People play in the margins. Working remotely, there’s less environmental feedback for self awareness.

Focused work that could have taken the day without distractions takes weeks. Small talk in remote conference calls explodes. People make very different decisions about what to act on when they can be pulled into a “burning” need with very little context from a chat thread or invisible threat.

As an employer it’s quite baffling to watch. Suddenly it’s as if leadership have “no idea what we do” and only people in the trenches “truly know”. But when you get fed up after weeks, and bring them into an in-person workshop it gets done that day. All without anyone acknowledging that maybe they weren’t on focus or on scope, but instead continuing to claim there is so much that needs attending to.

In an office setting, there’s an immediate feedback loop. If you’re over indulging in small talk or playing in too many conversations, there’s social proof. Few people want to be known as a busy body or a slacker. But remotely those same people become the self-appointed town hero by being an octopus on roller skates - A lot going on but no-ones getting anywhere soon.

With all the good people flustering, finding those who are genuinely exploiting the situation beyond that is even harder again. You have your suspicions by day 10, but there’s so much room to play in the margins that it takes 6-9 months to pin it down.

Pay yourself your middle-line living expenses + 50% and set a 25% target for what bonus/dividend you’ll secure at year end. Remember that people typically markedly underestimate living expenses.

So, this might work out to $75k + $37k base + $30k bonus, for a $142k OTE. The 25% secures your professional growth if the venture performs well under your CTO leadership, and sets a clear expectation of re-invest from GP for other founders, while also allowing that bonus to be re-invested if the venture under performs.