Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jordan Carroll, Founder of The Remote Job Coach, located in Fremont, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I'm a remote job coach. I help high-performing job seekers find legitimate remote jobs to create more freedom and flexibility in their lives. Remote work has gotten more popular, yet companies are pulling people back to offices, and many knowledge workers are looking for unique and unconventional strategies to help them succeed in their job search to stand out from the crowd. I help people who are great at their jobs also become great at searching for and finding remote jobs.
Tell us about yourself
I found my first remote job on Craigslist as a telemarketer in 2013. Surprising, I know, that you could use black market eBay for anything other than awkward encounters with sociopaths. Being a remote telemarketer in 2013 was about as glorious as it seemed. I would squeeze in hour-long "call-blitzes" between a full-time university course load & two other part-time jobs. Little did I know the remote work movement would become the most impactful cultural phenomenon in my life moving forward.
I've worked remotely, consistently, for upwards of 8 years for:
- A global Fortune 50 tech company with over 400k employees (IBM)
- A fully distributed, remote-first travel company with 150 employees (Remote Year)
- Multiple other startups with a range of 2-50 employees, as well as my own businesses
These experiences have given me a unique perspective. What I realized: There's a learning curve to both finding remote jobs as well as becoming an efficient, high-performing remote worker. These aren't subjects taught in school. So, I set out to educate others.
My alter ego as #TheRemoteJobCoach is the result of helping others learn a proven system that's enabled me to get hired to work remotely as a high performer without the "traditional application process." Why?
Because remote work fundamentally changed what was possible for me:
↳ Lifestyle
It allowed me to build work around a life of travel, inhabiting 15 different countries in 3 years, ultimately moving to Mexico. It gave me time to pursue hobbies like: video production, Spanish, & stand-up comedy.
↳ Health
It gave me the flexibility to prioritize health. I lost 40 lbs & 15% BF in 90 days, quit cigarettes, drugs, and alcohol, and started competing in Spartan Races, Tough Mudders, & international marathons.
↳ Relationships
It gave me the freedom to meet hundreds of connections on LinkedIn IRL & join communities like Nomad Cruise, Remote Year, Running Remote, Nomads Giving Back & more.
My motivation to keep doing what I'm doing is to help others find their ideal "remote life."
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Finishing my first book, Remote for Life. You can find it at https://theremotejobcoach.com/book. It took years to finish and so much of my time, energy, and effort. More than I could've ever imagined.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
The difficulty in "shutting off." When the responsibility of the business ends with me, and I also work remotely, work is always accessible and top of mind. I have to be very intentional about taking time off and finding time to get away from my work responsibilities.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Solve something you've solved for yourself
Find a transformation you've done for yourself or a problem you want to fix that you, yourself, have dealt with. It gives you a deeper perspective and connection to what you're doing as well as knowledge of what potential customers want. - Talk to potential clients/customers
Make sure to also talk with other potential people who would be a customer of your solution. Use these conversations to drive your marketing and help them solve their problems. In the beginning, charge less for testimonials and build up your customer base from those types of relationships and referrals. - Keep it simple and lean to validate
Make everything simple, especially to start. No complicated funnels, just a product and landing page, and traffic. You can validate a product or service with less than $100 and just need a few people to pay for it to figure out if it's worth continuing to pursue.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://theremotejobcoach.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jspensir/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanscarroll/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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