18. December 2024
Matthias Wagener, Fabiola Kaiser
Maybe the idea was a little crazy: Biking from Texas to New York and back – with minimal luggage, the desire to explore and work along the way. We, Maren and Matthias, were excited about the experiment, but one big question remained: how would it work for our team?
For more than ten years, Vast Forward has been completely remote. Crossing the Atlantic took our collaboration to a new level. In addition to flexible structures and digital working, the time difference has become part of our daily work. But the “New York & Back” tour took it even further: cycling across the U.S. while working on the road. How much of an adjustment would that be? And how did the core team – currently Vanessa, Simone, Robert and Jenny – experience it?
Now that the tour is over, we asked them – and as always with Vast Forward, the answers are honest, direct, and full of insight.
The reactions to our idea were positive, ranging from amazement to admiration – a great start in terms of atmosphere. But we were most curious to see if our experiment would have an impact on day-to-day business. The team’s verdict? Not really. Vanessa, Robert and Simone found the period completely normal, as our structures and rituals have been geared to remote working and different time zones for years. Jenny found the tour especially exciting on a personal level: “I was curious to see what they would experience and what challenges they would overcome.
The preparation paid off. All meetings continued in the afternoons, communication flowed smoothly, and we remained as accessible as ever – sometimes with the wind in our faces, but that’s part of the experiment.
The team agreed that our tried-and-true tools and rituals worked during the tour. Slack remained the hub of communication, supplemented by regular meetings. Robert notes: “The existing structures we’ve developed for working across time zones prepared us well – so it wasn’t a big adjustment for us.” Vanessa adds: “If we weren’t already working remotely, this experiment would have been much more complicated.
So how exactly did we do it? Here are some tips that helped the team successfully navigate this time:
What is the biggest challenge of working remotely across time zones? For many team members, it’s the feeling of distance. Vanessa, Jenny, and Robert all point out that it can sometimes be difficult to maintain a sense of team spirit. The casual interactions that occur naturally in an office setting are missing in a remote setup. But the team has found ways to compensate. Meetups in Hamburg and our annual team events help strengthen connections.
On the other hand, the opportunities are immense. Vanessa loves the flexibility: “If I want to work by the sea tomorrow, I can. What could be better?” Jenny sees the freedom to shape her own day as the biggest benefit: “I can plan my day however I want, wherever I am. This freedom isn’t just for Maren and Matthias – it’s for all of us.”
We asked the team if they could see themselves doing a similar experiment. Simone dreams of a “VAST on Horses” tour, while Robert could imagine a team experiment. Jenny wouldn’t choose cycling, but knows that anything is possible at Vast Forward: “I would know that Maren and Matthias would support me.”
What about us? The team is sure that this tour won’t be the last. Vanessa says: “It’s in your blood. And she’s right. That’s what Vast Forward is all about: curiosity, courage and the willingness to try new things.
The “New York & Back” tour proved once again how strong our team is and how well we can work together across distances. Thanks to clear structures, trust and good communication, everything ran as usual – even on two wheels.
We’re proud of our team and know that anything is possible at Vast Forward – as long as we can rely on each other.
Stay tuned and follow along on Instagram and YouTube as we keep rolling!
