From a young age, I had a desire to travel.
I wanted to experience new cultures, to see new ways of life and to immerse in new societies. But I didn’t want to be a tourist – I wanted to feel like a local. I wanted to have my neighborhood coffee shop, fresh markets, local network. I wanted to fully experience each new place as home.
So I began to travel to world while working remotely. I spent 18 months “living the dream.”
But then I realized, why am I so burnt out?
Figuring out all the logistics of getting set up in a new city felt like a full-time job. I lost my productive routine as I rushed from each hit-or-miss accommodation and coworking space to another.
I longed to find a familiar face in the sea of people and other women who shared my struggles. Though I loved having the freedom to work from anywhere, the lack of a support system was wearing down on me.
There had to be an easier way to make this lifestyle work sustainably.
I knew that the corporate world was not for me, and I had no other option but forward. After graduating from business school in Canada, I had taken a role in the corporate finance world. The red tape limiting women in the industry felt suffocating, and I could not excel and grow in the way that I wanted.
So, I pursued international ventures and took a role at a non-profit in Sydney, Australia. The non-profit taught CEO’s and executives how to become better leaders. Working alongside an amazing team of strong women, I felt inspired.
At that point, I realized the best way for me to grow – both personally and professionally – was to work and learn while traveling around the world.
And the experience pushed me to grow in ways I hadn’t anticipated.
While it was rewarding, I struggled to find work-life balance as I assembled and re-assembled the foundation of my life in each new city.
No matter where I went, I met other women who were dealing with the same challenges. And I was inspired by the women who were creating their own career paths, shattering the glass ceiling along the way. Each great connection invigorated me, and I realized there’s a great need for women to access a supportive community and infrastructure supporting their remote careers.
That’s why I launched Behere with my cofounder in the summer of 2017. I knew I needed to get involved in making it easier for women to find freedom and empowerment in their flexible lifestyles.
Designed for professionals, creatives, and entrepreneurs, Behere arranges international flights, personal short-term apartments, coworking space, and extras like fitness memberships, community guides, and events.
By 2020, 50% of the American workforce will have flexible careers or be freelance. With the global demand for short-term rental accommodation rising, the market is expected to grow to almost $194 Billion by 2021. The traditional 9–5 workplace is changing, and millennial women play a major role in opting for more flexibility in their careers.
We want to help women thrive in flexible careers.
We’ve been floored by the response so far. We’re already taking applicants for 20 cities in Europe, South America, and Southeast Asia, with plans to expand to more locations in 2018. Our upcoming experience in Barcelona filled up so quickly, we extended the trip from 30 to 60 days.
This lifestyle is becoming more possible, and I’m thrilled that it’s becoming easier than ever before to start.
We’re redefining a new, more freeing, way to work and live – and what could be more exciting than that?
