No Man Is an Island, but Now You Can Work from One
Above: Jari's Finnish archipelago.
The idea of remote work is now so commonplace that it's barely worth a mention. At by The Network - a global network of the world's best independent creative agencies - this concept is taken a step further. Referred to as 'remote remote working', it really means what it says: “It’s working remotely but in a remote location,” explains Jack Smail, by The Network's Interim CEO.
“Have you ever wondered why you're working remotely from a city apartment and not out in the sticks in your favourite landscape connected to the internet with a 5G router? Because I have. Remote remote working serves as encouragement and permission for people to make the most of the newfound freedoms of remote working in pursuit of a healthier business lifestyle. Jack highlights that this is a “fantastic opportunity as a creative industry to unlock new realms of focus and connection by giving creatives the freedom to work and connect in more environments of calm and focus.”
One of by The Network's founding partners, Jari Ullakko, is making the most of remote remote working by basing himself on a dream-like Finnish Archipelago (all the photos have been taken by Jari). "Working for a chocolate factory selling chocolate bars on a rock 10 miles out to sea certainly gives you perspective. I've always been happy by the sea and within nature, so being able to work from a place surrounded by it brings me clarity of thought. It's a different type of lifestyle out here on the island, a tough one where things don't always go your way; getting here on a hover boat when the water freezes over is one example." This unconventional work environment not only provides a unique lifestyle but also inspires and motivates Jari, enhancing his creativity and focus.
Jari says that remote working on the island is a "lifestyle" for him, and it's uniquely suited to his creative disposition. "You either must be naturally inclined towards it or learn to adapt to it. I work odd hours whenever inspiration strikes. Weekends and office hours don't really apply to me. There's a certain freedom in that," he elaborates.
Jari's hover boat commute.
With experience living and working in multiple places across the globe, Stockholm was a particular eye-opener. "The whole 'lunch line to the lift' culture in the office just didn't sit right with me. It's all about the herd mentality in those creative agencies. You feel like you're on a production line. My wife runs an agency, too, but we've chosen to do things differently. She runs it remotely, maintaining her freedom. We're peculiar like that."
Open office complete with decking.
While covid was a turning point for many, enabling remote work for the first time, Jari had already been practising it for a while. "Covid didn't affect me much, but it changed things for others. Clients used to demand face-to-face meetings, but now they just request fewer in-person meetings and more remote ones." He's realistic about the possible pitfalls remote remote working can present, too, noting that "creativity can also thrive when people come together, bounce ideas off each other. It's like being in a band; there's a magic to playing together."
In the grand scheme of things, advertising wasn't a pioneer of remote working; other industries, namely music and film, did it first and quite a while ago too. "The music industry went digital long before marketing did. Now, we're seeing similar shifts in how marketing operates. The focus is more on collaboration, experimentation, and agility rather than traditional hierarchies and structures. The artists record, get together for gigs, and disperse again. Same with film; it used to be that studios had all the directors on payroll, but now teams are assembled and dispersed," Jari says.
Above: Doconomy's 'The 2030 Calculator', which Jari worked on from his remote location.
Jari is well acquainted with the 'traditional' ways of working, having worked on demanding and exciting global accounts like Audi. While it was rewarding, he also remembers the intensity was only sometimes welcome. "The constant travel, the demanding schedules—it was exhilarating but also exhausting. Now, being able to work independently and on my own terms, I've found a new level of focus and clarity. There's a freedom in being able to set my own pace and priorities, allowing me to dive deeper into my creative process."
The flexibility afforded by remote remote working fuses harmoniously with Jari's own life philosophy, "Life does not fit into boxes; only dead bodies do." He adds: "In the end, we're all different, and our paths in life shape us uniquely. There are stages in our lives where certain environments and ways of working may suit us better than others. It's about embracing the diversity of experiences and finding what truly works for each individual."
Always looking beyond the status quo, by The Network embraces the freedom to choose and unlock new environments and approaches to creativity. Allowing creatives to find their flow in a fast-paced, time-pressured industry is paramount. Some might find it out on an island at sea, some at a karaoke bar in Tokyo. The importance to them is having the freedom to choose and the power to connect. Time for a change of scene perhaps?
