The corporate comfort zone is a time thief. Before I knew it, I woke up to realize 2 decades slid past and took a piece of my soul. Currently I'm plotting my 4 wheeled escape and this video just adds fuel to my resolve. Thank you.
Oh yeah so everybody who does a normal job lives in hell? I cannot afford a van and traveling around, so what about that? What should I do? I would like to travel but have no money at all, life sucks
I’m so glad you told the entire history on how you even got to the point of being able to afford van life. Too many people just jump right to “here’s how I make money”. The truth is you can’t get there from here. It takes time, effort and true commitment to get to the place of freedom. Great video.
As an old guy I love seeing young people chase their dreams. You appear to be living life to the fullest which is great. Thanks for the beautiful photos and sharing your life. I wish you all the best. Also a big shout out to @logictech y'all picked a great person to sponsor!
@@ChristianSchaffer mam you did each and every thing which is exist in the world haha. I am also addicted to watch your videos. Love and respect from Pakistan. 17 hours flight from USA to Pakistan hehe.
As an older number on my driver's license and about 20ish in my head, I can't wait to hit the road as a photographer. Being older has an advantage, I have more in the bank and mentally I seem more settled (maybe, ha!).
So basically a ton of shit normal people can't do who didn't start life well off, or with great genetics. It all boils down to luck. Doesn't matter how hard someone works, luck means everything
@@Shorkshire She literally starts the video saying that she came from nothing and her mother was living on foodstamps. You can learn photography, editing and adobe skills for free from youtube.
@@Shorkshire Did you watch the video? She started with nothing (except maybe great genetics), and worked REALLY hard - putting herself through college, climbing the corporate ladder. Anyone can do that, if they just do the work and don’t make excuses for themselves.
Christian, this video just blew me away. I'm incredibly impressed with how you've consistently sought out and made use of opportunities and turned them into something amazing. I love the combo of creative and business savvy that you have developed. All of this takes perseverance and a lot of belief in yourself. Kudos to you!
I'm 72 ,when I was in my twenties i had a job managing a color processing lab ,a small photography business,and a van converted for the road.Quit the job sold the business and took of 14 months to cross the state's. Shot lots of film, along the way got jobs to keep going. I wish back then we had digital cameras, lap tops , cell phones . That's how you can market your craft from the field .Good job . It just wasn't my time.....
I can't believe how close, yet so different our stories are. I grew up poor and found myself paying for college and moved to Hawaii to go to college. Our similarities pretty much end there, but now that retirement is staring my husband and I in the face, I've been contemplating #vanlife and found your channel. Thank you for sharing.
Very cool. I also went to the U of H. Like most it took me 5 yrs to grad. Who wants to grad in the normal 4 yrs in Hawaii??? Majored in sailing, minored in Business....never used any of it. Now a retired airline capt.
You are a highly intelligent human. That is the reason you are so successful. If Covid was not so prevalent, you could easily be working in Hollywood. The camera lens loves you. And as I recall from a previous video, you are highly adept at defending yourself. Of all the thousands of vlogs I have viewed of humans living remotely in a camper type situation, you are by far one of the very few who have mastered the lifestyle. That is not an easy task. You have done the hard work, and are reaping the rewards. Congratulations. Your photography is stunning.
You're a badass! From one Wisconsin raised woman to another! I also made my way to the mountains (CO) and haven't looked back. Love how thoughtful and to the point you are. It's easy to recognize your depth and that's refreshing. "Your only limit is you" and your hard work paid off. Congrats!
I've only recently come across your channel, as I've been interested in a traveling and experiencing lifestyle. You're an incredible person Christian. Thank you for sharing your story and background. It's amazing seeing the experiences you've had, the challenges you've been through, and how you've endured and ventured forward to find what you want out of life. You're so genuine, honest, generous, and your work is beautiful. All the information and insights you share are really helpful. Thank you, you're an inspiration. Looking forward to your future adventures.
Wow - you really DID start the mobile life young! Being flexible and open has served you well. You are living a beautiful life - thanks for sharing it!
I just found this video by accident. I have a 15yr old daughter who started watching it too. Thank you she was locked in watching this. She didn’t look at her phone once! It did inspire her. She said dad she is very relevant. We each subscribed. Look forward to more of your videos.
Very impressive woman. Half the battle is knowing what is good for you and acting on it. It’s so easy to get blown along with the leaves. Beauty and brains. ☺️👍🏼
That would be a fun one! I just keep forgetting to film myself while living normal life haha 🤦🏼♀️ good to know there is interest tho, I'll work on it 😉
The most important thing to take from this video is "5 years". This is not overnight success. It required lots of time and dedication. So if you are just starting or at the beginning, don't give up. Also, the results tend to "skyrocket" later on so keep on following your dream :). And of course, being a charming beautiful being helps, too :D..
i shoot for about 10 years, never been approached even shooting a lot of travel landscape. It depends a lot of the country you live. Here in Europe isn't that simple. And yes great looks its a big plus of course. The Instagram market for guys doesn't work as well as for great looks women. This is the reality.
@@backyardbraaapn1017 he 100% right. They hire her for her looks also. Imagine if a fat woman did same thing they will not hire her because of her looks. That's why these crooked companies prefer that.
Yes thank you. I have a friend who makes money on the road and she is stupid secretive. As clearly you have given us your business plan, but I highly doubt the success rate of someone trying to duplicate it. As the amount of Grit, talent and personal sacrifice is quite significant.
@@snowthugs MOST Have No Concept of How Difficult IT IS Being on Her Own. She's a Model, and Easily Makes 💰 Money - Which Will Change Soon, as She Quickly Ages Out.
It is amazing to me how some people are just naturally brave. you have lived more in a short time than I have lived my entire old life...by a long shot.
Talented and hard working; I am impressed. I felt like I was sitting in your van getting a professional briefing in person, with such personal details.
You're awesome! I quit my corporate job in 2022 to pursue life as a full-time pen and ink artist. Anyway, I'm in my 50s and have been purging the house these past months with a single focus on minimizing and downsizing, like why do I have such a huge house? My priorities and needs are changing, and RU-vid knows it because it keeps feeding me "tiny-house" and "van-life" videos - which I'm binging with delight. And I just love what I'm finding, so thank you for sharing all-the-things about your lifestyle, it gives a glimpse of what's possible (or whether it's a good fit for me). Really appreciate you. BTW: turns out I have magazine prints from your A&F modelling days, as I worked in the Design Industry.
@@jugganuat6440 This woman worked at multiple jobs. She made some hard choices that show she isn't afraid to try new things. Can you speak 2 other languages? She just happened to be born beautiful. Your comment is rude and ignorant. She's an amazing person.
@@jugganuat6440 with comments like yours its pretty obvious that you either are unsuccessful and blame it on your ugliness or are constantly turned down by pretty women like an incel, which makes sense based on your world views.
Hello Christian. I came across one of your videos yesterday and something made me click on the video. I already know what it is. There are many things in common that we do and things that I would like to do. I love the mountains very much and years ago I started doing landscape photography. After a while, I decided to try photographing events as well. I just wanted to shoot all the time, but I didn't have the opportunity to be in the mountains all the time. Here in Bulgaria, you can't earn much from landscape photography. I've been a salsa teacher for 25 years, but it's starting to wear me down. I keep thinking about the mountain and I want to be there. This feeling of freedom it gives you is unique. That's exactly what I see in your videos, a lot of freedom, creativity and beauty. I've had a drone for a year now, and it's really turned me on to video content as well. The feeling of creating films is so inspiring. Some time ago I really wanted to make a film about myself as a landscape photographer, now I can see that it is possible to happen. I will draw inspiration from you for many things. Thank you very much for what you do and what you convey to us through these videos. Stay healthy and stay inspired
Watching this just made me happy for some reason. It's great to see you make moves fearlessly, you don't allow any fear to dictate your decisions in pursuit of your goals. I feel like people know what they have to do to reach there goals, they just don't go for it as passionately because it requires change as you grow and mature. People freak out when it comes to change, like for real. Thanks for the video and sharing your story!!
I'm not pursuing anything like van life, but I was very curious how you made money. Appreciate the candidness. Insecure people would probably not share what you shared and it's refreshing. You made a lot of good contacts on the way up and that seemed crucial to getting where you are today. Too many people shoot for the easy/instant RU-vid path to make money and it shows in their crappy channels. It also seems as if being, for the most part, unattached is a necessity to be successful with a lifestyle like yours. You deserve credit - be well.
You really are the ultimate class act who gives so much of herself. Your videos always have so much quality info and imagery. I especially like how you area willing to break down in detail how you make a living to help others. Lastly, I thought I had done a lot with my life traveling… but when I heard all your details, Wow.
Very inspiring, business-savvy, and articulate video! Thanks for answering the question of how to make good money on the road and not just enough to get by! I just found your channel and look forward to binge-watching more videos. Also, I grew up and now am living again around Green Lake, WI (near Oshkosh) and agree with the need to leave WI/Midwest! :) Been planning my van life for some time and looking forward to making my vision a reality soon!
Your hustle is beyond admirable! Keep it up - I'd love to see more content for sure - I think you have the potential to be a top RU-vid - love your laid back communication style and valuable organized information.
Aw thank you! I have so much respect for RU-vidrs on here...it's challenging to crank out content on a regular basis but its comments like yours that encourage me to keep at it ;)
I like that she mentioned it takes talent. Not to mention hard work and peserverance. I can understand her, I went from earning a four figure salary in 2017 to six-figure and it felt torturous at times but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Getting to this kind of point requires a long story. She did well to connect the dots. Be open to opportunity. Even if you don't have the skills or ability, you are guaranteed to learn something along the way.
Hello, I’m new to your channel, I’ve watched several of your videos from the PNW and absolutely loved them. I’m 58 and own a new van as my office on wheels as well as my travel van. I didn’t grow up camping, and only in the past two decades, I have I enjoyed nature in all its beauty. I want to say how amazing it is to see young females living their life purposefully, doing what they enjoy with so much joy. My daughters are around your age and they have so many expenses living in condos here in Redmond, WA. I’ve shared your channel with them as I feel you are such an inspiration. Thank you for sharing your talent with us. Wishing you continued success and safety. With appreciation for your content, Sadie
Although this video is over a year old and you have moved forward onto to other things (still catching up on older videos after subbing), it was great to hear some of your background. You sound fulfilled after you spent some time finding the path, before you decided to take on van life. It has taken me about 16 years to realise, the great “home owners dream” is not for me. After a school acquaintance passed away last year and was living quite happily in what was likened to a tiny home, decided to take a different look at life, and where I was. Great video Christian I’m envious, keep up the great journey. Cheers
Hey Happy Camper, Nice to see you back. I love your channel. Your photography and videography are top-notch. The background info was interesting, especially about the international travel. I'm a firm believer in multiple streams of income, passive income, and remote working too. I think that remote working makes a lot more sense, and is proving so, especially during the current worldwide situation. Thanks for sharing your insights. Safe travels and best wishes.
Thank you so much! Passive income is definitely key, been exploring how to incorporate more of that into my workflow. Really appreciate you taking time to watch (and comment 😊)
Very generous of you to share all that personal information. I’m sure that provides a great deal of help to many people. Thanks a bunch, please keep going. Love looking for your latest post. Jim
Tell Mom she did a good job. You've done very well with your life. To make at photography these days is one rare trick! (It helps that you're great at it.)
While good looks needs some decent base to build on, looking "gorgeous" definitely takes work and will power. But yeah, she is, and not only on the outside, I think.
I love the fact that you get right to the point--no blathering on and on about content unrelated to the video. I've watched several of your videos and honestly didn't skip ahead one time. Well, I did skip through the intro. However, your videos do what they promise and so many RU-vid videos really don't. Thank you for the informative, well-planned, and straightforward videos. I'm a subscriber now, so that means I'm a fan.
sorry hit the send button, not every one has the courage that you have im now a fan and will watch your Chanel a lot ,I found you when I was looking for 4x4 vans you are an exceptional young woman absolutely inspirational keep safe
Recently I came across your channel on the van built and was amaze at the design, simplicity but very functional...Also view your pictures on Instagram and they are truly amazing. I also love photography and now that I no longer working (by my choice :-))... Hopefully after this Covid-19 madness is over... Looking forward to grab my gear and heading back outdoor again. Thank you for sharing your ideas, tips, and amazing pics & videos... They are truly beautiful ... Hope you be safe out there.
Very impressive on multiple levels. You have lived and learned more in the last 10 years then most people live in a life time. It must be so exciting and fulfilling to imagine where your journey will take you. You are doing this on your terms and the future belongs to you.
With talent, time and tenacity a person's goals can be reached. Some have a game plan and some just wait for moments to happen. Either way, pay attention and use your wits. Thanks Christian, sharing your story.
You are an exemplary person and have led a life full of such variety so far. Your down to earth way of sharing your life's journey makes it sound easily achievable, but the truth is far from it. Huge amounts of resilience, flexibility, open-mindedness, risk-taking and sheer grit and determination have got you where you are today and will take you further. Very inspiring indeed! Have subscribed. I will come back to your videos for inspiration and my positivity fix :D
I have only watched a few of your videos since I crossed paths with your channel about. week ago so I never new your background until watching this video. Earlier today I was watching one of your videos concerning lonliness and started to comment that your photography was incredible and I hope that you knew how good your composition is. Thinking to myself, she should do photography full time for income, as opposed to what I assumed was RU-vid. Your videos (and assuming your stills) are not just of mountains, lakes, and sunsets , but capture the emotional beauty of the outdoors. Now I'm going to check out your art pages and I'm pretty sure I won't be disappointed.
Really good and comprehensive content. Thank you for sharing your backstory. It shows that you've had to work hard for everything you've achieved, and it explains how those experiences gave you the confidence to do what you're doing now since it seems like you've had to rely on yourself and have been willing to take risks. Really inspiring and admirable. I look forward to more videos and seeing where your journey takes you.
How cool that I just ran across your videos tonight, start binge watching them. And find that we grew up in the same state, and being from Oshkosh then when I say I'm in Neenah, you know how close that is. So happy to get lost in the beautiful places you've gone! My youngest graduates this year, so I'm praying to sit and reflect in person, some of these amazing places you've gone to! Thank you for sharing your life with us 🥰
Your Marketing degree and visual talent have really paid off. Your education in sales, advertising, public relations have given you the edge in promoting your Brand." However, it is your work ethic that that made the difference. When you love what you do you never have to work a day in your life."
Next Video Idea: How do you find places with WiFi when on the road? Especially from ioverlander spots for that 50% of the time you are connected. A lot of employers are now opening up to hybrid work and there should be healthy interest.
Yeah great topic - it really has shifted with the pandemic - normally I would post up in a library or coffee shop or hotspot my phone for work hours during the morning ...then I'm off the grid and shooting sunset/sleeping in remote places.
Portable hot spot devices have really come down in price alot. Most are battery powered now and it's easy to park in good reception. Internet access was alot harder a few years ago then now and 5g will be making it easier here over time
Your photography is amazing. I hope that once I'm out on the road I can find scenery as beautiful as some of the stuff you've shot and do it justice with my cameras.
Really interesting. Amazing how much ground you covered so quickly and intelligently. All I can say is, good for you. In college, a friend and I hiked the John Muir trail, on the spur of the moment. We had no idea what to expect, how beautiful it was. That spectacular beauty took my breath away, all day long, every day. We caught trout, smoked and flaked it and put it in a plastic bag. We traded it for what ever we needed and kept going for three more weeks. That beauty totally changed my life. I think about one particular moment looking at the side of a mountain almost every day. That was 55 years ago but it is like it was yesterday, and it still inspires me. God bless you. Thanks for sharing.
You have the most interesting life. Very much enjoyed hearing your story. And this video was really helpful! Getting brand partnerships and making money on the road definitely isn't easy, and what you've built is impressive. Working on putting my own plan together for later this year. Will be keeping up with your posts!✌️
I’m so happy I found your channel looking for Canon gears but you bring a whole new meaning to the word LIFE. Such a vibrant, fun and free spirit individual you are. Please keep the videos coming, I know this is 2yrs old but for me its recent😅.
That's the beauty of travelling anytime/anywhere: the freedom, mobility, spontaneous, independence. I've been in those many scenic places across the great USA, but it can be lonely sometimes. Be safe out there and looking forward to seeing your next journey along the way.....
I love all your content and find it super helpful! I have a small but growing following on RU-vid and Instagram but find it soo hard to know how much I should be getting paid from brands for a mixture of social media campaigns, photography and sponsored videos. It's probably quite a niche topic but I would be interested in hearing you go more in depth on how they break down. Would also love any kind of Autumn travel vlogs. Maybe a day of vanlife in Autumn showing how you work etc. Athena xx
Thanks so much Athena 💙all really great topics - an autumn travel vlog would be fun to make - just crossed over into Utah and the colors are sooo beautiful! Maybe I'll make a future video covering brand negotiations etc in more detail - super helpful to know there's some interest 😊
Loved hearing about your story growing up. Always great to see success stories. As well, I’ll attest to the Logitech MX Anywhere mouse being amazing. They are all I use at home and the office. I’m a software engineer so it gets abused. :)
OSH! Great little town. I did a short stint there as a videographer for the EAA. I recently found your channel and am loving your straight forward and informative content. Looking forward to seeing what you make next!
Christian…….this is so wonderful. You are so in depth and honest (in all your content) telling the full story. You have made a good start to great success. Your photography is exceptional, so clear and beautiful. I love your background and how you worked, traveled to foreign places and also road tripping while doing your business. Yes, it is great waking up to some beautiful scenery rather than sitting in traffic heading to an office. Be safe, thanks for sharing.
You are so darn beautiful, outside and in, and your talent is awe inspiring. I sincerly, hope you live a very happy and wonderful life. I wish I was 25 years younger. You give us such joy in watching your videos. God bless you my beautiful lady. I hope you are very happy. Thank you so much, for taking us on your experiences. It is the highlight of my month.
University of Hawaii, yes, at least we have something in common. I took my MBA at Shidler College of Business. I also decided to end my corporate life, started building my own catamaran, spending my life on water. Your sharing on how to have passive income is very helpful. Thank you and love to hear from you!
Hi Christian, I've just watched 4 of your youtube videos in a row for the first time and I love them. I thank you for your openness, honesty and common sense approach to life. I wish you well on your journeys. I'm a subscriber now. Thank you for sharing!
The Better Butter Burger from Culver's, yup, I'm from WI also. How about doing a video on your print sales. How it works with you on the road, image editing workflow and also your criteria to determine the image is print worthy. I think that would be interesting.
Haha yep, I definitely had my fair share of those back in the day 🍔although the custard was my real weakness... great idea with the print sales! I'll keep that one in mind 😊
I love your channel! I do have a couple of questions: how do you know where to safely stay a night? I’m planning on doing the van life while I go to grad school next year, but with the most recent events in the van community. Safety is a factor. Obviously, out in nature is fantastic and makes me feel comfortable, but I don’t have that same trust in a city. Did you ever have that security hesitation and what did you do about it?
That was an interesting and fulfilling answer, you, beauty:3 Very inspirational though. Wanna sell my estate and roll away, making my lifelong social distancing even more... fulfilling (lol), but then I realize that I live in Russia and that step will more likely lead me to freezing to death somewhere deep in Siberia.❄❄❄ Totally fine with this ending - the view would totally worth it, I bet❄❄❄🗻🏞🗻🥶🚐
Holy Moly, you are "inspiration" incarnate. Your life has been such an amazing ride. Just discovered your channel, wish I would have found it sooner. Entonces hablas castellano, que bien. Escuche en el video que tienes contrato para promover a la Florida, si cais por Miami me gustaria conocerte en persona, Eres una persona muy interesante. You have a new loyal fan. Gonna binge watch the rest of channel now. God Speed to you and be safe.
This is the most in-depth example of how progression comes in to play, putting yourself out there and just go. If you gotta spend a summer on your Aunt Sue's couch earning money to get some basics in order or serve chicken wings in a bikini to drunk spring breakers, you do it. I'm a photographer as well. I spent 21 years bartending. The last 3 years killed me, nobody could understand why I wanted out, but I just could not deal with those walls another day. I'm getting back in to photography and I have some money saved. Your experience is inspiring to me. Thank you for sharing. I'll check out your photos.
Your "story" to date is just, well...inspirational! And just like the last video I watched re: safety on the road for a single lady - I want my daughter to watch this one too! You have the life experience of a 50 year old, but you look barely 20? Crazy. Have you ever considered inspirational speaking engagements, as another gig to further diversify your revenue streams - you are a very gifted speaker.
Okay here’s what I heard . You’re always on vacation and people from major companies pay to let you wear or use there stuff while on vacation. Living the dream I’d say . Congratulations .
You should be proud of yourself for creating the life you have considering you started out living in a car with a very young mom. Not many people would have the courage to sell everything and move to Hawaii to get their education and start their adult life. You are a rock star!
You make these videos look effortless but it must be a ton of work to get so many shots by yourself and edit things. Your videos are breathtaking. Keep up your work. It's really appreciated.
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