"Life Before Work"

The company I work for, Life Before Work, has been an incredible fit for me. The name itself, Life Before Work, pretty much sums up my thoughts on prioritizing what matters.



The company itself was started by a very charismatic guy named Brady, whose 3 month Thailand trip in 2005 turned into a life-changing 8 month experience. He, like me, was from Edmonton, Alberta: the "frozen tundra", as some of us call it. He felt more at home at Thailand than he ever did in Edmonton. For me, this was a huge selling point on why I needed to work for him - we both had the same feeling, that traveling felt more comforting than actually being in the city you were raised in.

Brady's love for Thailand was so strong that he felt he had a message to deliver. Have you ever experienced something so profound that you feel a responsibility to inform the people you care about? I think there could not be a stronger foundation for a business than the passion to improve people's lives through something you believe in.

Since 2005, Brady has grown from a young traveler to a full-fledged entrepreneur; building a business from the ground up, all surrounding his passion for travel. The tours now run throughout the year, in Thailand, Bali and the newly launched destination, Brazil. His business and its success has grown organically through his fostering of relationships with the people he's met through his work and globe-trotting. Brady has told me himself that he has not really stopped traveling for the last five years; I find this to be profound as the success of his business has continued to grow.

It is through my involvement with the company that has given me the insight to why his business is a success. The following integral pieces of his business model have allowed LBW continue to grow, while Brady still maintains a traveling lifestyle:

1. The aforementioned foundation of the business: Passion to improve people's lives through something you believe in (in this case, travel)

2. The business owner fostering relationships through all walks of life

3. Hiring employees with the same fundamental beliefs, especially in the early developmental stages of the business

4. The owner's embodiment through lifestyle of the business culture he is fostering: Life Before Work

Through this experience comes a strong sense of inspiration, as Life Before Work is an example of the procurement of a successful business model through hard work, but more importantly, integrating your personal beliefs into your professional life.

Life Before Work: It's that simple.

LIFE CHANGER: Vancouver's Best Nachos (The Foundation)

There are many things I miss about my town of 3 1/2 years - the water, the mountains, the greenery...

However, there is one part of Vancouver that I'm truly looking forward to revisiting next week, where I am heading to say a final goodbye to my friends before I head over to London.

FOUNDATION NACHOS.

The Foundation is a vegetarian restaurant on Main Street, where you will see many plaid-clad, toque-wearing folk lining up out the door to chow down. Coming back to Alberta, it has crinkled many a nose when I have mentioned these glorious nachos being housed in a veggie restaurant; the most popular response being "Where's the ground beef?!".

Fear not, carnivores.

These nachos are the most filling, satisfying and tasty you may ever come across. The dish's success relies on a few key elements:
1. A multi-layered approach, where each chip has every topping adorning it
2. A schmorg of corn, black beans, jalapenos, melted cheddar, overflowing bowls of house-made guac and salsa, and a big pile of sour cream
3. Portions that will leave a table of four feeling full after sharing a MEDIUM plate (student budget heaven!) For the incredibly reasonable price of $16 for a medium plate, and $3 for the MANDATORY guac, you find yourself with an incredibly well-priced meal. Wash it all down with frosty pints of beer, which always seem to be on special.

It all sounds too good to be true, doesn't it?
There IS a price that comes with partaking in Vancouver's best (and to me, the best anywhere) nachos. The Foundation is equally as famous for their mediocre-at-best service and blasting rap music as they are for their food fare. With Vancouver hosting a large veggie community, it is a sad fact that some restaurants can keep packed strictly due to the fact that they cater to this crowd. However, after declaring multiple times that after poor service, I'd NEVER go back, on principle - I couldn't help but crawl back to get "nach'd" again and again.

So, I invite you to accept a challenge: Get a pack of friends together, prep your vocal cords to yell over the music, and prepare to enjoy eachother's company (for an indefinite amount of time) while you salivate watching the plates of nachos go by.
I promise you - it'll be worth the wait.

The Foundation - 2301 Main Street - Vancouver, BC

If I Worked For Flight Centre...

Some of you will remember last year, when I applied for a Flight Centre Social Media Specialist Job. Thanks to your overwhelming support, I secured an interview on a global posting. While I did not get the job, I promised myself I would throw myself into Social Media and Travel further than I ever had before.

The time has come where I need your support again. I am moving to London, England, and I am applying (once again) for the same job I applied for last year - but from LONDON! The task was to create a video from the perspective that I already obtained the job. Please view it - comment, like, and share with your family and friends.

If I have given you travel advice, helped plan a trip, or impacted you in any way through Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, my blog, Pinterest, MySpace, LinkedIn) It would mean the world to me to have you express that I've done so.

Thanks for watching - Cheers to all you travel fanatics!