Meet Char Lessenger | Author/Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Char Lessenger and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Char, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
In early 2022 I left my career in higher education to pursue a career in teaching English as a second language abroad. I started teaching in late 2022 in Indonesia and was unfortunately the victim of a sc*m. The person who hired me had my passport and was demanding money from me for my work visa which I was unable to provide. During this short semester, I taught every grade (K-12) at, I believe, 26 different schools across the greater Jakarta area. (Definitely not what I originally signed up for.)

I would wake up in the morning not knowing what school I was teaching at that day, or even what grade I was going to teach. All the formalities of teaching that I had been trained in were thrown out the window. Needless to say; it was a rough semester.

Once I was finally able to get out from underneath this situation I decided that it was time I finally start working for myself. I knew that if I could go through something like what I had experienced in Indonesia, I could do anything I set my mind to. Of course, I knew my impostorism would get the best of me at times but I had a newfound sense of resilience that helped propel me forward. I did quite a bit of research before jumping off the deep end and found an excellent program online that guided me through all the steps I needed to start my business abroad and begin living the digital nomad life.

A little over a year later; it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I started my career in higher education in 2017 as an administrative assistant at a local community college. Once I got my footing in that job, I started a Higher Education Administration master’s degree with the notion of moving up the ladder.

As I worked on this degree in tandem with my career, I eventually became a recruiter for another community college in my state and then after about 9 months in that job set my eyes on what I thought would be the best job for me at the time; academic advising.

I acquired a job as an academic advisor at the university where I was working on my master’s degree. It was a big step up and everything seemed to be going really well. Until the pandemic hit.

By the time the height of the pandemic set in, I was about 2 and half years into my job as an academic advisor and I was experiencing burnout at a level I had never felt before. Once I graduated with the master’s degree, I decided it was time to move on to what I thought were greener pastures. (Hindsight’s always 20/20 isn’t it?)

I have always been passionate about education which is why I decided to jump ship and try my hand at teaching English as a second language. Plus the perk of living in a tropical climate was very enticing.

I think one of the things that sets me apart is my knack for education. Teaching and learning come second nature to me and as I’ve built this business it’s something that has followed me into my client work. This is what I believe sets me apart.

Each time I interact with potential or actual clients I approach those interactions from an educational lens. I find myself constantly asking what can I learn from them and what knowledge do I have that would be valuable to them also. This perspective has brought me so much more knowledge and community than I could have ever imagined.

If I wanted the world to know one thing about my story it’s to keep going. Keep plugging away at your dream even if you can only muster up an hour’s worth of work on it some days. You never know how far you are away from that dream client and you’ll never know until you put in the work.

There have been days, of course, that were discouraging along my path, and I’ll be the first to tell anyone that I haven’t “made it” (yet) but everything I have done on this journey (no matter how small a task or big) is what has led me to where I am now. And believe me, the path was not planned out or calculated.

Sometimes you just have to go for it and keep going for it until you’re satisfied but also keep in mind that the process isn’t going to be perfect and it never will be. There will be days, weeks, and sometimes even months where that discouraging and uncomfortable feeling haunts you. It’s about learning to settle in and get comfortable with the unknown while still working toward your goals.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m a big hot springs and foodie enthusiast so I’d start off the week with a morning bagel from Moe’s Bagels off of Speer Blvd and then nice day trip to Indian Hot Springs for a soak in the caves and a bite to eat afterwards at The Banana Leaf in downtown Idaho Springs. When we got back to town I’d likely take them to the Mercury Cafe off Broadway for a little evening wind down and lite entertainment.

The next day I’d take them to the Wild Basin Trailhead; one of my favorite hikes in RMNP with three waterfalls! Of course, Moe’s again for breakfast and then grabbing an extra sandwich there for a picnic later during the hike. Once we got back into town, its the Old Spaghetti Factory in Westminster for dinner. (Gutted their location downtown closed, but this one is just as good!)

Next day, we’d take a lil road trip up to the top of Pikes Peak for donuts obvi and then stopping at The Rabbit Hole for dinner before heading back to Denver.

Next day, I’d take them up the scenic way through Walden Colorado back to my home state of Wyoming to catch another soak at the hot springs at Saratoga and do a little camping on the Platte River there or stay at their super cool historic hotel; the Wolf depending on their vibe. We’d definitely catch a game of pool at the L shaped table in the Whistlin’ Pig Saloon too and dinner at Bella’s if they’re open.

After Saratoga, I’d take them for a bit of lunch at the Qealy Dome exit on the way to Laramie. This gas station in the middle of no where is very inconspicuous but it genuinely has some of the best Indian and Punjabi food I’ve ever had in my life. (They were even featured on CNN!)_ After lunch we’d spend the evening in Laramie catching dinner at Thai Spice and having a drink at the Buckhorn likely.

After Laramie, we’d start making our way back down to Colorado but not before we go on another cool hike at Curt Gowdy State Park to go see the hidden waterfall. Dinner in Ft. Collins afterward at The Still and then drinks at Old Elk with a nice evening stroll around downtown Ft. Collins.

On the last day I’d take them to Melita’s Greek Cafe for a quick brunch before sending them on their way!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My Mom, hands down. Building a business after what I considered to be a failure abroad was a big hit to my ego especially after I had left a career I was incredibly successful in. Every step of the way my Mom was there to encourage me and remind me how smart and savvy she knows I am from halfway across the globe! I genuinely can’t thank her enough for her unconditional support, and advice.

Website: https://wanderwriteagency.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clessenger

Image Credits
Laxdy Sombounsy (@dy.outdoor)