This blog post is based on the original 2012 white paper which got BrainGu off the ground. It was submitted to the DOJ to demonstrate our ability to execute on government contracts with a hybrid approach.
We pair on-site, cleared staff who serve as integrators, and provide technical leadership to off-site staff. Unlike some companies, ‘off-site’ does not mean ‘off-shore’. All BrainGu employees are U.S. based, and U.S. citizens. These off-site staff serve as the workhorse development groups being remote-first.
What does this mean for our customers?
Government customers require the capability to scale agile solutions to meet their growing cyber threats, intelligence analysis, and knowledge management concerns. Traditionally, this has been limited to: hiring on-site, cleared personnel to satisfy tool development and integration needs. However, the federal government’s continually growing need for qualified, cleared talent concentrated in the metro DC area has outstripped the market’s ability to provide staff with the requisite skill and experience. This has led to operationally unacceptable wait times, costs, and lackluster performance.
Enter, BrainGu. To alleviate this issue we paired on-site technical leadership with off-site development groups in order to realize the potential of a larger talent pool without sacrificing the cohesion provided by on-site staff familiar with the needs of the mission. Benefits of this approach include reduced lead time on qualified staffing and potential cost savings. We help our customers tap into the benefits of a broader, technically diverse talent pool and develop advanced solutions to address complex problems.
What does this mean for our employees?
It means a lot of different things for a lot of different people.
Job Creation
As a small business with its roots in Grand Rapids, MI without a remote-first approach our ability to impact the job market would’ve been limited to our wonderful city. We also would be limited in reaching customers. However, by being remote-first, our community can be nationwide as we hire from and create jobs across the entire United States. We have the freedom to operate out of an untapped tech hub here in Grand Rapids, MI while still treating the entire United States as our community. Meaning, new hires don’t have to move and leave the comforts of wherever they call home just to come work with us.
Job Flexibility
Long before the pandemic, BrainGu saw the benefits of providing our employees with job flexibility. We’ve had the technology, and resources to collaborate with our customers, and co-workers, no matter where they live or in which timezone. So why should we limit ourselves to a small geographic area to pool talent from?
Employees are welcome to work wherever they prefer. This could be in one of our collaborative WeWork locations, our building in Grand Rapids, their homes, a favorite coffee shop, or the beach. We value our employees feeling comfortable and safe.
Personal Flexibility
One of the great benefits of remote work is it becomes far easier to achieve a work-life balance. We understand that you need to make lunch for your kids, run a quick errand, or go to a doctor's appointment, and you shouldn’t have to take PTO to do any of those things. PTO is for vacation, not because you need to go to your annual physical. Our remote-first philosophy removes the added stress of trying to manage all of your personal life appointments after hours only.
Leadership Manifesto Part 1 Be more than a Manager, be a Leader
There is an often misunderstood distinction between 'managers' and 'leaders,' which I hope to address here. Simply put: Managers tell while Leaders inspire. In this document, I will walk through some of the patterns and anti-patterns of leadership.
Leadership Manifesto Part 2 To be a true leader, you need to communicate
Effective communication starts with active listening. Modern American conversation patterns often have people formulating their response or next statement while the other party is talking.
One on One Meeting Best Practices
We expect a lot of our people and put them into high-pressure situations. So it’s key to establish a solid and consistent line of communication with each member. Team members value the time and opportunity to offer thoughts, ask questions, and connect in a non-tasking way.