Stride Stories: 1 man 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days
Born outside Seattle and now based in Shanghai, I’m an ultra marathon runner working to expand education access. I have the honor of leading Dyad.com, a mentorship platform that’s helped students earn over $24 million in university scholarships. I’ve also worked to help the Rhodes Scholarship enter China and now serve on the Board of Directors for the Truman Scholars Association, two organizations I greatly admire. I love adventure and have run ultra marathons across deserts, mountain ranges, and jungles. I’m a lifelong Seattle Seahawks fan and am proud to serve as “12 Ambassador” for the world’s best fans!
What were you doing before you were self-employed?
I worked on Moneythink, a youth financial capability NGO based in Chicago, and was attending business school in England.
How were you able to merge your two passions of running and education?
I’ve sought to design a lifestyle to merge my passions through daily habits and endurance challenges. I aim to finish training before work each day so wake around 4am for longruns. This is an ideal time to think through various business issues and solutions or knock out conference calls with colleagues or partners overseas.
I dedicate each endurance challenge to an education cause or organization doing great work to expand access. This is a fun way to enlist friends, family, and teammates in the mission while making a difference.
How did you make the leap financially?
I worked odd jobs like splitting wood, landscaping, roofing and painting houses before I could afford to pay myself a salary. It was hard work for $12/hour but a chance to enjoy the sunshine and think through first steps on the business. Also sought to cut expenses when starting-up by living on a buddy’s couch and limiting my diet to ramen noodles and canned tuna.
What are/have been the biggest hurdles in supporting yourself as a self-employed worker?
Biggest initial hurdle was making ends meet. Was worried about where food and rent money would come from (let alone capital to expand the business)!
How do you stay financially literate? What advice would you give someone self-employed about managing their financial wellness?
I aim to spend time reading instructional articles from entrepreneurs who have made it work and asking mentors for insight over coffee.
My advice is to set clear revenue targets and measure progress daily. Track expenses and log the variables influencing these figures. Cash is the lifeblood of your business so stay focused as we have to stay above water to deliver on our mission.
Where do you struggle most on the business side of being a freelancer? (Budgeting, time management, taxes, etc.) and how do you overcome that?
Balancing admin – budgeting, bookkeeping, filing taxes – with revenue generating activities like marketing and sales ops. I aimed to learn each administrative process step-by-step and then calendar time each week to knock it out. Built “ops guides” for each and then hired a terrific office manager to take charge on executing each function.
What’s your best business tip to other independent workers?
Keep the main thing the main thing. I write down tomorrow’s key priority before bed and then always start the morning with the most important task. Simple way to ensure consistent progress.
What is the funniest/craziest/weirdest thing you’ve ever experienced in your self-employment pursuit?
I’ve got two fun and crazy stories. I was in Egypt for a friend’s wedding in December 2015. I’ve been an open water swimmer since boyhood excursions in the Puget Sound so decided to attempt a crossing of the Nile. As I approached the far bank a crowd of locals gathered on the raised walkway to cheer me on. Once I reached the shallow 20 meters shy of the walkway I stood up to walk in the last steps while thanking the small crowd for the warm reception. Unfortunately, the silty river bottom felt like quick sand as I sunk knee-deep with each step. I lurched to and fro trying for any solid ground. Those final 20 meters must have taken me three minutes to cover. Hardly triumphant!
Back in June 2014 I was running a 250km ultra across the Gobi Desert. The race was tough sledding – lots of huge hills, uneven rocky terrain, icy river crossings, and extreme weather. During the final night of the race I woke to my buddy pulling on my beard. Told him to knock it off as I was trying to log some extra sleep before the final push. Opened my eyes to discover a big brown spider clamping down on my chin! I shouted as I hit him but he ran off limping before I could crawl out of my sleeping bag and crush him. The spider’s bite and venom caused a nasty wound so didn’t shave off the yeti beard for three full weeks in a futile camouflage attempt.
How did you decide to run 7 marathons in 7 days on 7 different continents?
Always seeking challenges at the next level. The World Marathon Challenge will test my mind and body to the extreme with back-to-back-to-back marathons in Antarctica, Cape Town, Australia, Dubai, Madrid, Colombia, and Miami over the course of seven days. I’m excited to dedicate my training and the seven marathons to raising awareness and funds for global education access.
What is our “Stride Inside Scoop” on your journey?
As part of World Marathon Challenge training I need to build my cold tolerance to successfully run a marathon in Antarctica. My buddy runs a restaurant and has offered access to his big walk-in freezer for arctic training sessions! Acclimatization is key so I’ll alternate between sauna and freezer cardio workouts to condition both extremes.
What has running and endurance sports taught you about being self-employed?
The only limits are those we place upon ourselves. By setting epic goals we can become inspired to rise to the occasion. Keep dreaming and keep working.
What’s your favorite thing about being self-employed?
The freedom to pursue my personal and professional passion. I love to travel, to run, and to work with great colleagues to expand education access. Thanks to the flexibility of my work I’ve been able to run all over the world (40+ countries and counting). This wouldn’t be possible with most jobs so I’m grateful for the flexibility afforded by self-employment.
What makes you excited to use Stride?
Finding the right fit! Searching for the right insurance offering has been confusing and stressful. Excited how easy Stride makes it to find the right coverage!
Learn more and connect with Greg Nance here.
