When I first joined Firmani + Associates, I worked alongside my teammates in Seattle. Like most agency environments, the days were filled with brainstorming sessions, quick conversations across desks and the kind of collaboration that naturally comes from being in the same room. 

A little over a year later, I moved to Chicago. 

It’s easy to assume that moving 2,000 miles away means sacrificing the connection that comes with working in an office. Naturally, I wondered if that fear would turn into reality. I like to joke that I now run Firmani’s “Midwest division,” but the reality is that I’ve never felt like I’m working on an island. 

Instead, I’ve learned that strong company culture isn’t built by sharing an office. It’s built by the people who make an intentional effort to stay connected. 

At F+A, communication doesn’t stop because one of us changes time zones. Throughout the day, our online chats are constantly active as we bounce around ideas, celebrate media wins, ask quick questions or even just update the team on our schedule for the afternoon. Those messages have become the digital equivalent of me stopping by a coworker’s desk, and they’ve helped make the distance between Chicago and Seattle feel smaller. 

It’s not just collaborating on client work, either. I’ve even popped in to join the office virtually during their Thursday team lunch. It wasn’t a meeting or a project update, just a chance to catch up and tell some stories from the week.  

We’ve also made a point to keep in-person connections a priority. About every other month, I travel back to Seattle to spend time with the team, see clients and reconnect face-to-face. Whether that’s cheering on the Seattle Reign with my team, meeting with clients to talk strategy or even supporting client leaders from the sidelines of an awards ceremony, each visit is a chance to deepen that relationship. 

Those visits are always energizing, but what strikes me most is that they never feel like starting over. The relationships have continued to grow because we’ve stayed connected every day in between. 

Of course, today’s tech makes remote work possible. Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Slack, and the hundreds of other services out there designed just for this purpose. But those tools are only as effective as the people using them. What has made the biggest difference is a team that’s committed to making sure distance never becomes a barrier to collaboration. 

So, yes! I changed my address. But, I got to keep the team that makes this all possible. And that’s been one of the best reminders that when a company culture is intentional, it doesn’t end at the office door.  .