I just got back from Joshua Tree 🌵.

While I was there, I did an astrophotography workshop with my Dad.

We got there early to claim our spot, set up our tripods, and patiently waited for the sky to go black. The guy who ran the tour, Casey, had done this many times before and helped us adjust our camera settings to get the perfect shot.

I assumed he was always an entrepreneur type.

And yes, he’s been a professional photographer for two decades, but before that, he had a different life that might sound familiar to some of us—he was a software engineer living in the Bay Area.

Now, he runs an astrophotography business that allows him to meet new people who also love photography and travel around the world doing workshops in Iceland during the Spring/Fall and Joshua Tree during the Summer.

If I’m doing the rough math in my head, that means he left his software engineering job in his 30s or 40s to dive into professional photography full-time.

For those of you who feel like it’s too late or too hard to pivot, it’s refreshing to hear examples of people doing something totally different than what they did before. Sure, maybe his software engineering career gave him financial stability to take a risk later in life, but he still had to go for it and step into the unknown.

Speaking of stepping into the unknown, I’m headed to London on July 20 for a few weeks to live and work abroad.

My original goal this year was to book an event that would get me to London for free but since that hasn’t happened (yet 🤞), I’ve taken matters into my own hands.

To help subsidize the cost of the trip, I’m subleasing my NY place out to friends and trying out Kindred, a home-swapping app that gives you 5 free nights just for signing up. I’ve already hosted twice at my apartment, and the best part about it is the free cleaning you get before and after a guest stays at your place.

While I’m excited, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little nervous.

I worked abroad last year and, to be honest, it was stressful. My boss wasn’t exactly on board, I was juggling late-night Zoom calls until 11 PM, and I had to schedule a train ride in the middle of back-to-back meetings.

This time is different, but the unknown still brings up questions.

What if I hate it?
What if I feel lonely?
What if I end up missing summer in NYC?

Maybe that’s true, but I’m heading into this trip with the intention to experience whatever summer in London has to offer me—good or bad. After all, what is solopreneurship for if you can’t live a life on your own terms?

If there’s something you’ve been wanting to do and it hasn’t panned out yet, it doesn’t mean that it will never work out.

Maybe you need to look at it differently or pivot your idea slightly to make it more achievable. Oh, and it’s never too late to just start!

We’re half way through the year! Is there a goal that you need to adjust to achieve it? If so, how will you adjust it? Reply back to this email or comment on this post to let me know.

After staying in a beautiful Airbnb in Joshua Tree that had a digital guidebook and “showroom” that allowed guests to shop your home, I spent some time making my own digital guidebook and showroom for The Catskills Retreat.

As an Airbnb guest, what are some of the little details you appreciate when you stay? I’m always looking to improve mine!