Michelle Maree didn’t set out to build a business empire, she set out to build a life of freedom. Today, as the founder of The Nomad Escape, she runs retreats and a global network for entrepreneurs and remote workers who want more than just a career. With 18.1 million Americans identifying as digital nomads in 2024 (that’s 11% of the U.S. workforce!), they’re looking for connection, growth, and the ability to live life on their own terms. We caught up with Michelle to hear more on how she got here, and what’s helped her along the way.
Many jobs, one lesson
Michelle’s early career looked nothing like her life today. She studied education and social work, working in schools and prisons, and developing methods to help kids who were at risk of dropping out. At the same time, she supported herself with countless side jobs.
“I did everything you can imagine… from waitressing for 15 years to selling newspapers on the street.”
It all added up to one single truth: “All these different things and experiences made me realize there’s not one way to do things” That mindset would give her the courage to take leaps that didn’t make sense on paper, but would go on to change her life.
Trusting Her Intuition
Travel had always been calling Michelle. As a child, she watched documentaries about the Amazon and kangaroos in Australia and thought, I want this in my life because it’s so different.
At 30, she stood at a crossroads: stay in her settled life with a partner, home, cats, and career – or chase the unknown. “I chose to give up my relationship, a beautiful house, my cats, my job and all these things to go for adventure because I had such a strong intuition [that it was what I was meant to do].”
That leap led her into tour guiding in Australia, marketing roles she had no formal training for, and eventually, back into entrepreneurship. As she puts it:
“Sometimes you need to quit a job even though it doesn’t feel smart at the moment, because it will lead to different things that are more aligned with who you truly are and what your vision is.”
This isn’t just good advice, the mental imagery Michelle embraced has been proven to activate the same brain pathways as real experiences. This improves motivation and reward response, leading you to what you desire.
Entrepreneurship By Accident
Her first business was born by chance. In Suriname, Michelle started turning discarded wood into furniture and quickly built a following. “Without me knowing anything about design or furniture, I became a wood artist within six months. I became super known and all the big artists wanted to work with me because I built a brand.”
She eventually let it go, but not without learning a lesson she carries today. “If I would have had the experience that I have now, I would have done it differently. I would have sold the brand… now I’m learning from the beginning how to make a company exit-ready.”
Building The Nomad Escape
Those lessons she learned along the way shaped The Nomad Escape, the company Michelle runs today. “We do retreats and events and I host an online platform. More than nomadism, it is really focused on personal and professional development and building a strong network.”
Her superpower is connecting people. But she insists real networking is nothing like the corporate stereotype.
“For anyone who’s wanting to network better or break the ice, the answer is to let go of the whole concept of networking.”
Her method is simple: be curious, be generous, and expect nothing back. “I’ve gotten so many opportunities from very important clients without me asking for anything, simply by being genuinely interested in them and wanting to give them value without expecting anything in return.”
One example stands out. Following her intuition, Michelle attended an event hosted by Japanese author and money mindset specialist Ken Honda. She connected with him authentically, never pitching herself, just showing up with genuine curiosity. That chance meeting grew into a close working relationship – one that will now see Michelle author her own book and build her personal brand in Japan. For her, it’s proof that showing up, listening, and giving value leads to opportunities you could never plan for.
Holding On To The Vision
Michelle’s drive comes from both the pain she’s left behind and the success she’s tasted.
“Motivation comes from two things. Pain and success”
“Either you’ve been through so much that you refuse to go through it again, or you’ve tasted success and want more.”
She relies on visualization to shape her future. “Since the moment I started writing things down – my goals, and how they would look and feel – it all started happening… you can reprogram your brain by visualizing.”
Her philosophy is bold:
“So if we can imagine that we could end up homeless on the street, why can’t we imagine that we can build a dream business and create true freedom?”
A Network that Lasts
Today, Michelle has hosted retreats in Portugal, Bali, Mexico, Japan, Greece, and beyond, creating communities that feel like family. For her, the real value is not measured in money but in connection.
“For me, my network is my greatest asset.”
“If sh*t hits the fan, if I lose all my money, I have hundreds of people all around the world I can call.”
Michelle’s story is proof that purpose isn’t handed to you. It comes from saying yes to experiences, following your intuition, and connecting deeply with others. In fact, ‘givers’ or those who contribute without expectation often succeed more in the long term.
No one can take away your ability to network, to be yourself, and to dream big. If you can hold onto that and follow Michelle’s example, you might just end up where you want to be.
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