The distributed company, decoded
Inside the systems behind the work.
Source-backed research on how companies communicate, plan, and make decisions.
Built for founders. Grounded in sources.
Go beyond the org chart. Explore the decisions, routines, and tradeoffs behind each company.
GitLab reported approximately 2,580 team members in 60 countries as of January 31, 2026. Its public handbook supports an all-remote company through written context, named decision owners, and deliberate choices between async and synchronous work.
37signals built the definitive async operating system — 6-week cycles, zero full-time managers, and 98% of all communication in one tool.
Todoist, formerly Doist, has 108 team members across 38 countries. Its async-first model combines written communication, DO planning squads, a public handbook and deliberate recurring meetings.
How it works. Where it breaks.
What founders can take away.
Alex helps leadership teams design how they plan, communicate, and make decisions.
Work with Alex
