We recently had the chance to connect with Jessica Stiles and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Jessica, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What do you think others are secretly struggling with—but never say?
From my experience, most people are secretly struggling with the challenge of balancing a financially stable and secure career with following their creative passion and dreams. During the past 7 years of travelling full-time and working as little as possible, one of the most asked questions I receive is: “How do you do it?”
People want to quit their 9-5 jobs and follow a career path that brings them more joy. They want to travel more. Spend more time with their families. But there are a few societal norms holding them back: Health Insurance. A steady paycheck. Kids are in school. And these are legitimate reasons to stick with the daily grind.
However, you only get one life. One shot to Carpe Diem, as they say. I think more people are unhappy in their line of work than they will admit.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
In 2018, my husband and I created Drifter Journey, Inc, a brand that allows us to combine a variety of offerings. We started with brand collaborations, affiliate marketing, and social media, but it has expanded to offer editorial, project management, and administrative services as well. We’ve taken our corporate experience and tailored it towards small business applications, which allows us to have a very balanced work/life schedule, as well as work with companies that we align with. I am currently the Editor-in-Chief and Designer for a client that produces a magazine, as well as Project Manager for another client that offers marketing and SEO services.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
For me, integrity is the foundation of a relationship. When it comes to working with people, the most important behavioral trait is: Do they do what they say they’re going to do? How do they regard their commitments to others?
One of the deepest compliments I ever received from a supervisor was that he could rely on me because my word was gold. I do not over-commit, and if I say I am going to do something, it will get done to a high degree of quality. I always say, if it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right.
Understandably, overcommitment can happen. Things come up outside of your control, and they can impact your ability to hit a deadline or meet a commitment. However, if someone misses the mark repeatedly, that’s a red flag for me, and it’s unlikely that person will restore their reputation with me.
This principle applies in my personal relationships, too. It’s important to me to keep my word with friends and family. Because at the end of the day, those are the people I rely on in tough situations. We all have a list of people in the back of our minds that we wouldn’t be able to count on, versus the ones who are our ride-or-die. Which group of people would you rather be considered part of?
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Care less about what people think about you.
I feel this is something that naturally comes to people who approach middle age, but I wish I could tell my younger self not to give a crap about people and things that don’t affect me. So much time and energy is wasted by worrying about what to wear and how to behave so as not to offend others. As I have gained confidence in myself, my work skills, and the expertise I contribute, I have become much less worried about saying or doing things that may seem politically incorrect or that call status quo business practices into question. One of my favorite mentors used to say: “If nothing changes, everything stays the same.” Which in itself is super obvious, but in business practices, it happens all the time.
Someone has to say the thing that makes other people uncomfortable. Sometimes it doesn’t make a difference, but sometimes it does. And the impact when it does is immeasurable, both to the business and to my reputation.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What important truth do very few people agree with you on?
This perspective has more to do with money management and financial independence than work or business skills. I am not sure if it’s true that few people agree with me on this, but I see it so rarely in practice that it seems like most people are not on board.
When it comes to being debt-free and financially independent, many people struggle with getting started because the debt feels insurmountable based on their income and spending habits. They feel like they can’t get ahead and need to make more money first. Work towards the next promotion, get that certification or master’s degree, etc., to get a raise. But my important truth that I see rarely enter the conversation is: you don’t need to make more money, you need to spend less. Live below your means by saving up to buy a car without a loan. In order to save for the car, cancel subscriptions, limit going out to eat, etc. This shift in behavior is the key to crawling out of debt and creating wealth. If you don’t change your spending habits, making more money won’t make you rich. You will just spend more, perpetuating the cycle of living paycheck-to-paycheck and feeling broke.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
I take a huge amount of pride in my work ethic. I am intrinsically driven to perform at a high level, simply because at the end of the day, I am my own judge and jury. My days are productive and I feel satisfied with how I spend my time because I focus on my projects and ensure I get things done to a caliber I can be proud of.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.drifterjourney.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drifter.journey
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/jessicastiles
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/drifterjourney
Image Credits
all photo credit goes to Drifter Journey, Inc.
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
