How ManageFlitter’s CEO & founder Kevin Garber gets success with his global virtual team
Virtual Success Show
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Episode breakdown
In this episode, kevin garber, ceo & founder of manageflitter shares some great insights into his own personal journey with virtual teams, including the benefits of tapping into global talent pools vs local talent pools.
After developing manageflitter to satisfy a need of his own, kevin has grown a highly successful company that has been built on the notion of ‘the quality of your team is everything!’.
- The quality of your team determines so much about the success of your company
- Why communication is so important, both written and face-to-face, within a virtual team
- Don’t make assumptions when it comes to ‘thinking’ you know what someone else wants or needs
- Sourcing the right people for your team and ensuring they are a good fit, both for the job and the culture of your team
The quality of your team is everything.
In this episode
00:00 - Introduction
Barbara and Matt welcome Kevin Garber, CEO of ManageFlitter and host of the It’s a Monkey Podcast, to discuss virtual teams. They explore insights into managing global vs. local talent and the benefits of virtual collaboration. Kevin also introduces ManageFlitter, a tool Barbara is currently trialing, promising a deeper dive into its value and story.
Barbara expresses optimism for the outsourcing industry, expecting remote work and AI adoption to continue rising. She sees offshore staffing as a no-brainer, especially as businesses seek cost-saving strategies during economic downturns.
01:50 – What is ManageFlitter?
Kevin explains that ManageFlitter is a Twitter management tool helping users clean, grow, and optimize their accounts. Initially built for personal use, it launched in 2010, gained traction globally, and evolved with customer feedback. Despite changing social media APIs, the team stayed small, self-funded, and focused. Word-of-mouth marketing drove success, and the product remains active and evolving.
05:48 – Building the team
Kevin describes how the team grew beyond just him and his co-founder, with a few Sydney-based developers and some agency staff splitting time between roles. They later added remote team members in South Africa and the U.S. He emphasizes the value of hiring “rough diamonds”—undervalued talent—highlighting the flexibility and creativity small businesses can apply in team-building.
07:36 – The quality of your team is everything
Kevin emphasizes that building and leading a remote team successfully boils down to one core truth: team quality is everything. He compares it to personal relationships—good people and strong dynamics matter more than perks. Many prefer working for smaller companies, and when you foster collaboration and mutual support, even without fancy offices, the right team can thrive and drive success.
Barbara expresses optimism for the outsourcing industry, expecting remote work and AI adoption to continue rising. She sees offshore staffing as a no-brainer, especially as businesses seek cost-saving strategies during economic downturns.
09:20 – How to keep your team connected
Kevin shares how his 15-person global team stays connected through weekly all-hands meetings (with rotating times), regular one-on-ones, a fun Slack channel, and plans for annual in-person meetups. He stresses the importance of making remote team members feel valued, not just like resources. Barbara highlights Kevin’s strong commitment to fostering communication and team connection as a founder.
12:19 – Keeping the communication complete
Kevin emphasizes that strong, organized, and intentional communication is crucial for remote teams. Without in-person interaction, clear and timely messaging is essential. He also notes that their shift to a distributed model was driven by necessity—Sydney’s limited talent pool forced them to look globally, without compromising on quality.
13:32 – Be clear in your communications
Barbara and Matt discuss how strong communication is essential in all teams, not just virtual ones. Matt highlights that vague communication often leads to confusion and inefficiency. He agrees with Kevin’s point about the need for clarity and even over-communication. They stress the importance of eliminating assumptions and ensuring messages are complete, specific, and fully understood.
15:08 – Eradicate assumptions
Kevin stresses the importance of identifying and challenging assumptions to avoid miscommunication. He encourages team members to clarify vague terms and reread messages for clarity. With asynchronous workflows, multiple time zones, and team members with varying English proficiency, he highlights how even small misunderstandings can waste time or cause serious issues—making precise, clear communication absolutely essential.
16:54 – Bringing new team members onboard
Kevin emphasizes the importance of thoughtful onboarding, especially in distributed teams. He highlights the need to build confidence early, as top tech talent often has multiple job offers. Effective onboarding includes clear communication, well-organized Slack channels, regular check-ins, and making new hires feel valued. In distributed setups, strong early engagement and visible structure are key to retention and success.
19:00 – Guidelines around communication
Kevin explains their communication guidelines: daily updates are posted in a Slack channel to keep everyone informed, creating a virtual “daily huddle.” Video calls are used for catch-ups and stand-ups. While there aren’t strict rules, team commitment to remote work and meeting halfway is crucial. Barbara loves the daily Slack update idea as a virtual team management tool.
21:32 – Sourcing the right people
Kevin sources people through specialized remote job websites, tech-focused recruiters, personal connections from conferences and social settings, and remains proactive in team building and risk management. He acknowledges the ongoing talent war affects startups and big companies alike, so he uses every possible channel to build and maintain a strong team.
23:02 – Incentivizing your team
Kevin and Barbara discuss talent retention beyond salary. They agree paying market rate is essential, but overpaying can cause issues and attract money-driven hires. Fulfillment, growth, and fitting roles to employees’ strengths matter more. Small businesses face challenges as employees may outgrow roles, making communication and self-reflection key to managing transitions and maintaining a motivated team.
25:46 – Offering your team flexibility
Kevin highlights that flexibility is the top reason employees love working at his company. Offering a distributed team and allowing time and location flexibility boosts morale and makes employees feel valued. Small freedoms, like working from a café or choosing projects, foster a more human, satisfying work environment—something many businesses overlook but is highly appreciated by teams.
27:20 – Wrapping things up
Matt and Barbara thank Kevin for his valuable insights, emphasizing the crucial role of communication in both virtual and local teams. Kevin shares his theory that people communicate about 30% less than they think, urging increased effort. He invites listeners to connect with him on social media for questions. The hosts also recommend the ManageFlitter tool and wrap up the show warmly.
