About Jef van de Graaf

In 2012, I graduated from the University of Waterloo with an Honours BSc in Biomedical Sciences. Two years later I sold everything and left Canada with my bicycle on a one-way ticket to Tokyo. I built an English school in Japan from zero to 65 students in eight months, sold it, and kept riding until I reached Taiwan, where I taught myself copywriting and web design. I've since been building and selling my services online while helping other businesses do the same.

Jef van de Graaf at Cape Spear, Newfoundland, beside the sign: Canada begins here — or ends, depending on which way you are going.
Cape Spear, Newfoundland — where Canada begins… or ends, depending on which way you are going.

My name is Jef van de Graaf, and…

I failed to subscribe to the “normal way” of living. You know what I mean:

  • Go to school, get a job, marry someone (decent, hopefully), then get ‘em preggo, raise a batch a monsters kids (which you may or may not be able to afford), grow old, watch your kids have kids, hope your kids love you enough not to put you in a shitty group home, and then: die…?

Yeah, I’m not doing that. No thanks!

Instead, my life has taken a path few people dare to pursue (despite them saying: “OMG, Jef! You’re living my dream!“).

I’m not living your dream. Not at all. I’m living a life that challenges the “norms,” one that often labels me as “homeless“ or crazy (despite what you see on my social media).

What makes this website different?

This website is where I unpack my stories with no filters, my life lessons, my achievements, and my best ideas on how to survive in business — and in life.

If you’re reading this, please remember that there’s a difference between escaping and escapism. And that difference is this:

  • Escape (verb) — to face discomfort with courage. Leaving the familiar in pursuit of something real. A conscious act to build the life you were meant to live.
  • Escap-ism (noun) — to numb, delay, or disappear. Distracting yourself from truth, pain, or purpose. A self-made trap that takes you nowhere.

My work here is to help you escape. To find a meaningful path forward for your business and this crazy thing called life.

Where to start

My craziest adventures

  • Hitchhiking from Toronto to Vancouver Island for 8 months with only a backpack, tent, and guitar (2010)
  • Cycle touring from Toronto to St. John’s + fundraising for Boost: Child & Youth Advocacy Center (2012)
  • Cycle touring South East Asia — i.e., Japan > South Korea > Taiwan > Philippines > Indonesia > Malaysia > Singapore > China > Hong Kong (2014 to 2018)

My academic accolades

  • BSc. Honours Biomedical Sciences | Double Minor in Biology & Psychology from the University of Waterloo (2012)
  • Certificate in Applied Counselling | University of Manitoba (2014)

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This website was originally on WordPress but I recently rebuilt it with Claude Code. If you spot any issues or weird things, please report a bug below.

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