Life In A Backpack | Newsletter

14 years ago, I was making $38,000 a year.

In 2023, I 10Xed that revenue.

How did I get there?

I bet on myself.

I spent 6 years working at a 9-5.

And my job wasn't easy.

I arrived every day at 4:00 in the morning.

To add insult to injury, I didn't drink coffee at this time in my life either. Woof.

The bulk of my job wasn't conducted in my native language. I collaborated with international team members mostly in Russian.

I was also simultaneously getting my advanced degree to learn more about curriculum design and foreign language to further my skills.

All for $38,000 and only 2 weeks paid vacation.

Don't get me wrong.

There were many things I loved about my job. I love foreign language learning, teaching, instructional design, writing (duh), course creation, and speaking.

But, I also longed for freedom: financial freedom, freedom to roam the world, and freedom to pick my own schedule.

So, I quit my job.

I didn't have a job lined up (not the best idea). But I did have skills.

I could write. I knew a lot about marketing. And, I'm self-motivated AF.

I immediately started building my own freelance business.

And, double-time don't get me wrong.

I didn't 10X my salary in 5 minutes or even 5 years.

It's been incredibly challenging to grow as an individual entrepreneur.

There have been A LOT of growing pains.

But, here's the thing.

It's hard to build a business. But it's also hard to give your everything to a company and not have them value you, your time, or your financial goals.

For me, freelancing has been the path to freedom.

It's infinitely scalable. I'm always finding new ways to monetize my value.

it's also flexible. There are many freelancers who poo-poo the idea that freelancing = flexibility.

I'm not one of them. It doesn't mean that I don't have to work. But it does mean I get to choose when and where I work.

And I do choose.

I worked when my babies took naps (not easy) so I could be with them when they were awake.

I've worked on airplanes. Hotel lobbies. Friends's houses. Bounce house gyms (not ideal). Cafes with beach views (ideal). From my car (which is why I go to a chiropractor). You name it—I've worked there.

I've also traveled extensively. Alone. With friends. With my spouse. With my family.

I cannot tell you how cooped up I was at a 9-5. This girl was meant to roam and, thankfully, this career affords me that luxury.

This year, I've been slow traveling in Greece and Mexico with my family and it's been a dream.

Building a life where my business fits in a backpack is a dream.

It's not for everyone.

But if it sounds like it might be for you, I'd love to share my story with you.

I'm sharing my story in my new newsletter, and I'd love for you to follow along.

Hopefully, it will inspire you to bet on yourself too.