Michelle helps senior professionals land their first or next remote role. What stands out when you talk to her is how intentional she's been about designing her own life rather than following a standard path. She'll tell you she's a bit of a rebel... someone who asked why as a kid and never just accepted rules because they were rules. There was a stretch where she wasn't being herself, where she'd lost track of what she wanted, and she recognized in others that same lost feeling. That's what drives her work now.
Freedom means choice
When I asked what remote work means to her, she said one word: freedom. Not about avoiding an office or skipping a commute. It's about the freedom to choose where and when you work best, because you're an adult and you can do that. She told me about someone from rural Italy who didn't want remote work to escape somewhere like Bali. He needed it out of necessity. He could take a job at half his salary locally and move his family to a city, or get a remote role and stay where they're happy with their community. Remote work isn't about Bali or avoiding commutes. It's about options and real choice in how you live. And that freedom ties into something bigger. Work doesn't have to be the center of everything. There's family, friends, hobbies, environment. She's the same as me... I'm Norwegian and hate the cold. She hates it too. So many people are too afraid to make the decision to live differently because they think it's wrong to turn down what everyone else would want.
The work-life equation
She pushed back on the idea that work should be the center of everything. It's an important part, something you can be engaged and passionate about, but it's not your life. When I mentioned that I had a dream job at Google as head of startups in the Nordics, she said something powerful. She thinks it's braver not to take that call from Stockholm than to take it. Most people wouldn't have the courage to give that up. But she sees the strength in choosing to stay in Spain instead. And I asked her directly... to what degree do you feel like you're fulfilled? Michelle rated it at 90%. That's higher than most people I've asked. She sits in the IKIGAI... she enjoys it, she's good at it, she's fulfilling a need, and she's getting paid for it. That's enough for her. That's real.
