What is this all about? Why do I have a website? What am I doing? Here’s the answer, as of January 2017.
This website is an extension of myself: my dreams and desires. I am not content with the world as it is, and I am committed to being a part of the positive change that is possible. I connect to create change.
This blog, this site, this journey, is at it’s heart one of exploration and discovery. It is a curated collection of my experiences and encounters, as well as a place to share resources and tools developed to help you unearth and develop your own legacy.
Photo by Al Smith as part of a Vic 42 feature on my ethos and trip across Canada
Nearly five years ago, at around the age of 32, I left my career as a Registered Massage Therapist, to do what scared me. Take a risk and test my ideas in the real world. I spent the next seven months living out of a backpack crossing Canada on a mission to “encourage awesomeness”.
That seven month journey resulted in me connecting with many friends old and new across Canada, taking a vast number of photographs, bootstrapping ebook launches, hosting events, joining photowalks, regular appearances on a live broadcast online variety show, and becoming a sponsored ambassador for Guayaki Yerba Mate. You can find a snippet of that experience in my free Crossing Canada books.
These two books offer a glimpse at my seven month trip across Canada. Download for free/pay what you want
I arrived back on the west coast with a vast quantity of photos, numerous stories, more ideas, and a deep desire to continue to share the message that there is a powerful legacy available to each of us. If I could do it, so can other people. So can you. But my vision would take a lot of work, planning, and resources. It takes time, access to skills (either learned, bartered, or hired), and sacrifice. I continued my travels around Western Canada, sharing my stories and images, learning and teaching from my skills, and inviting people to share their dreams. It was a season of challenges, a season of growing, a season of inspiration.
Meeting the Provost (Mayor) of Stirling, Scotland, as the 100 000th guest at the Willy Wallace Hostel
In the fall of 2014 I followed my heart to Glasgow, Scotland. While exploring the country, including splitting wood a stone’s throw from a ruined castle on the inner Hebridean Island of Lismore in return for lodging, and becoming the 100 000th guest to stay at the Willy Wallace Hostel in Stirling while helping them develop a social media strategy, I learned of an opening for someone at
Guayaki Yerba Mate’s social media. As a yerba mate drinker since 1998, and a Guayaki Ambassador since 2012, it was a great opportunity to prove my digital acumen at an international company that I trusted and had no qualms representing.
I spent the next two years working with Guayaki Yerba Mate as their
Tribe Connecting Cebador, in charge of digital strategy, social media community management, and developing/implementing their ‘Amigos De Guayaki’ Ambassador program. Guayaki Yerba Mate is an inspiring company full of passionate people and I made many friends during my time there. It was a great fit for many reasons, including sharing copious amounts of yerba mate (and yerba mate culture) as part of an ethical B Corporation pioneering a restorative model that actively stewards and restores the South American Atlantic Rainforest. As of right now I’m still contracting with them on a very exciting project (more on that when it nears launch, or in private conversation 😉 ).
During my time as Guayaki’s Tribe Connecting Cebador I had the opportunity to speak to a number of upper level Business and Social Media classes at the University of Oregon.
After bringing a new social media team member on board, it was time to amicably part ways freeing me to pursue my guiding vision once more. And here we are, the first month of the 2017, and I’m officially relaunching my website, my creating, and my consulting/coaching services!
As always you’re invited along for the journey! I appreciate all of the support and encouragement you’ve all been to me over the past few years, and look forward to renewed conversations and interactions as this new chapter opens.
What sort of topics and subjects would you like me to cover? I already have a bunch of ideas of my own, but your suggestions are always encouraged too!
All the best and more soon,
Jordan Oram
ps As part of my revamp I also updated my ‘
about’ page. Please
have a look at let me know what you think in the comments below 🙂
