Taking the Leap: How I Decided to Go Freelance

Fueled by my passion for travel, language learning, and the yearning for freedom, I found myself on a relentless quest for a career path that would seamlessly align with my experience and cater to my unique strengths. Little did I know that this pursuit would lead me to the world of virtual assistance, where I could intertwine my love for storytelling, exploration, and language acquisition.

Having dedicated years to various different sorts of jobs where I learned and gained a lot of business and lifelong knowledge, I had a sense of unfulfillment. I yearned for something beyond the conventional, a path that would align with my desire to travel and explore the world. The idea of being confined to a single location and unable to pursue my linguistic aspirations left me longing for a change. It was that yearning that made me move to Paris, France at the mere age of 19 to become an au pair and learn the French language. It was also that yearning that led me to do my bachelors and masters abroad instead of the conventional way at a 4-year college back in the United States. After 7 years in the City of Lights, the place I would have spent the most years of my life and which feels the most like home, within a random weekend after multiple rejections to job applications, I decided to move to Italy. To be quite honest, moving to Italy wasn’t a random decision if you knew me. When I moved to Europe, the decision in which country I would au pair in was between France and Italy. I decided to go with France because I had studied French during high school. Even though I lived in one of the most beautiful countries, there was this wander and lust about the country south of its border. I often talked about how I wanted to spend a summer as an au pair to learn Italian.

A few months after settling in Florence, I came across a remarkable full-time remote job opportunity that truly resonated with me. The business’s foundational concept and what it represented greatly appealed to me, and I eagerly embraced the role, dedicating over a year to a combination of marketing and customer service responsibilities. However, as time went on, I began to experience a disconnect between my potential, the skills I possessed, and the utilization of those abilities within my position. I found myself grappling with a sense of uncertainty and feeling adrift within the company.

It was during this soul-searching phase that I began trying to figure out a freelance path. Another digital nomad I found during this time period mentioned that she was a Virtual Assistant and talked to me about her journey in creating her business. The more I researched, the clearer it became that freelancing was the perfect avenue to merge my professional aspirations and help others with their dreams along with my love for independence and wanderlust. I can not only leverage what I am good but also seize the opportunity to work remotely, granting me the freedom to roam and immerse myself in new cultures while developing my language proficiency.

I can venture forth to vibrant corners of the world, connecting with clients from diverse backgrounds and industries. The ability to manage my own time and adapt my work schedule to accommodate language classes, local experiences, and spontaneous adventures was what I felt could be a true game-changer.

So, dear reader, here I am at the beginning of this career. A little nervous? Yes. Scared? Also. Excited? That too. But I find myself saying, “if others can do it, then why can’t I too?”