Launching a Business and Finding Love On The Road: Meet Whitney Bateson

12. Nov. 2021

Group shot

Photo Credit: Dylan Hall

Whitney Bateson was looking for a change. Professionally, Whitney was excited to launch her own web design business for dietitians. Personally, she was looking to step out of her typical routine in Washington DC and perhaps even form a romantic connection along the way. In 2018, Whitney decided to join Remote Year’s 12 month Curie program, where she would spend the next year working remotely in exciting destinations across Latin America, Asia, Europe & Africa. ‍

“It felt reckless to quit your job, start a business, and then also decide to travel the world, all in a span of a couple of months. But I couldn't think of a good reason why I shouldn't.” ‍

As Whitney spent the next 12 months chatting with clients in Lisbon and checking emails in Lima, her business began to take off, she formed connections within the Remote Year community, and even found love. Today we’re sharing Whitney’s life-changing journey to inspire anyone considering making a big change while traveling with Remote Year to take the leap. ‍

“All the hard work was so much more rewarding because I was doing it from beautiful places, I was traveling the world, and I was having a blast.”‍

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Remote working

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Launching a web design business while on Remote Year

Before making the bold decision to launch her own business and travel the world with Remote Year, Whitney worked as a dietitian for a food service management company serving school meals to students in Washington DC. She eventually began working at the national level, and took a more active role in technology and marketing-focused projects. Loving the work, and seeing a need for more of these services in the nutrition field, Whitney was inspired to start her own web design business for dietitians. Whitney spent the next year and a half learning more about branding, web development, and digital marketing, and connected with a business coach to help bring her new business to life.

As her program's start date approached, Whitney began to focus on the practicalities of running a business on the road - figuring out time zones, new work routines, and letting clients know her plans (all of them were very supportive!). In between moments exploring markets in Marrakech and ancient ruins in Mexico city, Whitney worked hard to get her business off the ground, and today has built a thriving enterprise upon the foundations she built while on Remote Year.

“I look back on my Remote Year experience, and I can remember where I was in my business in relation to where I was in the world.”

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Participants spotlight

Photo Credit: Dylan Hall

‍Leveraging the Remote Year Network

In addition to her clients, Whitney also found support from her fellow Remote Year program participants.

Peer Mentorship

“It was great being able to tap into all these different other perspectives. From both a work standpoint and personally, it was so nice being able to get advice whenever you really needed it. Once I realized that I could tap into this gigantic network beyond my own cohort, I never felt like there was something I couldn’t do in my business.”

Talent Recruitment

She was even able to connect with an app developer through the Remote Year community!

“Your pool of resources is limitless. Either someone does it or someone knows someone who does it and can connect you, which is so amazing.”

Continued Business Support

Whitney continues to use the Remote Year network through the Nation Slack channels. From posting jobs at her company to helping spread the word about other vacancies in her network, she stays connected to the community.

“Some of the people that are still part of my team are people that I connected with through Remote Year.”

Finding Love While Living the Work and Travel Lifestyle

As if starting a business and exploring a new city each month wasn’t enough, Whitney also met her boyfriend Dylan while on Remote Year. They became friends first and towards the end of the year-long journey their relationship evolved into something more.

“Dylan and I laughed a lot and got along throughout the entire program, and we ended up being roommates and eventually started dating. Dylan runs his own IT firm remotely and is one of the people who gave me the most entrepreneurial advice and support. We both want to live this lifestyle, and we continue to be on the same page. We have that ultimate flexibility-no need to worry that our boss or job will call us away. It was nice to meet organically and become friends, and now we are learning more about each other outside of Remote Year.”

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Remote working

Whitney’s Life-Changing Remote Year

Despite all the great joys of traveling, Whitney was careful not to sugarcoat the difficulties of starting a business while on Remote Year. She acknowledges that it’s been hard work, and there have been a lot of trade-offs to have a successful business.

“It wasn't like it was easy to do this during Remote Year but I also don't think that I would have gotten as far if I hadn’t gone on Remote Year either.”

In just 12 months, Whitney was able to make the serious life changes she had been longing for back in her home in Washington DC. As she explored the historic streets of Kyoto and Diocletian’s Palace in Split, she made unforgettable memories, formed lasting personal and professional connections, transitioned to a fully remote work and travel lifestyle, and successfully launched a business.

For anyone wondering if all this is possible in one year while traveling, Whitney’s incredible story shows what a difference 12 months can make in radically reinventing your life.

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Inspired to make a change, start a business, travel the world - or do all at the same time? Check out our upcoming programs here.