Thanks to my podcast The Freedom Formula, I’ve had to opportunity to meet and talk with some really incredible people. One of those people is Jeff Hill, owner and CEO of Hill Financial Group, Inc.. Jeff has carved out his own version of lifestyle design in Mexico with his family.
He had just branched out on his own when he decided to leave the US with his wife. They started over — and a family — in another country and are now living their ultimate dream life.
Jeff’s story is exactly the kind of thing I love to highlight here: everyday people who have managed to find time, location, financial, and lifestyle freedom. I found his story inspiring and motivating, and know you will too.
From Corporate America to Commission Only
Jeff says that his story started like many: directly after graduating from the University of Central Arkansas, he went into corporate America to try to climb that ladder. He says that he often felt stuck — was turned down for promotions and wasn’t sure why, and when he asked his superiors about it, they gave him typical canned responses like, “Just keep working hard and one day it will happen.”
This prompted him to do some soul-searching. At the time, he says that there were a couple of things that he knew about himself already: he loved to travel, loved meeting new people, and loved helping people out. So, what kind of career would allow him to do all three?
He settled on financial services within the company he was already working at, mainly for the stability that it offered, plus the opportunity to travel and meet and help people. As he became disenchanted with it all, he notes that he never had a side hustle, but he eventually got to the point where he felt really unfulfilled — financially, emotionally, and mentally.
Looking back, he remembers a pivotal moment, “I knew there was more to life out there, and the straw that broke the camel’s back was when I got my annual review and they only gave me a 2% raise.”
This prompted him to go on another journey of figuring out what he truly wanted to do. He did like the financial services work he was doing, but he decided to take the plunge and go out and work for another company, New York Life. The caveat? He had to give up his salary and step out into the unknown world of commission.
Jeff adds it was scary, “100% scary,” but he also learned so many things about himself, his faith, and what he could and couldn’t take on.
Going Out on His Own — in Mexico
After his stint with New York Life, Jeff took everything he learned and decided to go independent and create his current company, Hill Financial Group. Around the same time, he started to work on creating multiple sources of income so that he would feel more financially stable too. He adds that it’s the secret sauce that allows him to be location-independent.
What I found so interesting about Jeff’s story is that it highlights that there are so many different ways to go full-time into entrepreneurship. Some take the leap and completely commit to going out totally on their own, while others wade into the pool a bit more slowly, like Jeff.
He decided to move from the US to Mexico thanks to his MBA program. They offered a “global” option that allowed you to study all over the world which really piqued his interest. He decided that he was going to create his own global program — he wanted to travel the world, connect with other business owners, and learn about their stories. Jeff adds that simultaneously, his wife expressed an interest in wanting to do the same thing. Long story short, they went for it.
When I asked why he wanted to raise his family outside the US, he said that he likes the “idea of freedom,” and felt like sometimes it’s really easy to get stuck in the box of a US mentality. He wanted to show his daughters a different level of thinking and living and knew that the only way to do that was to raise them in a different environment.
Jeff has always dreamed of becoming a citizen of the world, and he and his family are on their way toward becoming just that. They each have multiple citizenships, residencies, and passports, and are working toward obtaining even more.
They want to live life on their terms, and they do. Jeff’s story goes to show that if you’re passionate about something and are willing to work hard to get it, the possibilities are endless.
Photo by Kelsey Knight on Unsplash
This article was written by Neel from MaidThis Franchise, a remote-local franchise opportunity for people looking to escape the rat race and reach financial freedom. Learn more here.
