Remote work didn’t just change where we work; it completely changed how companies attract, assess, and retain talent.
In this episode of Freedom of Work, Leah Cottham is joined by Gina Sapién, startup marketer and founder of The Remote Marketer, to unpack why traditional employer branding no longer works in a remote-first world, and what needs to change.
With over 10 years of experience across SaaS, HR tech, and global hiring, including leading social media at a VC-backed hiring platform, Gina now helps marketers go remote and startups build employer brands that candidates actually trust.
Before remote work, culture lived in physical spaces: offices, perks, and proximity. Post-pandemic, all of that disappeared. What’s left is how companies show up digitally, how leaders communicate publicly, how employees talk about their work, and how candidates experience the hiring process. That visibility has fundamentally changed how trust is built.
Gina introduces her 3-layer employer branding framework, exploring:
- Why people don’t join logos anymore, they join cultures they trust
- The difference between marketing a product and marketing a workplace
- How your digital footprint has replaced the office tour for candidates
- Why silence from employees is one of the biggest red flags
- Brand control vs brand empowerment, and why control kills authenticity
- How personal branding is becoming the new currency in global, remote hiring
The conversation also dives into why employer branding shouldn’t sit solely with HR or marketing. Instead, it needs shared ownership across leadership, people teams, and employees, especially in distributed companies where every touchpoint shapes perception.
If you’re building, scaling, or hiring for a remote or global team, this episode offers practical frameworks and sharp insights to help you move beyond surface-level employer branding and build something candidates can genuinely believe in.
