Welcome to 2026!

After four years and 50+ episodes of Work 20XX, it's time to evolve the conversation. The return-to-office debates? We've covered them exhaustively. The real action now is in AI adoption, continuous learning, and building the skills that matter for distributed work.

In this episode, Jeff shares his vision for Work 20XX in 2026, including why he's shifting focus away from return-to-office topics, the AI training with Kyle Moschetto that transformed his workflow, and his commitment to increase episode frequency this year.

Key Topics:

• The evolution of workplace conversations since 2021

• Why return-to-office debates are no longer the priority

• AI adoption and practical training insights coming in 2026

• Evergreen topics that never age: distributed teams, communication, leadership, team effectiveness

• The importance of curiosity and continuous learning

• What's next for Work 20XX

The workplace has changed dramatically since the show started. Our conversations need to change too. This episode sets the stage for a year focused on practical AI adoption, team effectiveness, and the skills that create meaningful work in a distributed world.

What's Next: More episodes, more frequently. AI adoption stories and practical insights. Deeper dives on distributed leadership and team effectiveness. Shorter, more focused conversations.

What We're Moving Beyond: Return-to-office mandates and hybrid work debates have been thoroughly covered. Time to focus on what actually helps people do better work.

Let Jeff know what you want to hear in 2026. What topics are you curious about? What challenges are you facing? What skills are you trying to build?

EPISODE DETAILS: Episode Type: Show Update / Vision Statement Host: Jeff Frick Recording Location: Palo Alto, California Date: January 2026

Topics: Future of Work, AI Adoption, Distributed Teams, Remote Work, Leadership, Team Effectiveness, Continuous Learning, Workplace Technology, Professional Development

Liam Martin shared his full circle moment with me at Running Remote, almost 5 years to the day he was forced to cancel Running Remote's last visit to Austin, April 2020. With prior stops in Lisbon and Montreal, Running Remote's return to Austin was a community fest.

Remote first organizations focus more on in-house retreats than anyone outside of the actual travel industry. Industry leaders needed their own retreat. And Running Remote was born in 2018.

After the reflection, the conversation turned to the future, and the intersection of remote management practices, AI adoption, and the impact of hiring the 'best for the job' AI proficient talent, regardless of location.

Please join me in welcoming Liam Martin to the Work 20XX Podcast.

Editor's Note: Recorded 2025-April-30 at the Running Remote conference in Austin, Texas.
Special thanks to Liam, Egor, Ana, and Team Running Remote.

Liam Martin: Community Retreat, Remote, AI | Work 20XX podcast with Jeff Frick Ep55 from Running Remote 2025 Austin

#RemoteWork #RunningRemote #AI #Leadership #CommunityBuilding #FutureOfWork #RemoteTeams #GlobalTalent #WorkplaceInnovation #ScalingBusiness #HybridWork #SaaS #DigitalNomads #Entrepreneurship #RiskTaking #EventManagement #BusinessGrowth #Digital #Distributed #Remote #Hybrid #Office #FoW #Workplace #TechnologyAdoption #RemoteFirst #EmployeeEngagement #WorkplaceCulture #Interview #Podcast #Work20XX

YouTube - Click Here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOKJ7j_yqNM&list=PLZURvMqWbYjmmJlwGj0L0jWbWdCej1Jlt&ab_channel=TurntheLenswithJeffFrick

Transcript and Show Notes - Click Here

https://www.work20xx.com/episode/liam-martin-community-retreat-remote-ai-work-20xx-ep55

Mike Melen took a college side hustle, and built it into a growing global digital marketing agency. After starting full remote, Mike opened an office in Bergen County, New Jersey. Covid closed the office, and SmartSites is back to being fully remote to stay.

Remote hiring opened up the available talent pool beyond his Bergen County, New Jersey. Suddenly, Mike could hire people with the special skills needed, regardless of where they plugged in their laptop.

Mike learned early on that the best people want opportunities to grow, so he set an annual goal of 30% growth. He hired younger, less experienced people and invested in them to grow and advance along with the companies. Fourteen years later, SmartSites has grown to 400 people.

Please join me in welcoming Mike Melen to the Work 20XX podcast.

Editor's Note: Recorded 2025-April-30 at the Running Remote conference in Austin, Texas. Special thanks to Liam, Egor, Ana, and Team Running Remote.

Michael Melen: Talent Pool, Growth Opportunity | Work 20XX podcast with Jeff Frick Ep54 from Running Remote 2025 Austin

#Remote #Digital #Distributed #Async #Work #FoW #Workplace #Talent #Career #BergenCounty #DigitalMarketing #DistributedTeams #Global #HiringStrategy #Leadership #Scaling #RemoteTeams #SmartSites #StartupJourney #TalentPool #TeamGrowth #WorkFromAnywhere #SmartSites #RunningRemote #Interview #Podcast #Work20XX

YouTube - Click Here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MosbOY0uFUI&list=PLZURvMqWbYjmmJlwGj0L0jWbWdCej1Jlt

Transcript and Show Notes - Click Here

https://www.work20xx.com/episode/michael-melen-talent-pool-growth-opportunity-work-20xx-ep54