Medellin

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Back in July 2022, I planned a trip to spend a month working remotely from Mexico City with my then girlfriend. But that relationship went south just a few weeks before the trip and then girlfriend became ex girlfriend.

This was back in the real dog days of beehiiv, just eight months after launch. We were fighting fires daily just struggling to stay alive.

I had a decision to make: cancel the trip and bunker down in LA, or send it solo to Mexico City.

Let’s just say that I am eternally grateful for choosing the latter; that was one of the most fun months of my life. I absolutely fell in love with Latin America, and the business had a monster month of growth.

A few of my friends ended up coming down to visit throughout the month too.

beehiiv is an entirely remote company, with over a hundred employees located around the globe. But despite being remote, I had always worked from my apartment back in LA.

Mexico City taught me that I could be successful and productive working from someplace other than “home.” Although, it wasn’t just a different location, I experienced a whole new level of energy and inspiration while I was there.

There’s something about starting the day with a jog through the streets of Condesa, stopping by the local panadería for a coffee and croissant, and reading outside along a beautiful tree-lined urban street… that felt just a bit more rejuvenating than my typical Monday mornings.

I was forced into a new routine, surrounded by different people, and immersed in a totally foreign culture… all while trying to navigate life with my second grade Spanish.

It was way out of my comfort zone, which pushed me to lean in and be more curious and open to everything happening around me. And that type of openness expands beyond just the morning routine: into my work, my relationships, and my general attitude towards life.

This was in total contrast to the routine-oriented life I had created back in LA, where I had been basically running on autopilot. But running on autopilot typically requires a bit of complacency, and I’ve learned first hand that I accomplish the most when pushing myself to the point of discomfort.

A year prior to that Mexico City trip, I had a great high-paying job at Google and lived down the street from my girlfriend in New York. In the matter of a few weeks: I quit my job, broke up with my girlfriend, and moved across the country to LA to launch my own company (beehiiv).

Basically one big life reset and an even bigger bet on myself.

That level of change and discomfort pushes you to think differently. I had to forge new neural pathways, or in normal speak: I had to build a new life, a new routine, and meet new people.

Anyway, that Mexico City trip opened my eyes to a whole new lifestyle that I didn’t know existed. A lifestyle where I could take advantage of this whole remote work thing and build the company from a destination other than “home.”

A few months later I decided to visit Medellin for a few months and immediately fell in love with it. The city is majestic, the weather is (almost always) perfect, and I built a tremendous community of friends and founders down here.

And again: different place, different routine, different culture, different way to think about the world. When I left Medellin after that first winter, I knew that I had to come back again.

So I have been. I’ve spent the past 3 winters down here and couldn’t be a bigger proponent of it. I get to escape the chilly Los Angeles winters (being somewhat facetious), and spend a few months down in one of my favorite places.

Plus, I discovered the lifestyle arbitrage of making dollars and spending pesos. The cost of living in Medellin is a fraction of what it is in Los Angeles, meaning I can live in a luxurious penthouse apartment with a private chef and maid, while I spend all of my hours in the home office focused on the business.

(this tweet unexpectedly popped off yesterday)

I believe that’s what most people would consider a life hack. That’ll add up to an extra 150 hours I can allocate towards building the company this winter.

Because at the end of the day, my only priority right now is to build beehiiv into a multi-billion dollar business. Spending winters here in Medellin gives me energy, buys me a ton of my time back, and allows me to live a much healthier lifestyle. I also benefit from learning from a diverse community of founders from around the world.

What’s the point of all of this?

As a founder, I’m always looking for opportunities to get an edge and be the best version of myself. I’m also hyper-aware of how difficult this path is that I’ve chosen, and I’m trying my best to enjoy the journey as much as possible (something I constantly try to remind myself).

This unconventional lifestyle splitting time between LA and Medellin does both. It’s rejuvenating, it pushes me out of my comfort zone, and makes life a whole lot more interesting and enjoyable.

Ultimately my job as CEO is to make high quality decisions, and I’m a big believer that your energy and focus is a byproduct of your environment.

Well, my environment is down here in sunny Medellin until further notice ✌️.

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