A Revolution in Business
I’m quite young; only 24. I’m also lucky enough to be one of the first “beta” testers in the way that businesses of the future will be run. For example…
- I live in Nashville, Tennessee (USA)
- I work for a company based in Melbourne, Australia.
- My fellow co-workers are based all around the globe.
- We have monthly meetings via Skype.
- Because we’re based in so many different locations, we reap the advantage of having staff on duty 24/7.
- I’ve never met any of my co-workers in person.
- We wear jeans to work.
- Watches are optional.
- To mimic the water cooler, we use a service called Yammer – much like Twitter, but more geared towards companies.
- My bosses Rick-Roll me more than I care to admit.
- Instead of building walls around each worker, which delineates what he or she is “qualified” to accomplish, all team members are encouraged to speak up as much as possible.
- After making a subtle suggestion a couple of days ago, our CEO immediately emailed me to discuss the situation further.
- I determine my schedule each week.
What This All Means
In short: a new way of conducting business is quickly sweeping the globe. We’re no longer bound by such petty things as location and long-distance phone calls. Try winding the clock back twenty years. In virtually every way, my job would be an impossibility. However, thanks to massive advancements in technology, my iPhone, and free services like Yammer and Skype, I can perform my job quicker, cheaper, and more flexibly than the “suit and tie,” 9-5ers ever could.
Let’s compare. John Suit wakes up in the morning, takes forty-five minutes to drive to work, sixty minutes for lunch, thirty minutes over the course of the day for water-cooler chatter, and finally another forty-five minutes to make his way home. If we find the sum, this comes to 180 minutes – or about 3 hours of “wasted” and unproductive life each day. Considering as much, it’s no wonder why more and more people are looking for an alternative way of getting the job done. The old model simply doesn’t work – especially when you factor children into the mix. Further, it’s easy to forget that the point of life is not to perform the same mindless tasks day-in and day-out.
Why can’t we perform our duties while traveling? Why can’t I relax on the beach and work? Twenty years ago – not possible. Today, the only concern is whether sand might get into my laptop.
It’s for this very reason why books like The 4-Hour Workweek have been such huge successes. We’re craving for a new way of conducting business.
The New Model
The new model is much less about protocol, location, walls, and attire, and more about contribution, comfort, and simplicity. Perhaps twenty years ago, one’s goal was to become like the business man in the fancy suit with his leather briefcase. The irony is that, now, I would consider myself a failure if I was forced to wear a strangling tie every morning. Instead, my heroes wear t-shirts and have messy hair.
The new model recognizes that long hours, time away from family, and unnecessary stress serves no one – and ultimately hinders job performance. Especially in the USA, the number of hours we put into our jobs somehow reflects how responsible and “worthy” we are. To request for more than a week off per year is considered to be lazy. Unfortunately, we have our wires tangled, because this is not what life is about. Don’t get me wrong: hard work is essential, but not at the sacrifice of personal well-being. Instead, vacations should be encouraged by employers.
Though more than vacations, shouldn’t there be a way to intertwine the two? Why can’t we rent a cabin in the mountains and get the job done? Why can’t we book a trip to Disney World and work in the evenings? The answer is: we can! I’m lucky enough to work in an environment where this is possible. It might prove to be more difficult for others, but one thing is for sure: business is 100% moving in this direction: global, flexible, and most importantly, simple. It’s only a matter of when your company jumps on board; and if they don’t…jump ship!
update: I wanted to clarify that I’m not implying that working in an office is a bad thing. Sometimes, it’s 100% essential to work side-by-side with a co-worker on a project. In fact, my company has an office in Melbourne; but I’m fairly certain that it’s different from your standard cubicle, suit and tie, 4 bosses…kind of office — but who knows, I’ve never been there. 
Comments
Zamshed Farhan said...
Gr8 man….rather that the article, I like the template…..how eye-catching.
posted on October 24, 2009
admin said...
Thanks. It still needs some work though…
posted on October 24, 2009
Dave said...
Hi Jeffrey,
I’m curious how do you find companies that accompany this approach?
posted on October 24, 2009
Jarel said...
Great stuff Jeffrey. I’ve believed this for the last several years and yet every employer in the past has disregarded and even gone as far as to mock my ideas and views on this subject. Most of them are now facing layoffs, etc. I’m glad I left the old working world, I just wish I had done it earlier.
posted on October 24, 2009
ajmal said...
hi nice article. I love em.
Anyway I was looking for 2 icons: Email to friends and Facebook Share. Couldn’t find any. Is this made on purpose; why?
Thanks again and seriously, one of those sites with beautiful design with great articles.
posted on October 24, 2009
admin said...
@ajmal – Thanks. Truthfully, this blog was never really meant to be that kind of site; so I never bothered adding Digg/Facebook/Twitter links. Maybe I’ll go ahead and do so.
posted on October 24, 2009
Neal said...
Exactly how I hope my new company will run. If I can ever get it off the ground.
posted on October 24, 2009
Jad Limcaco said...
Awesome article here Mr. Jeffrey.
I really agree with what you said and you really hit the nail in the head.
I for one still work at a company that does 9-6 and talk about unproductive time. I drive 45 minutes to work and 45 minutes back plus an hour lunch and that is the lot of time.
Thanks again for this article. I only wish you can write more articles on your site. By the way, you are one lucky guy to be working at Envato with my hero, Collis!
posted on October 24, 2009
Anthony Riccio said...
Hey Jeffrey, cool post. The future is now, and envato truly is a global corporation. I’m only 16, yet I have done a bit of free lance work, don’t tell my mom. Four days ago I worked with this man from Russia. His english was quite good to be honest. After finishing the job for him, he sent me the payment through paypal. Now I know that seems normal to other freelancers, but I’m only 16. And after reading many articles on freelanceswitch I knew to create an invoice. So after creating an Invoice and telling my mom that I finished another job she said to me “How did you get so smart.” And I said, well it was easy i just used this tutorial, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu_moia-oVI.
Jeffrey I love your articles, and your a real inspiration to me because your so young and i’m so young the positional for me at least I hope is enormous, and yours just the same.
posted on October 25, 2009
Pedro Magalhães said...
Nice JW! I totally agree, and i’m very happy for you.
I’m having this kind of direction in my work. This week i went to a web development interview here in Portugal, and the employer prepared myself to work at home or wherever i like. The work as just to be done in time. Isn’t this great?
Love this sentences that u wrote:
“The irony is that, now, I would consider myself a failure if I was forced to wear a strangling tie every morning. Instead, my heroes wear t-shirts and have messy hair.”
“business is 100% moving in this direction: global, flexible, and most importantly, simple”
Take care
posted on October 25, 2009
moabi said...
Definitly true…
though they’re some bad sides also with that…
meeting people for reel is nice…even if it can be considered as a waist of productivity…
just saying…
posted on October 25, 2009
Andrew said...
Great article! Curious: a while ago you tweeted about considering moving to Australia to work on-site. Does that mean there are some downsides to this business model?
posted on October 25, 2009
Laneth said...
Hey Jeffrey,
I didn’t know your were only 24 – makes you even more of an inspiration to me. I’m 26 and getting married in a week and only now am taking the necessary precautionary steps to set myself up for the transition from my 8-5 to freelancing and other development.
From my introduction to you and the Envato network of sites back in April of this year, I can honestly say that yours has been the biggest inspiration; the one that stands out amongst the rest – your tutorials always have a LOT of “replay value” in them; one of your tutorials was the reason I became a payment member in the Tuts+ network and never looked back.
At 24, I’d only just been at my current job a year. Three-and-a-half years in, I’m chocking under the ridiculous business model that my manager runs her small (5 people, I’m the sole full-timer) business. What I’m sure is a dream career to many, including me, I’m slowly realising is a completely realistic possibility now so long as you’re willing to work at it and not just hope it happens.
Jeffrey, again, I’d like to thank you for your contributions to so many areas, including here at your “rarely updated blog” – we’re here because we’re fans.
Regards and best wishes for the upcoming holiday season.
Laneth.
posted on October 25, 2009
admin said...
@Laneth – Thanks – you too! Good luck.
@Andrew – I didn’t mean that working in an office is a bad thing. It’s many times essential.
posted on October 25, 2009
IgnacioRV said...
I thought you were a little older =P . I’m 21, and just starting to do some freelance work with a couple of friends from university. All because I want to finish my studies on term; if everything goes well I will be finishing informatics engineering next year (it’s a five years career).
But then, I will have to look for a work or start a small business (besides for keep on studying), so this kind of approach is something to have in mind.
I believe that in cases like yours, a company spreaded all over the world, this working methodology it’s the only way to work. If we’re talking about regular works, i.e. in an office, then it would be very interesting to start introducing this kind of business. After that it’s a matter of finding a balance between both approaches.
I’m doing a paper for a subject researching about webOS and how to use them as a daily work tool. Having access to your work data from any computer with a browser in any place of the world with an internet connection would certainly improve this new business model (although webOS technologies are still very new, this is something to keep an eye on).
Thanks for the article, I like reading other people’s experiencies ^^ …
posted on October 26, 2009
Nick Hand said...
JW,
I’m 21, graduated college at 19 with a digital arts degree, and have been working for a company about an hour from my house for just over 2 years now. Part of my agreement to work for the company (as their sr. web designer) was to work 3 days a week from home, and work in the office 2 days a week. Going into the office is as you describe, commute an hour each way, hour for lunch, etc.
Honestly the days I work at home seem less productive than the days I’m in the office, but that’s merely due to the easy access of questions for developers and such while in the office rather than when I’m home it seems I’m a little bit on the back-burner if I need something taken care of from them!
Point being, I’m about to move to Orlando, FL, and after talking with my boss, they are deciding to keep me employed full time and continue to work remotely, even with a 4 hour time difference to the East Coast from here in Alaska. The great part is that now if I do want to come back to Alaska for vacation or to visit family or friends, it’s not really about getting time off of work, I’ll actually be closer to work and they’d probably rather I come back for a couple weeks and check in with the office! So aside from it not being a dream job… it’s probably the dream job schedule/work process!
Great article, and very inspiring again as I’m only 21 so I love seeing what you’re doing at 24.
Nick Hand
posted on October 26, 2009
Brian said...
I work in a cube on the 9th floor of an office building. I take an hour bus ride each way into the city. You described my job fairly true to form. However – in the middle of my team’s cubes there is a huge team table. Most days we all choose to eat lunch together and we have all become good friends. We talk about kids and pranks and work. We talk about new technologies or whatever. Mostly we laugh. When I look back on my career – I really don’t remember the individual projects I completed, or where I spent the money I made. What I remember most are the people and the relationships I have made with people along the way. I enjoy the days when I can work from home, and thankfully I have a job where I can do that frequently. But I wouldn’t want to do it all the time – I would miss the people.
posted on October 26, 2009
Benjamin Reid said...
“Why can’t I relax on the beach and work?” – That’s my aim, to work from a beach. The whole ethos of Envato is great, thanks for sharing another great insight.
posted on October 29, 2009
Dave Braden said...
Wonderful article!!! I know what you mean about the sand in the laptop though!
posted on November 1, 2009
Herbert Mühlburger said...
Really great article! This is how I expect business to be run in the near future. Especially in software development it is really great to be working with lot’s of distributed developers building some nice apps.
Keep on going and all the best!
Herbert
posted on November 3, 2009
awake said...
I dunno men… a lot of us still depend on old corporate structures to make a living.
posted on November 4, 2009
Brady said...
Wow – simply amazing and inspiring article. I can’t wait for more businesses to adapt this thinking!
posted on November 12, 2009
Kiran said...
Can’t tell you how much i would love to work like this but there are not that many companies out there that are like this.
posted on November 13, 2009
Nick Plekhanov said...
Hey Jeffrey!
Keep up good work!
Can u send it to me via email pls ? And i’d like to know about your operational experience in offline companies….
As for me, it’s very interesting to look at your resume
posted on November 17, 2009
Maxi said...
Hello Jeffrey!
Have to say it, great article. I´m 23 now, multimedia design student and I have been doing some things in 99designs in my apart-from-college time so this is a very close reality to me too.
Only thing that I regret is that here (Argentina) the look its a bit different. People in general here resist to adopt this kind of “business relations”. Maybe that´s another reason why we are third world country still…
Any way I hope this would change in the near future. And by the the way I´m planning on making my own blog too (have only a blogger for now…) and always follows almost every blog of envato, but especially Nettuts, keep up the great work!
Greetings from Argentina
posted on December 1, 2009
Stuart Clove said...
Jeff I am inspired daily by you. You actually got me into web programming. You are THE man. Nuf said.
posted on December 3, 2009