After working for more than 20 years in fields of education, youth service, civic engagement and the environment, in early 2006 we packed our bags and set out for Mendoza, Argentina, to live at the base of the Andes.

Our journey was about growth—a desire to live in a different part of the world, to see things from a fresh perspective, to learn a new language and experience a different culture. To step back from our very busy lives in Washington, DC. 

And, we grew in ways we could not have imagined when we left.

• We learned what it means to be a "language minority," as we struggled to master Spanish and be engaged parents at our daughter's school
• We experienced the joy and challenge of working in a completely different field—the wine industry—and learned what it takes to start and build a successful international business
• We learned about the warmth and generosity of Argentine culture, as we were embraced by countless new friends in Mendoza
• We gained a new appreciation for work/life balance in a place where families gather everyday for large mid-day meals and people still take siesta
• We learned that though it was difficult to "pick up and go" at mid-life, we could do it...and our lives are much richer for having done it

Read more about our adventure in the Washington Post.

When we moved back to the US in 2008, we returned with renewed vigor and passion, and with a deeper appreciation for the diversity and richness of the many cultures that have found a home in the United States. We also returned with a revitalized commitment to our life's work.

It is with that same passion, appreciation and commitment that we founded Crecer Strategies, where we put our experience to work to help you grow.

Our name says it all...

On the heels of two years in Argentina, we sought a name for our company that would capture both our North and South American roots. In Spanish, crecer, (pronounced cray sare), means “to grow.”

Crecer Strategies… Strategies to Grow

—Janalee & Vince