Tulsa Remote participants stay here to collaborate, expand business

Tulsa Remote is celebrating five years this year. It’s the program that offers remote workers at $10,000 grant to live in Tulsa for a year.

Mandi Ford-Argo and Stephanie Cheney moved here from Texas. Claire Tomm moved from much further away.

“I was living in the pandemic in a very chilly Madison, Wisconsin, with two small kids,” she said.

• Previous coverage >>> Tulsa Remote Program celebrates 2,000 participants

They were all searching for change and signed up for Tulsa Remote.
“I was like Tacoma? What is Tulsa? – it wasn’t even on the map for me,” said Tomm.

Little did they know, the women would collaborate and Tulsa would become home.

“Got a bit of our life back because traffic was basically down to nothing,” said Cheney, referencing the notoriously high traffic of Houston.

Cheney, working for Worthwhile Venture Studio , a company dedicated to helping startups, recognized Tulsa’s entrepreneurial spirit. She launched a branch here and brought Tomm and Argo-Ford on board.

“A lot of founders are doing things solo, on their own. They don’t have the background to start a business,” said Argo-Ford. “They’ve got a great idea but don’t have the expertise it takes.”

Dominique Clarke, Director of Member and Alumni Experience, said of the 3,000 members in the Tulsa Remote program — 80-90% have stayed.

“You just come, check it out, and most people want to be a part of it more than before,” said Clarke.

• Previous coverage >>> Tulsa Remote sees major increase in applications during pandemic

Over the years, the benefits for Tulsa Remote members have expanded. Now, upon arrival, participants receive $600 to get their wellness on the right track. The money can be used for anything from therapist appointments to gym memberships.
“People even make fun of me that I talk about it so much,” laughs Cheney. “I should get paid by Tulsa Remote.”

“I call [Tulsa] like a front-yard, front-door culture,” said Tomm. “People open their doors, mingle in the front yard, it’s very easy to make friends.”

With their families planted here, the women are hoping to help business owners successfully stay here, too.

As of December, Tulsa Remote workers have generated more than half a billion dollars in direct employment income for the City of Tulsa.

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