It seems like many young people are choosing to leave their routine nine to five, five days a week job in favour of having the freedom to work on their own schedule, from anywhere in the world. While some people work online for a company, others have opted to forge their own path by starting their own online business.
I’ve had the pleasure to interview Bastian Gugger, founder of bearonawalk, a coaching business that’s geared towards helping other people reach for their goals and live life to the fullest.
Bastian Gugger, bearonawalk Founder
Deanna: bearonawalk is such a cool and unique name. Why did you choose it for your business name? And what is the meaning behind it?
Bastian: Thank you so much! I’m glad you like it! Well, I’m still fascinated over how the brand evolved into from what it actually started out. “Bear” is what my friends called me because of my looks and for the way I played in sports. So, the nickname stuck with me and once I started traveling, I added onto it. That was when “Bearonawalk” was born. Bearonawalk really started out as a travel brand but has evolved and completely changed over the past two years. It’s way more than that now. It’s a walk through life, a walk to freedom.
This brand is all about freedom and lifestyle. During my travels, I learned (the hard way) that true freedom starts within.
Deanna: Did you have a plan in place for your business before you quit your day job?
Bastian: Actually I didn’t even know I was going to create a business once I started traveling. So the back story here is that I was totally miserable, working a 9-5 job, so that is why I quit everything and took off. I have written a free e Book about all that btw.
Once I had done that, all these life forces seemed to work in my favor and I was happy again. But I realized that if I want to keep it that way, I had to figure out a way to maintain it. That is when I started looking into the online world and its possibilities.
Deanna: What is the most rewarding part about being a digital nomad and an independent business owner?
Bastian: To me, being a digital nomad means freedom. The ability to work remotely lets me work from pretty much any place in the world that has Wi-Fi. That is a bit different than sitting in the same office all the time. I can work from cafes, at the beach or next to the pool. The other thing is that it is a minimalist lifestyle. I like that. I can literally pack my stuff, head to the airport and arrive at the next cool place in the same day. So, the real freedom to me is being able to stay in a place if I like it and leave once I’ve decided to move on.
As a business owner, I also get to decide on the type of work I do, my own schedule, where I work from and how much I charge. Pretty cool I’d say. In doing so, I have grown personally and professionally over the past two years. Although it is challenging at times, it is also really rewarding. I always say 80% is you (attitude, perspective and focus) and 20% is skills.
Deanna: What are some of the challenges you are currently facing?
Bastian: As an Entrepreneur you face challenges all the time and that is exactly what builds character. That brings me to another one of my favorite quotes: 10% is what happens and 90% is how you react to it. Dealing with the online world is full of surprises. It’s fast and changing all the time. Platforms come and go, algorithms change. Something that is working today won’t be working anymore tomorrow.
So my response is to stay calm and clear headed. Balancing myself out and focusing on what’s important is what keeps me going. A lot of things happen that are not even in your control but don’t get lost there.
Again, the most crucial aspect of success to me is the job itself and how it’s completed.
Deanna: Life coaching is one of the most rewarding careers anyone can have. What message do you have for your clients and the world in general?
Bastian: Yes it truly is. The funny thing is, I didn’t even know much about my inside world (thought patterns and perception) until a year ago. But once I set up an online business, experienced those ups and downs, chasing things, I was brought back to that moment where I realized that there is more. I realized that it matters what I think, what words I choose to speak and that my own thoughts are holding myself back in many ways. I started researching everything from ancient philosophies to Gurus to Quantum physics and Epigenetics. That is where my passion is now because it truly made a difference in my life. I started journaling and meditating and lots of other things. Those two things build the core of my daily routines though.
In my life I have felt lost and unclear many times. All of this inner work helped me tremendously. That is exactly what I help people with now: Finding clarity, vision and purpose. I work with them on limiting beliefs so that they can break free from those negative thoughts and live a better life. I consider myself a Lifestyle Catalyst (Life coach).
A Catalyst speeds up the process of change. That is exactly how I see my role as a coach. I help people to see what is already inside of them and through these realizations they let go of limiting beliefs and break free.
So, start journaling and write whatever comes to mind. Start a dialog with yourself in whatever way suits you.
My message definitely has to be the following: Get to know yourself as much as anyhow possible and stay true to yourself. Basically what we do often times is, we ignore what we already know deep down inside. So it’s crucial that we reduce the mind’s chatter and trust more in what the heart says.
Deanna: What advice do you have for other aspiring entrepreneurs, digital nomads and business owners?
Bastian: Well, becoming an Entrepreneur is definitely not the easiest route to take. Ups and downs are normal, so staying calm and centered is crucial. The hardest part as a beginner is where to begin. There is so much information and ways to do something out there. Don’t learn from 5 different sources but rather from one or two.
Comparing yourself to someone who is on Page 20 while you are only on Page 1 doesn’t do any good. Focus on one thing and do that. So, instead of being on all social media platforms at the same time, master one and then start with the second one. That’s where most new entrepreneurs get lost and therefore frustrated.
Because I know how overwhelming this path can be, I help people to create a business around their passion and get started. I myself have invested in many, many courses and mentors that I now know what’s good and helpful. I also talk about this in my free ebook.
Deanna: What’s your ultimate goal or vision for your business?
Bastian: Honestly, sometimes I don’t even know where to start. I have so many ideas I would like to proceed with. I really want to help people with my coaching and to make a positive difference in this world. I want to bring back the light in people’s lives and show them what’s possible. We limit ourselves but once we break through those emotional barriers, life can turn in any direction. I’m about inspiring as many people as possible to follow their dreams and to live a better life. I want to create courses, write a book about journaling, build communities and even designing clothes is on my mind.
I believe that we are all on this planet to help each other evolve, so I’m going to do just that by helping people to raise their consciousness. That is what bearonawalk is all about!
Bastian truly is an inspiring individual who has a tremendous business concept. To learn more about him, visit his website at www.bearonawalk.com. You can get connected with him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/bearonawalk/ , https://www.facebook.com/groups/bearonawalk/ or on Instagram @bearonawalk.