Mike Lewis, the founder of When to Jump, shares his thoughts on the four people that you need to meet while working and traveling the world.
This time four years ago, I packed my life into a suitcase, sold everything else I owned, closed the door of my office cubicle, and headed to New Zealand on a one way ticket. My goal: to chase down a dream, to stay connected and “in the loop” with my professional life while traveling the world.
It’s everywhere: saturated across our news feeds are filtered photo scrolls and LinkedIn updates of wonderful, glamorous tales of leaving the office and successfully taking work on the road. You’ve seen it - the laptops at the counter of an artisan bakery in Bali, or the ease at which we can grab WiFi at the patio of a farm to table cafe in East London.
As someone who took the jump, I can tell you that these tales are true - working and living on the road is life-changing. But, as I’m now on the other side of completing a work and travel experience, I’ve learned a few key things that I wish I knew before I left.
What I’ve learned came from other “jumpers” I met while on the road - people who took a risk to do things like work and live remotely. These people and their stories are what formed the beginnings of what is now When to Jump, a global community I founded that brings together the stories, people, and ideas relating to leaving something comfortable to pursue a passion. (Our story is told in 150 seconds here.)
Today, When to Jump has reached millions through our email newsletter and weekly podcast, recent international book release, and annual member festival called Jump Club. And from all the stories I’ve been lucky enough to collect and curate as I build WTJ, I keep coming back to what I wish I knew: the four types of people that any soon-to-be-jumper should meet before he or she goes to work remotely.
So wherever you are in your preparations to work remotely, add these four people to your list of who to meet before you jump:
No jump is ever made alone - and these four folks will help you make your move to working remotely more than if you were to try to go at it alone. Meet them on your own, or with me and jumpers from around the world, at Jump Club this fall. If I can be helpful, reach out. But no matter what you do, be sure these core four types of people are in your corner before you make the jump.
Mike is the founder of When to Jump. A bit about their upcoming event: Jump Club is one part farmers market, music festival, and ideas festival, bringing together entertainers, keynotes, chefs, makers, creatives, and people aiming to make a jump in one place, for one weekend. This year Jump Club Boston takes place Sept 7-8th, and friends of Remote Year e-mail list can use RYVIP as a code for 10% off tickets our All-Access regular admission passes before they sell out.