Finding Freedom: The Transformation of a Corporate Executive to a Digital Nomad

The Journey of a Corporate Escape Artist

Name: Brian Gallagher

Company: Simple Man Guide

Year Founded: 2016

Website: www.simplemanguide.com

Social: Instagram: @simplemanguide; Linkedin: Brian Gallagher

Introduction

I’m Brian Gallagher, and I’m a former Corporate American turned Global Citizen/one-person business owner. I followed the traditional path everyone follows, until a 3-week trip to Africa changed my outlook – and my life.

After ditching all my belongings, I left the US in late 2019 with just a backpack, vowing to create location-freedom for myself.

Now, through my company, I help unhappy corporate workers escape the 9-5 grind through coaching and courses. I live in Amsterdam with my girlfriend.

Life Before Coaching I worked in accounting 2 years, investment banking for 9 years, owned and operated a fitness studio in New York City for 4 years, ‘retired’ for 2 years.. then I began coaching, which I what I’ve been doing for the last 2 years.

The Inspiration Behind Simple Man Guide

The idea for Simple Man Guide was wellness influenced. I had lots of folks asking me what I did to keep in shape, so I decided to document what I would do if I had to lose 20lbs. The main focus was to sort through all the training, nutrition, and supplementation info we’re inundated with, and make it as simple as possible. I made a website and started selling an ebook online.

From Idea to Reality

It’s quite simple: I listened to what people were asking me. What problems people needed solved.. that I could help them solve. So what started off as a wellness business, morphed into a coaching business as I listened to questions from others.

I shared all fitness-based content, but my audience was more interested in my lifestyle - leaving a well-paying corporate job, starting a business, and the ability to travel with complete location freedom.

So when others began asking me how I managed that – that’s when I realized I share what I learned along the way and help others that were just a few steps behind me - do the same.

Attracting Customers

I’ve been mainly using social media from the get-go. I wasn’t talking about my current services of helping unhappy 9-5ers escape the corporate world, when I begin building my audience (on IG). I was focused on what I enjoyed, fitness, and shared training content. This helped me find my voice, learn to create content, and understand that it’s a slow burn. It’s a transferable skillset, and it worked well when I switched into coaching from fitness. I’m learning that when you offer something higher on the pricing scale, emotions help solidify the connections. And move people along from followers to clients.

Challenges Along the Way

It's been smooth sailing since day 1!! LIES! I’ve struggled with lots of things – what to offer, how to differentiate, how to get clients, how to manage my time, etc. Lots of which you must figure out on your way as you go. Even if you have plan coming into your business, things change and you have to adapt. Constantly.

I always think of my corporate life as a tram car, riding along a steady track, tempered emotional ups and downs. But running your own business, that’s an emotional roller coaster. You’re at a 3, then an 11, then down to a 5.. and that’s just ONE day. And this has the potential to happen every day.

Biggest Costs

Software / subscriptions. By design, I’m running a one-person show, so no employees. My goal after my fitness business was to have a business with no building, no employees, no investments from others. Just me.. and my software platforms. I’ve been doing all organic social media marketing, so no advertising costs (yet.. maybe later).

A Day in the Life

I like to get all my work done in the morning - when my attention is strongest. So that’s when I focus on my creative work, like writing and content. I’m up by about 6am, having breakfast while doing some light work in my apartment. I hang with my girlfriend for a bit when she wakes up and has coffee, then I’m at a cafe here in Amsterdam by about 8am (my drink: cortado), working until noon or so.

I reserve the late afternoons for calls, leaving slots calendar slots open for client work and new business. A late afternoon workout usually boosts my energy for the remainder of the day, if there’s anything else I need to do, like reviewing client drafts of assignments.

The Vision for Simple Man Guide

I’d love to add a speaking angle, talking to college students, or those early in their careers – and inspiring them to pursue something different if they feel the corporate world is not for them. I can see a book in my future too.

But other than those two additions, I enjoy 1:1 coaching. It’s something I can do at my own pace, from anywhere in the world, without worrying about a building, employees, or anything else – except what I enjoy doing. And that’s helping others find enjoyable work and live life on their terms.

Guiding Principles for Entrepreneurial Success

Pay attention to what you enjoy doing.. and do more of it. The whole point of me leaving the corporate world and work for myself was to enjoy my work. Many others I talk to want to leave the corporate world behind, but end up building themselves a business doing exactly what they did in their 9-5, and didn’t like.

Your new business venture is your ‘side piece’. And if you’re not already finding time to work on it outside of your corporate job, that’s an early sign it’s not something you enjoy doing. And have better odds of getting tired of it.

It’s hard work to start something on your own. And if you don’t like what you do, I’m talking the day-to-day tasks, that’ll just increase the odds of you giving up when it gets tough. Which it will inevitably will. And not allow enough time for the magic of compounding to work.

Make sure whatever it is you start - is something you like. You’re curious about. Something that if it fails, you’ll be heartbroken.