.

Bonus: The first 200 people to download the guide will be entered to win 1 of 5 free coaching sessions with me to review your tech stack questions in detail.

Where does AI actually improve the employee experience…
and where does the human layer matter even more?

That was the conversation in:
⚡ The Evolving Remote Employee Journey: Where AI Meets the Human Experience

at Running Remote 2026

Featuring:
• Tracy St.Dic - Zapier
• Chase Gharrity - Binance.US
• Lucy Stein - Givebutter
• Stacey Nordwall - Pyn

From hiring and onboarding to growth and retention, the panel explored:
• Where automation creates real value
• How AI is changing the employee journey
• Why trust, judgment, and care still can’t be outsourced
• What People leaders need to redesign right now

One theme came up again and again:
AI can remove friction.
But connection, culture, and leadership still need humans.

The future of work isn’t AI or people.
It’s how intentionally we design both together. 🚀

AI isn’t coming for remote work. It’s already reshaping it.

At Running Remote 2026, this panel brought together operators who are actually doing the work:

Michael Melen - SmartSites
David Siegel - Glide
Beth White - MeBeBot®
Liam Martin - Time Doctor

No hype. No hypotheticals.

Just real conversations on:
• What roles are already changing
• How teams are restructuring around AI
• What’s actually working (and what’s not)
• What leaders need to do in the next 12 months

Remote teams aren’t starting from zero.

They’re already built on:
async work, documentation, and outcomes —
the exact foundations AI needs.

The question now isn’t if things will change.
It’s how fast you’re adapting. 🚀