Janet Blaser

Janet Blaser is a journalist, author, entrepreneur, and longtime expat who has called Mexico home for more than 20 years.

What began as a dream sparked by a vacation to Mazatlán became a life-changing adventure. Arriving with limited Spanish, few local connections, and plenty of uncertainty, Janet navigated the same challenges many expats face: homesickness, cultural adjustment, self-doubt, and the steep learning curve of building a life in a new country. One step at a time—and with a healthy sense of humor—she created a life she loves.

Over the past two decades, Janet has become a trusted resource for thousands of people interested in living in Mexico and pursuing their own expat dreams. She founded an English-language magazine that helped connect local and foreign communities in Mazatlán, and later founded the Mercado Orgánico de Mazatlán (MOM), a weekly organic farmers market that continues to thrive more than 15 years later.

During a sabbatical in the small coastal town of Lo de Marcos, Nayarit, Janet compiled and published her first book, Why We Left: An Anthology of American Women Expats, inspired by the stories of women who chose to build lives beyond the borders of the United States. Her second book, Going Expat: Mexico, includes stories from men and couples as well as women.

A lifelong writer, Janet spent more than 20 years as a journalist, writer, and editor in Santa Cruz, California. Today she is a regular contributor to CNBC's Make It, where she writes about life in Mexico and the realities of the expat experience. Her work has also appeared in CNN, International Living, Mexico News Daily, Mexperience, and numerous travel and lifestyle publications.

When she's not writing, Janet can often be found surfing, playing with grandchildren, exploring Mexico, and helping others turn their own dreams of living abroad into reality.

Find Janet on Instagram & Facebook: @TheJanetBlaser