Next week, I'm doing something that would have terrified me five years ago: I'm leaving the UK, packing up my entire sobriety coaching business, and taking it on the road to Poland and Serbia.
As I write this from my current base in Leeds (U.K.) - the same space where I've guided hundreds of people through their sobriety journeys - I'm filled with equal parts excitement and that familiar flutter of uncertainty that comes with any meaningful change.
The Pull of Something New
The decision didn't happen overnight. For months, I've been watching my world open up more, seeing the possibilities that remote work has created, and feeling increasingly drawn to the idea of building something bigger than what's possible within these familiar four walls.
Poland first - Warsaw specifically - then Serbia. Two countries I've never actually lived in, with languages I'm still fumbling through on Duolingo, and cultures I'm excited to immerse myself in. It's the kind of leap that the old me, the one who used alcohol to cope with uncertainty, never would have made.
But here's the thing about recovery: it doesn't just give you your life back - it gives you the courage to actually live it.
The Business Case for Going Global
Let's talk practical for a moment, because behind this adventure is a solid business strategy. The Phenomenal program I've built over the past few months is entirely digital. Every module, every coaching call, every community interaction happens online. The pandemic proved that transformative sobriety support doesn't require physical proximity - it requires genuine connection, expert guidance, and a system that actually works.
Moving abroad offers something that's becoming increasingly attractive to digital entrepreneurs: geographical arbitrage. Lower living costs, better quality of life, vibrant cultures, and - crucially - time zones that work beautifully for both UK and US clients. I can maintain my existing client base while potentially expanding into new markets.
But it's more than just economics. There's something powerful about the idea of helping people transform their relationship with alcohol while I'm actively transforming my own relationship with geography, comfort zones, and what's possible.
The Logistics of Location Independence
Making this work requires more than just booking a one-way ticket (and giving the car some tender loving care). Over the past few months, I've been systematically building what I call "location independence infrastructure":
Technology Stack: Everything needs to work flawlessly from anywhere with decent wifi. Video calls, payment processing, course delivery systems, client management - all tested and double-tested.
Legal and Financial: VAT considerations, tax implications, business registration requirements. The unsexy stuff that keeps everything legitimate and compliant.
Client Communication: Being transparent about the move, reassuring existing clients that their support remains unchanged, and actually improving service delivery through better time zone coverage.
Content Creation: Building a buffer of content so the move doesn't interrupt the flow of valuable resources for my community.
What This Means for the Phenomenal Community
Here's what's not changing: my commitment to helping people discover the privilege of sobriety. Whether I'm in Leeds or Warsaw or Belgrade, the Phenomenal program remains the same transformative journey. The weekly coaching calls continue. The private community keeps thriving. The one-on-one support remains as personal and effective as ever.
What might actually improve: broader perspectives from living in different cultures, expanded understanding of how sobriety challenges and solutions vary across different societies, and frankly, the energy that comes from embracing new experiences rather than staying stuck in comfortable routines.
The Uncertainty Part
Let me be honest about the fears. What if the wifi cuts out during a crucial coaching call? What if time zone management becomes a nightmare? What if I'm just a middle-aged guy having a crisis disguised as an adventure?
These thoughts show up, and I acknowledge them. But they don't control my decisions anymore. That's one of the gifts of recovery - learning to sit with uncertainty without needing to medicate it away.
I've built something that works. I've helped people transform their lives from this little room in Leeds, and now I'm going to help them from new places, with new perspectives, and probably with better coffee.
The Bigger Picture
This move represents something I talk about constantly with my clients: the difference between existing and truly living. For too many years, alcohol kept me small, kept me safe, kept me contained within artificial boundaries of what was possible.
Recovery gave me my life back. Now I'm choosing to live it more fully.
The sobriety journey isn't just about removing alcohol - it's about adding everything that becomes possible when you're not limited by fear, by habit, by the narrow confines of what you think you deserve.
Taking my business on the road is my version of that expansion. It's saying yes to possibility, yes to growth, yes to the unknown adventures that await when you trust in your ability to figure things out as you go.
What's Next
Follow along as I navigate this transition. I'll be sharing the successes, the challenges, the discoveries, and probably a few stories about getting lost in cities where I can't read the street signs.
If you're in recovery, considering recovery, or just thinking about making a significant change in your life, I hope this journey reminds you that sobriety isn't about limiting yourself - it's about unlimited possibility.
The Phenomenal program continues. The support remains unwavering. The mission stays the same.
The only thing changing is the backdrop.
And I can't wait to see what becomes possible from there.
Ready to discover your own version of living fully? The Phenomenal sobriety program is accepting new members, regardless of where in the world you are. Because transformation isn't bound by geography - it's built by commitment, community, and the courage to change.
[Start Your Phenomenal Journey →]
Follow my nomadic sobriety coaching adventure and get weekly insights on building a location-independent practice on Substack. Coming up: First impressions from Warsaw and going back to (language) school.
