Flight 20 /  May 29, 2012

NINA YAU /  Truth-seeker, ninja-yogi

Impossible is nothing

Website castlesintheair.org + ninayau.com / Twitter @ninayau

*Travel Route Chicago (ORD) —> Seattle (SEA) —> Santiago (SCL) —> Taipei (TPE) —> Bangkok (BKK) 

Selected airlines Cathay Pacific, Korean Air, AirAsia of many more

I met Nina Yau just 6 months ago in Bangalore, India. As coincidence had it, Nina’s yoga instruction academy was just a few blocks from my own aunt’s house. We made plans to meet up, and discussed life, places, inspirations, food and plenty of other stuff over coffee that was far too sweet for our likings. My history with Nina goes further back, though, when I stumbled across blog - Castles in the Air - and was pulled in by her excruciatingly gorgeous writing and highly refined view of life. You’ll see more of that in her responses below. 

Her journey out of the traditional American career and life setup began with a few travels - the first step of which involved a flight out of O’Hare Airport. 

A little about you and your story

Hi, I’m Nina and I’m a Truth-seeker. And, a ninja yogi. :) One can find me nowadays exploring the external and internal world, inspiring others to fearlessly be who they really are.

Before all this, however, my life was drastically headed towards self-destruction and muted complacency. I didn’t realize that I didn’t need to live my life according to what was proper, respectable, or right, until the day I found myself curled up in a tight ball in the bathtub with hot turn warm turn cold water raining upon me from the shower head, as I sobbed stinging tears of pain and confusion.

I didn’t see the point of doing things because I had to, for what possible life could I live if it was not the one I chose? So with that notion armed, I completely changed my life around. I quit my well-paying job, booked a one-way flight to the world, and haven’t stopped traveling and exploring since. There is no looking back and every day I wake now is a glorious day I look forward to enjoying and living. There is such a thing as being really happy and now I know what that feels like.

What happened after you left your past life? 

After I quit my corporate day job in November 2010, less than two months later I was on a one-way flight to Taipei, Taiwan with a simple bag that carried all the belongings I had in this world.

Two weeks after I landed, I booked a one-way flight to Bangkok, Thailand and begun my Southeast Asia adventure that took me to thirty cities in six countries in three months. I saw horrific things, I experienced the expansiveness of human kindness, I laughed loudly, danced wildly, sang mightily and had the most amazing and brilliant time in my life, filled with wondrous experiences even dreams would be fond of.

I practiced Yoga on the sandy beaches of south Cambodia overlooking the staggering sunset and discovered I really enjoyed it. A few months later, I was booking my flight to Bangalore, India to begin my yoga teacher training’s course.

Every act taken in my life is at the same time deliberate and spontaneous. There is no overarching plan or timeline. There is only now and what I experience. So long as what I’m doing, where I’m at, who I’m with and who I am jives well with my inner spirit, I couldn’t be any happier.

How has this been a catalyst for you, and what’s happened since? 

I left Chicago and made my home wherever I happened to be. For the better part of the year, I’ve been living in the south Asian countries. I started self-publishing my experiences of human nature as I travel. Now, I’m a certified Yoga teacher with training from India that will undoubtedly help me grow as a person and help others realize their true potential as well.

If you’re inspired by Nina, check out Castles in the Air or show your love with a tweet. 

If you love this story, spread your wings and share it! 

*map and travel route do not depict actual flight routes

Flight 19 /  May 24, 2012

BUD HENNEKES /  Student, blogger, traveler, writer

The world is waiting for your footsteps.

Website aboundlessworld.com / Twitter @aboundlessworld

Flight Route Houston (IAH) —> Shanghai (PVG)

Airline Continental, now United

A little about you 

I’m Bud, and I’m a 20 year old college student. I enjoy reading, writing, and getting to know people.

Since a very young age, I’ve had the privilege of traveling all over the globe. As you can imagine this has taken me many flights in my time here on earth.

While traveling can certainly be stressful, there’s something about flying that brings me alive. When sitting thousands of feet in the sky I can’t help but feel a since of gratitude and appreciate for the many

How’d you get to the point of boarding a life-changing flight?

While I’ve been on many flights, probably the most memorable for me was when I boarded a flight from Houston Texas to Shanghai China for the first time.

I was 15 years old. My dad had just accepted a new job that would take me to the great continent of Asia.

While I had lived in The Netherlands when I was a young boy, my venture to China was the first time I had left my comfy home in Texas in over eight years.

The thought of moving to China scared me. I mean really scared me. How would I fit in? What’s Asia like? Will I ever see my friends again?

I didn’t want to fly.

The flight was over 14 hours, and quite honestly I don’t remember the exact details of how I felt. But the flight remains memorable to me for several reasons.

Sometimes in life, we’re scared. And that’s OK. The flight symbolized my journey in facing that fear. The fear of starting over. The fear of making new friends. The fear of making it when you don’t have a map.

Secondly, the plane ride planted the seed of my soon to be travel obsession. My obsession with seeing all sides of the world.

Tell us about your move to Shanghai?

Moving to Shanghai was rough at first. There were many times I wanted nothing more than a plane ticket home. But as the days passed, I slowly began to embrace my new life. And almost as if by magic, the lens in which I viewed the world began to shine.

Since that flight I took from Houston to Shanghai, I’ve experienced tremendous highs and tremendous lows. I’ve met dozens of people from all over the world. And I’ve lost a best friend.

I’ve had conversations with people that I will always remember. And I’ve fought many battles inside my head.

While a single flight may not seem like much to many people. That flight to Shanghai forever changed my life.

And to this day, every time I board a plane, I can’t but help and smile at how far we have come.

If you’re inspired by Bud’s flight, check out his site and shoot him a Tweet. 

If you love this story, share it! 

Flight 18 /  May 22, 2012

THIBAUD CLÉMENT /  Founder of DODEQA, traveling entrepreneur

Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you need to keep moving.

Website dodeqa.com / Twitter @thibaudclement

Flight Route Paris (CDG) —> Beijing (PEK) —> Seoul (ICN) —> Tokyo (NRT) —> Hong Kong (HKG) —> Bangkok (BKK) —> Sydney (SYD) —> Melbourne (MEL) —> San Francisco (SFO) —> New York (JFK) —> Santiago (SCL) —> Buenos Aires (EZE) —> Sao Paulo (GRU) —> Paris (CDG) 

Airline The airlines of oneworld

While I was scouring the pages of the internet doing a bit of research on the next iterations for Take Flight, which involve a healthy dose of travel and project-building, I came across The DODEQA Project - the brainchild of Thibaud Clément. With a few clicks and scrolls, I started feeling giddy looking at what this guy had done - and what I was planning on doing myself. Here was a dude from France, who, to combine a passion for traveling, learning and entrepreneurship, had created his own one year-long project, whereby he’d travel to one major city in the world every month, accomplishing one objective at a time. I promptly sent Thibaud a few tweets, which led to emails and finally a Skype conversation last week. 

So with a bit of crackly internet and plenty of note-taking on my end, Thibaud and I exchanged info, stories and plans for what we were up to. And as you’ll see, his what he’s been up to involves a lot of flights. 

A little about you 

I am a 24-year old MBA + MSc. graduate. I’m a native of France, and I’m currently traveling around the world to study eCommerce in a creative way, by meeting experts on the road. This is The DODEQA Project: 12 months, 12 cities, 12 objectives. I’m passionate about marketing, entrepreneurship and web technologies, and I’ve launched my first eCommerce website: Candyscovery. When I’m not blogging or reading books, I love running, photographing and cooking. My motto? Do Your Best & Fix The Rest!

A bit about DODEQA and the idea behind your travels?

The concept of The DODEQA Project is to use travel to learn what I did not get from school. So, I booked a Round-The-World ticket to fly to twelve cities over the year, respectively in Asia, Oceania and the Americas. In a way, the pivotal time took place way before I took off, when I was still living in Canada, planning for the trip. 

As far as I can remember, I have always wanted to start my own business. After a master degree in Marketing and an MBA focusing on leadership, I wanted to learn a couple of additional things to be able to launch my eCommerce website. So, I decided to build a project around the idea of learning, so that travel would become a vector for discoveries. This led me to launch two eCommerce websites, to take part in TEDxYouth@Krungthep, to write articles for L’Entreprise.com - the largest online magazine for entrepreneurs in France - and to prepare the creation of a more prominent company in France, to be launched soon.

If you’re inspired by Thibaud’s ongoing journey, check out DODEQA and his online candy and T-shirt stores, and shoot him a Tweet. 

If you love this story, share it! 

Flight 17 /  May 17, 2012

KELLY BYRD /  Traveler + marketing, PR/social media professional

Take risks - you’ll get to know yourself better.

Website kellyashley.tumblr.com / Twitter @kelbyrd

Flight Route New York (LGA) —> Los Angeles (LAX) —> Auckland (AKL) —> Christchurch (CHC) —> Wanaka (WKA)

Airline Air New Zealand

Kelly Byrd submitted her Take Flight story a little while ago. While I read her responses, I was intrigued. Here was a person who had a great job and friends in New York, the dream city of millions, and had tossed it all up not necessarily to start a business, rally around a social cause or work abroad. She left for love - and with that came a priceless life experience that’s led her diametrically between hemispheres and lives between New York, New Zealand and California. What’s also awesome is that Kelly’s headed back Down Under, this time to Australia, as of May 7. And Air New Zealand’s her catalyst. 

A little about you 

I am a 20-something traveler, New York native, marketing, PR and social media professional, avid music lover, yogi, techie and psychologist.

I’m intrigued by learning and development, emerging technology, eco-friendly and sustainable products, various psychological disciplines and the way social media is transforming communication.

What made you get on that cross-hemispheric flight? And what’s happened since?

I left my comfortable job and apartment full of college friends, and took off from New York to New Zealand with a boy I fell in love with. I was in search of new beginnings, to find a new side of the world, in tandem with a new side of myself, and to get to know myself better - my interests, desires, goals, dreams, wishes. 

I have always been a planner. I love the art of organization and the feeling of success when something you’ve spent time and energy meticulously outlining comes together.

To stop planning, reclaim spontaneity, and accept change, was just what I needed.

Following my study abroad in college, I longed to expand my travels and international experiences. The proud feeling I get when given the opportunity to list the places I’ve been to date and the ever-growing list of places I plan to visit is like no other.

I now live in another beautiful place, and am figuring out my route from here as spontaneously as possible. Although my path and route has changed drastically from what I had planned, I have never been happier and healthier than I am right now.

And yes, I’m still in love with that boy.

If you’re inspired by Kelly’s journey, check out her blog and shoot her a Tweet. 

If you love this story, share it! 

Flight 16 /  May 15, 2012

JUSTIN MILLER / Health aficionado, entrepreneur, traveler

If you’re doubting yourself, chances are you’re on the right path

Website limitless365.com / Twitter @justinmiller06

Flight Route Los Angeles (LAX) —> Tokyo (NRT) —> Delhi (DEL) —> Bangkok (BKK) —> Cairo (CAI) —> Paris (CDG)

Airline United Airlines, Air France, Air India, others

Justin Miller’s a dude who submitted his story to Take Flight not too long ago. As I read through his responses, I couldn’t help but feel energized by his boldness and what he’s set out to do for himself and others. While Justin’s journey began a while ago, a trip around the world, several airports and flights involved, brought him to where he’s at now.  

A little about you 

I’m a professional trouble-maker. I’ve been practicing since birth, honed the skill through out high-school, and now try to teach the craft as an adult.

I also am a lifestyle coach focusing on health and wellness. I pursue optimal living for myself, clients, family and friends.

I am passionate about adventure, tackling fear, and most importantly, learning form those experiences. Travel, sky-diving, bungee jumping, cliff jumping, are some of my favorite things to do.

I’m a knowledge junkie and avid reader and I’m currently on a quest for 52 books in 52 weeks.

I run a blog called limitless365.com where I discuss many health and wellness topics, lifestyle design, challenging the status quo, and generally kicking ASS and taking names later.

How’d you make the first decision to take flight?

I spent a good 40K on grad school to tell me exactly what I didn’t want to do with my life. It didn’t take me to long after that to realize I needed to make some changes. To take some risks, get out of my comfort zone, and to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

I did something similar when I was 19, when I packed up my car on a whim and left Virginia for California. At that time, I was just tired of doing the same thing, being around the same people, hearing the same stories. I needed to shake things up in order to grow as a person.

This trip, however, was a little different. I had just got to work and I realized that this is not where I wanted to be. I asked my self the age old question: “Would I be doing what I am doing right now if I had all the money and time in the world?”

My answer was a big fat NO.

So I proceeded to pull up a map of the world online. It took me all but 5 minutes to figure out what I wanted to do. I wanted to visit some of the world’s greatest cities and see some of the worlds most precious sites. I wanted to do it alone. I wanted to get as uncomfortable as I could be.

The very next day I was on the phone booking my trip around the world. Japan, India, Thailand, Egypt, and France. 3 months away. No family, no friends, just me, myself, and I.

How’d that series of flights catalyze your passions into action?

I wouldn’t call it my passion as much as I would call it my purpose. I feel like I have a lot of passions but only one purpose in this world. Funny thing is it took me 2 more years after my trip to get started.

I think I was in culture shock when I returned. Still a little lost as to what I was here to do. But that experience opened my eyes to a world of people, personalities, and experiences that I wanted to participate in. Not only for the good of myself but for others as well.

Too many of us are perfectly okay with the comfortable. It’s natural to play it safe. But it’s important to remember that personal challenges are where character is born.

When you start acting on your purpose the universe rewards you. It wants you to succeed. It wants you to contribute because it knows what you are capable of.

If you’re inspired by Justin’s journey, check out his blog and shoot him a Tweet. 

If you love this story, share it! 

Flight 15 /  May 10, 2012

SEAN OGLE / Entrepreneur, creator of Location Rebel

The worst case scenario will almost never happen, uncertainty is a good thing. All of the best things in life stem from it.

Website seanogle.com / Twitter @seanogle

Flight Route Portland (PDX) —> Washington, DC (IAD) —> Buenos Aires (EZE) —> Rio de Janeiro (GIG)

Airline United Airlines 

Sean Ogle was one of the first people I stumbled upon during my fledgling days of exploring work I love last year. He and I exchanged a few emails, I helped him a teeny bit with his then-upcoming Location Rebel launch, and it was obvious to me how passionate he was about location independence.

Sean recently spoke at TEDxCMU on the future of the American Dream, where touched on how a lot of the thought-origins for his current work came from a trip he took to Brazil in 2009. Turns out Sean took a flight there ;) 

A little about you 

I’m Sean Ogle, and, in short, I help people live more fulfilling lives through entrepreneurship. A few years ago I was in a job I didn’t like, so after an interesting chain of events, I left and moved to Thailand, where I learned how to build the skills necessary to run a web-based business. It’s been quite the journey since then, and I’m at a point now where I can solidly state that I travel whenever I want, and generally have the freedom that traditionally has only been associated with retirement.

My latest project, Location Rebel, is somewhat a result of the evolution, where the goal is to help people to reach a similar state.

How’d you make the first decision to make changes?

In February of 2009, after 10 months of begging my boss to use my very own vacation time to travel to Rio de Janeiro for Carnaval, I took hopped on a plane and 3 airports and 2 layovers later, I was in Brazil. And for two weeks, I had the time of my life in South America.

It was on one of the last days of my trip: I was sitting on Copacabana Beach, drinking a coconut and all I could think about was how great the last two weeks had been. And it hit me: “I should be able to do this whenever I want.” I was getting ready to go back to a job working 50 hours a week as an investment analyst, which I really did not like. I had never consciously decided what I wanted to do with my life and leading up to this, I had simply been following the path of least-resistance.

So it was sitting on that beach that I made a decision to make a change, and ever since that moment my life has never been the same.

Lot’s happened since the Brazil trip - how?

I’d had this idea of creating a bucket list for a long time. It had always been floating in the back of my mind, and the trip to Brazil was more or less the first time I’d been able to cross off some major things on that list.

Over the past few years, quite a few more items from the bucket list have been crossed off - largely due to the confidence and inspiration I gained from that trip to Brazil. It’s what led me to trust my gut and move to Bangkok not too long afterward, where I learned a ton of web business skills and met awesome people. Now I’ve set myself up online to work on the projects most meaningful to me and helpful to others.

If you’re inspired by Sean’s journey, check out his blog, Location Rebel, and his TEDxCMU talk. You can shoot him a Tweet too. 

If you love this story, share it! 

Flight 14 /  May 8, 2012

ELIZABETH PRESSON / Creative problem-solver, startup advocate

Life never works out according to your plan— and that’s a good thing.

Website workingremote.ly / Twitter @heyellecp

Flight Route Los Angeles (LAX) —> New York (JFK)

Airline American Airlines

Elizabeth aka Lizzie aka Liz Presson is a creative problem solver, digital media maven and a new friend of mine. I heard about her and her work last year, and reached out to her not too long ago to be featured on Take Flight. One thing led to another, and two weeks ago, we met up in New York where we discussed life, work and the projects we were working on. Liz talked about a flight she took back from California last year which ended up catalyzing a lot of what she’s doing now - trying to revolutionize where and how people work. It was a story made for Take Flight

A little about you 

I’ve been bringing people and social technologies together in relevant and life changing ways since Twitter and Facebook first became household names. I was a founding employee of two influential social media start-ups, both of which have become key players in the social revolution. I’ve also worked with start-ups to watch including Skillshare, Family Records,Zaarly and The Daily Muse. 

Working with such inspiring companies, in environments that almost never include cubicles, my current mission is to encourage those sentenced to life on a cubical farm to think outside the traditional office. And, for those that have already made a break for it, I’m committed to providing useful content and insight to help people work remotely — effectively. I’m spreading my belief that choice of environment means more productivity and happiness through my version of Yelp for co-working spaces: WorkingRemote.ly. 

I try to practice what I preach. I’m currently leading digital and community strategies for Digi International and the iDigi Device Cloud (remotely, of course). And when I’m not engaging with communities or innovators and leaders, I’m enjoying life as a New Yorker in Manhattan.

DC to New York to California to New York. What happened?

Two months after starting work on a new project with one of my best friends, we flew to California. We were going to attend a conference, and we decided to extend our trip and drive from San Francisco to L.A.

Times were easy, and we could do things like that.

So, we rented a car and drove down the beautiful Pacific Coast Highway to L.A. “Play-time” we called it— and that it was. We ate, had long talks on the beach, went surfing and listened to live music. Sometimes, through playing and enjoying yourself, you find clarity in work. And we did find clarity.

In fact, during that time in L.A. my friend (and technically my boss at the time), decided it was time to take a different path with work. That decision was the best and most frightening of my life. I knew for the last couple of months we had been trying to make what we were doing fit in a way that it just didn’t belong.

So, we flew back to New York from L.A. and I became instantly job-less for the first time in my adult life. I had just moved to NYC on a whim a few months prior to take on this job. Within 30 days, I had left my great job at a tech startup in D.C., my boyfriend and my beautiful apartment. My family was worried, they didn’t understand why I felt so strongly about taking a risk. “This is going to work out.” I reassured them time and time again. And now, I had no idea what I was going to do after that six hour flight back to NYC. But that’s where my real journey began.

So what’s happened for you since then? 

Even though I was scared and worried about surviving in New York, I began to experiment in order to find out what I really wanted in life. I tried working in music, because it’s something I’ve always been passionate about. 

When that didn’t work out, I found a job where I could work remotely. Working remotely became the thread that tied all of my passions together. Anything I wanted to do, anything I felt passionate about, I suddenly had the time to do it. I now create my own most productive environment every day. In finding my own fuel through working remotely, I’ve decided to make it my mission to help others do the same.

If you’re inspired by Elizabeth’s journey, check out her latest project here, her blog and shoot her a Tweet.

If you love this story, spread those wings and share! 

Flight 13 /  May 3, 2012

SRINIVAS RAO / Writer, entrepreneur, co-founder of BlogcastFM

Take your first step

Website theskooloflife.com / Twitter @skooloflife

Flight Route Los Angeles (LAX) —> Denver (DEN) —> San Jose, Costa Rica (SJO)

Airline Frontier

During my initial days of stumbling on awesome person after awesome person, Srini Rao featured prominently on my Twitter feed and general Google searches. Srini’s got an interesting story, which he details at The Skool of Life, and he’s also the co-founder of BlogcastFM, where he interviews people in the community about all sorts of topics. Last year, I remember Srini moved to Costa Rica for a bit. That got me wondering who he flew and what got him there. 

A little about you 

I’m the author of a blog called The Skool of Life, where I write about the things you should have learned in school but never did. I’m also the host and co-founder of BlogcastFM, a show where I’ve interviewed over 200 successful bloggers, entrepreneurs, and authors.

You moved to Costa Rica last year - how did that happen?

The story started with being unemployed after graduating from business school. I needed a way to stand out in the job market at the time, so I started my blog, and before I knew it the blog took on a life of its own. 

Last year, I sold everything I owned in LA and moved down to Costa Rica for six months. I found a great little surf town there, and spent the vast majority of my days writing and surfing.

It was really during those six months, when every safety blanket in my life disappeared, that I was in a position where I had to push my boundaries. I started reaching out to potential sponsors and partners for BlogcastFM, and now we’re sponsored by Livefyre. 

If you’re inspired by Srini, check him out on his blog, BlogcastFM and Twitter

If you love this story, tweet it! 

Flight 12 /  May 1, 2012

AMANDA MAKULEC / Global health professional, non-profit advisor, culinary enthusiast

Always be open to opportunities & never fear the unknown. You’ll learn more from that uncertainty than from any “plan” you make.

Website amandamakulec.com / Twitter @abmakulec

Flight Route Boston (BOS) —> London (LHR) —> Nairobi (NBO) —> Mombasa (MBA)

Airline British Airways

After I launched Take Flight, I received countless emails from people around the world who wanted to share their stories. Amanda Makulec was one such person, and I was floored with her work as soon as I checked her out. In her submission, she wrote excitedly about her experiences in the global health field, her involvement in the building of new schools and infrastructure in rural Kenya, and her passion for helping women and girls in developing countries. Her trips to Africa meant a long plane ride - but 3 different planes and 2 airport layovers later, she’s making the world a better place. 

A little about you 

I’m a global health professional working as a monitoring and evaluation advisor on a few interesting & hopefully world-changing maternal and child health projects at John Snow Inc. I also volunteer as an advisor with One Home Many Hopes, a non-profit supporting a girls’ home and soon a school in rural Kenya. My other loves are cooking, traveling, dinner parties, and making connections between people, causes, and projects that make the world a bit brighter.

What led up to you getting on board a British Airways jet bound for Kenya?

I was planning my summer research practicum for graduate school in 2009, and had committed to working on a water and sanitation research project in southern Kenya with the Maasai population in the area. I’ve always had an interest in maternal and child health (around orphans and vulnerable children in particular), and was looking for a way to extend my stay in Kenya to include an experience working with that population.

This led me to connect with Thomas Keown, founder of One Home Many Hopes, through an email address I found on my grad school’s practicum website. Four months after that meeting with him at coffee shop in Boston, I got off a plane at Mombasa’s Moi International Airport, and hopped into a car with the staff from the home.

What’s happened for you since then? 

After spending a few weeks at the home, getting to know the girls who lived there, meeting the local staff (house mothers, a social worker, a lawyer, and others), I returned to Boston and knew I couldn’t just shelf the memories and framed photos from meeting those people.

I got involved in fundraising with the Boston chapter of the organization, running a fundraising team for our fall Breaking Ground campaign to build a new house for the girls, and shared the One Home Many Hopes’ story with friends and colleagues at grad school. When I moved to Washington DC in January 2010, our founder, Thomas, asked if I would be willing to start a DC chapter for the organization.

Saying yes to that question opened the door to two years as our chapter director, organizing events, leading our region for our fall capital campaigns (across which the organization always exceeded its targets and raised nearly $600k towards building an international quality school), and sharing the One Home Many Hopes story with people from all walks of life across DC. It’s been an immense learning & growth experience for me that allows me to connect, in a grassroots way, with a cause that I care immensely about.

If you’re inspired by Amanda, check her and her work out on the interwebz here, here and here, or on Twitter.

One of Amanda’s current work projects is USAID/UNICEF’s Every Child Deserves a Fifth Birthday - a campaign to end preventable child deaths. You should post your photo & birthday wish here!

If you love this story, spread those wings and share! 

Flight 11 /  April 26, 2012

CALEB WOJCIK / Entrepreneur, blogger

Have patience.

Website pocketchanged.com / Twitter @calebwojcik

Flight Route Detroit (DTW) —> Tokyo (NRT)

Airline Northwest Airlines (now Delta)

Caleb and I share an interesting history. After I stumbled across his blog, I quickly realized we went to the same university, were from the same state, and lived in the same city! Caleb’s ascent from starting Pocket Changed as a blog in December 2010 to now having built online businesses and working for Insanely Useful Media has been an exciting one to watch. Last year, he left his corporate job and moved to San Diego, California, where he lives. He talks here on Take Flight about how a lot of what he’s aiming for in life all started with one trip to Japan. 

A little about you 

I graduated from college in 2008, right before the Great Recession, and landed a corporate job in Seattle. After completing my night school MBA in May 2010 I turned my focus towards working on “legacy projects.” I wanted to be involved in something bigger than just staff meetings and spreadsheets.

I started blogging in December 2010 on Pocket Changed about personal finance, career development, and living a passion filled life. Through that venture I met countless others online that were working towards major goals, both personally and professionally, in unconventional ways. They had either left the corporate world or had never entered it to begin with and were taking the risk of being an entrepreneur.

In September 2011, I put in my two week notice and started working with Corbett Barr on projects such as Think Traffic and Expert Enough. At the same time, my wife and I left Seattle and started a 10,000 mile, 3 month long road trip. I wouldn’t trade the decision to take the leap for anything in the world.

You flew to Japan during your undergrad years. How did that change things up for you?

Throughout my travels I’ve paid attention to how other people lived differently from people in my hometown. At a different pace, different values, different everything.

Through these observations I knew it was okay to be different and not follow the status quo. Taking risks would be much harder if I had never flown on a plane or traveled to distant countries.

During college, I flew to Japan and spent a month studying abroad there. It was from that point on that I knew that I wanted to have a career with the built-in freedom - one that would allow me to travel whenever I wanted to.

It took me a few years to get that point, but I have that freedom now and wouldn’t give it up for the world. 

If you’re inspired by what Caleb’s work, check him out at his website or on Twitter.

If you love this story, spread those wings and share!