Interview by Prime Sarmiento
Natalie Macneil is the ideal solo female traveler. She has traveled on her own to over 60 countries and has managed to build a career that allowed her to work from just anywhere in the world.
So is Natalie being paid to travel around the world? Well, no. What she did was to ditch a traditional corporate career path, took a risk and started her own online business. Natalie is the co-founder of the Imaginarius, an award winning digital media company known for its groundbreaking work in interactive innovations and creative online marketing strategies.
Natalie is also known as the founder and editor-in-chief of She Takes On The World, listed as one of the “Top 10 Entrepreneurial Sites for Women” by Forbes Magazine.
In this exclusive interview with The Gypsygals, Natalie talked about the rewards and how to's of a location independent career:
Q. My understanding is that you never had a full time corporate job. You set up a business straight out of college. How did you find the courage and the resources to just do it?
A: If you want to start a business you just have to go for it! And I just think it's easier to go for it before getting a full time job. I have seen so many people who want to be entrepreneurs stay at their jobs for years longer than they wanted to be there because once you're used to getting a paycheck every two weeks.
I think starting a business out of college is one of the best times to start a business. Living like you do when you're a frugal student is the ideal lifestyle for starting a business. I was fortunate that my student job and the part-time business I ran while in school earned me enough money to keep on top of my tuition so I could graduate without student loans.
Q: You’re based in Canada, but essentially, you have a location independent career because you can do your work and earn money from just about anywhere in the world. How did having this type of career helped in feeding your wanderlust? How often do you travel in a year?
A: I love having the freedom to be able to run my business (based in Canada) from anywhere and I've traveled to over 60 countries.
That being said, I do have a home base which I really like because I think it's important to stay put when finishing up big projects.
My home is also where I unwind and where I can "hibernate" after my journeys. I have only been traveling a few times per year these last couple years because of the projects I was working on.
My last big trip was Peru and I'm heading to Europe in a few months.
Q: What are the first steps that you need to do before you pursue a location-independent career path?
A: You need to have systems in place. That's the first thing to get right in order to pursue location-independence. I wish I had used the right tools from the beginning because it sure would've saved me a lot of stress. My favorites include Yammer, Dropbox, and Google Apps Enterprise. With a system in place you can be 100% comfortable disconnecting and enjoying the beautiful locations you end up in.
Q: What are the rewards of this kind of career? Alternatively, what are the downsides of having a mobile lifestyle?
A: The rewards are plentiful! I mean you have flexibility in when you do your work and where you do your work and that is an incredible gift.
The only thing I can say as a downside is that it can sometimes get lonely. That's why I like the periods of time I spend in my home city working in an office with my business partner and having meetings with our team. I feed off that energy!
Q: What about solo traveling that you find appealing?
A: Solo trips have been where I have really found myself and got comfortable in my own skin.
I also love the challenge of solo travel and the people part –you meet so many people when you travel alone because you're more inclined to talk to people than when you're with someone else or in a group!
Q: What are your top five favorite destinations and why?
A: That's tough. Each place has its own kind of magic.
I love the Amalfi Coast in Italy for writing. Life seems to pass slower there! The majestic Fjords in Norway took my breath away. Visiting Kenya and Tanzania was a life-changing experience that taught me how much alike we all are no matter where we live. We all just want to feel like we belong somewhere and are loved. Peru really helped me to connect with myself and nature.
Oh, and I'll always love Paris because, well, it's Paris! One of my favorite things to do there is go to some of the places that famous artists and poets would hang out and do some writing.
###
Natalie offers mentorship to women who are keen to set up their own location -independent business. If you want to have the freedom to design your own lifestyle based around what you know, love and are really good at, then join We Mastermind and watch this free video series * on how to launch a profitable online business.
##
Disclosure: *This is an affiliate link.
