What does it take to build a high-performing company when your team is fully remote?

In this episode of the Return to People podcast, host Kaleem Clarkson sits down with Justin Ruoff, Senior Vice President of Operations at SoundStack, to explore what effective remote leadership really looks like. With over a decade of experience building distributed teams, Justin shares how SoundStack scaled as a remote-first company without sacrificing trust, performance, or culture.

Justin explains why focusing on outcomes over hours challenges outdated assumptions about productivity and why intentional systems are essential for keeping remote teams connected. From async workflows to team rituals, he discusses how SoundStack balances flexibility with accountability while fostering collaboration and ownership.

The conversation also highlights the importance of human connection in remote environments, including the challenge of recreating informal moments that build trust and empathy. Justin emphasizes continuous improvement over perfection, encouraging leaders to create systems that support learning, autonomy, and sustainable growth.

This episode offers practical insights for founders, operators, and leaders navigating remote or hybrid teams, and proves that when flexibility and trust come first, remote work can truly thrive.

🎧 Tune in to learn how people-first systems drive performance in a remote-first world.

Learn more from Justin and SoundStack:

• Justin´s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinruoff/
• SoundStack: https://soundstack.com/