Hey Remote Rebels,

Remember when your biggest coworker complaint was Karen microwaving fish in the office kitchen?

Plot twist: now you'd kill for any human interaction that isn't your cat judging your third pajama day.

This issue flips isolation into your secret weapon. Maria's back with culture wisdom, plus newbie Casey reveals why networking makes us all want to hide.

Ready to turn community into your competitive advantage?

Let's dive in.

— Ric & Shellie

THE CULTURE EDIT

The Power of Community

By Maria Scarzella Thorpe

Isolation is often the remote worker’s greatest challenge. But the solution isn’t a new tool, it’s building true community.

Having hosted and built an international community of over 4,000 remote founders and pioneered the first Startup Hotel concept, Maria has seen firsthand the impact of cultivating deeper connections and fostering breakthrough collaborations.

Here’s how these lessons changed the game for them, and how you can apply them to thrive remotely as well.

Transform isolation into your remote work superpower →

QUICK TAKES

Better Together

✅ How can collaboration accelerate your career growth?

✅ Make the Most of Collaborating in a Remote Workplace

✅ Remote Collaboration: Everything You Need to Know in 2025

✅ How Communities Can Benefit From Remote Worker Collaboration

LAST WEEK’S POLL RESULTS

What's your biggest challenge with remote work collaboration?

COMMUNITY

It's Not What You Know.
It's Who You Know Who Knows You.

By Casey Strickland

What if your biggest remote work challenges—isolation, time zone chaos, communication gaps—were actually your secret weapons? 

Casey discovered that stepping away from traditional networking unlocked unexpected referrals, fresh ideas, and genuine connections that transformed her career. But here's the twist: it's not about who you know anymore. 

There's a simple two-week challenge that changes everything, plus ten tiny moves that build trust without feeling like a walking elevator pitch.

Steal Casey's Connection Playbook →

THE VIBE

News to Use

🔆 After eliminating remote work, this company is facing an unusual situation: 25% of its staff wants to leave. Companies that ignore the evolving needs of their employees may face lasting consequences.

🔆 Tackling the chaos at home might be the secret to a more successful work life. When workplaces start seeing the home not just as a stressor but as a source of strength, they can open the door to smarter, more sustainable strategies for resilience, creativity and growth.

🔆 Remote Jobs Grew in Q2 Despite Rising Number of RTO Mandates. Employers will likely continue offering remote positions to remain competitive and attract the best talent.

🔆 Is Nomad Capitalism The Future Of Entrepreneurship? ​​the practice of strategically choosing where to live, pay taxes and run your business based on global opportunity rather than national loyalty.

POLL – NEXT WEEKS TOPIC

Next Week: Design My Career - This issue will help readers move beyond "accidental careers" to intentionally building professional lives that align with their remote work goals.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Your Social Calendar Awaits

Your laptop's great company, but humans are better. 

This week's lineup spans lawn concerts in Colorado Springs, nomad happy hours in Cary, coworking sessions from DC to San Diego, and brewery hangs in Cincinnati. Plus, an Indian food festival because curry beats another sad desk lunch. 

Time to venture beyond your home office—your future collaborators are waiting with craft beer and actual conversations.

Check out the Community Calendar🗓️ for the details!

RESOURCES

Friends of Thrive

• Freelance, Independent and Flexible Workers - Stop cobbling together your own benefits patchwork. Join thousands already protecting their lifestyle where traditional employers can't follow. AFE delivers what you need most: affordable health plans, retirement options, and financial tools designed for location-independent professionals. Learn more about the group benefit plans →

• Nomad Pass™ helps modern leaders build strong hybrid-remote cultures and design high-impact team retreats that drive real connection, engagement, and well-being. In a world where hybrid and remote work is the norm, ways of working, culture, and connection, can’t be left to chance.
  Their advisory programs focus on culture strategy, ways of working, team dynamics, and mental fitness—helping distributed teams thrive.
  Exclusive for Thrive Remotely readers: 10% off 2025 Team Retreats in Italy 🇮🇹; Free strategy consult on hybrid/remote work enablement & team culture
  Explore | Redeem or Refer a team! (use code THRIVE)

Cool newsletters you’ll love 🥰

😎 Thriving Freelance: Gigs & Growth : Hundreds of job opportunities sent directly to your inbox each week, plus timely resources to support you as you grow and evolve. The Harlow newsletter is a treasure trove for freelancers, creators, and entrepreneurs.

🤓 MarketingAlec : Skip the AI hype, get real results. Join 12,000+ marketers learning the AI tools and prompts that drove 40% better performance.

🏠 The Handy Homeowner : Your Free Weekly Guide for the 100+ Million Homeowners in the U.S. and Canada