How It All Began

For years, people had told me to go independent, to start something on my own. But for me, it was never an option—I felt I lacked both the courage and the knowledge to perform at my best. However, I believe that at some point, life guides us down our path and presents the opportunities to take the leap.

My leap happened during a completely unexpected and unplanned trip. Since the beginning of the pandemic, I had been looking for ways to make my life fully “digital.” That meant ensuring that all my income, expenses, and overall lifestyle were no longer tied to a physical location. It was a challenging transition, both financially and emotionally, but about two years later, I received my first offer to collaborate with a major company from my home country. Maybe for the person who made the offer, it wasn't that big of a deal, but for me, it was WAO! I still remember the exact moment, the exact words, and everything that followed. I knew it was the beginning of something significant… the only thing left was to make it happen and watch it grow.

So, here’s how it happened.

During my "world journey" in an attempt to become a "digital nomad," I stopped in Cappadocia, Turkey. I stayed at a hotel with a spectacular terrace overlooking the breathtaking sight of hot air balloons rising at sunrise. It’s an experience everyone should have at least once in their lifetime—it feels magical and surreal, yet peaceful and exciting at the same time.

I wanted to record videos on the terrace, but that meant waking up around 4:00 AM to start filming no later than 4:45 AM, as sunrise and balloon take-off happened around that time. By 6:00 AM, most balloons had already descended, leaving only a few in the sky.

After spending about a week in Cappadocia, it was time to head back to Istanbul to catch another flight to Vietnam (but that’s a story for another blog). That morning, when the shuttle to the airport arrived, I had to sit at the very back because it was the only available seat. Surprisingly, I ended up sitting right next to another Panamanian—a successful entrepreneur and an incredible person.

At first, we didn’t know each other, but as we talked, we realized we had many mutual connections. Then, at one point, he said:“Well, Maria Carolina, when do we start working together?”

He said it with such seriousness, respect, and genuine excitement about the opportunity to create something amazing together. The rest is history. That client became one of the most important I’ve ever had, giving me the confidence, security, and motivation to embark on this journey.

Even though I’m not 100% independent yet and this consultancy is still more of a part-time job, I truly love what I do. With my small client base, I can offer dedicated attention and a personalized approach. I become their outsourced marketing department, not just managing certain campaigns but also analyzing their sales, costs, and strategies to develop campaigns aligned with their business objectives. This is what truly excites me—it fuels my creativity and passion.

Final Thoughts

You never know when, where, at what time, or with whom your life might change. Without mixing friendship or romance, some opportunities come into your life with a powerful message.

Soon, I’ll share more about the changes I implemented for this client and all the lessons learned along the way.