AS EXPAT WIVES, WE'RE TRAVELING SALESMEN
This is what I heard from another expat mom, back in Paris. She said it as a joke and we both laughed about it.
This comparison is a bit funny, but also quite accurate. As expats we travel from one country to another, “selling” ourselves to the new place, new friends, new communities.
Some of us are on the road, changing countries every couple of years. And in each place we have to knock on people’s doors and ask them to let us and our family in.
We often face rejection because our new neighbors, colleagues at work and people at our children’s school already have friends and they aren’t dying to meet another family -- who may move away in a few years anyway.
We bring with us our culture, language, customs, and habits that may not interest locals. So they slam their doors shut in our faces. Literally and symbolically.
The silver lining is that as expat moms, we grow more resilient with every move. We grow stronger with every rejection. We adapt and become flexible so that our new country can welcome us and “buys” whatever we bring along on the expat journey.
And when we’re expats moms who’ve been the traveling salesmen – or rather, saleswomen – for a while, the experience prepares us for opening our own business.
The grit, resilience, and flexibility that we learn from moving around with our family are perfect skills we can use when talking to potential clients, marketing our services, or dealing with grumpy customers.
So how about taking a look at your expat experience and exploring the “traveling salesmen” skills you’ve developed over the years. How can you use them in YOUR portable business?
XOXO Kasia
P.S. What if I told you that you need only 20 minutes to entirely reverse the way you think about your business and finally get going?
What if I told you that you only need to address questions you’ve never asked yourself, because you were too afraid to hear the answers?
Book a complimentary Business Brainstorming call with me via Skype to finally get the ball rolling.
