What I Realized at the RV Entrepreneur Summit

This was our second year going to the RV Entrepreneur Summit put on by Heath and Alyssa.  We had a blast the first time we drove to Texas in March of 2018, so we decided to do it again.  This time the drive was shorter – Lake Guntersville, Alabama.

We had a blast again, but I would like to share how this event ended up being one of the turning points of my life.  

Getting Back Into The Corporate World?

I’ve been working the corporate ladder on and off throughout my life.  I was not working when I was pregnant and when the kids were little. My latest gig was working part time until being laid off for not accepting a full time position.  So I haven’t been working since 2017.

And I began considering getting into the corporate world again. Why?

The money was at the top of the list at that moment. Even though my husband’s business is doing decently (it supports our home and our travels), I feel that we really need to step up our money acquisition.  We both are officially in our 40’s now. Since my husband is self-employed, it isn’t as if we have a big 401K plan being built up. I felt like we needed to really take our long-term savings much more seriously.

So, I was willing to give up a lot for that corporate chemical engineer salary again.  

I was willing to shrink our regular RV travel. While we often would travel for up to 3-4 months out of the year, we’d have to shrink it down to 2-3 weeks out of the year.  

I was willing to burden my husband with homeschooling our kids on top of him working full time at his business. Our children are doing an online program, so they are fairly self-sufficient, but it would still add more complexity to my hubby’s day-to-day life.  

His agreement to me getting a job was justifiably reluctant, as he would be giving up quite a bit of his RV travels as well to accommodate my schedule. But he understood my side of things, so I filled out two job applications back in December.

I got callbacks for both positions, and got interviewed for both positions too.  So as we were arriving to the RV Entrepreneur Summit in March, I was anxiously awaiting the phone calls. I was very determined to start a job soon, and my options looked promising.

Arrival At The Summit (And Me Waiting For The Phone Call)

So here is how it rolled out once we arrived…  

First off, hats off to my hubby. He must’ve been one of the first ones to book this campground for the RVE Summit. We got one of the lakefront sites.  The view was stunning.

My determination for getting a job was beginning to weaken as soon as we pulled into the site. I was beginning to realize what I would’ve been giving up.  

I would’ve been giving up the mornings of waking up in new places, feeling the sense of adventure that comes with exploring new areas, our family being together and sharing each other’s experiences.  

I was realizing that I would’ve been giving up the part of my life that I really love – my life.

We made it a point to come to most sessions and to get to know other RVers.  There were full-timers, some-timers (like us), people who don’t have an RV, but have the dream of getting one.  We listened to many inspirational folks of where their journey began, where they are now and where they see themselves being in the future.  

I have utmost respect for all of them. They are living it. They are going against the grain and they are inspiring others! What a great bunch to know and then quietly come to a realization that I am one of them too!   

How could I be going back to the security of health insurance and the same reliable paycheck (unless the lay off happens), while giving up… well, giving up the life that I love? My life! 

A Change Of Heart

After a few of these talks I was beginning to hope that the phone call with a job offer would never come.  I wanted to relieve myself from hearing the salary figure on the phone and then having the discomfort of telling them that I will not be taking it.

Or would I be weak enough to take it? Maybe that’s what I was afraid of.

But to my relief, I didn’t get either job! So now I get to continue with my life as it was.  

There is one change that I am making…

I am getting more involved with my husband’s business, I am taking over most of the responsibilities of our virtual assistant and taking on the role of the project manager that the business desperately needs. In return I hope that we will increase the business’ income and start putting more money aside for the future while still going RVing, homeschooling our children, waking up on our own terms…

… and simply living the life we like to live!