The Leap: Trading a Traditional Career for a World of Possibilities
Many successful digital nomads don't start out with a grand plan for a remote life. For Rachel Coleman, the journey began after graduating from Stanford and landing a coveted role as a Legislative Correspondent in the US Senate. While a promising career, the office environment felt restrictive. At 22, she worried about becoming too comfortable and losing her curiosity for the world. This fear of a conventional suburban life was the catalyst she needed. In 2015, she took the leap, quit her job, and committed to designing a life that aligned with her values of independence and exploration.
Building a 100% Virtual Business from Scratch
Rachel leveraged her passion for writing and mentoring to build her business. She completed a college counseling certification from UCLA and launched her IEC practice as a 100% virtual enterprise from day one. This model allows her to work with high school students across the globe, guiding them through the complex college application process.
Her toolkit is simple yet effective:
Virtual Meetings: Zoom, Skype, and Google Hangouts connect her with students and families, no matter where she is in the world.
Smart Scheduling: Calendly automates booking, effortlessly managing different time zones.
This virtual setup not only gives her complete location independence but has become increasingly validated in a post-pandemic world, where clients understand the efficiency of remote work. Her business is seasonal, with the busiest period running from August to January, allowing her to structure her travel and leisure time around her work commitments.
The Philosophy of Slow Travel and Deep Immersion
Rachel’s approach to travel is a departure from the whirlwind tourism many nomads initially pursue. She is a proponent of "slow travel," a philosophy centered on living in one place for two to four months at a time. This extended stay allows for more than just seeing the sights; it enables a deep, meaningful immersion into the local culture.
Rather than just being a tourist, she makes a conscious effort to become part of the community by:
Attending local festivals and lectures.
Connecting with English-speaking and expat communities.
Reading local fiction and non-fiction to understand the history and politics of the region.
Choosing overland transport like trains and buses to experience the journey between destinations.
This approach has taken her to Bulgaria, Georgia, Italy, Spain, Cyprus, and Kazakhstan, among others. She finds that despite cultural differences, universal human values like family, hospitality, and curiosity are a comforting constant everywhere she goes.
Financial Wisdom: Geographic Arbitrage and the FIRE Movement
For many, the biggest hurdle to a nomad lifestyle seems to be financial. However, Rachel discovered that the financial barriers were surprisingly low. By leveraging geographic arbitrage—earning in a strong currency while living in countries with a lower cost of living—she found it possible to not only travel sustainably but also save money.
"The cost of living in many countries can be significantly cheaper than in major American cities," she notes. This strategy is a cornerstone of the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement, which she is passionate about.
In her early days, Rachel minimized expenses to get her business off the ground:
Housesitting: She used services like TrustedHousesitters to live rent-free for months at a time in Europe.
Living Simply: The nomad lifestyle taught her to value experiences over material possessions, which naturally curbed spending.
Smart Hacks: She learned practical tricks, like renting manual cars for a fraction of the price or using public fountains for sparkling water in Italy.
Her key advice for aspiring nomads is to get your finances in order before you leave. Save up, pay off debt, and create a financial buffer. This preparation provides the freedom to navigate the initial challenges without being forced back into a location-dependent job.
Practical Advice for Life on the Road
Trust Yourself and Be Tenacious
Pursuing an unconventional path will inevitably attract naysayers. Rachel emphasizes the importance of trusting your own instincts and remaining tenacious in your goals. Believing in your vision is the first step to making it a reality.
Safety as a Solo Female Traveler
While travel is often perceived as dangerous, Rachel's experience suggests that common sense is universal. Her safety rules abroad are the same as they would be in any US city:
Research local customs and dress codes to be respectful.
Avoid walking alone late at night in unfamiliar areas.
Meet new people in public places first.
She notes that many countries have lower crime rates than the US, and that with basic precautions, global travel is not inherently more dangerous than living at home.
