Remote Profile: Jessica Noele DeWitt — Remote Year

After spending the last 29 years of my life doing all the things you are supposed to — you know — getting the college degree, the job in New York City, the masters degree and still not feeling like I had found my place I couldn’t let another year go by. So I turned 30, gave up the life I had been so careful to build and decided that while the rest of my friends get married and have kids, I am going to eat, pray, love my way to the life I always knew I wanted.

WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON FOR THE YEAR?

This year I am facing fear. I am working on defining what being a remote professional means to me. This also means I am working on figuring out how to make money, get clients and be a successful designer on the road. Most people tend to build up their freelance business to a point where they are comfortable quitting their traditional office job, but not me – because why do things that make sense? Instead, I am doing it all at once. Every day is a new lesson, a new victory and a new reason to eat cake.

HOW DID YOU FIND YOURSELF A REMOTE ROLE?

I didn’t. I am making one. Unfortunately, my previous company was not ready to embrace a remote role and as a result, I took the risk and dropped  my two-weeks notice like Kanye drops a mic. Luckily, my profession lends itself to remote work and I get to spend most of my time hustling for my next client, taking online courses to enhance my skills, and eating snacks. 

HOW DO YOU THINK TRAVELING WILL AFFECT YOUR CURRENT WORK?

Traveling is only making me a stronger professional and overall human being. I am constantly surrounded by people, places and things that are giving me new perspectives, challenging my comfort zones and showing me beauty in its simplest of forms. It is also humbling my New York City Bitch by throwing me in new situations that require patience. FYI – ordering a smoothie should not be a 20 minute process. Furthermore, it should not take another 25 minutes to make. I am learning.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO OTHERS LOOKING TO BRING TRAVEL INTO THEIR LIVES?

Stop looking to and bring it. If you’re still nervous, start small. Go for a weekend away or be a tourist in your own city. Once you’ve conquered your city, move on to the next and before you know it you’re half way across the world falling in love with countries you never thought twice about. Looking at you, Bolivia.

Probably from fairytales and science fiction movies, books and shows. There is a magic in travel that can’t be matched. Give me a fairy godmother, a killer outfit, a TARDIS, and I’m set. Also, my best friend Raquel does a pretty good job at making me jealous of all of her travels. The one with the most countries wins!

WHERE HAVE YOU TRAVELED TO / LIVED PREVIOUSLY? 

Made an appearance in Delaware for the first few months of my life but switched coasts to grow up in Arizona (Peoria) and then moved to Tucson, Arizona for college (Bear Down Arizona). From there I moonlighted in Hollywood, CA for a few months, ultimately landing in Brooklyn, NY before Remote Year. As for travel, I am not as well versed as my fellow remotes. However, I am pretty solid on my continental US and have had some crazy moments in Italy, France and the Cayman Islands. You can ask me how I survived a train wreck on your own time.

3 THINGS YOU CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT ON THE ROAD? 

1. Music2. Red lipstick

3. iPhone