This interview is with Peter Lewis, Chief Marketing Officer at Strategic Pete.

Peter Lewis, Chief Marketing Officer, Strategic Pete

Welcome! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your journey to becoming an expert in scaling remote teams?

Thanks for having me. My journey to scaling remote teams started out of necessity and has grown into a true passion. Back when I was running a travel company in South America, I had to figure out how to manage teams spread across four cities. This was pre-Zoom, pre-any-fancy-tools, just me and a lot of phone calls. The term "remote" was not even a thing. Eventually, I moved into consulting as a fractional CMO, collaborating with a wide range of industries, including software, private equity, and even zoos.

What distinguishes my experience is that I’ve built systems from the ground up. Every remote team member I’ve hired, from Canada, Pakistan, or Mexico, began as an intern. Scaling a team means creating a process that identifies talent, nurtures it, and integrates individuals into something greater than themselves. I’ve dedicated years to refining onboarding processes, skill-development strategies, and establishing feedback loops. And somewhere in the middle of all that, I thought, "Why not write this down?" So now there’s a book coming out, "From Interns to A-Players: A Playbook for Remote Bosses." It’s a guide for CEOs and leaders to transform their interns into indispensable team members.

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced early on in your career while managing remote teams, and how did those experiences shape your approach?

Great question. One of the first problems every remote CEO faces is how to make sure tasks are getting done without hovering over people. I remember hiring a person who looked perfect on paper and then delivering inconsistent-quality work while avoiding feedback at every opportunity. I quickly learned that if you do not address issues upfront and set ironclad expectations, you will lose more than just productivity; you will lose the trust of your top performers who are watching.

The other constant challenge was managing a global team across time zones and cultural differences. I had interns in Canada, writers in Pakistan, and designers in Colombia. There were going to be miscommunications, like when one person on the team thought "ASAP" meant within the week, while another was working overnight to deliver immediately. This forced me to rethink how we define urgency and the importance of over-communicating—specifying timelines, deliverables, and even what "urgent" means in our context. And by over-communicate, I mean to the point where my team probably wished I'd stop talking: daily check-ins, clear deliverables, SOPs, and creative briefs for everything, even how to write a Slack message.

You've talked about the importance of structured communication in remote teams. Can you share an example of a time this approach helped you overcome a specific obstacle or achieve a significant win?

One example that stands out is from 2024, when we were managing a complex campaign for a private equity client in the investment industry. This involved multiple moving parts: LinkedIn outreach, a webinar funnel, ad creatives, follow-up email sequences. Each component relied on cross-functional teams spread across time zones—writers in Kenya, ad specialists in Brazil, and designers in Argentina. The challenge hit during the pre-launch phase. Our initial ad mockups were delayed, which created a domino effect, stalling the email sequence and putting the entire launch timeline at risk.

Each team knew their piece, but no one was seeing how delays in one area could bottleneck the whole process. I implemented mandatory 15-minute stand-ups, where every lead answered three questions:

1. What did you finish yesterday?

2. What are you working on today?

3. Where are you blocked?

If someone mentioned being stuck, we addressed it immediately (not “after the meeting,” not “later this week.”). For example, during one stand-up, the designer flagged that she was waiting for final copy approval, which the copywriter hadn’t prioritized because they weren’t aware of the dependency. We reassigned tasks mid-call, saving days of back-and-forth Slack messages.

Then, we created a shared dashboard in Monday.com where every task was tied to a clear owner, deadline, and status. Each deliverable was visually connected to the next step in the pipeline, so it was impossible not to see how one delay could impact the overall project. By making dependencies visible, everyone knew that if the LinkedIn ads didn’t get approved by Friday, the email nurturing sequence couldn’t go live on Monday. I rolled out a "Slack etiquette" guide for urgent updates.

If something was on fire, it wasn’t buried in a general channel or sent as a vague “FYI.” Instead, it was structured like this: - Use the subject line: [URGENT: Ad Design Blocked – Need copy approval] - Tag only the relevant people - Include a clear request with a deadline: “@John, please review the copy draft and approve it by 3 PM EST so we can proceed.”

After the successful campaign launch, we conducted a retrospective. The feedback loop showed that the combination of daily stand-ups, centralized dashboards, and clear Slack protocols had saved us an estimated 12–16 hours of unnecessary communication.

What are some common misconceptions people have about scaling remote teams, and what advice would you give to leaders looking to avoid those pitfalls?

“Peter, people who work from home aren’t really invested in their job or company culture.” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that. It’s simply not true. Remote teams can be just as engaged, if not more so, than those in an office, but it all depends on how you manage them. The stereotype that remote workers are just lounging around in pajamas and binge-watching shows is outdated. The real issue isn’t the location; it’s the management style.

One of the first things I do with a new hire is map out exactly how their work impacts the bigger picture. If you’re clear about expectations and tie their tasks to measurable outcomes, engagement grows. For instance, during our zoo-client campaign, the intern managing social media knew her work was directly driving ticket sales. We shared weekly analytics with her, so she could see her posts weren’t just “content” but revenue-driving assets. “Culture” isn’t just about having a ping-pong table or free lunches in the breakroom. It’s about the shared values, behaviors, and rituals that unite a team, and remote work doesn’t negate that.

At Strategic Pete, we hold a “Personal and Professional Best” session every Thursday where everyone shares their achievements from both their personal and professional lives. Many leaders mistakenly believe that remote workers are overly independent and don’t require guidance. However, even the most talented individuals need structure. Make sure to communicate thoroughly and document everything. If you think you’ve explained something enough, explain it again. At Strategic Pete, we create standard operating procedures for everything. How do we do that? You’ll find out in my upcoming book.

Building a strong remote culture is essential for success. What are some unique ways you've fostered camaraderie and connection among team members who are geographically dispersed?

We take breaks once a month for one hour of virtual games or a challenge. One day, we went on a scavenger hunt in which everybody had two minutes to find something weird in their home office. Jacob, from Santiago, produced an old Chilean war medal his grandfather had left him, while Sofia, in Mexico, showed off her cactus-shaped mug. We also have a Slack channel for non-work-related banter: memes, personal wins, or just random thoughts. It's an outlet to allow casual interaction without making working from home feel too serious. It allows introverts and quieter team members to participate without the pressures of live conversations.

Not only that, but to that end, I make it a point to schedule one-on-one check-ins with each team member every quarter—not to talk KPIs, but to ask, "How's life? What's been challenging? What's the most exciting project you're working on right now?" To every remote CEO, I'd say: Show team members they're valued as individuals, not just employees. Another channel is the "Learning Hub." We ask team members to bring back lessons from courses, webinars, or communities they are part of and share them in a dedicated Slack channel.

We also do frequent "Shout-Outs" across team calls and Slack messages. It's not a simple "Good job!" but acknowledgments like specific ones: "Amber—that blog you wrote for our zoo client nailed their voice. The client said it was the best they ever read." These things make team members feel seen and loved. I will never stop doing this.

Hiring the right people is crucial for any team, but even more so in a remote setting. What key traits or skills do you look for when building a remote team?

For any remote hire, I have one ask of a candidate: Send me a Loom video to introduce themselves. Now, that is a real test of how well one communicates ideas without the back-and-forth. If they're hesitant or never follow through, that's an early red flag. Remote work is fluid: priorities shift, clients change direction, and tools evolve. I need people who can pivot fast without losing their footing.

Once, I took on a Chile-based intern who had never worked on HubSpot. He managed it proactively in three weeks' time. When he asked me during the interview, "What's the steepest learning curve in this role, and how can I prepare?" I knew this was it. I hire people who see problems and think, "How can I fix this?" instead of waiting to be told what to do. I always include some kind of practical task in the interview process. For a content role, I might say, "How would you improve our latest LinkedIn post? Walk me through your reasoning." In that way, I get a view on how they take initiative and think. I also ask candidates about their work environment: “How do you structure your day to stay focused?” Their answer reveals whether they’ve built systems to stay productive or if they’re winging it.

Remote work requires a certain level of digital literacy. If a candidate struggles with Slack or can’t navigate a Google Doc during the interview, it’s a sign they might not fit in our setup. Of course, when remote, it is not all about the skills, but about mindset, initiative, and communication. Most of all, I want team members who are curious and eager to grow even outside their defined role. Once hired, I provide access to courses, communities, and industry tools. During the interview, however, I ask, "What skill would you like to develop while working here?" The best candidates always have a clear, actionable answer.

How do you measure success when it comes to scaling remote teams? What are some key performance indicators (KPIs) you focus on?

Measuring success in scaling remote teams requires looking beyond surface metrics like hours logged or emails sent. Here are the key performance indicators I focus on.

1. Output and Deliverables:

• Task Completion Rate: Are tasks being completed on time and to standard?
• Error Rate: This relates to the number of errors or reworks needed, mainly for jobs involving content creation or direct client deliverables.
• Throughput per Team Member: This measures how much work is completed by a person within a specific time period. In a LinkedIn campaign, for instance, I would track ad copy delivered, cycles of approval, and timelines for campaign launch.

2. Health of Engagement and Communication:

• Meeting Participation: Are the team members regularly taking part in stand-ups or strategy calls?
• Response Time: For global teams especially, monitoring response time via Slack or email is a great way to surface disconnects.
• Employee Satisfaction Scores: I track employee satisfaction through quarterly anonymous surveys.
• Number of Feedback Loops Closed: If people are receiving feedback and implementing it, that means that the team members are actively engaging.

3. Alignment with Business Goals:

• Revenue Contribution per Team: Are marketing campaigns, client projects, or product development efforts directly associated with revenue growth?
• Lead Generation and Conversion Rates: For sales and marketing, tracking the number of qualified leads generated and converted ensures remote team efforts are paying off.
• Customer Retention: This KPI often reflects how well remote teams deliver consistent quality and service. For our private equity client, I tracked how our LinkedIn campaigns drove qualified leads into their funnel. Aligning team goals with these KPIs increased conversion rates by 30% in two quarters.

4. Team Development and Retention Scaling:

• Employee Retention Rate: A lower turnover rate signals strong remote culture and effective leadership.
• Upskilling Metrics: How many team members learned new skills or took up new responsibilities in the last quarter?
• Promotion Rates: Are interns or junior staff advancing within the company? For example, one of our interns, who showed potential in PPC and had no technical experience in 2023, went through training sessions and was promoted to the full manager of campaigns.

Burnout is a real concern for remote workers. How do you prioritize the well-being of your team members and create a sustainable work environment?

I remind them that taking a 5- to 10-minute breather between tasks is good for recharging. We set deadlines, not rigid schedules. If someone's best work gets done at 6 a.m., or they need a mid-afternoon break for the gym or family time, they have that freedom. Team members can take mental health days without needing to justify them beyond "I need this." After a high-stakes campaign launch, one of our content leads confessed to being drained.

I suggested taking a few days off to recharge. They returned more creative, energized, and appreciative of the company's support. Lately, I implemented a rule: Slack notifications go silent outside of defined work hours or when someone is on holiday. No pings at midnight or during weekends unless it's truly urgent. I feel it's going better. I did already tell you about "Anonymous pulse surveys." These let team members highlight concerns without judgment, providing me insight into the sentiment of the team. I very openly discuss my own challenges with burnout and how I manage them, modeling the behavior to be replicated within my team.

If I encourage breaks, I take them too. If I set Slack boundaries, I follow them. One Friday, I let the team know that I was taking a break from my desk to take my son to the park. It told everyone that taking time for family or personal reasons is not only acceptable but necessary.

Looking ahead, what are some emerging trends or technologies that you believe will shape the future of remote work and team management?

The future of remote work is getting both smarter and more human. AI will do a lot of the routine work for you, such as summarizing meetings, spotting bottlenecks, and even suggesting who should handle certain tasks. But the real difference will be in how we manage our teams. People are tired of being tracked by their keystrokes; they want to be judged by what they create, not by how much time they spend staring at their screen.

Other strong trends include asynchronous work. Goodbye to endless Zoom meetings, and hello to tools like Loom and Notion, making meaningful work possible without the headache of scheduling across time zones. While AI certainly holds center stage, we really shouldn't allow our attention to divert from virtual reality. A few years from now, we might be brainstorming with our team in virtual rooms, moving the posts around as if we were there in person.

Burnout is real, and only the companies that make it through will be those that bake wellness into their cultural DNA. Technology may be important, but only the teams that can remain truly human will be the ones that rise to the top.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and expertise. Is there anything else you'd like to add?

If you're a chief executive officer or leader trying to start or scale a remote team, let me tell it to you straight: the tools and the processes are very important, but they can't save you if your culture is broken. What makes it work is trust, clarity, and a team that's actually excited to show up—even if it's just on Zoom.

That's why I wrote "From Interns to A-Players: A Playbook for Remote Bosses." It's not some generic "team-building" book, but full of lessons learned, detailed frameworks, and exact strategies I've used to create high-performing teams across different time zones. And if you’ve ever wished your interns would stop asking, “What’s next?” and start taking ownership of their tasks like professionals, this book is for you. So, keep an eye out; it’s dropping soon. Until next time, don’t forget: a great team is like a strong Wi-Fi signal—stable, reliable, and worth investing in.