Remote First Innovators

Remote First Innovators Podcast is for leaders scaling companies operating outside the normal office convention. The show breaks down the operational engines, tools, workflows, and decisions that drive distributed work at scale. It’s built for those tackling trust, communication and operations across time zones.Conversations feature founders and operators shaping high output remote organizations. Topics range from async workflows and automation to scaling work from home teams and decision-making. Listeners gain a advantage by learning from those leaders who have been there, and overcome remote-first challenges

Remote First Innovators is a business podcast hosted by Robert Phelps and Jake Gump, with 26 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Robert Phelps and Jake Gump hosts Remote First Innovators, a business show with 26 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #126

  Transforming US Healthcare & Remote Work with Technology | Paul McRae | EP 125

  Sep 22, 20261h 34m

  Can you build a successful career, lead distributed teams, and help healthcare organizations use technology more effectively while working remotely? According to Paul McRae, the answer starts with discipline, clear outcomes, strong communication, and the ability to adapt. In this episode of Remote First Innovators, hosts Robert Phelps and Jake Gump sit down with Paul McRae, Founder & CEO of TransformativeHLTH. Paul shares lessons from a career spanning AT&T, VMware, ServiceNow, AWS, healthcare technology, and leadership, as well as his move from the corporate world into fractional CTO work. Discover why remote work requires discipline and accountability, how leaders can manage different generations, why outcomes matter more than hours worked, and how technology can help healthcare organizations operate more effectively. Paul also explains how AI, cloud technology, data, and fractional leadership are changing the way healthcare organizations think about technology and operations. In this episode you'll learn: ✔ Why discipline and accountability are essential for remote work ✔ How leaders can manage remote teams around clear outcomes ✔ Why understanding each employee's motivation matters ✔ How different generations approach work and flexibility ✔ Why remote leaders need structured communication and regular check-ins ✔ How technology can improve healthcare operations ✔ Why healthcare organizations need to connect clinical and operational data ✔ How AI can automate and support healthcare workflows ✔ Why the fractional CTO model is becoming more valuable ✔ How Paul connects business needs with practical technology solutions Whether you're a startup founder, remote team leader, healthcare executive, technology leader, entrepreneur, or business owner, this conversation is packed with practical insights on remote leadership, healthcare technology, and building better systems. If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to Like, Subscribe, and share it with another entrepreneur, remote leader, or healthcare innovator. #RemoteWork #Healthcare #Leadership #HealthcareTechnology #RemoteTeams #HealthTech #FractionalCTO #AI #DigitalTransformation #Entrepreneurship

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  Episode #125

  How VR & AI Are Transforming Remote Work, Training & Enterprise Operations | Devin Marble | EP 124

  Sep 15, 20261h 25m

  What happens when a Hollywood TV producer becomes a paramedic, nearly goes to medical school, and ultimately helps some of the world’s biggest companies deploy VR, AR, and smart glasses? In this episode of Remote First Innovators, Devin Marble shares an incredible career journey—from working in Hollywood on shows like Project Runway to emergency medicine, digital education, and enterprise technology. Today, Devin works in enterprise growth at ArborXR, helping organizations deploy and manage VR headsets, AR devices, and smart glasses at scale. We dive deep into how emerging technology is changing employee training, remote work, onboarding, safety, and frontline operations. In this conversation, we explore: • Devin’s unconventional journey from Hollywood to emergency medicine and technology • How COVID accelerated digital and remote education • How VR helped transform paramedic training • Why Devin chose technology over medical school • How he went from earning $15.55/hour to building a six-figure remote career • How large companies like Amazon, Walmart, and Delta can deploy thousands of VR devices • How enterprise VR platforms manage devices, software, authentication, and analytics • Why VR can accelerate employee training and time to competency • How AI-powered smart glasses can become a “wingman” for frontline workers • How guided workflow can turn company SOPs into real-time instructions • Using AI and smart glasses to capture knowledge and create SOPs • The role of VR and AR in safety, manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and aviation • Why the right technology matters more than simply adopting new technology • Security, compliance, privacy, and enterprise device management • How emerging technology can support remote and distributed teams • Devin’s lessons on career changes, persistence, self-education, and knowing your value • Why “the squeaky wheel gets the grease” when building your career One of the biggest takeaways from this conversation is that the future of work isn't necessarily about replacing people with technology. It's about giving people better tools to do their jobs faster, safer, and with more confidence. From immersive training to AI-powered smart glasses and guided workflows, the technology is moving from science fiction into everyday enterprise operations. Guest: Devin Marble Role: Enterprise Growth, ArborXR Topics: VR, AR, AI, Smart Glasses, Remote Work, Enterprise Technology, Employee Training, Digital Transformation, Guided Workflow, Device Management, Cybersecurity & Compliance Subscribe to Remote First Innovators for conversations with leaders building and scaling companies for the modern world. #RemoteWork #VirtualReality #AugmentedReality #ArtificialIntelligence #SmartGlasses #FutureOfWork #EnterpriseTechnology #DigitalTransformation #EmployeeTraining #RemoteFirst

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  Episode #124

  Revolutionizing Medical Practices & US Healthcare with Remote Technology | EP 123

  Sep 8, 20261h 23m

  Can you fix the U.S. healthcare system while leading a fully remote team? According to Bhargav Raman, the answer is yes, but only if you build mission alignment, strong systems, and access to the right information. In this episode of Remote First Innovators, hosts Robert Phelps and Jake Gump sit down with Bhargav Raman, Cofounder, Clinical Strategy & Analytics at Ten Ten Ten. Bhargav shares how his path from radiology and startups led him to build remote teams and launch a nonprofit focused on improving the U.S. healthcare system. Discover why mission alignment matters for remote teams, how the right tools help companies scale, why access to information improves decisions, and how Bhargav is using data, transparency, and first principles to push for change in U.S. healthcare. In this episode you'll learn: ✔ Why mission alignment matters for remote teams ✔ How to scale remote teams with the right systems ✔ Why auditing and oversight become important as teams grow ✔ How to hire and onboard remote employees ✔ Why startups should avoid too many tools early on ✔ How AI is changing software development ✔ Why access to information helps teams make better decisions ✔ How regular one-on-ones improve remote leadership ✔ How price transparency could improve U.S. healthcare ✔ How 10-10-10 aims to drive healthcare reform Whether you're a startup founder, remote team leader, healthcare innovator, entrepreneur, or business owner, this conversation is packed with practical insights on building stronger remote teams and better systems. If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to Like, Subscribe, and share it with another entrepreneur, remote leader, or healthcare innovator. #RemoteWork #Healthcare #Leadership #HealthcareInnovation #RemoteTeams #StartupFounder #HealthTech #CompanyCulture #HealthcareReform #Entrepreneurship

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  Episode #123

  From Hollywood to AI, VR & the Future of Work | Devin Marble | EP 123

  Aug 25, 20261h 26m

  What happens when a Hollywood TV producer becomes a paramedic and eventually helps global companies deploy VR, AR, AI, and smart glasses at scale? In this episode of Remote First Innovators, Devin Marble of ArborXR shares his unconventional journey from Project Runway and emergency medicine to enterprise technology. Discover how VR is transforming employee training, remote work, onboarding, safety, and frontline operations—and how AI-powered smart glasses and guided workflows are giving workers better tools to perform their jobs faster, safer, and with more confidence. We also explore enterprise VR device management, digital education, cybersecurity, compliance, career reinvention, and the future of distributed work. Topics: VR, AR, AI, Smart Glasses, Remote Work, Future of Work, Enterprise Technology, Employee Training, Digital Transformation, Device Management, Cybersecurity, Guided Workflows, Frontline Operations

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  Episode #122

  Mastering Virtual Events: Engagement, Remote Work & the Future of Meetings | Bernie DeSantis | EP 122

  Aug 11, 202656 min

  What makes a virtual meeting or webinar truly effective? In this episode of Remote First Innovators, Bernie DeSantis, President of Insignia Training Partners, shares practical lessons from producing more than 6,000 virtual events. Bernie explains why virtual presentations can't simply copy the format of in-person meetings, how to keep remote audiences engaged, and why thoughtful planning, audience targeting, and the right event format matter. He also discusses virtual event production, Zoom best practices, micro-engagements, remote team meetings, global audiences, AI, Zoom fatigue, remote work productivity, and the future of virtual collaboration. Whether you're a business leader, entrepreneur, speaker, trainer, coach, or remote team manager, this conversation offers actionable insights for creating better virtual experiences and more effective remote meetings. Topics covered: virtual events, webinars, remote work, distributed teams, virtual engagement, Zoom, leadership, AI, remote meetings, workplace productivity, and the future of work.

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