Creator to Community Builder: Welcome to Season 2!

Peace, calm, and awe are what I discovered near the summit of Colorado’s Mount Sniktau. My trip to the mountain wasn’t just for “fun”; it was part of the new career I was building as a travel writer and photographer. I was determined to explore calm destinations to build a “niche” in the travel industry. This new business pursuit led me to an online community that would change my life and transform my career in ways I never imagined. 

The group was called Location Indie, and it catered to professionals like me who are passionate about travel and working remotely. I joined quickly after finding them. After meeting just a few members, I knew I’d found “my people.” I felt like they understood me and the life I dreamed of. 

I yearned to travel while pitching stories, taking photographs, and writing. Ultimately, my experience with this community would inspire a completely different career path.

The community was hosting an in-person workshop in Denver, Colorado, and I was one of the first to sign up and book my flight. I’d never been to Colorado and, until that opportunity, had never even considered going. Once I arrived and met these fantastic people, I knew this was the life I wanted, but I still didn’t know how to make it happen. 

What made this community unique was that they were so diverse and they came together from all over the world to support each other. We didn’t just talk about developing online businesses; we actively pursued them. And when we dreamed of a location-independent lifestyle, we didn’t feel alone. 

A few months after that event, the community offered a trip to Central Mexico focused on identifying a side hustle, which was right up my alley. Not only that, but it featured a workshop on travel writing! I was thrilled to reconnect with these amazing people, so I got my passport and was on my way. 

The trip was magical, but understanding the “how” of being a travel writer was a struggle. I was given feedback that I needed to decide on a “niche” to pitch stories to editors. I spent hours talking with fellow community members who encouraged and challenged me to brainstorm alternative ways to make money.

During a walk with friends at a monarch butterfly sanctuary, I realized that I wanted to focus my writing on “destinations of calm” in this next chapter of my life. But my life was far from calm at the time. I worked a corporate sales job for a large distribution company in Central Pennsylvania, and while it paid the bills, it didn’t bring me joy. In fact, it mostly brought anxiety, stress, and frustration. But I needed the money; I’d spent ten years trying to make a living as a creator and had ended up in over 45 thousand dollars of debt. 

At the time, I’d been listening to a podcast called Achieve Your Goals with Hal Elrod. He is the author of The Miracle Morning, a book that changed my perspective on how to start a side hustle while still working in a 9-5 job. His book is all about building the life you want while fitting it in an hour in the morning. 

In one episode, he mentioned hosting a virtual call with some of his colleagues and invited listeners to join him in a conversation with Jon Berghoff, creator of the XChange program. This collaborative learning community has brought together more than 500 coaches and trainers worldwide. I was intrigued! 

During the session, Jon explained how he’d transitioned to virtual coaching programs during the pandemic. This approach aligned with my wish for location independence, so I took him up on his offer for a free session, no strings attached. On this call, Jon and I chatted about a passion project I’d been running on the side. To support my mission to help others find calm, I’d been hosting in-person events that explored ways to address the depression and anxiety I’d experienced in my own life.

Encouraged by my mission, Jon explained how I could create a transformational experience virtually. Using prompts and breakout rooms, I could cultivate conversations that would create a sense of belonging, safety, and joy. Inspired, I set up my first virtual event, a workshop about essential oils. Eight people showed up, so I considered the effort a success. 

After that experience, I got serious about exploring the world of online communities and memberships. I started with reaching out to new community builders and taking a course on how to build an online community. There was so much to consider, but the thought of being able to host workshops and get paid for it had me thinking that this was a “dream job” with real potential.