Remote by Design: How Henny Vogt is Rewriting Global Sales Leadership and Scaling Culture Across Borders

Meet Henriette Vogt, better known as Henny: a powerhouse in remote sales leadership, currently leading Sales Development at Remote, the global Employer of Record (EOR) that’s rewriting the future of global work. With years of experience spanning high-growth SaaS, community-driven empowerment, and remote-first innovation, Henny has built and scaled teams that thrive across borders.

In this exclusive feature, we dive deep into her vision for the future of remote hiring, inclusive sales leadership, community-powered growth, and the tools redefining global team performance. Whether you’re building a remote-first team, navigating the shifting tides of GTM, or trying to retain top talent post-Great Resignation, this is your blueprint for staying two steps ahead in the new world of work.

Expect practical strategies, empowering insights for women in sales, and a behind-the-scenes look into how Remote is helping freelancers and global businesses unlock borderless potential.

Henny, your journey in sales and leadership has been impressive, especially as Sales Development Leader at Remote. Could you share more about your career path and what drew you to the sales and SaaS industry, specifically in a remote-first environment?

Back in 2012, I graduated high school planning to become a dentist. Over a decade later, life has taken me in a completely different direction. Instead of pulling teeth, I’ve been exploring the world and building a career in tech.

My tech journey began as an intern at SAP, where I quickly developed a passion for the SaaS industry. I then pursued a Master’s at Trinity College Dublin and joined LinkedIn as an SDR. After being impacted by Covid layoffs, I moved to a Dutch start-up as an AE, where I also began my leadership journey. While I valued the experience, I realized I craved more freedom than the office could offer. After a sabbatical spent traveling the world and some self-reflection on what I’d like my life to look like next, I reentered the tech world and joined my dream company: Remote.

Best Remote Hiring Strategies

What are the most effective strategies for attracting top talent in remote-first companies? How do businesses ensure diversity and inclusivity in their teams?

Attracting top talent in remote-first companies starts with authenticity. Hiring is a lot like dating - you need a strong employer brand, but if you're not genuine, the relationship won’t last. That’s why transparency about your culture, values, and expectations is key.

In every interview, I ask: “Why Remote?” The answer reveals a lot. If someone only talks about working from home, they may want a remote job but not a job at Remote. We’re looking for people who connect with our mission, not just the flexibility. Hiring is nuanced, and the right fit goes both ways. If you know who you are and what you stand for, you’ll attract people who share those values. 

Diversity and inclusion start with intentional hiring - from recruitment to the final offer. It means looking beyond qualifications to value different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Building inclusive teams takes ongoing awareness of unconscious bias, which is why I work closely with our talent acquisition team to get it right.

The Future of Remote Work and Hiring

How do you envision the future of remote hiring evolving over the next 3-5 years, particularly with the ongoing expansion of global talent pools?

While I’ve noticed the "return to office" trend among some friends and former colleagues, remote work is here to stay. The growing skill gap, particularly in Europe, remains a challenge that RTO won’t solve. Companies that embrace remote work and tap into global talent pools will have a competitive edge. To drive growth and success, hiring globally is, and will remain, crucial for most businesses. 

Global Contracting and EOR Solutions

With the increasing trend of global contracting and using Employer of Record (EOR) services, how do you think businesses can leverage these solutions to scale their teams effectively while ensuring compliance and maintaining company culture?

Global contracting and EOR solutions are game-changers for scaling internationally. They let companies tap into global talent, enter new markets faster, and stay compliant without the headache of managing HR, payroll, or taxes in every country. At Remote, we help businesses navigate this process and make global hiring easier.

That said, while compliance and speed are big wins, keeping company culture intact is just as crucial. To do that, businesses need to invest in onboarding, communication, and inclusion that ensure remote employees feel as valued and connected as in-office teams. Used right, EORs aren’t just a workaround - they’re a strategic tool for building diverse, high-performing teams with confidence.

Company Culture in Remote Teams

How do remote-first businesses cultivate and nurture strong company cultures that keep employees motivated and aligned with company values?

Cultivating strong company culture in remote-first businesses requires intentional effort. While speed and compliance matter, maintaining a consistent cultural experience is key. This starts with a solid onboarding process, transparent communication, and initiatives that promote inclusion and cross-cultural collaboration, ensuring all employees feel valued.

At Remote, cultural fit is central to hiring. Every interview includes a cultural check, and we’ve introduced a “bar raiser” interview focused on value alignment. We seek candidates who share our vision and values - care, transparency, innovation, intensity and excellence. It’s about living our values and ensuring they resonate across the organization.

Mission-Driven Leadership

How does mission-driven leadership influence team performance, growth, and alignment with company culture, especially in a remote-first setting?

Leaders who genuinely embody the company’s values and mission inspire their teams to do the same, driving higher engagement and performance. In a remote environment, where employees may feel disconnected, this alignment is crucial for maintaining focus and motivation.

Leaders who live the mission create trust, transparency, and a culture of accountability, empowering teams to take ownership and collaborate effectively. In a remote-first setup, where communication is often asynchronous, mission-driven leadership helps keep everyone aligned with the company’s goals, ensuring growth and innovation. Ultimately, leaders who are deeply connected to the company’s mission build stronger, more cohesive teams, even from afar.

Retaining Top Talent

What innovative strategies or tools have you found successful for retaining top talent, particularly in remote or hybrid environments?

Retaining top talent, whether remote, hybrid, or in-office, comes down to one key strategy: providing clear growth opportunities and fair compensation. Top performers need to see a clear path for advancement and feel valued for their contributions. This is crucial for long-term retention. In remote and hybrid environments, it’s also important to foster a culture of transparency, regular feedback, and recognition to keep employees engaged and motivated.

Empowering Women in Tech (Sales) Roles

You are an advocate for women in tech and sales, and a member of several impactful communities like ‘Women in Sales’ and ‘Women of SaaS’. How have these communities supported your personal and professional growth, and what specific steps can women in sales take to empower each other to succeed in male-dominated industries?

The women in my life have played a big role in shaping my personal and professional journey. When I started in tech, I was lucky to be surrounded by inspiring female leaders. To understand what sets them apart, I wrote my master’s thesis on success factors for women in tech - interviewing many of them reinforced my desire to follow a similar path.

Whenever I’ve felt stuck or misaligned in my career, networks like ‘Women in Sales’ and ‘Women of SaaS’ helped me reconnect with my purpose. Tech sales is still a male-dominated space, but it can be incredibly rewarding for women. Success is measurable, expectations are clear, and the financial upside is real. That’s why I always encourage young women to explore this path. It’s not always easy but it’s a powerful way to launch a career.

Community and Networking for Empowerment

How has your involvement in online professional communities like D2 Collective and Women in Sales Network helped you navigate and thrive in a remote-first world?

One of the hardest parts of remote work is how isolating it can feel at times. Being part of communities like the D2 Collective and Women in Sales has really helped me stay connected with like-minded people. It’s not just about networking - it’s about having a space to share, learn, and feel a sense of belonging.

These communities keep me in the loop with what’s happening in the industry, and I genuinely enjoy meeting new people through them. I often bring colleagues along to events too. What I love most about the D2 Collective is the mix of global and partner events, they’ve helped me grow my network and even find new leads. In a remote-first world, that kind of connection makes a big difference.

Innovative Tools, Workflows, and the Changing GTM Landscape

What innovative tools or workflows have you found most effective for optimizing remote sales team performance? And how do the changes in the Go-To-Market (GTM) landscape impact these strategies?

In a remote sales environment, clarity, visibility, and consistency are key. Tools like Salesforce, Outreach, Nooks, and Clari help us track performance, understand deal momentum, and forecast accurately. We also rely heavily on Slack, Notion, and Loom for async collaboration, ensuring everyone stays aligned without needing constant meetings.

As the GTM landscape evolves - with longer sales cycles, more stakeholders, and buyers being more cautious - sales teams need to be more data-driven and cross-functional. Marketing, product, and sales have to work in sync. That’s where strong workflows and tools come in, to connect insights across the funnel and stay close to the customer journey.

Ultimately, it’s about empowering reps with the right data, reducing noise, and focusing their time where it matters most.

Remote and the Freelancer Economy

With the rise of the gig economy and small teams making big impacts, many professionals are embracing freelance roles: an opportunity that’s increasingly growing due to today’s shifting job market, mass layoffs, and Return to Office policies.

How do you see Remote facilitating the growth of the freelancer economy, and what role does it play in supporting independent professionals as they scale their careers and businesses?

Exploring freelance and independent work is not just a stopgap, but a long-term, empowering career choice. At Remote, we see this shift clearly and are actively supporting it through our Contractor Management solution. We help businesses compliantly hire and pay independent contractors in over 180 countries - without the need to set up local entities. For freelancers, this means they can work with clients globally while getting paid reliably, on time, and in their local currency. We also ensure fair, transparent contracts and access to support when needed.

By removing barriers and simplifying the process for both companies and contractors, we’re proud to play a key role in helping independent professionals scale their careers and build thriving businesses - on their own terms.

Shifts in Company Benefits and Innovative Approaches

What shifts have you observed in company benefits recently, and what innovative benefits do you anticipate emerging, particularly those that enhance employee well-being and engagement?

When evaluating a job offer, it’s important to look beyond salary and consider the full benefits package. Personally, I value things like comprehensive healthcare, paid time off, parental leave, tech equipment, learning budgets, car allowances and especially equity.

Lately, I’ve seen a positive shift toward more personalized, flexible benefits - like coworking stipends, mental health support, and coaching budgets. These reflect a growing focus on employee autonomy and well-being. My advice: always assess and negotiate for the benefits that matter to you - and make sure you actually use them.

Managing Time Zone Differences in Remote Teams

How can organizations effectively manage time zone differences to maintain productivity and team cohesion, particularly when team members are spread across various regions?

I don’t mind where my team is based - as long as they deliver and hit their quotas 😉.

Since we operate in the EMEA region, I do expect availability during local business hours to stay aligned with our prospects and customers. That said, Remote embraces async work for internal collaboration. Tools like Notion, Slack, G Suite, and Loom help us communicate effectively and ensure everyone has access to the same information, no matter the time zone. I'm also a big fan of scheduling messages and emails to keep things organized and respectful of others' work hours.

Overcoming Challenges in Remote Sales Leadership

What are the biggest challenges you’ve faced in leading a remote sales team, and how did you overcome them to ensure continued performance and team cohesion?

Remote work isn’t for everyone. It demands discipline, intrinsic motivation, and the ability to work independently. It can feel isolating at times and requires a high level of transparency and communication.

As a leader, the challenge lies in hiring people who thrive in this environment, coaching those who need support, and, when necessary, making tough decisions if someone isn’t able to adapt. I lead with transparency, directness, and empathy. I set clear expectations, give consistent feedback, and encourage my team to speak up about their workload and capacity.

Since joining Remote, I’ve led several teams, and one recurring challenge is helping people navigate change. But in tech, especially working remotely, you have to get comfortable with change. Embracing that mindset is key to thriving.

But in tech, especially working remotely, you have to get comfortable with change. Embracing that mindset is key to thriving.

Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging in Remote Teams

How do you integrate diversity, inclusion, and belonging into your remote hiring strategies, and how can companies better support women and underrepresented groups in tech and sales?

As a committee member of our Women@Remote Employee Resource Group, I’m passionate about fostering diversity, inclusion, and belonging. We’ve created a safe space for open conversations - ranging from professional growth to personal challenges - with monthly meetups and quarterly events that are open to everyone.

As a hiring manager, I know the biggest impact I can make is on my own team. I take that responsibility seriously, especially during sourcing and interviews. Unconscious bias is real, so I actively work to recognize and challenge mine. I consider gender, race, language skills, nationalities, personality types, and diverse career backgrounds to build an inclusive, well-rounded team.

The key is self-awareness: understanding our biases, embracing differences, and focusing on shared values. At Remote, it's not just about working remotely - we genuinely believe in our mission to create opportunity everywhere, helping companies hire the best talent globally while empowering individuals to build both financial and personal freedom.

Your Favorite Remote Work Destinations

With your experience in the global tech community and remote work, what are some of your favorite remote work destinations? What are the benefits of working abroad, and how do you overcome any challenges to maintain a productive remote work experience?

Working in sales is highly measurable; your performance is defined by your numbers. So, even when I’m remote, productivity is always top of mind. What makes it work for me is the flexibility to choose where I work. I don’t mind putting in extra hours when needed, but I also value the freedom to close my laptop early for a dinner reservation or to explore a new place. It's a give-and-take - I trust my team, and they trust me to deliver, regardless of location.

Some places make remote work easier than others. For example, when I was in Mexico in November 2024, I balanced work in Mexico City with a few vacation days in Isla Holbox. It’s all about being intentional with your time. When choosing a location, the key factors I consider are time zone alignment, reliable internet, consistent power supply, and overall safety.

Since I’m based in Europe and cover the European market, staying within the time zone is ideal. The Canary Islands are a great option: sunny, connected, and full of digital nomads. South Africa is another go-to for time zone alignment and lifestyle. I’ve also seen growing remote work communities in Morocco, Kenya, and Tanzania. Dubai is emerging as a new hub, and classic cities like Amsterdam, Barcelona and Berlin continue to be favorites. Some lesser known remote work favorites of mine are Split, Copenhagen, Milan and Nice. For those willing to flex their schedule, Indonesia and the East Coast of the Americas are great choices too. 

Recent Team Offsite Experience

Henny, could you share any highlights or takeaways from a recent team offsite you've had with your remote team? How do these in-person events contribute to strengthening remote teams, fostering collaboration, and enhancing team performance?

In January 2025, we hosted our very first in-person Sales Kick-Off - and it was epic. We brought together the entire sales org from across Europe to the south of Portugal, and the energy was incredible.

As someone who strongly believes in the power of remote work, I don’t think performance depends on being in an office. But connection and collaboration? Those truly come to life when we meet in person. There’s something uniquely powerful about being able to laugh, brainstorm, and simply be together after only seeing each other through screens.

One of the funniest parts was seeing everyone in 3D for the first time. Realizing that some people are taller (or shorter!) than they appear on video sparked a lot of laughs. We shared great food, great conversations, and built memories that really strengthened our bond as a team.

At the end of the day, a company is only as strong as its people - and at Remote, we’re lucky to have some of the best.

At the end of the day, a company is only as strong as its people - and at Remote, we’re lucky to have some of the best.

Join Henny's High-Performing Remote Sales Team or Discover Tips to Land a Remote Sales Leader Role

For those interested in joining a high-performing remote sales team at Remote, or those curious about how to grow a successful remote-first sales team, how can they get in touch with you?

We’re actively hiring at Remote, so make sure to check out our careers page: https://remote.com/careers

Feel free to connect with me via LinkedIn or reach out to me at henriette.vogt@remote.com 

Are there any roles currently open or tips you'd recommend for those considering remote work in sales or leadership roles?

Yes, there are open roles on my team - so if you’re reading this and interested, let’s connect!

One tip I always share: I’ve never landed a role without first connecting with someone at the company. Whether it’s asking for a referral, gathering more context about the role, or simply reaching out for advice - especially in sales - it’s key to “do the job before you get the job.” That means taking the initiative to find and connect with the recruiter or hiring manager. It not only sets you apart from other candidates but also gives us, as hiring managers, a better sense of your motivation and intent.

Remember, the interview process is a two-way street. You’re in the driver’s seat of your career, so take the lead.

At Remote, we receive over 30,000 applications every month. The competition is high, especially with our global hiring model. If you’re serious about standing out, take the time to understand our company values, do your research, and don’t be afraid to ask for a referral. Initiative goes a long way.

👉 Connect with Henny on LinkedIn Follow Henny for insights on remote sales leadership, inclusive hiring, and building high-performing global teams.

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From spontaneous workations in sun-soaked cities to intentional offsites that reignite team spirit, today’s remote leaders are redefining how, where, and why we connect. Celebrate the freedom of the remote lifestyle while embracing leadership that travels. Balance deep work with real-world reconnection, learn when it’s time to gather, where culture flourishes, and how to create shared moments that last far beyond the Zoom screen.

Catch you on the next wave !