Digital Nomad Life (Part 2)
Having the balance of work, travel, meeting new friends, and spontaneous adventure – whether it be to a cenote or a last minute road trip – is a dream scenario for most people. But after talking to our next digital nomad, this lifestyle is more than possible with hard work.
Tania Marcoux is a freelance marketer from Montreal with a passion for entrepreneurship. Her story from university graduate to digital nomad was a combination of education, hustle, and networking. But the pandemic motivated Marcoux to start building her clientele. Luckily for Marcoux, her network and entrepreneurial mindset helped her make a good living online a few months into the year 2020.
“I love the freedom my type of work gives me in terms of schedule and location,” Marcoux said in our interview. “For example, I have been coming to Mexico for two months to work during the winter. I am also going to work in Portugal this fall. There are also other advantages such as choosing your customers and setting your prices.”
Despite that, Marcoux was also transparent about the realities of being on the road.
“It is true that this way of life also comes with many challenges such as finding good wifi to make customer calls, finding short-term accommodation, making friends, learning new languages and adapting to jet lag. But as a freelancer, you also need to have a lot of discipline, I believe, to respond well to your clients and manage your business well.”
Since remote work and opportunities have seen an increase in the last two years, being a digital nomad is feasible for anyone with the courage to try it out. And when asked to give some advice to people just starting to explore making a living online, Marcoux offered words of encouragement.
“Do what you love. I don’t think I would have made it if I didn’t like what I was doing. But I would also say it’s important to take risks and invest in the training you need to succeed.”
“When I say take risks, I’m not necessarily talking about quitting your job or moving to another country, but small things like offering your services and showing up on social networks. Training is vital because it helps to build confidence in your skills. Not just in your area of expertise but also at the administrative and personal level. I really think that the more we grow personally, the more our projects grow too.”
Marcoux’s story is a universal one that indicates how much the world evolved. Even though traditional office life hasn’t disappeared, there are now different ways to work. If you are looking for balance in your life and career, you’re not the only aspiring digital nomad.
