Chris Herd has become one of the loudest and most influential voices in the global conversation about remote work and the future of business. As the founder and CEO of Firstbase, a company that enables remote-first organizations to manage physical operations, Herd has made it his mission to help companies navigate a new era of work—one where flexibility, productivity, and employee autonomy take center stage.
From his outspoken posts on X (formerly Twitter) to speaking engagements and interviews, Chris Herd has built a reputation not just as a founder but as a visionary who is reshaping how we think about workplaces. Below are five powerful lessons from Chris Herd that every entrepreneur, manager, and worker needs to understand in the remote-first world.
1. Remote Work Isn’t a Perk—It’s the New Normal
One of the most significant ideas that Chris Herd champions is that remote work isn’t a temporary pandemic fix—it’s a permanent cultural shift. According to Herd, companies that fail to embrace remote work will not only lose top talent but also fall behind in innovation and efficiency.
Herd has often stated that remote work is not about working from the beach or sleeping in—it’s about giving employees control over how they work best. In a 2021 interview, he explained, “Remote work creates a fairer workplace. It removes location bias and brings inclusivity for people who can’t or don’t want to live in expensive tech hubs.”
This philosophy became the foundation for Firstbase, which was created to solve one of the biggest operational hurdles for remote companies—delivering and managing equipment for remote teams.
2. Remote Infrastructure is as Critical as Software
While companies rushed to adopt Zoom, Slack, and Asana during the COVID-19 pandemic, Chris Herd saw a major gap in how companies managed the physical layer of remote work. Employees needed laptops, ergonomic chairs, monitors, and tech support—but most companies were winging it.
Firstbase fills this void by acting as a logistics and asset management platform for remote workforces. It handles everything from shipping hardware to IT support and asset recovery. Herd believes that for remote work to succeed long-term, companies must invest in remote infrastructure the same way they invest in cloud software.
This insight has propelled Firstbase to partner with leading companies across various sectors and secure over $50 million in funding from top VCs like Andreessen Horowitz and Alpaca VC.
3. Office Culture is Not About a Physical Space
Many critics argue that office culture suffers in a remote setup, but Chris Herd flips this narrative. He believes that a great company culture isn’t tied to watercooler chats or open-plan offices—it’s about intentionality, trust, and communication.
“Culture isn’t built in an office. It’s built through how people treat each other, how teams are structured, and how leadership leads,” Herd has said. His belief is that leaders must be more proactive and thoughtful in designing remote culture, focusing on results over hours and on inclusion over proximity.
Companies that embrace asynchronous communication, clear documentation, and autonomy will thrive, according to Herd. These elements not only make remote work sustainable but also foster a more meritocratic and mentally healthy environment.
4. The War for Talent Has Changed Forever
Chris Herd is a vocal critic of companies that push return-to-office mandates. In his view, these policies are often driven by control, not productivity. He argues that the best talent now has options—and they are choosing companies that trust them to work remotely.
The remote work revolution, as he calls it, has fundamentally shifted the employer-employee dynamic. Herd often points out that flexibility is now a top priority for workers, outranking even compensation in some surveys.
Companies unwilling to adapt risk losing high-performing talent to more progressive organizations. As Herd warns, “The smartest people will work for the companies that give them the most freedom.”
5. The Future of Work is Already Here
Chris Herd doesn’t speak in hypotheticals. He believes the future of work is already unfolding—and those who delay will be left behind. He envisions a world where cities are less congested, families are stronger, and businesses are more distributed and resilient.
Through Firstbase, Herd is helping companies prepare for this shift—not just technologically, but philosophically. He advises leaders to think deeply about what they want their work culture to be and build systems that align with that vision.
From carbon footprint reduction to increased diversity in hiring, the ripple effects of remote work extend far beyond business metrics. As Herd puts it, “Remote work is the most impactful economic, social, and environmental change in our lifetimes.”
Chris Herd is not just a founder trying to grow a company—he’s a movement leader with a clear and compelling vision for the workplace of tomorrow. With bold opinions and data-driven insights, he has positioned himself as a go-to voice in conversations about remote work, company culture, and workforce strategy.
As the world continues to adapt to post-pandemic realities, Herd’s perspective is proving not only relevant but essential. Whether you’re a startup founder, HR leader, or policymaker, there’s no ignoring the lessons Herd offers.
His message is clear: the future of work is flexible and distributed and already here. It’s time we stopped fighting it—and started building for it.
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