Working remotely doesn’t necessarily mean working from the same seat. SE10 supports its employees regardless of which desk they choose, as long as that trust is reciprocated and clients benefit. For SE10 account manager Jack Porter, this privilege and autonomy has led to increased creativity and a greater appreciation of responsibility, fueled by the experience of changing cultures, countries, and environments.
I began working with the UK branch of SE10 in August 2022, the day after completing a two-week trek across the Dolomite Mountains with a small group of friends. In the space of that fortnight, I had fallen in love with that pocket of Italy, a peculiar amalgam where German is the most spoken language and the décor is decidedly Deutsch (it’s close to Wimbledon champion Jannik Sinner’s home turf, if that is a helpful reference). It was my first ever visit to Italy, the country that has had the most formative influence on my belly, and one of my first occasions of exploring outside of the UK, post-pandemic.
Whilst still trying to find my feet as an SE10 account executive, and my thighs still adjusting to pavements rather than precarious alpine pathways, I was whisked off to Munich to assist with our client Manitowoc’s stand at the bauma trade fair. Within six months, I was being tasked with visiting jobsites across the UK and Ireland, filming and interviewing specialists across the spectrum of industrial machinery and product development. When I was brought on to assist with our client Mediapoint & Exhibitions, my calendar became punctuated with trips to Piacenza, a town midway between Milano and Bologna, for tradeshow support at their exhibition centre. Travel for work became a welcome and fundamental aspect of my role at SE10, and one that I was enthusiastic to embrace as the world re-opened. I was being educated first-hand, with direct contact with the clients and products I was having to research and write about. Being new to industrial PR, I was learning on the job, on the move.
Work, Wi-Fi, and wanderlust
At SE10 I have to communicate digitally with our clients and partners across Europe and liaise with colleagues worldwide, from North America to Southeast Asia, on a near-daily basis, coordinating content creation and media outreach. But instead of being tied to a single office or even a single country, I’ve been allowed by SE10 to take my job on the road.
In three years of being part of the SE10 team, I have now worked from Spain, Portugal, Italy, Belgium, Hungary, Estonia, Norway, Poland, and Ireland. I have even been fortunate to work from Cape Town, South Africa (travelling close to 18 hours to arrive only an hour ahead of the UK!).
A view of Table Mountain on a clear day in Cape Town.
The first thing people usually assume about working remotely from different locations is that it must be distracting, with the exhaustion of travel and the excitement of discovering or rediscovering a place. The truth is, I’ve become more focused and productive than I ever was in a traditional office.
This style of working has been excellent for my health and organisational skills. I am planning and setting schedules and calendars weeks even months in advance and structuring my personal and professional life around key events and responsibilities. I believe it has been important for my sustained productivity and enthusiasm to be part of the SE10 team, and my career has developed from account executive to senior account executive to account manager.
The key reason for this is SE10’s trust. The autonomy has made me more accountable, not less. When you’re responsible for managing your own time and workload, you naturally step up. You plan better, communicate more clearly, and become more resourceful. In fact, I feel more prepared and responsive on a series of ever-changing desks.
From lockdown to language lessons
The privilege of the UK having the playground of Europe was realised by a lot of Brits, particularly in the years during, and since, Brexit and the outbreak of Covid-19. The extended periods of lockdown highlighted how diverse, beautiful, and culturally exhilarating the continent can be, all just a short flight, train or car journey away. In the time of social distancing and restricted travel, this revelation came with the cruel irony of inaccessibility.
In the years since borders re-opened, through my employment with SE10, work-oriented periods in foreign countries have allowed grateful re-immersion. Speaking and communicating in other languages, even if the time spent in a location isn’t extensive, is a real pleasure and challenge, and the smallest courtesy to the native communities assisting on a day-to-day basis. In particular, I have sought to improve my conversational Italian when in the country, enjoying the rhythm, cadence, and expressions of the language. Through this, and meeting new people on the day-to-day, I have become a better communicator and I’m happy to share photos of the different views from the different desks with colleagues. Remote work, in this sense, isn’t isolating, it’s community-building on a global scale.
In addition, with many of our EMEA clients an hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time/British Summer Time, it has meant being in sync with a lot of our collaborators’ schedules. When clients have learnt of my work/life structure, they have often taken an interest, providing recommendations of places to visit and places to avoid! I also appreciate the opportunity remote working affords me to circle back around to catch up with friends and family in my hometown of Manchester, and old and new acquaintances across the UK and Ireland for that matter, without having to take extended time off.
Working from a veranda in Norway.
An alternate algorithm
We are in constant discussion about the role artificial intelligence is playing in our industry and the value of our roles. My personal experience with SE10 has reaffirmed that this debate must return to the one thing that AI cannot replace: the building of, and desire to form and strengthen relationships, to be unsatisfied with a static conglomerate but to seek to talk, discuss and learn from others, particularly those from other countries and cultures. My experience of culture – or more accurately a conveyor belt of culture – has kept me energised, curious, and ready to tackle challenges creatively, personally, and professionally. Clients are not getting someone who’s bored or burnt out – they’re getting someone who’s fulfilled and focused. Remote work has also pushed me toward a more sustainable and intentional lifestyle. I pack light, live minimally, and choose experiences over possessions (although I still can’t keep my book count down – not learning from taking three tomes up and down the Dolomites on my back). I spend more time outdoors, support local businesses, and stay in places that can encourage healthy lifestyles in one way or another. Remote working is a viable, effective, and deeply enriching way to work. SE10 has understood that, and I’m grateful every day for the trust and flexibility they offer. It’s allowed me to build not just a career, but a life full of experiences, personal growth, and professional excellence. It proves that remote working, with the right structure, support, and mindset, is not just possible, it’s transformative. My suitcase is rarely empty (SE10 even generously gifted me a new one for Christmas the year I joined) and that’s just the way I like it.At SE10 our philosophy is simple: a culture of trust and autonomy supports exceptional people to flourish, who in turn, deliver exceptional work. Whether you’re a talented professional looking for a team that values your independence, or a business leader looking for a focused and dedicated agency partner, get in touch. Let’s build something great together.
Jack Porter
Account Manager
About the author
Jack is an account manager based in London, UK, who joined SE10 in 2022, assisting with media coverage and campaign management for European accounts. Arriving from a background in sports writing and video content production, thoughtfulness and consideration in presentation, and networking and building strong client relationships are key skills that have transitioned easily into PR. Jack has extensive experience in interviewing knowledgeable subjects and conveying received information to a wider readership in an understandable, relatable tone.
