How We’ve Kept Culture Strong in a Mostly Remote World

Remote work has its perks—no commute, fewer distractions, more flexibility. But one thing it doesn’t do well by default?

Culture.

You don’t bump into people in the kitchen or get real-time vibes from a meeting room over Zoom. Connection takes effort.

At Intertech, we’ve been mostly remote since COVID. But if you walked into one of our in-person events or joined a daily huddle, you’d never guess it. Why? Because we’ve been intentional about keeping culture alive—and even stronger.

Here’s how:

1. We meet daily. Briefly. On purpose.
Every weekday, we use daily huddles or Agile stand ups. It’s 10 minutes, no fluff. For leadership and management, everyone answers three questions:

  • What did you do yesterday?
  • What are you doing today?
  • Are you stuck?

It keeps communication flowing and accountability strong. Even when people haven’t seen each other in months, they know what’s happening—and who’s crushing it.

2. Monthly meetings with a quarterly twist
Every month, we hold a full-team meeting. It’s online—except for the first month of every quarter. That’s when we bring everyone together in person. These quarterly meetups give us the face time, shared energy, and sense of momentum that Teams just can’t replicate. Online is efficient. In-person is bonding.

3. We don’t take ourselves too seriously
We’ve done:

  • Escape rooms (yes, we made it out)
  • Online Battleship tournaments (intense, hilarious, and surprisingly strategic)
  • BBQ lunches at the office once a month
  • Dart and cornhole tournaments (because why not?)
  • And sometimes we cap it off with a happy hour or poker tournament—right in the office

These aren’t gimmicks. They’re connection points. And when people laugh together, they collaborate better too.

4. One day a month, we come in
We kindly request that everyone visit the office once a month. No mandatory agenda—just time to connect, share a meal, and be in the same room. It’s casual, but intentional. The goal isn’t control—it’s community.

What’s the result?
Our culture hasn’t just survived remote work—it’s evolved. It’s more focused, more human, and more connected than before. Not because we demand it, but because we design for it.

And that’s the real takeaway:
Culture doesn’t need an office. It needs ownership.

standardJuly 15Tom SalonekCommunication

Intertech Launches AI Application Development Course

This one-day interactive course equips intermediate software developers with the knowledge and hands-on experience needed to use Generative AI effectively within the software development lifecycle. Participants will explore practical prompt engineering techniques using GitHub Copilot as the primary interface for interacting with leading LLMs, including ChatGPT, Claude, and others.

Visit the Intertech website to learn more and enroll.

standardJuly 11Tom SalonekAI

What I’ve Learned from Working with Hundreds of CIOs

Over the years, I’ve had the chance to work with hundreds of CIOs—from Fortune 500s to fast-growing mid-market companies. Different industries. Different styles. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this:

CIOs don’t want more tech. They want better outcomes.

They’re not looking to chase trends—they’re trying to solve real business problems. Quickly. Clearly. Without drama.

Here are a few lessons I’ve learned working alongside them:

1. Simplicity beats cleverness
CIOs don’t need consultants to show off. They need partners who simplify, prioritize, and deliver. If you can explain the solution in plain English and connect it to a business objective, you’ll go far.

2. Speed matters—but predictability matters more
Yes, CIOs want fast results. But they’ll take a steady, low-risk rollout over a “hero” team that burns out mid-project. On-time and drama-free often wins the renewal.

3. Trust builds over time—and disappears fast
One missed deadline or dropped ball, and you’re back to square one. But if you consistently deliver (even small wins), you become part of their inner circle. That’s where real partnership lives.

4. Every CIO has a top 3 list
It might not be printed on their whiteboard, but they’re always carrying three priorities—revenue, risk, or roadmap related. If your solution doesn’t map to one of those three? It’s noise.

5. They’re under more pressure than you think
CIOs today are expected to be technologists, strategists, diplomats, and firefighters—all at once. The best thing we can do is make their life easier, not harder.

Bottom line?
CIOs don’t care how brilliant your code is or how advanced your architecture looks. They care about outcomes. Alignment. And trust.

You win with CIOs by listening well, thinking clearly, and delivering consistently.

That’s been true for over 30 years. It’s still true now.

standardJuly 8Tom SalonekIT

Why Simplicity Wins in Software—and in Business

Early in my career, I thought complexity signaled sophistication.
Big words. Big diagrams. Fancy solutions.

But after building software for 30+ years and leading a consulting firm through market swings, tech revolutions, and team transitions, I’ve learned the opposite is true:

Simplicity wins. Every time.

In software:

  • The simple solution ships faster.
  • It’s easier to test, easier to maintain, and easier to explain.
  • Clients understand it. Developers trust it. Users prefer it.

Yes, some problems are inherently complex. But that’s all the more reason not to add layers just to look smart. Good software makes the complex feel simple—not the other way around.

In business:

  • A clear offer converts better.
  • A focused strategy beats a scattered one.
  • Teams move faster when they know exactly what matters.

We’ve said no to “opportunities” that didn’t fit our core business because we know what we’re great at—and more importantly, what we’re not. That clarity creates momentum.

The cost of complexity:

  • Confused customers
  • Overstretched teams
  • Projects that drag on
  • Decisions that never get made

Complexity creeps in when no one’s watching. It takes discipline to say, “This is enough.” Or even better: “This is too much.”

Simple isn’t easy. It’s a choice.
It requires thought, tradeoffs, and a bias for clarity over control.

But when you choose simplicity—whether in an architecture diagram, a process, or a product offering—you gain something far more valuable:

Focus. Velocity. Trust.

standardJune 24Tom SalonekAI

AI Is Great—But It Can’t Think for You

I use AI every day.
It drafts proposals, outlines blog posts, summarizes meetings, and even helps prep for client calls. It saves time, sharpens execution, and makes life easier.

But here’s the mistake I see too many people make:
They expect AI to do the thinking.

It won’t.

AI is fast, but it’s not wise
AI can generate five paragraphs in two seconds. But are they aligned with your strategy? Your client’s goals? Your voice? That still takes human judgment.

Speed without direction is just fast noise.

It doesn’t understand nuance
I’ve asked AI to write content before and thought, “Well… technically, this is fine. But it misses the point.”
Why? Because it doesn’t know what matters most. It doesn’t know your team’s dynamics, your client’s unspoken concerns, or how trust actually works in your industry.

It’s a tool, not a replacement
AI can help you do the work. It can’t decide what work is worth doing. That’s strategy. That’s context. That’s leadership.
It’s like hiring the fastest assistant on earth who still needs clear direction—every single time.

How to use AI the right way:

  • Use it to generate first drafts, not final decisions
  • Let it automate low-value tasks so you can focus on high-value thinking
  • Pair it with your judgment, not your abdication

The real risk isn’t that AI replaces us
The real risk is that we stop thinking, stop leading, and stop learning—because we assume AI will handle it.

It won’t.
It’s here to help. But it still needs you at the helm.

standardJune 17Tom SalonekAI