Breaking Free: Michelle’s Journey from 9-5 to Remote Rebel!

Meet Michelle, the dynamic CEO and Founder of Remote Rebellion, a visionary who’s empowering individuals to craft their ideal lives brimming with freedom and flexibility. Hailing from the bustling streets of the UK, Michelle’s career in recruitment spanned over a decade, but the monotony of office life left her craving more. So, she traded the corporate chaos of London for the serene shores of Bali, igniting her passion for remote work. Having sifted through countless CVs and conducted innumerable interviews across the globe, Michelle possesses a unique insight into what remote-first companies and hiring managers truly seek. Join us as we delve into Michelle’s journey, her expertise, and the keys to unlocking success in the competitive realm of remote employment.

1. What inspired you to embark on a digital nomadic lifestyle and create Remote Rebellion?

Before Remote Rebellion (RR), I spent 7 years working in the corporate world as a recruiter in London and Singapore. I was so busy that I didn’t notice how unhappy and lonely I was. Then when the pandemic forced the office I worked in to close, my friend said “why not come to Bali until the office opens up?” 

So I did and boy was I so much happier!

Then 2 months later, my boss called… “The office is opening, you need to come back.”

I didn’t want to leave, but my request to work from Bali was declined for no good reason and I was angry that my freedom and community were being taken away. So I quit and decided to stay in Bali, despite the risk that I had no idea how to find a remote job!

After a lot of scrolling on LinkedIn, finding only fake remote jobs,  I realised how tough it is to find a 100% remote job and was so frustrated! Then I switched tactics and created a proper strategy using the knowledge I’d gained from 7 years in recruitment across 4 continents.

Soon after, I landed 2  freelance recruitment jobs, helping 2 startups to fill their remote positions!

But then I realised something. Instead of helping companies to hire, this strategy could help others to find their ideal remote job, work from anywhere and break free from the 9-5 office life too!

2: Could you share a pivotal moment in your journey as a digital nomad entrepreneur when you realised the importance of aligning your work with your values, and how that realisation propelled you to help others find remote jobs that empower them to design the life they want?

I guess that’s when I worked with a business coach who kept drilling down into my “why”. I thought I knew this. To give people freedom and flexibility. But it went deeper than that, I want to contribute to a world with happier people, people who live life with fewer regrets of the things they didn’t do. The time they wanted to spend with the people they live, the places they wanted to visit or live and staying true to what’s important to THEM and not keeping society happy. 

Helping people to find a remote job that aligns with their values doesn’t always mean allowing people to live abroad, it’s meant I’ve helped my ‘Rebels’ pick up their kids from school, care for their spouse, not break up with their partner because of their job and wake up every morning with a smile on their face because they’re by the sea!

 3. What are your key strategies for finding remote jobs that align with one’s values and lifestyle preferences?

There are too many to mention here, but I’ll try to summarise:

1- Analyse exactly what is is you want: What your ideal job/ company looks like, then what you’re happy to accept, then what your non negotiable's are.

2- Network network, network: You need more than just a good resume- you need to get yourself out there.

3- Find remote companies you want to work for: and approach them, as well as just applying to remote job.

4- Focus on your mindset: if you don’t think you can do this, you won’t. 

4. How do you maintain a healthy work-life balance while working remotely?

Some months I’m better at it than others, and honestly, I feel like it’s taken me a few years to get it right!  I block out lunch & dinner in my calendar every weekday as well as gym time- my workday strictly doesn’t start until 9am wherever I am- 6am-9am is my time for me. On the weekends I don’t have any meetings scheduled, but I allow myself to work if I have stuff to do, as I love what I do!

Recently I’ve started managing my calendar on a 28-day cycle, with 3 days a month blocked out not to do any calls, and oftentimes not any work, whilst I’m in my ‘bitch mode’. 

5. What advice do you have for individuals who are hesitant to make the leap into remote work and entrepreneurship? 

Ask yourself, why are you hesitating?

Is it because you’re not sure if its what you want OR because you’re scared it wont work out?

Speak to as many people you trust as possible- what are the pros and cons of remote work and entrepreneurship? Do you think you can deal with the lows? It’s not all coconuts and sunsets, believe me- but it’s worth it (for me)

6. How does Remote Rebellion support individuals in transitioning to a remote work lifestyle and finding meaningful opportunities? 

In a nutshell, RR helps remote job seekers with the 5 Cs:

• Clarity- Getting a clear picture of exactly what their target job/s and companies look like.

• Confidence- empowering job seekers to apply to roles they didn’t know they could do.

• Capability- to know exactly how to apply & interview so their value shines through and they stand out amongst the competition.

• Connections- learn how to get introductions and referrals to increase the chances of landing their ideal remote job.

• Community- join a supportive community of remote job seekers on the same journey. 

7. What are some common challenges digital nomads face, and how can they overcome them? 

Loneliness and creating an nurturing a community when on the move is one of the most challenging things for nomads. The best way to overcome this is by having a mix of locals, expats and fellow digital nomad friends and connections around the world- both virtually and in person. Sports groups/ gyms are great for meeting locals/ expats  and digital nomad conferences are great for meeting nomads in person so that you have friends all around the world.

8. Could you share a memorable success story of someone who transformed their life through Remote Rebellion’s guidance?

There are too many to name!  Here’s some videos to check out where these rebels will tell their stories much better than me!

9. In what ways do you think remote work can contribute to personal growth and fulfilment? 

In many ways, but the main ones:

1. By taking back 5-15 hours a week spent on commuting it frees up your time to work on what you’re passionate about.

2. Being able to live where you want to and be in an environment that serves you and makes you happy.

3. Having more flexibility over your days so you can nurture relationships and work on side hustles.

10. What role do you see remote work playing in the future of work, and how can individuals prepare themselves for this shift?

I see most typical office based roles having hybrid as a bare minimum in the future. It will be strange in 10 years for those roles that can be done remotely to be 5 days a week in the office.

For those who haven't worked remotely before, they should start familiarising themselves with tools used for asynchronous communication such as Slack, Trello, Notion, Loom, Zoom and many more! 

Connect with Michelle:

Michelle is the CEO and Founder of Remote Rebellion. She helps people to design their dream lives with more freedom and flexibility by getting a remote job that they can do from anywhere.

Originally from the UK, Michelle has worked in recruitment for over 10 years and was sick of the 9-5 office life. So she swapped the hustle and bustle of London for the beautiful beaches of Bali.

Michelle has seen THOUSANDS of CVs/resumes and interviewed and hired hundreds of people across all continents and in multiple industries. 

She knows exactly what remote-first companies and hiring managers want to see and how to stand out in this competitive market!

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