My commute would possibly look fairly uncommon to most individuals: I normally catch a 7 a.m. flight from Los Angeles to San Francisco each Wednesday and fly dwelling each Friday evening — touring about 5 hours door-to-door every means.
I by no means deliberate on changing into a supercommuter. However an sudden dialog became a job supply, and I discovered myself splitting my life between two cities.
I reside in Los Angeles, however I lead gross sales and advertising and marketing as Head of GTM (go-to-market) on the AI startup daydream. Along with two flights, my weekly commute additionally consists of too many Ubers and extra 4:30 a.m. alarms than I care to depend.
A yr into my supercommute, although, I can say that what began out as exhausting — and actually a bit of unhinged — became probably the greatest profession selections I’ve made.
Here is why I selected this path, and what I’ve realized from it.
I wanted to be within the room
The most important driver behind my choice was entry. San Francisco’s AI scene has a focus of builders, thinkers, and off-the-record conversations that Los Angeles simply couldn’t match.
It is easy to underestimate the facility of proximity nowadays, however being within the room modifications every little thing. You meet somebody at a panel, seize espresso after, and instantly, you are a part of the dialog.
That is how I landed this function. I related with somebody in San Francisco over a shared curiosity in search engine marketing (search engine optimization), which is the method of adapting your web site to achieve extra customers by search. A number of chats later, they stated, “Is it loopy if we introduced you on?” I had no gross sales background, however I stated sure and figured it out as I went.
These sorts of doorways do not normally open over Zoom. The final three roles I’ve landed all got here from face-to-face interactions.
I did not need to quit what both metropolis needed to supply, so I selected each.
Being within the room helped me get my bearings and succeed as I pivoted to a brand new business and a brand new job perform. It meant I may resolve issues shoulder-to-shoulder with colleagues, bounce concepts round in real-time, construct belief with shoppers, and increase crew morale. That is exhausting to duplicate from a display screen.
I wasn’t keen to decide on between ambition and roots
San Francisco supplied an opportunity to step into a much bigger function. At daydream, I lead all our go-to-market efforts. It is high-stakes, fast-paced work that pushes me to be taught continually.
However Los Angeles is dwelling. My household is right here. So are my closest pals, some because the 2nd grade. It is the place I reset and really feel like myself once more, whether or not that is by dance lessons, quiet walks, or just being round individuals who know me past my job title.
Supercommuting means weekly flights, leaving San Francisco early Wednesday mornings and flying again to Los Angeles on Friday nights.
Courtesy of Janet Lee
It is also the place I run my private finance teaching enterprise, Doing Nicely, within the evenings and on weekends. I began it after constructing a cash administration system to beat my very own monetary anxiousness, and now we assist others do the identical.
Juggling a enterprise and a full-time job is exhausting, and being in Los Angeles — close to my help system and lots of of my earliest shoppers — helps me keep grounded and motivated to maintain my aspect hustle going.
I did not need to quit what both metropolis needed to supply, so I selected each, though it meant dwelling out of a suitcase.
I weathered short-term discomfort for long-term development
Regardless of the wins you would possibly see now, the primary few months have been exhausting. I left a secure job. I’ve cried in Ubers and eaten solo dinners on the workplace. And I bounced between short-term leases, usually in sketchy neighborhoods, to save cash.
Usually, daydream encourages individuals to relocate. Since I made the selection to supercommute, the journey prices are on me. So I pay for each flight and resort out of pocket, averaging round $450 per week.
At first, I did not really feel grounded in both metropolis. I work remotely from Los Angeles on Mondays and Tuesdays, then in San Francisco Wednesday by Friday. Within the early months, I hadn’t constructed neighborhood in San Francisco but. And though I had deep roots in Los Angeles, the fixed journey made it exhausting to be totally current.
I nonetheless pack luggage, hop flights, and juggle a number of initiatives, however now it appears like momentum, not chaos.
I began doing affirmations and reminding myself each morning why I used to be doing this: to degree up my profession and tackle greater obligations that push me to develop. Discomfort wasn’t an indication to stop. It was a part of the method. Ultimately, it turned proof that I used to be constructing my expertise, increasing my community, gaining confidence, and opening new doorways for myself.
A yr into this commute, issues are lastly clicking. I nonetheless pack luggage, hop flights, and juggle a number of initiatives, however now it appears like momentum, not chaos. I’ve constructed deeper relationships, shined in my new function, and stayed related to the life I really like in Los Angeles.
Some alternatives are earned that means — by displaying up many times, even when it means flying 5 hours to do it.
Janet Lee is the Head of GTM at daydream, an AI startup that helps firms develop by constructing and managing their end-to-end natural development engine, from search engine optimization to generative engine optimization (GEO). She additionally based Doing Nicely, a private finance firm that provides month-to-month teaching and bookkeeping to assist individuals handle their cash, construct higher habits, and make knowledgeable monetary selections. She recurrently shares private finance and profession insights on her socials @startdoingwell. Discover her on Linkedin.
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