Get to know Martha Torices, one of our Account Executives based in Mexico City.
Five years ago, Martha quit her corporate in-office job. She’d always wanted to make travel a priority, but, as is true for so many of us, life got in the way.
“I had been working in that position for eight years. I was tired, and I didn’t feel like I was growing anymore,” she says. “So I quit. I sold everything, and off I went.”
She set off from her home in Mexico City and traveled throughout Central and South America with her sister Marilu, picking up odd jobs to fund her travels.
“We had the best time. It really changed everything for me.”
About two years into her extended trip, once Marilu had returned to her home in Chicago, Martha applied for her first remote position.
“I couldn’t keep going as I was. I needed something more permanent, but I wasn’t ready to give up my new lifestyle yet,” she says.
When she landed the role, it opened up even more opportunities and changed how she viewed work altogether.
Traveling and Working Remotely
Now that she’s experienced the freedom and flexibility of working from anywhere in the world, Martha says she’ll never go back to an in-office position.
“Travel is something that’s very close to my values. It makes me who I am, and I don’t ever want to have to give that up,” she says.
This outlook on work and life made Martha the perfect fit for a Velocity Global Account Executive, and in 2021, Martha started supporting our clients to grow their businesses globally.
“It’s the best case scenario. I can keep moving around and experiencing new things while doing work that I’m proud of.”
Since starting her role with us, Martha has spent a month working from Costa Rica and three months traveling throughout Europe.
“I went to Madrid initially, and then I spent Christmas in Germany and New Year’s in Paris with my sister, who also works at Velocity Global,” she says. “Then I went to Ireland and met up with two co-workers from the implementation team. My last stop was in Italy, and I got to spend two amazing weeks with my mother there—all while working remotely.”
The social element of meeting up with co-workers also adds to Martha’s experience.
“Because we can work from anywhere, we can meet up at any time and just pull out our laptops,” she says. “You can’t do that with friends back home who have to be at work at a specific time.”
But there are some considerations to working on the move.
“I’ve made sure all my equipment is portable,” Martha says. “My keyboard, mouse, and computer stand can fit in a backpack and easily move around with me.” This is something all Velocity Global teammates can create with our US$500 equipment allowance.
And of course, structuring her day around new time zones.
“I had to figure out my schedule,” she says. “I have a lot of meetings in my role, so I have to make sure I can accommodate them all, make sure my Wi-Fi is stable, and things like that.”
But even after a full day of work, going out for drinks or dinner in a new place still feels exciting.
“Even though you’re working, it almost feels like you’re on holiday because you’re experiencing new places all the time.”
Flexibility and Work-Life Balance
While travel is obviously very important to Martha, she admits that flexibility is about more than jumping on a plane whenever she likes.
“When I’m home in Mexico City, I love that I don’t have to commute,” she says.
“I start a bit later when I’m at home versus when I’m traveling and really lean into my morning routine.”
The freedom to set her schedule means Martha can spend her mornings practicing yoga, cooking nourishing meals (which she loves), and meeting up with friends—all before opening her laptop.
“I love the extra independence to structure my day. I make sure the work gets done, but I take breaks when I need to, run errands, or switch locations,” she says. “Sometimes I work from a friend’s house or coffee shops. It all just depends how I feel on the day.”
Work From Anywhere
A flexible work policy means Martha can prioritize all the things that are meaningful to her, which not only makes her happier as a happier person but a better teammate and client advocate.
“You can’t give from an empty cup,” Martha says. “But when I have the time and space to do what I love, it all works together.”
Working from anywhere just makes sense.
“I know that I can do my work well from an Airbnb in Costa Rica, so why would I sit in an office if I don’t have to?” Martha says.
“This way, my clients are happy, and I’m happy too.”
