we are life before work.
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life before work
ten years of
LIFE BEFORE WORK
Our mission is to build a community of open−minded, inspired individuals by providing exceptional travel experiences that introduce people to a new way of life built around passion, exploration, friendship and unforgettable memories. Over the past 10 years, we've had the pleasure of showing thousands of travelers amazing destinations around the world. We cant thank you enough for being part of the LBW family. Please enjoy memories and thoughts of the past decade as we look towards a new one full of exploration, adventure, laughter and growth.
10 Years of LBW
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1
ST
LBW TOUR
(With 4 People on Tour)
BALI TOU
JULY 2008
lbw does
the idea of
LBW
MANSION TOUR
IN EDMONTON
March 2007
JANUARY 2009
2008
APRIL 2011
2009
2010
NOVEMBER 2008
2
MAY & JULy 2009
3RD LBW TOUR
LBWTRAVEL.COM
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launche
PARTY
WITH 16 PEOPLE ON TOUR
launched for the first time
BRAZIL TOU
HOUSEBOATING
LBW TOUR
4TH LBW TOUR
WITH 12 PEOPLE ON TOUR
201
OCTOBER 20
first ever
(With 4 People on Tour)
OCTOBER 2007
2011
AUGUST 2010
ND
JUNE 2012
COACHELLA
PARTY
WAS BORN.
2007
lbw
FULL MOON
(Met Rong in Thailand)
launche
FEBRUARY 2011
first
SKI TOUR
first
SPAIN TOUR AUGUST 2013
croatia
YACHTLIFE
unched
JULY 2014
JUNE 2012
BROKE GROUND
on the
HOMESTAY MAY 2013
2013
rented a yacht WEEKLONG
PARTY
CENTRAL
TOURS kick off
JANUARY 2015
opens its doors DECEMBER 2016
MAY 2014
2014
NOMAD LIFE
2015
2016
2017
AUGUST 2014
CTOBER 2012
RAN OUR FIRST
L TOUR
unched
through the years
KICKS OFF
LI TOURS
2012
LIFE BEFORE WORK
PERU TOUR
JULY 2013 NOVEMBER 2014
first
YOGALIFE
TOUR
YACHTLIFE
was born
JULY 2015 MARCH 2017
REUNITES
THE LBW FAMILY
in panama
HOMESTAY
GRAND OPENING
10 Years of LBW
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messages from
THE TEAM What does Life Before Work mean to you?
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10 Years of LBW
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BRADY HEDLUND Founder Life Before Work means so many different things to me. At first it was a simple motto I used with my friends in Australia to remind ourselves to never get too caught up in work and always remember to enjoy life. As time progressed I found myself thinking about this a lot. Especially after going back to Canada after my first big trip, I saw everyone around me so encompassed by work. It was their whole life, everyone was in this rat race to make more money, to consume more goods, to have a nice car, a nice house, nice dinners and bottle service at the clubs. I thought to myself that I could not get trapped into this lifestyle. This is not the life that I wanted. I wanted freedom and flexibility. I wanted to be able to live the life I wanted to, without being trapped in the confines that society can sometimes limit people to. I wanted to travel the world and show people what the world has to offer. From these desires Life Before Work was born, it was created to show people not only what the world has to offer, but also the different lifestyles that are available. Life Before Work is now a way of life, it’s making the most of every situation and choosing happiness over everything else. Happiness is not a goal or a benchmark you can hit, it’s a state of mind. You can’t say “oh once I have this nice car and nice house then I will be happy.” Its creating a life where you are happy no matter what you have. It’s about enjoying everyday, not just the 2 week holiday you take once a year.
Life Before Work is also a family. The relationships that have been built around this company are incredible. All the people that are involved in LBW are really amazing humans and the bonds and connections we have is something special. This includes not only the core team but also all the travellers. There is this incredible vibe that happens when LBW’ers get together no matter where it may be. People can feel that energy. The family that has been built over the last 10 years is really something special. The things that we have all done for each other is something we never could have imagined apart. Whenever someone is feeling down and out the family always comes together to help that person out. We are all apart of this community because we believe in creating something unique and we all put a lot of value in enjoying our lives and being surrounded by positive like minded people. 10 years is now upon us and it has given me a lot of time to reflect on what is truly important, and what the next 10 years will bring. I think it’s crucial to continue to make a positive impact on the world and cherish the relationships that we have built. You will see a shift happening in the near future where LBW becomes much more conscious of how we can make improvements in the world, and improve the lives of our travellers that join us on adventures.
Life Before Work is now a way of Life, it’s making the most of every situation and choosing happiness over everything else. Happiness is not a goal or a benchmark you can hit, it’s a state of mind.
10 Years of LBW
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PAUL BARAZZUOL Rep Program Manager Life Before Work could mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. To me it simply means doing something that you care about and brings you a sense of meaning and purpose, rather than just chasing money for the sake of chasing money. If you like what you do then work doesn’t have to be something you dread, it can be something you look forward to. It’s remembering the important things in life like family, friends, and the experiences you share. As a Travel Company, Life Before Work has brought thousands of people to some of the most amazing destinations on Earth. It has given people a chance to travel the world in a worry free and safe environment, while still having an authentic down to earth travel experience. These days too many people seem afraid to see the world outside of their home country. At LBW we view it as a right of passage. By experiencing another culture you learn more about yourself and learn to appreciate what you have at home. You see that each place you visit has a totally different way of doing things, and that’s ok. It lets you come home and look at the customs of your own country with some new perspective. It’s in this sense that one of LBW’s long standing motto’s “travel is not reward for working, it’s education for living” rings true. The true value of travel is getting pushed outside of your comfort zone, growing as a better person, and applying those lessons to your life going forward.
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PHIL HENSON Tour Guide Life Before Work…It’s the everything in between. It’s the getaway, the experience of it all. It’s the friendship, bonds and combined upbringing of something bigger than we know. It’s a community that belongs to the world. Being without it wouldn’t seem right. It has encapsulated so many people from so many places from all walks of life. With the ability to travel as a group but also as a team, we can all share the same common goal: to live this life to the fullest! LBW’s culture is based on community. It’s about caring and encouraging those people who want more out of life than the regular nine-to-five spiel. It’s about creating that rare, real-life experience. It’s about finding yourself and letting out the inner animal. We want to show you something you’ve never seen before; something only imagined in your wildest of dreams. LBW has brought so many fantastic people together because togetherness is our culture too. Shared experiences and a no-limits attitude is a huge part of why we have grown and expanded over the years. Why stay between the lines when you can go exploring outside to see what happens? This is the question we ask! The LBW way encourages you to be yourself. Finding enjoyment in things beyond what is seen and heard, to find that inner soul and discover the person you really are. You’ll probably surprise yourself with what’s inside, armed only with an open mind and a thirst for travelling, food, adventures, nature, love and friendship! LBW culture is about discovering NEW cultures! Cultures that exist in the depths of the Laos jungle or Peruvian rain forests. It’s about seeing what it’s like to live and work on the other side of the world. It’s about eating scorpions on Khao San Road just for the thrill of it. It’s about apotheosising Bob Marley and seeing what the dreadlocked master meant by ‘One Love’!
Life Before Work is also a family. Although we are co-workers, we support each other in all aspects of life, just like any normal family would. Many of us live far away from home, from our childhood friends and our biological family, making this support network vital for our day-to-day existence.
Most of all though, LBW is about people. There usually isn’t a bad moment on our trips, even when we miss boats to the Thai Islands or catch a storm in the dry season! It’s about making the most of all things. Life happens…That is something we all know. We simply strive to make the most of that happening.
10 Years of LBW
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This is your life and you have the privilege of living it exactly the way that you’d like to every single day. That is what Life Before Work, as a company and a way of life, means to me. SAM SCHWINGHAMER
ERIC CHIANG
NomadLife Manager
Marketing Creative Specialist
4 years ago I made a last minute decision to head to Thailand, and although I knew it would be a life changing experience, I never knew it would start me on a path that would lead me to where I am today. Life Before Work is so much more than the name of the company that I’m so grateful to be affiliated with, it’s also a very important motto. It’s so simple, yet it’s something that seems to evade so many people. If I could force myself to sum up Life Before Work in just a few words they would be family, trust and freedom. Family in a way that people you would’ve never met in any other way come to be the people you tell everything to, the ones you laugh all night with, and the people who you know will always be there for you no matter what. Trust in that taking that leap of faith will always pay off, not because it’s always the best idea but because even if it falls through it will teach you a much bigger lesson than a positive outcome might have. And finally freedom in the sense that no matter who you are or where you’ve been, there is absolutely a place for you in this world where you will be able to be your complete and authentic self, free from any sort of judgement or pressure from any sort of stereotype of what you or your life should be. This is your life and you have the privilege of living it exactly the way that you’d like to every single day. That is what Life Before Work, as a company and a way of life, means to me.
I found Life Before Work at a good time. After taking on a stable job right out of school (that proved to be not so stable after all…) I was stuck in a bit of a mental rough patch where it seemed like all happiness, pride, and joy in my life came from everything other than my 9-5 career routine. The only thing that kept me going were side projects and passions as all around me I saw friends in my circle fade and retreat to similar lifestyles. Here’s what most people try to hide from you for 12 to 16 years of formal education before you’re ejected out into the world. The hardest part about your first “real job” isn’t working up the courage to “articulate your thoughts” at a meeting, or “touching base” with your manager about a pay bump in the next quarter, or “stepping up to the plate” when the next exciting project demanded your undivided attention, or even having to remember all this bullshit cookie-cutter language the fluorescent tube lights seem to have the power to irradiate into everyone’s vocabulary. It’s a dull ache you get slowly building up at the base of your skull that thumps up every time you look up at Gord’s monitor (while he’s checking the latest hockey scores for the 4th time in an hour) and realize that “Shit, this can really be it. Forever.” Success is defined differently for everyone. Some people really would rather follow the secure path in life, and good on them. I’m personally inspired by each and every one of the people I work with at Life Before Work who are choosing to devote their attention to something a bit off from what “normal” is usually thought of to be. Whether it’s the company or their side hustles (and almost every person in the company has an interesting side project), there is a passionate mindset driving every single person that can only exist in a group of people who have successfully aligned their lives with their desires of who they want to become in the future. I’ve only been welcomed into this group for a short time, but in all the good ways, it’s felt like I’ve been immersed into an adventure of a lifetime where not a single day has felt like work.
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10 Years of LBW
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PETTY DEWANTORO
MICAELA NAUMAN
Tour Guide
Graphic Designer
Life Before Work inspires people to explore beyond the comforts of their own culture and country. Our travellers are shown a path, and learn what it truly means to stray from it. This is what makes LBW a unique travel company. We have a philosophy of showing our guests new experiences and ways of life. Not only do we find the most eye opening opportunities for our guests, but we also give them an authentic experience of the local culture. We have a chance to reveal how the folk there live, eat, communicate, behave and survive. Our company works like a family sharing the same vision. We strive to build a solid and reliable foundation to support, encourage, and include the people that travel with us. At LBW we create a real sense of belonging and purpose that helps inspire our employees to meet both individual and collective goals. It’s all pretty fantastic!
It’s a worldwide family that’s continuously growing, encouraging and inspiring one another with each meeting, each moment, each conversation we have, anywhere in the world.
Life Before Work Travel is a lifestyle: a lifestyle designed to fully embrace this one special opportunity we’ve been given to experience everything to the fullest. To realize that it is important to be happy and passionate about life, and not let the daily grind of work dominate all the precious moments we have. But most aimportantly LBW helps us realize this is not a selfish endeavor. We are apart of a worldwide family that’s continuously growing. We continue to encourage and inspire one another with each meeting, each moment and each conversation we have anywhere in the world. It’s a support system to chase your dreams in travel and in life, and know you have your LBW family behind you every step of the way. It’s an extended network of friends to share a beer and laughs with, to share deep and meaningful thoughts with, and to share advice and knowledge with.
Life Before Work is for all those people that have always wanted to see the world, but just need that extra push. It gives travelers comfort knowing they won’t just be experiencing a new place for the first time, they’ll be gaining a new family too. From the first decision to sign up, to the last goodbye before travelers part, LBW offers a truly unforgettable experience. It also nurtures people to teach and share their passions and to encourage others to enjoy and discover themselves. Life Before Work has an epic culture that is special, unique, and strong. It’s not everyday we come across companies that are lucky (or crazy) enough to admit their team bonds over running around the desert together, champagne showers on yachts, scooter scavenger hunts in Vegas, onesie parties, and all the other shenanigans we get into! It’s a special bond we all have, no matter how far apart we may be, or how long until we’re reunited. I simply can’t imagine my life without LBW. I think that holds true for a lot of people around the globe, and that number is growing each day. When comparing where LBW was a few years ago, to where it is now makes me proud to be a part of it. But I’m even prouder to have the opportunity to work with all the legends that are positive, fun, happy individuals that create one hell of a unit. I hope that never changes!
10 Years of LBW
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MEGHAN SWITZER Tour Guide I have recently found myself wondering what exactly it is I am doing, and what I am a part of. Is it a company? A job? A family? A lifestyle? A home? I’ve come to realize LBW is more than can be labeled simply.
I’ve asked myself so many times over the last couple nights what exactly this is that I’m doing and a part of. Is it a company? Of course it is, that’s why I’m here. But it’s more than that. Is it a job? A family? A lifestyle? A home? I’m only now realizing that LBW is all of these things and more!
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People have always described me as mature, easy-going and outgoing. I’ve always felt these were something of a façade. I struggled with the anxiety of thinking I was always doing something wrong, or that I didn’t belong. For some reason I always thought people didn’t like me. Then I found LBW. I went on tour and my mind-set completely changed. After six weeks in Thailand, three in Indonesia and one flight cancelation (something pre-tour Meghan would never have done!), I realised that I’d made friends effortlessly. Midway through my Bali tour, Brady turned to me and asked me where I thought I saw myself in five years. My honest reply was that I had no idea. Travelling had completely changed whatever plan I had. I’ll never forget his response, because it’s a moment that changed my life forever: “I think you’d make a great part of this family,” and that was all it took. I learned instantly just how much of a family LBW is. Being away from your blood family is hard, but having this LBW fam around makes everything easier. We constantly laugh and support each other, not to mention all the pranks that go on behind the scenes!
“You used to tell me that you wanted to be a hippy and live out of a van”. That’s what my mum told me when I announced I’d been offered a job as a leader. I guess I’ve followed my childhood dream! That is why I call LBW a home too. In the end, as corny as it sounds, home really is where the heart is, and my heart’s always on the move!
10 Years of LBW
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SEAN LAMB Event Manager/Resident DJ Every Fortune 500 company out there has some kind of mission statement, a deeply-ingrained principle that guides employee’s decisions and behaviour. So, what is Life Before Work’s mission statement? Well I know for one that Life Before Work is more than just a job, and it’s more than just a pay cheque. It is more than a backpacking operator or yacht charter. I spend most of my time with LBW in the office, helping with all the behind-the-scenes logistics. However, during the summer I make an effort to go on tour with YaughtLife. I do this so I can engage with all areas of LBW, and all the amazing people it employs. With this relationship I’ve discovered I can always be bettering myself by spending time with our travellers and employees. Traveling with LBW has helped me discover who I am and what I am really made of. It is a renewable one-way ticket to my inner-self! LBW has introduced me to so many different people from all over the world, whether it be a local in a faraway community or a fellow traveler on tour. LBW has allowed me to craft the person I have always wanted to be. Understanding, patience, compassion: these are just a few of the traits I have learned with help from Life Before Work.
LBW has brought me out of my shell too. I used to be quite the introvert, I was always worried about what others thought. Every choice down to the color of my socks would be decided by what I believed others thought about me. Then LBW changed everything. I started to think about what I wanted and what I needed, instead of what others thought was best for me. Thanks! Over the last decade traveling with LBW to so many distant lands, I have been able to adjust my perspective on so many different aspects of life. I now have a more expanded reality, allowing me to be in-tune with what is happening. This has helped me to make better choices and create mutually-beneficial, healthy relationships. What’s more, countless new best-friendships have been formed while on tour with LBW. Some of these friendships span multiple oceans and continents, but they still somehow stay connected and, forever, strong.
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ERIC ELDER Marketing Director Life Before Work is focused around living a life different from that of most people. We were raised in a society that values the idea of the ‘American Dream’, which basically encourages people to work towards making a bunch of money so they can live a comfortable life, buy a house, have a family and, eventually, retire in their 60s. The fundamental problem with this is that people are so focused on this mentality, life often passes them by. People forgo the things that they are truly passionate about to work a mundane job that pays their mortgage. If they are lucky, they may be able to go on a short vacation once or twice a year. Life Before Work doesn’t mean that you aren’t working, because that wouldn’t be sustainable for the majority of people. The philosophy is focused around happiness and working at something that you’re passionate about; something that doesn’t necessarily feel like work. Spending your time on something that you love results in a more rewarding, enriching and happy life. Life Before Work is about living your life with a thirst for adventure, new experiences and fun. You should have fun every day, and if you’re sitting in an office, miserable, then you are doing something wrong!
I believe that enjoyment every step of the way, with an excellent work-life balance, is a fundamental part of overall happiness and success. I believe that working at something you’re passionate about equates in leaving the most positive impact on our world. The greatest part of LBW is the family of like-minded, passionate individuals that work together to share our love for travel and adventure with others.
Life Before Work doesn’t mean that you aren’t working, because that wouldn’t be sustainable for the majority of people. The philosophy is focused around happiness and working at something that you’re passionate about; something that doesn’t necessarily feel like work.
10 Years of LBW
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10 Years of LBW
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For the first time in my life I’m excited when someone asks me about what I do. I’m so quick to jump into my L BW spiel, and I’m proud to be able to say that I’m involved in what this company is doing. We have all had the opportunity to experience some form of travelling, and it’s pretty clear we all value what it’s done for us. I think we’re united in the idea that we want to share that with others and encourage them to get out there and start having their own experiences too!
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RICHELLE FENEMOR
SAVANNA BEAUREGARD
Customer Experience Coordinator
Client Services Manager
LBW has become much more than just a job to me. It’s a group of likeminded individuals that are always pushing the boundaries of what’s considered the norm. They’re constantly challenging themselves to step out of that comfort zone to experience new things. Embracing the unknown and uncomfortable is what drives the majority of us. We’re not just willing to settle on the status quo of a monotonous office job for the rest of our lives. We want to be out there, participating in the world and encouraging others to do the same.
By being part of the LBW family you get an incredible support system. A wise person once said, “if you’re the smartest person in the room, then you’re in the wrong room.” With LBW, I feel like I’m in the right room! I see photos of colleagues doing things all over the world, and sometimes its activities or places I’ve never even heard of! It inspires me to want to learn more. I’ve only met a few members of this family, but I have no doubt that every one of them would have my back if I was out there exploring on my own - and probably even a spare couch to crash on. For the first time in my life I’m excited when someone asks me about what I do. I’m so quick to jump into my LBW spiel, and I’m proud to be able to say that I’m involved in what this company is doing. We have all had the opportunity to experience some form of travelling, and it’s pretty clear we all value what it’s done for us. I think we’re united in the idea that we want to share that with others and encourage them to get out there and start having their own experiences too! In the past year of working here, I have already been able to cross three big things off my bucket-list: hiking through Patagonia; visiting Machu Picchu, and driving across Canada (I never imagined it would be in a 34-foot RV!). Not many workplaces would be able to accommodate all of that, let alone encourage and enable it! I feel extremely lucky to be a part of this company, and I can’t wait to see where it goes. LBW has only just started making its dent in the world!
What does Life Before Work mean to me? Well, that’s a loaded question! It’s hard for me to answer this question since LBW means so much to me in many different ways. I think this is part of what makes LBW such a unique company and tour provider. There’s no denying that everyone walks away from his or her LBW tour with a new perspective of the world, but exactly what impact it has varies depending on the individual and where they are in their life. Basically as long as I have been an adult LBW has been a part of my life and seeing as I am only 23 right now, that’s a bit of a staggering statement.
The people I have had the pleasure of meeting and connections I’ve built with those throughout the company are as good as gold to me. This global network of ‘family’, brought together under the most extraordinary and sometimes ridiculous (who am I kidding, almost everything we do is ridiculous haha) circumstances is exactly what makes LBW it’s own creation. Only a true LBW’er will understand this concept of unconditional, non-judgmental, and above all, supportive bonds that form on an LBW tour. Life Before Work means pushing your limits, trying new things and being open-minded to others (and their cultures), all while trying to leave the places we visit in a better state than we found them. It means partying your face off with thousands of beautiful souls until the sun rises on Haad Rin beach one night, and then volunteering at a local school to donate supplies (or a bike!) and play with the kids another day. It means trying through various programs (Blue Project, Elephants World, Volunteering, Clothing Donation) to better this world and then gathering in Las Vegas at 3 mini castle mansions to indulge in the most insane Halloween weekend of your life! Life Before Work is a little bit of this, and a bit of that. Diversity with tinge of the unknown. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
10 Years of LBW
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JENNY DUBLENKO
PUUKII TASSANEE MOONLASAN
Operations Director
Tour Guide
LBW is more a way of life than a company. It’s a sprawling global family of like-minded people who dream big and live fast. I believe we are creating experiences that change lives for the better. Every day we are embodying the motto of living life before work, doing what you love, being yourself, and living free. We are here to push people to have new life-altering experiences, to question their careers, to think outside-the-box and really decipher what it is they want. We do this to ourselves too, pushing everyone in LBW to go further, harder and faster. I believe the company is based around what I like to call the Triple F’s. ‘Fun’ is a word that is basically at the core of everything we do. Each tour we offer is fun, each event we host is fun, each conversation and interaction we have with each other aims at fun! Next is ‘Family’. The company is structured so there are no defined hierarchy roles. Obviously there are people who must manage other groups, but we view each person as valuable and equal as the next. We are a group of friends who hang out with each other after work hours. We plan trips together, we keep in touch, chat, support and more. The third is ‘Freedom’: the one thing humans desire most. Be that financial freedom, freedom from the drag of modern society, freedom of choice – the list goes on. We put a lot of emphasis on freedom, and our travels are all about doing what you want, when you want, where you want! To wrap this all up, Brady and the LBW team have created not just an amazing company, but something to belong to. Something you want to be a part of, not because it offers you the opportunity to travel and explore the world, but because it is something big; bigger than all of us!
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Life Before Work is a culture that brings people together from all around the world. I have the opportunity to show people my country and let them see, smell, feel and experience everything it has to offer. LBW is a family to me too; a family that is full of people who have the same goal: to live life to the fullest! We all strive to enjoy every little moment, and to create experiences that other people will love. We see this as our constant challenge: to find the beauty in life, whatever it may throw at us! LBW has also given me the chance to change and alter other people’s points of view of the world. To have the opportunity to see how people grow, and the smile on their faces each day truly motivates me to do better and carry on. We create stories and moments that people will remember forever, and that is something truly priceless.
The Life Before Work culture is something that needs to be experienced, because people come into this as a stranger and leave a part of a family. We create amazing connections all around the world, open their minds and their horizons.
It’s a sprawling global family of likeminded people who dream big and live fast.
MIKE WHITE Tour Guide LBW is more a way of life than a company. It’s a big global family of like-minded people who dream big and live life to the fullest. I believe at our core we are creating experiences for people that changes their lives for the better. Everyday we are embodying the motto of living your life before work, do what you love, be yourself, and live free. We believe that if you are doing what you truly love, what you truly think is your calling in this life than you have got it figured out. We are here to push people to have new life altering experiences, to question their careers, to think outside the box of life that society has placed around us our whole lives, and really decipher what it is they want in life. We do this to ourselves within the company, and by asking all of these internal questions and pushing ourselves to search for the answers we want, we are figuring out more and more how we can help others do the same.
I believe the company is based around what I like to call the Triple F’s. First of all is FUN, a word that is basically at the core of everything we do and think about. Having fun is what life should be all about! The next is Family/Friends. We are a group of friends who hang out with each other after work hours, we plan trips together, we keep in touch with everyone and we make a point of keeping a strong company family together. It’s like hanging out with your best friends, making a living off it and enjoying the shit out of everything life has to offer. The third F is Freedom, the one thing humans desire most. Be that financial freedom, freedom from the drag of modern society, freedom of choice. We try to give people in the company all the freedom in life to do what they want while doing what they love. To wrap this all up, Brady & the LBW team have created not just an amazing company, but something to belong to. Something you want to be a part of, not because it offers you the opportunity to travel and explore the world, but because it is something bigger than all of us, and has the potential to change an endless number of lives around the globe, and to me that means more than anything.
10 Years of LBW
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DALYCE WESTFALL Client Experience Coordinator Trying to come up with one single definition of what LBW Travel means to me is no easy task. Ultimately, LBW means many things. What started out as a wicked vacation in Thailand to celebrate completing my first year of university quickly turned into a lifestyle. I went in thinking I knew myself to the fullest: I knew who I was, what my goals were, who my truest friends were, and knew where my life was headed in the future. Fast forward six amazing weeks and I’d realized I know nothing about myself. And that’s okay! It’s okay because LBW means evolving as a person. The experience is entirely unique for each and every individual that travels with us. Ask ‘what does LBW mean to you?’ and you will get a thousand different, but equally amazing, answers!
It has been two years since my first experience with LBW. I am now on the other side of the spectrum, helping many people on their way to having their own chance at evolving. As I do this, I am surrounded by what can only be called the LBW family. The people I work with daily in the office are not only my coworkers or friends, but people that I can count on no matter the situation. LBW has created a broader meaning of the word family, encompassing everyone who experiences a tour and shares that feeling of involvement. It means ties and bonds between individuals who may have never met, from all corners of the world! Lastly, LBW means stepping out of your comfort zone. Without change, there is no opportunity for growth, and I think LBW provides everyone this opportunity to make that initial change. Everyone comes on the tour for their own reasons: an epic getaway, a fresh start, a leap of faith, or maybe just to party their face off! Regardless, each and every person is participating in growth, and I think that’s one of the most important things in the world!
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KANEESHA ROSS-BAIRD
REGINA OAKE
Client Experience Coordinator
Digital Marketing Manager
Life Before Work is more than just a tour operating company. I’ve been working here for a year and I’ve learned more at this job than anywhere I’ve ever worked before! What’s more, I’m part of a team that feels like a family, all pitching in to keep the LBW machine working as smooth as a mango lassi! Life before work has given me a new outlook on everything. I was miserable at my old job. I’d call in sick all the time and I lived for the weekends. Now, since I’ve been here, I despise missing work for whatever reason. I wake up in the morning and actually have a smile on my face! I’ve never been happier to be at the job I am at. We’re all still learning and it feels great to be part of the process when a company is still growing. More than just a paycheque, it feels amazing to play a part in a company that actually cares. The managers listen, everyone helps out and Brady is the most down-to-earth person anyone could ever meet. Being here actually gives me hope that not every enterprise is in it for the money! We actually care about our employees and customers. We want to make sure everyone is happy and taken care of.
So, to simply ask ‘what does LBW mean to you? is too vague a question with a million different possible answers. The amount of people whose lives have been drastically changed because of LBW is amazing. Although I’ve only met a handful of travellers, everyone tells me the same thing: how this experience has altered everything!
“Life Before Work” quite simply, is a way of life; it’s a way of thinking, and behaving in such a way that the utmost value is placed upon acknowledging and appreciating every single one of life’s challenges. In order to understand what putting your life before work means, it’s important to first truly understand what creating a full life means. A full life does not necessarily mean a life full of “things” (i.e., quantifiable items that bring you momentary joy and build clutter in your life.) Instead, a full life represents the immeasurable gifts that life grants you; the smiles that memories of your first big adventure brings you, the overwhelming love you felt for each and every one of your fellow travel mates at the end of your travels - who were strangers only weeks prior - or that overwhelming fear you felt leaping off the ledge during your first (and perhaps last) bungee jump. A full life is one that has experienced every emotion, every feeling, every sensation possible, and therefore has built a being that holds an undeniably strong sense of self. What living your life before work entails is developing a livelihood for yourself that recognizes each obstacle in your life as part of your journey, and appreciating them for making you recognize what you want most in life. Everything worth having is worth sacrificing some aspect of your life over—whether that be your time, your energy, or (however briefly) your happiness; if you choose to face your challenges head on, it’s because you WANT the outcome MORE than you DON’T want the sacrifice. Feel everything that this incredible world has to offer, by putting your life before work.
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ELISE DUHAIME Client Experience Coordinator
There is now an amazing network of us all over the world that want to live and embody this culture. Everyone is striving for growth, and it is for this very reason our company come family will continue to be successful.
Life Before Work inspires me to be the best possible version of myself, and to keep working towards my personal and professional goals. When I first started working for LBW I lacked a sense of purpose and direction in life. After a year with this company I have grown tremendously as a person and rediscovered many of my long lost passions. I cannot wait to see what the future has in store! Our company culture is one of growth and love, something that is constantly emphasized and encouraged. We want to educate people through travel and experience. We want to remind people of what’s truly important in life. We will never stop encouraging people to continue to journey outside of their comfort zones and seek new experiences.
There is now an amazing network of us all over the world that want to live and embody this culture. Everyone is striving for growth, and it is for this very reason our company family will continue to be successful. LBW has brought together some of the most charismatic and strong individuals I have ever had the privilege of knowing. The bond between all of us goes beyond the definition of work colleagues; we are a family, a team. My “work” days are filled with love, laughter and enthusiasm for life. I truly look forward to coming into the office every day. I never know what unforgettable moments await me. I can be my unfiltered, silly self and I am celebrated for my strange and quirky personality. So, thank-you Brady, for not only founding this incredibly successful company, but for being a wonderful mentor and friend. Constantly pushing and encouraging us to pursue our dreams and goals, LBW takes a genuine interest in our well-being and is always trying to enhance the lives of its people! Travel and LBW have completely changed my idea of what living is. I have learned that I must seek opportunity, not security, and that I must not be afraid to go out on a limb (that’s where the fruit is). That I should follow my passions wherever they may lead (because life is an adventure after all). And most importantly, that I must continue to step outside of my comfort zone and start living for today!
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ANGELICA NORI What does LBW mean to you? LBW opened my eyes to a world I didn’t know existed when I was too scared to open up and travel on my own, it gave me the opportunity to meet a like minded group that quickly ended up being my family and gave me people and memories I will cherish for the rest of my life. Has LBW impacted your life? My tour completely changed everything. I remember crying on the beach to my tour guide cause I wasn’t sure how I could possibly go home and keep living the way I did. It completely changed my outlook on life and I don’t think I’d be nearly who I am today if I hadn’t taken that trip.
My tour completely changed everything. I remember crying on the beach to my tour guide cause I wasn’t sure how I could possibly go home and keep living the way I did.
CALLIE BITTLE What does LBW mean to you? As I’m currently sitting in the airport leaving my second trip in the last 6 months this answer is easy. LBW means opportunity. Opportunity to see some of the most beautiful places in the world, opportunity to meet like-minded people who quickly become family, opportunity to explore yourself as an individual, and opportunity to show others back home how great travel can be for you. Life Before Work has so much more to offer than a nice view. and you won’t know unless you experience a trip firsthand.
ANGELA MCBRIDE What does LBW mean to you? Life Before Work means remembering that there is more to see than your daily commute to work, or to school, or to whatever routine/rut you’ve found yourselves in. It means pushing up and out of your comfort zone to experience first hand that there is no such thing as normal. It means finding out who you really are when things go awry and to see what you fill your time with when you have nothing BUT time. That! Is life before work.
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WILLIAM MURRAY What does LBW mean to you? LBW means, taking the time out of the busy cycle of work to get outside your comfort zone to meet and appreciate new friends, cultures, and the beauty of the amazing world we live in. Never in my mind did i expect to have an amazing 10 days sharing it with a bunch of Aussies, New Zealanders, Canadians, or the British. Every person that you meet gives you a new perspective on life, and that is the best thing about LBW; the amazing , wonderful, new people that you meet! Has LBW impacted your life? I have always been a solo traveler; with LBW, I found and connected with people who share that same quality. For me, i think that immersing yourself into a situation where you are forced to meet different people from around the world to share and just live life has a tremendous impact. It definitely has opened my eyes to see just how beautiful the world we live in is! The connection with fellow LBW members is life changing as well. I already have plans to visit some of them in their hometown. Overall, LBW does a fantastic way of showing you that there is truly more to life than working; interacting with different people from around the world, sharing all your crazy stories while atop a yacht in the middle of the Adriatic Sea. Meeting my new LBW family has inspired me to travel the world more; to fully experience life!
ERICA FLUDE What does LBW mean to you? Life before work means prioritising life experiences over chasing the big bucks, it means we should go out there and experience everything the world has to offer instead of simply settling down and being content with the same old routines of everyday life. Has LBW impacted your life? I had recently got myself into a working rut, where I was putting work before life. The tour I joined made me feel free again and showed me that there is so much more to life than just chasing a career. I felt like myself again and made some amazing new friends. I have taken this experience as inspiration to get back out there and start living again!
LINDSAY WARNER What does LBW mean to you? Life Before Work is a really great company which provides the amazing opportunity to explore this giant world and through that, to explore oneself. Travel teaches you so much about the world, who you are, and what you want in life. I love the fact that LBW targets young adults—we’re all in a really confusing stage of life where we’re still discovering who we are. To be able to explore this with others who are in the same boat is so rewarding. On a less serious note, LBW provides a chance to take a break from work or school and to switch things up. LBW helped me to try so many new things, and allowed me to return to my life feeling refreshed and with a warmth for this world and for this life.”and by travelling on my own helped my social skills massively - this has helped me in so many ways in all aspects of life—especially my career.
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SAMUEL GARDNER What does LBW mean to you? Life before work means to me, the experience of creating life long friends on an adventure that I could not possibly create on my own! It is bringing together a group of like minded individuals to travel together for a week, to places they have never been before. It’s a company that makes a family.
NICK CARRINGTON What does LBW mean to you? It means experiencing something that’s out of the ordinary for what society may want you to do. See things and new places and grow as a person. Meet new likeminded people that want to just have the best trip of their lives. Lifelong friends in a welcoming family.
CHRISTOPHER MAGARIAN What does LBW mean to you? Developing new friends, family, and experiences. It’s breaking out of your shell and doing things you would never think about doing at home. You can be who you want and see the world while making new friends and having the time of your life. Has LBW impacted your life? It taught me there is always something better out there, whether it’s a girl, a job, or a place to live. If you are not happy with something don’t settle there is always another option.
NICK COMPTON What does LBW mean to you? It means new beginnings. Seeing & feeling things that you thought only photoshop could make happen, but LBW makes those things a reality. Meeting new people from across the globe, people that you didn’t think could ever exsist. It opens a compartment in your brain that makes your way of thinking veer off in such a positive way, therefore life changing. In other words you need to see it to believe it & let LBW create a reality that really shows “Life Outside of Work”
Has LBW impacted your life? Looking through a magazine or pictures do not do justice. By experiencing it first hand you learn the ways of other cultures, those few small complaints you had before about your current lifestyles vanish from your vocabulary, seeing what other ways of life are really like, that right there, would impact anybody’s life.
KELLY GLUTH What does LBW mean to you? To me, Life Before Work represents life-changing, comfortbreaking adventures around the world with amazing new friends, that turn into lifelong memories.
BRIANNA LAWLER What does LBW mean to you? Life Before Work is a tour company that has gone beyond the normal expectations of a travel company. It has built life long connections between its travelers by providing unforgettable experiences to its travelers and helping them form family type bonds that will last forever. They take their travelers on once in a lifetime trips that go beyond just seeing new things and experiencing new cultures because they provide an atmosphere that really helps people open up and be comfortable with who they are so that when they come home from their trips they feel like a different person. LBW is a way to find yourself through amazing experiences with unforgettable people. Has LBW impacted your life? Going on tours with LBW makes me feel alive again. When I’m at home doing the same thing everyday I forget how much more there is to see, learn, and experience out in the world but when I go on an LBW tour I feel like I’m actually living my life instead of wasting it away in one place all the time. LBW helps brings people together who I never would have met without doing one of their tours and they continue to remind us that we are part of the LBW family even after the tour is over. I can’t remember my life without all the new friends I have made all over the world because they have made an impact on the person I am today. I am not the same person I was before doing each LBW tour, I always come home a new person with a more open mind, happy heart, and positive outlook on life.
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NOELLE RIVET What does LBW mean to you? Living a life you don’t need to take a vacation from. Has LBW impacted your life? LBW inspired me to travel the world and find my passion and live a lifestyle that allows me to make a living doing both.
BRIAN WORSDAL
Having the understanding that you make your own choice to be happy no matter where you are in the world and who your are with, all you can do is embrace the situation and always find a way to smile.
What does LBW mean to you? Don’t spend your life working, work to spend your life living. You only get one shot on this incredible, beautiful, complex rock we call earth so you better make it count.
KAYLA WOODS Has LBW impacted your life? Becoming part of the LBDub family changed me in such an amazing way, I became more confident and comfortable with who I am. Having the understanding that you make your own choice to be happy no matter where you are in the world and who your are with, all you can do is embrace the situation and always find a way to smile. Life is way too short to forget to be grateful and show love to everyone you meet because ultimately it’s the connections you make with people you meet when you travel that will last a life time. You can always find the good if you remember to look!
Don’t spend your life working, work to spend your life living.
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