The Coterie Playbook: Running companies from anywhere.

Who this is for & when to use it

This playbook is for founders whose businesses are already remote‑ compatible and who are considering a deliberate move: to a new city, a new country, or simply a more flexible setup. You're not asking "Can I work from a laptop?"—you're asking "Where should I live so my business and life both work better?"

It's written from the perspective of running companies from places like Saigon, captured more narratively in the Saigon Founder Life story and in practical city notes on 3bSaigon.com.

Mental model

Treat location as a lever on three things: runway, focus, and energy.

• Runway: personal and business burn vs. revenue.
• Focus: how much of your day is actually quiet, uninterrupted work.
• Energy: environment, community, and how you feel living there.

The right city or setup is the one that meaningfully improves at least two of those without wrecking the third.

Step‑by‑step process

1. Define your non‑negotiables

Before you pick a place, define what must stay true for your business and life. Examples:

• Reliable internet and workspace.
• Reasonable flight access to key clients or family.
• Budget range for housing and healthcare.
• Visa situation that's tolerable long‑term.

2. Separate personal location from legal/financial base

For many founders, the company can stay incorporated where it already is—what changes is where you personally live. Talk to a competent advisor about:

• Tax residency vs. company registration.
• Banking that works across borders.
• Health insurance that follows you.

This playbook isn't legal advice, but it will help you ask better questions.

3. Design your time‑zone strategy

Time zones are either your biggest headache or your secret weapon. Pick one of two modes:

• Overlap mode: live where you share work hours with most customers/teammates.
• Relay mode: live offset and design work as a “relay race” with async handoffs.

Saigon, for example, works well in relay mode with Europe/North America: deep work while others sleep, then a focused collaboration window in the late afternoon/evening.

4. Create a weekly operating rhythm

A simple weekly template prevents your new life from becoming a blur:

• Fixed blocks for deep work, calls, and admin (and keep them sacred).
• At least one day mostly off screens to actually experience where you live.
• A short weekly review: what worked, what didn't, what to adjust.

Examples of how this plays out in Saigon are covered in the Saigon founder story.

5. Build local infrastructure fast

Treat the first 2–4 weeks like setting up a new office:

• Lock in housing you can stay in for a while.
• Find 1–2 reliable work spots (home, cafe, coworking).
• Set up a local SIM, payment tools, and key apps.
• Meet a few people who aren't just passing through.

The more frictions you remove early, the easier it is to focus on work instead of logistics.

Common failure modes & how to avoid them

• Moving too often. Every new city has a setup tax. Slow down; treat places as bases, not checklists.
• Overworking because you can. Flexibility can blur boundaries. Set work hours.
• Ignoring health and community. Cheap rent doesn't fix loneliness or burnout. Budget time and money for both.

Next actions (7‑day plan)

1. Write down your non‑negotiables for life and business in one page.
2. Shortlist 2–3 possible locations and evaluate them against runway, focus, and energy.
3. Sketch a sample weekly schedule in your preferred time zone setup.
4. If a move is likely, block time to research visas, tax, and practicalities before you commit.

Once you've done at least one move, turn your notes into your own playbook—and consider contributing a story to the Coterie.