Building a Global Remote Team Through Online Communities

For a small consulting firm, hiring through professional networks can keep recruiting costs down while widening the pool of potential talent. MVRK, a CRM strategy and implementation agency, now has seven team members in six countries. Its founder, Vuk Stajic, says he found each of them himself, without paying for job ads or recruiter fees.

The team’s geography reflects the model: none of its members live in the three countries where the agency mainly does business—the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Stajic’s experience points to a practical option for service businesses whose work can be delivered remotely: meet candidates in the online communities where they already exchange expertise, then assess fit through a structured process.

That approach isn’t a universal hiring formula. It takes time to build relationships, and location still matters when a role requires in-person work. But for a small firm seeking specialized skills across borders, a narrow local search can leave qualified candidates out of reach.

Growth created a staffing decision

Stajic spent the first three years of his business operating alone. As client demand grew, he faced a choice: turn away clients he enjoyed working with or find help to serve them. He chose to hire, beginning with a connection he had made through a client project.

That project involved building a Salesforce CRM system for a Philippines-based recruitment agency that staffed talent in North America. When Stajic needed his first team member, he described the role’s requirements to the agency, which introduced candidates. He selected one person who has remained on the team.

The first hire came through an intermediary, and Stajic says he supports the agency model. It gave him a way to find candidates when he was building a team for the first time. Later, the worker wanted to continue the relationship directly, and the two did so.

For business owners considering a similar change, Stajic flags a practical detail: check any terms agreed with the recruiting agency before moving a working relationship outside it. The episode also shaped his view of recruitment fees. Agencies can help fill roles, but the middleman may not add enough value to justify relying on that channel for every hire.

Find candidates where they share their work

Stajic’s later hires came through online communities, with Reddit as one source. These forums can bring together people with specific professional interests, including candidates who might not see a conventional job posting. A business owner can also participate directly, learn how people approach their work and build familiarity before discussing a role.

The cost advantage is straightforward: Stajic says he hasn’t spent money on job advertising or recruiter fees to find his team. The tradeoff is time and effort. Hiring directly means the owner has to identify relevant communities, follow their rules, communicate clearly and review applications. A free channel still requires a process.

Stajic’s method starts with a post in a community relevant to the role. Rather than asking candidates to send resumes, he directs interested people to an intake form with questions designed to help assess their fit. The responses give him an initial basis for deciding whom to invite to an interview.

That design keeps the first screening step focused on information the hiring manager has chosen to collect. It also gives candidates a clear route to express interest. Stajic emphasizes following each community’s rules when posting; that matters because a recruitment message that ignores local norms can undermine the relationship-building the channel is meant to support.

Use a trial period to assess the working relationship

After the form, Stajic follows a standard vetting process and interviews promising candidates. For people who appear suitable, he uses extended initial-term contracts. In his account, these agreements give both sides time to see whether the work and collaboration are effective, with a defined way to end the arrangement if they aren’t.

That step addresses a different risk from candidate discovery. A strong application or interview doesn’t establish how well someone will work with a small, distributed team. A longer initial engagement can provide more evidence before either side commits to a continuing relationship.

The process also requires the owner to be clear about role expectations and how performance will be assessed. The source doesn’t provide specific contract terms, evaluation measures or hiring timelines, so the details will vary by business and role. Its central point is more limited: recruiting through a community is only the first stage; direct vetting and an initial working period help determine whether a match holds up in practice.

A broader talent pool, with owner-led recruiting

Stajic’s team shows how a small agency can operate across borders while serving clients concentrated in other markets. For work that can be done remotely, searching only within commuting distance may restrict the available pool without improving the match. Online groups offer another way to meet candidates, especially when they’re organized around a particular field or skill set.

Still, the approach shifts the work from an agency to the business owner. The owner must build a presence, write a useful post, screen applicants and manage interviews. That can make sense for a solopreneur who wants direct contact with candidates and is prepared to spend time on the search. A recruiter may remain a better fit when speed, volume or specialized hiring support matters more than avoiding a fee.

For MVRK, community-based discovery helped build a seven-person team spread across six countries. The useful takeaway for other service firms is that recruiting costs are only one part of the decision. The stronger test is whether a hiring channel consistently connects the business with capable people and whether its screening process can turn those introductions into effective working relationships.

As remote work expands the places a firm can search, the advantage will go to owners who can pair a wider candidate pool with disciplined selection. Online communities can open the door; the quality of the hiring process determines what comes next.