What remote work means for 9 people at Aha!

Ski break. Out for a dog walk. Kid's play at school. This is just a sampling of the Slack statuses I see every day from the Aha! team. Stepping away to recharge is equally important as getting work done. The ability to achieve harmony between your work and home life is one of the benefits of being part of a fully distributed team.

Working remotely offers an unparalleled sense of freedom — the satisfaction of working where and how you want.

Autonomy is central to how we operate as a bootstrapped business. We are intentional about acting on our values and growing sustainably. Remote work is an extension of this approach. We are able to hire exceptional people, no matter where they live. It was the right choice when we started the company in 2013 and it serves us nearly a decade later as our team continues to grow.

Our remote-first model is a big reason why people apply for open roles. And from our internal lovability surveys that every team member completes, I know it also contributes to why people stay.

But giving people the freedom to work from the comfort of a remote office is about much more than convenience. It facilitates the respect and trust that high-performing teams crave — so they can do their best work and be happy.

Many teammates have joined Aha! since the last behind-the-scenes blog post, so we want to highlight some of the new locations we call home. I asked folks to share where they work from and what they love about the remote work lifestyle. Perhaps their answers will inspire you to rethink your current work environment or optimize your office space.

Arvada, Colorado, USA

"I have three children and they keep us very busy. Thanks to working remotely, I am able to be there for them at a moment’s notice. Their schools are less than a mile from our house and one of the best parts of my day is picking them up at the end of the day. I can be there to receive those end-of-school hugs, as opposed to being stuck in rush hour traffic. A job I love so close to the people I love — it is a win-win situation for me." — Ashley Thompson, People Success

Bogotá, Colombia

"As someone who gets easily distracted, working from home gives me the quiet environment I need to get into a state of flow. This allows me to feel productive and end my day on time knowing I got a lot accomplished. I also enjoy the other perks that come with working from home, such as setting up my workspace just how I like it and taking a break to walk my dog and cook myself lunch. I have been working remotely for over six years and I do not expect that to change anytime soon." — Nicolás Arias-Gonzalez, Engineering

Brighton, Ontario, CA

"I love my beautiful corner office, right in the comfort of my own home. Not only am I much happier, but working remotely has given me the gift of more time. I am grateful to have quality time to enjoy meals with my family, watch the kids play hockey after work, and go for a bike ride before it gets dark. Moments I often missed before I was working remotely." — Julie Price, Product Management