I would be lying if I told you that I went from an office job to a digital nomad overnight. I’m not really sure when the transition started.
Maybe it started when I read Tim Ferris’ “The 4-hour work week” at the age of 21, or maybe it was when I realised that living in a city, far away from the mountains and the ocean made me unhappy.
Either way, the covid put the turbo into this change, and that’s how the transition happened:
Jun. 2020 – Cycling from Germany to Spain: a bit lost in life
Before this trip, I had been working at a tech startup in Berlin, which gave me an insight into the basics of digital business.
The trip took place right after the Covid lock-in, so I started with a lot of uncertainty but gradually gained self-confidence.
I shared part of the route with a friend who worked for a bike tour operator, Naturbike. Together we rode some of the routes of the company he worked for. I didn’t know it at the time but later this experience helped me to give them a better quality service when I helped them with their website.
Sep. 2020 – Portugal en Furgo: experimenting with remote work
After spending some time in Spain, I jumped into a van to travel around Portugal. It was 4 months of travelling, learning to surf while working remotely for a German friend’s start-up. I had already been bitten by the marketing bug, and that was just what this company was doing.
And finally, I came back home for Christmas, Madrid.
Feb. 2021 – Canary Islands: I start working and training at the same time.
In Madrid, I took advantage of the opportunity and started to train formally in digital marketing, but I didn’t stay long in the city.
In February I went to the Canary Islands for another 4 months where I continued my marketing training. I lived and worked in a surf house where I learned a lot about how this kind of business is managed.
Sep. 2021 – Berlin: already have freelance clients
In October 2021 I was back in Berlin, working remotely with my first client. His company Cantera 360º is in charge of outdoor outings in Madrid, and these clients needed help with their website and social media.
The funny thing is that I got this client because I sold my surfboard to his son through Wallapop. Even without a plan and without intention the internet is a great way to connect people, so imagine what you can achieve with a good strategy.
To supplement my income I worked at my local climbing wall where I was a climbing instructor.
Mar. 2022 – Mexico and Central America: officially nomadic freelance
It was time to leave Berlin for good and in April I was already in Mexico where I started travelling and working as a digital nomad.
During this time I have continued to do websites and branding work for my clients in Germany and the US and helping them with their social media.
Thanks to digitalisation, I can still catch waves and get clients from different countries. But what I love most about the internet is connecting with a wide range of people. Over time, these relationships lead to amazing things.
There is a lot of work to be done, as there are a lot of companies that don’t have any kind of digital presence. Many are not on social media or Google maps and don’t find it useful to have a website.
However, it is the best way for small outdoor businesses to get new customers. Everyone has a mobile phone and uses it to search for new adventures.
As an active tourism business user, I can help you make a plan so that you can also have an online presence and showcase your business experience to new customers by harnessing the power of the internet.
