A lot of the issues you mentioned are why I began making the switch from freelancing (I translate Japanese) to ecommerce on my own website and other platforms. I got burned twice pretty bad. One large project that took months and got no pay. Another I got tricked into translating for a third my rate in the hopes of referrals to higher paying contracts that never came. Plus translation is A LOT of work all at once. I could not plan out my week. I was at the mercy of my gmail with rush jobs always one email away...or nada at all. I realized I would have to make a lot of changes to get good clients consistently. I decided to start to change industries entirely instead and ecommerce made a lot of sense to me at the time. Glad I made the change. Before I was just me. Now I represent my brands and I have a business for legal security. Plus I am taken much more seriously as a business than I ever was as a freelance translator or blogger. Now I only take freelance contracts that are too good to turn down. I blog just more for fun or to help others as opposed to blogging and podcasting before where I was banking on affiliate compensation. Now, if it comes it comes. Great video. This made me reflect on my thinking process over the last few years.
I'm looking to join you in the near future. I'm 34 now. I'm trying to make this happen and get out there myself and bust out of Corporate America permanently. I'm from NJ and I have a lot of travel experience. I've been learning different skills over the past 4 years to be well prepared for being a digital nomad. More people of color/minorities need to be out there doing this. But the message needs to get out that it's possible with the right game plan and you're doing just that.
+KGR1281 - YES! I couldn't agree more! After traversing each continent for years, I realized just how much more our presence (as travelers of color) needs to be felt across the globe. (In some places more than others). The outcome can be so powerful. +Minority Nomad - Excellent video with great information and fantastically delivered! Bravo!
As a digital nomad myself I find it hard to take time off and explore the neighborhood. What I mean is work - life balance. But I would never change this lifestyle for a "normal" job again.
+Marc Van Eynde I hate the work life balance concept. Hell my work is my life. Lol. Part of what I do for a living is exploring and traveling. Literally my field. I think an issue is a lot of digital nomads, like everyone else, enter into jobs they don't like. Then it becomes a "normal" job in a better location. I feel you man. Tough to work out.
nice to see a black man doing this. im a black woman, 24, and ill be starting my own journey as a nomad in augus as a self taught developer. ill be making a youtube channel, too. we need more black people in the community. youve got new subscriber :)
good to hear brother. always important for those of us with experience and a voice to inform those who are looking to follow about the good and the bad.
Just subbed. I'm a digital nomad in the making, just recovering from an accident real quick in America. I'm happy to see an undramatic, down to earth video that reveals some of the negative sides about freelance work. Great video, presentation, and information.
I've just started looking into the whole digital nomad world, and I'm glad I found this video. It's always nice to have a glimpse at the "real world" side of things. I like the fact that you are presenting the subject in a realistic way without being too negative or nitpicky. Very valuable information here. Great work!
First and foremost. I (Lynn, Noah is at work ha!) LOVE this series. The Love/Hate format is wicked smart and I'm pissed that I didn't think of it. Second, this series is why I adore you so much.... you're real and balanced. Third, I admittedly still don't understand how to make money this way. I have a lot to pick your brain about over dinner sometime. This is a great rabbit hole of information for now and I look forward to seeing you again so you can draw me charts, sad faces for bad, happy faces for good and break it down for me. lol. Cheers friend, keep up the hard work!
Interesting video as I aspire to become one. I like travelling, exploring different horizons and learning from other people. I am already living abroad, which is an exciting experience but I hate the idea of being stuck at one same place.
Great insights man. Embarking on the Journey next year in March. Saving my money, setting up a framework, selling my car and going global - bring on the grind!
How long did it take you to be able to sustain yourself off of your location independant income? I am giving myself a $10,000 buffer but I don't want to rely on it too much..
Primarily in which countries did you bounce between? And was it small freelancing jobs that you started with then building up to your own project? Thank you so much for your reply - really appreciate it!
Vinh Le i never did "small" freelancer gigs. I kind of jumped into the deep end. I created my own content that people engaged with and brands came to me. Hell I was created branded content before they paid me. That's how I got plugged in with Sony and Shangri-La. I was in business long before I ever hit the road so I understood how brands work. The key is to offer something. skill set, audience, etc etc, that no one else has. OR to do what everyone else does but better. I'm all about piggybacking off someone elses foundation. Everyone has great ideas, few execute. Be an executor.
I love the digital nomad idea. It just shows that it is becoming more and more easy to work for yourself. That's what I'm trying to put on my channel - stories of how people can work for themselves. Keep up the good work!!
Just a matter of time. It's already getting to the point where many people AT LEAST have a side hustle. Once they do that, they get a taste of how great it can be to work for yourself. I commend you for being on the front end of the curve!
Wow, how wonderful to find you here! I'm not a digital nomad myself but I was researching some pros and cons of being one as part of my upcoming discussion (in French) today! Thanks for your insight. I'm hoping to find now your 5 reasons for loving it!
Thank you for being so real. The last thing anyone should do is to jump into something without considering if the cons are acceptable to them. I think all my life experience and former jobs are preparing me for life. I am stuck in the corporate work (not really, since I am a teacher), but I am looking forward for a different lifestyle when my life responsibilities are over and I could move to anywhere in the world while I work online or have some form of passive income, or to provide some form of service to the community that is not constraint to a location. Till then, I will try to love every minute of my work because it does provide me with the stability of a regular income that I did not get previously as a freelance makeup artist or sales personnel whose income was based on commission. I hope your channel will keep growing because you are one of those who stay real but positive. I enjoy your videos. Thank you so much for sharing!
+newchicgal thanks for the support. One word of caution, remove “passive income” from your vocabulary. It’s ridiculously misleading and most people that promote it are the ones making money from selling you on it. The reality is, the effort you make to secure an alternative stream of income is anything but passive. Look for ways to use your free time to make extra money which will allow you to experience the freedom you desire. And that takes a lot of sacrifice and effort.
Minority Nomad Thanks for the advice. My idea of passive is maintaining a system that does not require me to be there all the time. But I get what you mean, it is indeed not a good vocabulary and makes people think that no effort is required. I admire your zeal and diligence. I will remember your advice and hope that one day, I will get to meet you in person :)
Nice you're keeping it real. As a content creator take at least a 50%deposit to take a booking. Remainder due on delivery of content unwatermarked. Yes to contract.
LOVED this!!! definitely agree with the points of working harder as a digital nomad than you do in any other job because basically, you're always clocked it! It's HILARIOUS how many friends and family members I have to explain my career to. I am a blogger, but I also write for other brands, do marketing and am a brand ambassador. Some of those things just don't compute to someone who is not familiar with digital work. The most important lesson I'm learning, however, is sticking to what I'm good at. As a freelancer, it's hard to pass up a paycheck! But recently, a client asked for my rate for doing social media management for them. I considered it, researched it. My stats aren't that bad, so I have a decent knowledge of what it is and how to do it. But it's not my passion. It' not my strong suit. So I had to pass. Thank you for this video. It really resonated with me!
One of the biggest mistake I see are people doing jobs they have no business doing. Now I'm all about that paper. But it hurts you and your brand in the long run. Those working traditional jobs rarely get it. But times are changing. Personally, I prefer them not to get it. Makes my rates higher. lol
I couldn't agree more with your points man! Thanks for making a video on this! The fact that this video was recommended to me two years after it was uploaded means that you've addressed a relevant issue in our space! Retainers are one thing that has changed my life for the better and pushing for at least a 90-day commitment (we do Facebook ads) to get results. Going to check out the rest of your videos, keep up the good work brother!
Yes, we actually have a 6 month commitment for my digital marketing company. We explain very clearly why we require that time. Social media marketing is a long game. Most agree. Especially smaller companies.
Not really. We cant really do our job in less. 3 months maybe. But 6 months is when things kick in. It takes weeks for Google to index things at times. And that's just for blogs. Growing social accounts from nothing takes time. But we're blessed not to need a lot of clients. Keep my roster small intentionally.
Now that I'm working 100% remotely, I often go on jaunts overseas, bringing my work with me, and my biggest peeve is being in a fantastic location but having so much work I don't get to do anything there but work. And I can commiserate with you about finding quality clients. I had a great one that used to pay predictably on time and I enjoyed working with them, but they went through a change of management, and though I always got paid, payday was unpredictable. Sometimes three or four months before payday.
Thanks for sharing. This is the first video of yours I have seen. I haven't came across many black digital nomads love it. About to watch the things you like about it next
Yes to a retainer. I currently have a regular job, but do side work. One entity I worked for took 7 months to a year to pay me on my projects. Needless to say, I do not work with them any longer.
As a digital nomad myself currently working with US clients I have to say that time zones suck. Having to stay up until 2 or 3 am isn't the most fun thing in the world. But I love the lifestyle and am willing to endure the small pain points. Cheers!
Had to stay up until 4am last night after spending the day shooting in Penang then flying back to Bangkok for a 20 minute video chat that should have been an email. lol. That struggle is VERY real. But like you, i'll suffer through.
Haha that is rough, my biggest problem is actually that I HATE flying. I am able to manage it but it terrifies me lol, so all the flights you just described...ughh. Cool channel man, I first heard about you from Jason at Zero to Travel. Keep it up, I just subscribed!
Why do people hate us a Digital Nomads? They think automatically we are exploiting countries that are cheaper to stay ie Bali. It’s frustrating because along side my content I wanted to volunteer and do clean up days. Try to tip where I can too. I’m not some rich kid exploiting. As a westerner we are highly judged and from others just laugh at us and tell us to get a real job. It’s put me off moving 🥺
Well, the unfortunate reality is the bad apples of the digital nomad community are the ones that get the attention. And lets be clear, a good number of the DNs I've meet doing this for over a decade have been entitled asses. It's truly a coin flip. And the reality is, the reason we pick Thailand, Bali, Mexico, Georgia, or Portugal is because of our economic privilege. That can't be denied. And many locals will always resent that. And those on the outside looking in will hate. The only option, do the best you can to be a good person and keep it moving
Thank you for sharing the downside. Perhaps I should stick to giving piano lessons where I get paid no less than 1-3 months in advance. No pay no lessons; but no travel either. Am planning a youtube channel soon. Perhaps that will afford me more flexibility. Wishing you great success!!!
Only one of the examples you gave has anything to do with being a digital nomad, which are the visa issues. All the rest are common to all self-employed people, business owners and entrepreneurs. Also, if people don't know what you mean when you say you're a digital nomad, it's because that term doesn't describe what you do, only where and how you do it. Instead, just say what you actually do, like web development, ecommerce, writing, photography or whatever it is. From a trust standpoint, I wouldn't refer to myself as a digital nomad to clients, as it can suggest instability and lack of commitment, which makes it harder to find quality clients and not get ripped off. For me it's easy and doesn't matter, as I have no need for clients, sales or any type of development, content creation or productivity in my business model. Keep up the good grind man!
well all of the examples have to do with being a digital nomad. Being a digital nomad and self-employed aren't mutually exclusive things. It's ok for experiences and issues to overlap. lol. There are very few issues that digital nomads deal with that any business owner doesn't. In the same line, there are few issues outside of professional ones that digital nomads deal with that any other long term traveler doesnt. All a matter of perspective. We all have to employ the business model and tactics that work best for us. Appreciate the comment.
I really enjoyed hearing your perspectives on this. We're just starting to enter the digital nomad space and a lot of your points really hit home. We were actuaries before this and that occupation was REALLY hard to explain to people, so hopefully being a digital nomad will be a tad easier 😅
You should be able to tell people what you do in two sentences. "I travel the world doing cool shit and talking about it on social media. While teaching others how to do it also." Simple. I think people make being a "digital nomad" seem far too complicated. It's even a job. it's just a lifestyle.
I hate getting weird stares from immigration officers and other travelers when I tell them I work 100% remotely from anywhere. I also don’t like the cost of maintaining a home base in addition to 6-8 months a year of travel - but I like the peace of mind and security of owning a place I can always return to
Are there any who do? I found one (actually, she found me), but her husband tried to steal my work. I do think going nomadic might help me. Cheap places to live, choice of climates, etc. Do any older people do this?
+Tina Braxton most of my clients pay on time now. Overtime, you tend to purge the ones that don't and build relationships. Quite a few older people go Nomadic. I can think of three off the top of my head. Many I know tend to settle long term though.
Just watched you in Thailand doing an interview @ being blk n that city/country.. U made several great points when it comes to dealing with new people that took decades for me to learn. Leave the World better than u found it. Yes. I'm and African America female who has live a bitter life in America. Even hard work didn't give me the peace of mind I search. IV watched decades of Black men parish under yt anger . Yes America is the most violent place for Blacks . Especially Blacks with a generational history here. I'm older now. My biggest regret is that I didn't travel much. And spent decades working for a very small pension.
Digital nomad is cool what I hate is finding clients and not being able to become a millionaire since you're trading your time for money. That would be wise to just scale your business, for example if you're a marketer you become a media agency then you just manage all these people doing what you love to do and basically just take the big slice.
It seems to me, but could be incorrect, that a digital nomad is term applied to people who do their job in various locations rather than one location and use a computer to do that job. Obviously, they are not in a country for a vacation thus a tourist visa is not applicable. As they are working, it would seem a work visa is the appropriate visa. I assume that it not difficult to get a work visa, as i never see it mentioned as an issue.
A digital nomad can be both nomadic and temporarily stationary. Work visas are EXTREMELY difficult for digital nomads to get around the world. that's why you never hear people mention them. Pretty much not an option. Most digital nomads are working illegally in the countries they're in.
Just got back from Thailand (Bangkok and Chiang mai) on vacation. I could work remotely from anywhere and I enjoyed my stay but I cannot tolerate the air pollution in the cities... (from "dirty" jersey). I've been looking into the digital nomad life and it's far easier than I thought with the low cost of living out there. I hear a lot about web designers and programmers, but I think seo/marketing is best for pure monthly revenue.
Oh if you just got back you haven't even seen the worse air pollution Chiang Mai has. They actually have a burning season where the farmers burn the crops to get ready for a new planting season. Also, the smog from cars. It's almost unbearable. I think both are good options. Everyone's looking for a concrete answer to what's the "best". You have to find what's best and manageable for you. Personally, I think SEO is important but not a long term plan. Those who hopped on it say 5 years ago are going to be fine. But people just walking in better have something else to offer. Web designers and programmers will always have a place. We're seeing SEO become automated.
Yes i heard about he burning season and glad I wasnt there. It's bad enough now. I wanted to work from a co working space but the super nice WTF CHEAP apartment (studio 99 apartments) I rented was too nice not to work from. For sure, its the best in my opinion though however my idea of "seo/marketing" may differ from others. On the contrary, ppl that joined SEO 5 years ago cannot even use the same tactics as now. However, I do agree that new SEO kids on the block need to have more skills sets. Actually , the best SEO'rs IMHO are the ones that have experience in diverse practices - graphic design, adwords, facebook ads, web design, programming, etc they all make a SEO'r more effective... most notably SEO and Adwords (PPC). There are many companies running cookie cutter automated SEO campaigns and they are far from effective. If you want to hear about automation, it was far more automated 5 years back when backlink quality wasn't a concern. Now even with automation tools, there is alot of manual outreach required. The future of SEO relies on traditional PR practices...creating relationships with reporters, bloggers, etc. instead of just blasting spam links. Each and every company is totally different in terms of formulating strategies. The tools for SEO are much more advanced now but without knowing how to use them properly, its the same as not having them. I wont write a 5 page post on this but I am currently writing a long blog post about how SEO collaborates with paid search and social advertising.
Sean Juan interesting. seems like you have an excellent business plan. looking forward to seeing what you create. offer something no one else is and you'll always find clients.
When I as in corporate IT, one of the things I learned was... figure out what other ppl in the industry are not good at, or few ppl want to tackle because its more difficult. That's how I 've built my business. (in IT it was virus removal. Everyone used scan tools, but I learned to remove most manually in literally seconds with tools such as "systernals suite".) We don't need to be the best, we just need to show progression. Of course, we all strive to become better everyday!
Hey! You persumed that all of the digital nomads search for clients. Me, myself and a lot of my friends are remote employees, so we do not encounter this issue :)
+25Reborn I assume you mean presumed*. Lol. I didn't presume it State all DMs deal with these and I believe I stated that. You and your friends, might I say an echo chamber, represent a niche. As I said, DMs aren't a monolith. But a good number of us fall into client based categories. The number of companies that offer remote work outside of the creative space are slim. If you don't have that issue, congrats. It's a pain in the ass.
If I didn't have a wife, dog, cat, and house I would do this lifestyle for sure being a part web design among other digital things. Do you know anyone who does this with a family, not with them but by themselves when the family is home?
no. But I honestly don't get too deep in other "nomads" personal lives like that. I know several that travel with their families or spend half their time traveling for work and rest at home. Not really sure how that would look. My girl would KILL me if I was having fun traveling the world while she stayed home with the kids. lol
Dude, you are on point. I'm so lucky I'm contracting with a single entity in USA so don't have to find clients. But straight up, have you heard of a retainer?? You need to be getting money up front. EVERY TIME. EDIT just got to the point in the vid where you talk about Retainers... so yes I will go with my first thought: this vid is ON POINT Only thing I could add here is: when it comes to work -- Don't call yourself a digital nomad. Say you are a digital marketer. Or a web developer, or whatever it is that you do. Digital Nomad is a label your friends can call you, NEVER your clients.
Digital Nomad is an extremely broad and general label. Anyone using it with their clients isn't likelt to be in business long. Well unless they are selling one of these courses on how to be a digital nomad. lol
I like that advice. If digital nomad doesn't make sense, choose a different phrasing. People know what a digital marketer is, content creator, creative director, editor, designer, etc. Digital nomad leads room for so many questions and yet you complain about it getting repetitive or annoying. Perhaps that's why 🤷🏽♀️
Haha mate just found your channel while looking for a digital nomad channel on TH-cam and recognized you. We met in Budapest, I was in the Avenue Hostel.
I might not be the typical kind of digital nomad but I've met a lot of them I am nomadic ever since I left high school. Sometimes more nomadic and digital, sometimes less. The one thing that effects me most is this kind of rootlessness that comes up in the long run. And that's not healthy at all. Some people might not be able to foresee what consequences this might have on one's own psychology. But then, what's the solution for that? Going back to a standard city life living in one of these big rat cages called apartments? I firmly believe for myself that this privilege, the flexibility and freedom that you gain, can be given to something bigger than just yourself jetting randomly through the world. I'm seeking for a place where you can live sustainable, healthy, in a real community - and still have the flexibility and freedom to travel when I wish so. I am sure that most of the DN won't travel forever - and then what?
+Jorin Eichhorn it's about living the life you want. It's perfectly acceptable to travel forever if that's the life one chooses. It's also acceptable to get a house, job, and family. Or whatever balance in the middle. Every decision we make in life has consequences. We just have to decide our tolerance level. I love chocolate but I also love having abs. Something has to give. Lol
I've been an online instructor for 11 years. I love working any time and anywhere, but I hate not having a replacement so that I can take time off without creating a backlog and paying more than 25% of my income in taxes because there's not much I can deduct.
Great thing about travel journalism is you can deduct pretty much everything. Lol. I've made a huge shift in my business model since I did this video. Have to include more personal time. Just necessary
Hate: Digital Nomad is a person who can work anywhere and who HAS to work ANYWHERE. I mean you HAVE to find WiFi in some rural places and work at uncomfortable bench.
This was an interesting video. Good point about taxes, but about having no days off and needing to work so hard all the time, I think any self employed person who runs their own business has the same complaint even if they are not working remotely. :-) Good point also about immigration. NEVER say you are a journalist. One thing you didn't mention though is about visas. When you are thinking of staying in a country for a considerable amount of time, arriving on a tourist visa often does not work. I have found this visa question to be a royal pain in many countries.
Yeah. Just trying to lay it out for people that never ran their own business. Many digital nomads tend to be young these days. Visas are another video. Lol
@@Minoritynomad I see you are in Vietnam and Cambodia at the moment. My old stomping grounds in the 1990s. Prospective young digital nomads are thinking that moving a self owned business to an exotic and sun drenched foreign country will result in fewer work hours per week? LOL. Sorry to have to confirm to all readers that it does not work that way. Moving your small business overseas results in more work hours simply because of more complications in running your small business. In my opinion, the exclusive upside to working on your computer in a foreign country is the lower cost of living when compared to the States. Whatever the case, best wishes to all expat Americans.
Thanks for the video. Have to say I'm amused how the term "digital nomad" is used so much. I'm self employed, working remotely in tech, dual citizenships. That's really what your issues are about, no? Yes there are challenges but that's what you sign up for. In particular it's important to have skills and clients and tax strategies sorted out in advance. Whatever you call it, it's hard work.
Having travelled for more than 20 years constantly I find the majority of travel bloggers content is mainly fluff. They aren't value adding to their readers, just advertising. As more people start blogging and doing TH-cam videos etc I think the numbers of people subscribing will start to go down and the money will dry up. I could be wrong but I don't think so. For example, if you had to pay for the content would you?.
Travel blogging/influencing is like any other industry. Value is a matter of perspective. For example, I get zero value from models. Yet their the highest paid influencers in the world by far. I would say travel bloggers provide value to their target audience. A blog focused on traveling on the cheap for 20 something females likely means nothing to me. But I wouldn't call it fluff. If content entertains and educates I think it's a win.
if you work remotely as an employee of a company you get full benefits including pto and sick days and get paid regularly in usd so taxes would be easy.
awesome video! i don't know what to call myself - i have no nine to five - i travel and live all over the world - i sell my book, art and give meditation classes - is that a digital nomad? *grins* anyway love the video and my number one challenge is the government / tax thing. Also the bank thing. Using my UK bank account in other countries is real costly. And finding the best money exchange rates. *wipes her brow* but i won't change this life for anything! i love it. :)
+Energy Artist call yourself whatever you want. And that's my thing, titles mean nothing to me. You could call yourself the Supreme Travel Ruler Deluxe Tiger Edition. Wouldn't change who you are and what you do. The issues start from a legality standpoint. Easier in the US to be nomadic given our individualistic culture. But definitely restrictive in ways.
I am such an impatient person. I feel like if I don’t get quick results then I’m not doing good enough. That’s my biggest fear thinking since nothing is happening soon so, being a digital nomad won’t work for me. I really feel like this would be my biggest struggle. I don’t even know how to go about overcoming this yet. However, this is a dream job for me.
That makes sense. And it's extremely important that you have the self-awareness to know that about yourself. For example, im a procrastinator. Always have been. Simply because I'm good enough to get away with it. So I've insulated myself with people and techniques which offset my procrastinative nature. That's what you have to do. You can mitigate the damage your nature does.
A great insight to this lifestyle, I have a job....hmmm well lets say a way of a making money to legally stay in the system as it were but also a way to travel, I am also a keen photographer and take lots of travel shots, traveled to South East Asia many times and in fact just did another 6 months away last year in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Laos I met so many people on this trip doing Blogs and Vlogs and also telling me they are digital nomads ....where i take great pics and upload them they were writing about the locations and history and places of interest ....it has really made me think lately where am I going wrong, especially returning to the "Norm" as it were......working for the system ...I listen to what you had to say and its great to hear some home truths to this nomadic lifestyle and definitely food for thought in making some decisions... I want to enter this lifestyle and be free to embrace a new chapter rather than look back and ponder "what if".... hey dude keep up the good work f
Getting paid - I use an escrow service on a freelancing platform, so the client pays up front each month, or if paying direct, clients pay up front. In 4 years I've only had about 3 instances of not getting paid.
I think you should say, your a business owner as your title and then , you can say what you do as an owner, or you can say I have my own company and you work for yourself....Its in your presentation.
You mentioned in your video that sometimes people don't pay up after you have completed job.@@Minoritynomad. You should be using fiverr or places like fiverr, the money is held by fiverr in order to start job and fiverr acts as a arbiter if any issues pop up, fiverr does take a percentage but you can factor that into your asking price.
That's not how the travel industry works. I'm a travel journalist. My clients are large brands and multinational companies. None are on fiverr. That's a good platform for people starting out freelancing for smaller jobs.
traveling the world while working sounds amazing I'm sure the good things about the job outweigh the bad things. it makes me feel a little envious not because of the job you do but the level of self discipline it must take to do that job. how do you maintain?
You know what. I'll tell you my secret. Anger. I internalize my anger when I look at the misrepresentation of blacks in media. Lack of representation of minorities in travel. Income inequality on a global scale. Homophobia and xenophobia in the U.S. And several other things that piss me off. I turn that anger and frustration into action. Everyday, I create a list of what pissed me off that day. When I wake up I look at the list and ask what do I need to do to fix the problem. And then attack. I have a passion for problem solving and helping people. And I've found that anger is my most motivating emotion.
epic attitude, I live in South Africa and there are far too many people who sit and complain rather than getting off their asses and changing things for themselves. If they put as much time and effort into creating a positive life for themselves rather than complaining and bringing other people down, the world would become far more happy and productive. I travel when I can, have a full time corporate job so leave days are more of an issue, Im slowly growing my freelance work portfolio on upwork while maintaining my current lifestyle... for now.
Adventures of Graeme and Ang keep grinding and putting yourself out there. WORK pays off. period. everyone talks and talks and talks. Few put in the work. Put in the work first, then talk about it.
Great points, especially about governments not understanding the nomad lifestyle. Why do you not want to say you are a journalist? I find one of the most difficult things personally is finding a work / experience balance. We are traveling with two kids and they demand a certain amount of time. It's not that different from a static lifestyle except you are typically in places where you want to explore.
+TravelingMel many governments don't look kindly on American journalist. I used to say I was a journalist and ended getting questioned quite a bit more than when I say I'm a web developer. I'm sure it's more difficult with kids. For me, working in a space away from where I sleep increased by efficiency ten fold. A complete separation from "life". I find I'm far more productive. "Life" feeds my creativity. Work feeds my efficiency.
I like your channel's name and found it after a search. Thank you for that name. I would like to know how a dark skinned woman and a Muslim could survive being a digital nomad. I am not interested in moving every months and would select a few countries I feel would be safe for me. Some of these are Indonesia and Malaysia. But I am dying to see Vietnam and not sure what to expect. I wrote this comment before.even watching but after I smashed the subscribe button lol.
You would survive the EXACT same way you do now. Of course, your personal experience will be different depending on where you decide to go. But overall, it comes down to research and what you're comfortable with. Thailand isn't the same as Romania which isn't the same as Argentina which isn't the same as Mexico. In regards to Southeast Asia, if you carry yourself with respect for the local culture everything else tends to fall in line. Dating might be tough outside of the "expat" bubbles. I'm not sure where you're from but I feel A LOT safer in Southeast Asia than anywhere in the West. And I mean anywhere. Feel free to reach out with any specific questions.
After 30 years as an IT systems infrastructure and security professional, I could never be allowed to go nomad. Pre-COVID, the powers that be kept us in cages and limited, 50 hours a week. I said F That and quit. My skills won't translate to location-independent work. But, at $12K a year, geo-arbitrage might be able to make it work once I sell all my American shit.
automate ur business, outsource it. That way if u are sick, u can still make money. Also by having monthly commission from affiliates like clickfunnels etc
My business cant be automated. I'm the product. I dont believe in affiliate programs. Find them shady. Which is why I have no ads or products on my site. I'm doing just fine. Make a good living while keeping my moral code in tact.
OMG! Nobody pays on time, especially in my line of work. I do political Strategy and communications consulting (basically a ton of data work). Whether I can be paid is often dependent on funraising by the client. If the campaign launches late or fundraising is slow, my pay gets postponed. It often not the candidates fault either. Thankfully, I love my job.
Love your videos. But I think it’s different for people who are retired with stable Monthly income. I’m thinking of being a Digital Nomad. I’m starting late lol.. which I would’ve knew about this life earlier. So what’s the best mobile service, medical coverage, etc to have when you’re traveling to all these places?
The best is whatever the locals are using. No idea why some people are advocating for these ridiculously overpriced plans from home which have trash service anyway. Medical, depends on the destination and your situation. Best is subjective my friend.
@@Minoritynomad ok.. you could’ve lost what the locals use as far as medical other places you visited or lived lol. That’s why u have the channel I thought.. to help ppl out
Most of everything you just explained comes with the lifestyle of being self employed and starting a business. nomad or not... maybe people can experience what it means to not work a 9-5 to see if it fits their desires before becoming a "digital nomad". It's not for everyone. :)
As a beginner, I see a lot of jobs posted on freelance sites. I know there can be issues with clients as you said, but what makes it such hard work? I'm guessing doing your own taxes, promoting yourself, negotiations with clients. not having a support network. Is it that hard to make a living at?
Yup. But it's like anything else. It's hard for some and easy for others. For me, I embrace the grind so "hard" isn't a word I would use. I would say challenging. But a beginner might find it hard. Many of us have been in the game for years so it's par for the course in our eyes when clients don't pay for example. Also, quantity doesn't equal quality. You might see 100 jobs posted for a graphic designer but how many pay what you're worth? How many have realistic expectations? Just finding the right job can be a job. lol Also, everything you mentions as well.
The beginning of any new career is difficult. Digital work is highly competitive but still based around trust more than price. Any GOOD client will gladly pay more for better work. Any time you think you "are good", then you have not reached the next level yet.
I think digital nomad experiences are going to vary from person to person because there is no such thing as a digital nomad job, it covers a wide range of activities. For instance, I don't have clients or customers so some of your experiences do not apply to me. That last one does apply to me. Telling other people what you do is sometimes a challenge. I'm an online poker player and I sometimes have trouble with that. For instance, telling an estate agent or a landlord that you're moving from country to country earning money playing poker on the internet does not go down well most of the time. I tend to leave it vague such as "I work on the internet". Finally, I think you forgot one thing, or maybe you're not experiencing it. Being that geographically mobile creates problems when it comes to relationships. You meet friends and then have to leave them and of course you have the problem of significant others. I've left a couple of girlfriends behind and it sucks for everyone.
+BlunderCity yeah. That's not too much of an issue for me because it doesn't really matter in my life. But I can definitely see how it can be for some. I know many digital nomads have issues with families back home as well.
Haha hate my digital nomad friends that don't want to do anything but work and complain about trivial things like chair, workspace. Also hate those nomads that have commitment issues haha guilty as well
Man for point 3 you should really start looking at ways to create recurring revenue. That's the only way to ensure that you can take a day off while still making money. :)
Great video.... shouldnt you not hand in the product before you get paid, arent there other options like screen shots of code, making a video showing the code works (quicktime screen capture), and even blurring out certain parts of the code and submitting it (like blurring function names or css assignments, blurring file connection paths?)
Just not the way some industries work. The reality is, for everyone that does some of the things you suggest, there are 10 that don't. Making life easier for the client. For me, I don't have these issues anymore. But it's a major problem for many DMs ESPECIALLY artist. In theory you're correct. But in practice, not the way things work out.
I hear you on theory vs practice, id actually like to ask you more specific questions regarding the contracting and freelancing as I am new to the industry if possible, do you have a forum for mail from viewers?
A lot of the issues you mentioned are why I began making the switch from freelancing (I translate Japanese) to ecommerce on my own website and other platforms.
I got burned twice pretty bad. One large project that took months and got no pay. Another I got tricked into translating for a third my rate in the hopes of referrals to higher paying contracts that never came.
Plus translation is A LOT of work all at once. I could not plan out my week. I was at the mercy of my gmail with rush jobs always one email away...or nada at all. I realized I would have to make a lot of changes to get good clients consistently. I decided to start to change industries entirely instead and ecommerce made a lot of sense to me at the time. Glad I made the change.
Before I was just me. Now I represent my brands and I have a business for legal security. Plus I am taken much more seriously as a business than I ever was as a freelance translator or blogger.
Now I only take freelance contracts that are too good to turn down. I blog just more for fun or to help others as opposed to blogging and podcasting before where I was banking on affiliate compensation. Now, if it comes it comes.
Great video. This made me reflect on my thinking process over the last few years.
I'm so glad to see another black man, man of color, working as a digital nomad. I like your username.
+KGR1281 glad to be out here representing.
I'm looking to join you in the near future. I'm 34 now. I'm trying to make this happen and get out there myself and bust out of Corporate America permanently. I'm from NJ and I have a lot of travel experience. I've been learning different skills over the past 4 years to be well prepared for being a digital nomad. More people of color/minorities need to be out there doing this. But the message needs to get out that it's possible with the right game plan and you're doing just that.
KGR1281 I do voice over part time, good information you touched upon
☺
+KGR1281 - YES! I couldn't agree more! After traversing each continent for years, I realized just how much more our presence (as travelers of color) needs to be felt across the globe. (In some places more than others). The outcome can be so powerful.
+Minority Nomad - Excellent video with great information and fantastically delivered! Bravo!
As a digital nomad myself I find it hard to take time off and explore the neighborhood. What I mean is work - life balance. But I would never change this lifestyle for a "normal" job again.
+Marc Van Eynde I hate the work life balance concept. Hell my work is my life. Lol. Part of what I do for a living is exploring and traveling. Literally my field. I think an issue is a lot of digital nomads, like everyone else, enter into jobs they don't like. Then it becomes a "normal" job in a better location. I feel you man. Tough to work out.
Should be work and life integration.
Wow! Making content and not getting paid! There should be a website for digital nomads where you can review clients and/or blacklist them!
lol. the game is the game. It's frustrating but part of the growth we all go through.
If only
nice to see a black man doing this. im a black woman, 24, and ill be starting my own journey as a nomad in augus as a self taught developer. ill be making a youtube channel, too. we need more black people in the community. youve got new subscriber :)
thanks so much. please feel free to shoot me a link and i'll return the love. Let me know if you need anything.
Just wondering why you need more black people in the community...what does the race matter?
Jason If you have to ask this question, then you’re not observant enough? Search up “digital nomad” on TH-cam, and you mostly see white people.
Very good points! You've inspired me to talk about some of this stuff (ie. downsides of the lifestyles) on my channel as well.
good to hear brother. always important for those of us with experience and a voice to inform those who are looking to follow about the good and the bad.
Just subbed. I'm a digital nomad in the making, just recovering from an accident real quick in America. I'm happy to see an undramatic, down to earth video that reveals some of the negative sides about freelance work. Great video, presentation, and information.
Glad you liked it. Get better and be safe. We need more nomadic types out here spreading the word.
I've just started looking into the whole digital nomad world, and I'm glad I found this video. It's always nice to have a glimpse at the "real world" side of things. I like the fact that you are presenting the subject in a realistic way without being too negative or nitpicky. Very valuable information here. Great work!
thanks. glad it helped. so much misinformation and sugar coating out there. Thought U would try a bit to balance it out.
First and foremost. I (Lynn, Noah is at work ha!) LOVE this series. The Love/Hate format is wicked smart and I'm pissed that I didn't think of it. Second, this series is why I adore you so much.... you're real and balanced. Third, I admittedly still don't understand how to make money this way. I have a lot to pick your brain about over dinner sometime. This is a great rabbit hole of information for now and I look forward to seeing you again so you can draw me charts, sad faces for bad, happy faces for good and break it down for me. lol. Cheers friend, keep up the hard work!
+Because We Camp Hahahahah. You know I'm an email away. Anything for you two. You're part of my inner circle. Lol
Same same! ;)
Interesting video as I aspire to become one.
I like travelling, exploring different horizons and learning from other people.
I am already living abroad, which is an exciting experience but I hate the idea of being stuck at one same place.
Great insights man. Embarking on the Journey next year in March. Saving my money, setting up a framework, selling my car and going global - bring on the grind!
+Vinh Le I hear that. Welcome to the life my friend. Let me know if you need any advice.
How long did it take you to be able to sustain yourself off of your location independant income? I am giving myself a $10,000 buffer but I don't want to rely on it too much..
Vinh Le I started with 19,000 ish. I would say about 2 years before my work covered all my expenses.
Primarily in which countries did you bounce between? And was it small freelancing jobs that you started with then building up to your own project? Thank you so much for your reply - really appreciate it!
Vinh Le i never did "small" freelancer gigs. I kind of jumped into the deep end. I created my own content that people engaged with and brands came to me. Hell I was created branded content before they paid me. That's how I got plugged in with Sony and Shangri-La. I was in business long before I ever hit the road so I understood how brands work. The key is to offer something. skill set, audience, etc etc, that no one else has. OR to do what everyone else does but better. I'm all about piggybacking off someone elses foundation. Everyone has great ideas, few execute. Be an executor.
I love the digital nomad idea. It just shows that it is becoming more and more easy to work for yourself. That's what I'm trying to put on my channel - stories of how people can work for themselves. Keep up the good work!!
Hopefully it becomes more accepted societally.
Just a matter of time. It's already getting to the point where many people AT LEAST have a side hustle. Once they do that, they get a taste of how great it can be to work for yourself. I commend you for being on the front end of the curve!
Wow, how wonderful to find you here! I'm not a digital nomad myself but I was researching some pros and cons of being one as part of my upcoming discussion (in French) today! Thanks for your insight. I'm hoping to find now your 5 reasons for loving it!
Thank you for being so real. The last thing anyone should do is to jump into something without considering if the cons are acceptable to them.
I think all my life experience and former jobs are preparing me for life. I am stuck in the corporate work (not really, since I am a teacher), but I am looking forward for a different lifestyle when my life responsibilities are over and I could move to anywhere in the world while I work online or have some form of passive income, or to provide some form of service to the community that is not constraint to a location. Till then, I will try to love every minute of my work because it does provide me with the stability of a regular income that I did not get previously as a freelance makeup artist or sales personnel whose income was based on commission.
I hope your channel will keep growing because you are one of those who stay real but positive. I enjoy your videos. Thank you so much for sharing!
+newchicgal thanks for the support. One word of caution, remove “passive income” from your vocabulary. It’s ridiculously misleading and most people that promote it are the ones making money from selling you on it. The reality is, the effort you make to secure an alternative stream of income is anything but passive. Look for ways to use your free time to make extra money which will allow you to experience the freedom you desire. And that takes a lot of sacrifice and effort.
Minority Nomad Thanks for the advice. My idea of passive is maintaining a system that does not require me to be there all the time. But I get what you mean, it is indeed not a good vocabulary and makes people think that no effort is required. I admire your zeal and diligence. I will remember your advice and hope that one day, I will get to meet you in person :)
+newchicgal small world. You never know. lol. Take care and feel free to reach out anytime.
The good thing about Europe is that (as we travel fulltime) and not stay more than 6 months in one single country we're not under taxes! :)
@@philipdupont2308 I actually lived and work in BG for 12 years but still keeping my residence there plus my company
Nice you're keeping it real. As a content creator take at least a 50%deposit to take a booking. Remainder due on delivery of content unwatermarked. Yes to contract.
👌
LOVED this!!! definitely agree with the points of working harder as a digital nomad than you do in any other job because basically, you're always clocked it! It's HILARIOUS how many friends and family members I have to explain my career to. I am a blogger, but I also write for other brands, do marketing and am a brand ambassador. Some of those things just don't compute to someone who is not familiar with digital work. The most important lesson I'm learning, however, is sticking to what I'm good at. As a freelancer, it's hard to pass up a paycheck! But recently, a client asked for my rate for doing social media management for them. I considered it, researched it. My stats aren't that bad, so I have a decent knowledge of what it is and how to do it. But it's not my passion. It' not my strong suit. So I had to pass. Thank you for this video. It really resonated with me!
One of the biggest mistake I see are people doing jobs they have no business doing. Now I'm all about that paper. But it hurts you and your brand in the long run. Those working traditional jobs rarely get it. But times are changing. Personally, I prefer them not to get it. Makes my rates higher. lol
I couldn't agree more with your points man! Thanks for making a video on this!
The fact that this video was recommended to me two years after it was uploaded means that you've addressed a relevant issue in our space!
Retainers are one thing that has changed my life for the better and pushing for at least a 90-day commitment (we do Facebook ads) to get results.
Going to check out the rest of your videos, keep up the good work brother!
Yes, we actually have a 6 month commitment for my digital marketing company. We explain very clearly why we require that time. Social media marketing is a long game. Most agree. Especially smaller companies.
@@Minoritynomad Oh wow, 6 months! Do you experience any objections when asking for 6-months?
Not really. We cant really do our job in less. 3 months maybe. But 6 months is when things kick in. It takes weeks for Google to index things at times. And that's just for blogs. Growing social accounts from nothing takes time. But we're blessed not to need a lot of clients. Keep my roster small intentionally.
Wonderful information! Thanks so much for sharing! These are definitely things a traveling freelancer needs to remember as well!
glad you liked it. appreciate the comment
I did not even know there was such a term, thanks for the interesting video! Will look for more of your videos on this topic!
+Tierney Hogan appreciate it
This is so cool!! Love seeing a brotha about the digital nomad life! I'm working on becoming one! :)
Hats always good to hear. Get out here.
Now that I'm working 100% remotely, I often go on jaunts overseas, bringing my work with me, and my biggest peeve is being in a fantastic location but having so much work I don't get to do anything there but work. And I can commiserate with you about finding quality clients. I had a great one that used to pay predictably on time and I enjoyed working with them, but they went through a change of management, and though I always got paid, payday was unpredictable. Sometimes three or four months before payday.
Thanks for sharing. This is the first video of yours I have seen. I haven't came across many black digital nomads love it. About to watch the things you like about it next
Yes to a retainer. I currently have a regular job, but do side work. One entity I worked for took 7 months to a year to pay me on my projects. Needless to say, I do not work with them any longer.
it amazes me how many freelancers are terrified to ask for a retainer.
As a digital nomad myself currently working with US clients I have to say that time zones suck. Having to stay up until 2 or 3 am isn't the most fun thing in the world. But I love the lifestyle and am willing to endure the small pain points. Cheers!
Had to stay up until 4am last night after spending the day shooting in Penang then flying back to Bangkok for a 20 minute video chat that should have been an email. lol. That struggle is VERY real. But like you, i'll suffer through.
Haha that is rough, my biggest problem is actually that I HATE flying. I am able to manage it but it terrifies me lol, so all the flights you just described...ughh. Cool channel man, I first heard about you from Jason at Zero to Travel. Keep it up, I just subscribed!
Why do people hate us a Digital Nomads? They think automatically we are exploiting countries that are cheaper to stay ie Bali. It’s frustrating because along side my content I wanted to volunteer and do clean up days. Try to tip where I can too. I’m not some rich kid exploiting. As a westerner we are highly judged and from others just laugh at us and tell us to get a real job. It’s put me off moving 🥺
Well, the unfortunate reality is the bad apples of the digital nomad community are the ones that get the attention. And lets be clear, a good number of the DNs I've meet doing this for over a decade have been entitled asses. It's truly a coin flip. And the reality is, the reason we pick Thailand, Bali, Mexico, Georgia, or Portugal is because of our economic privilege. That can't be denied. And many locals will always resent that. And those on the outside looking in will hate. The only option, do the best you can to be a good person and keep it moving
Thank you for sharing the downside. Perhaps I should stick to giving piano lessons where I get paid no less than 1-3 months in advance. No pay no lessons; but no travel either. Am planning a youtube channel soon. Perhaps that will afford me more flexibility. Wishing you great success!!!
Only one of the examples you gave has anything to do with being a digital nomad, which are the visa issues. All the rest are common to all self-employed people, business owners and entrepreneurs. Also, if people don't know what you mean when you say you're a digital nomad, it's because that term doesn't describe what you do, only where and how you do it. Instead, just say what you actually do, like web development, ecommerce, writing, photography or whatever it is. From a trust standpoint, I wouldn't refer to myself as a digital nomad to clients, as it can suggest instability and lack of commitment, which makes it harder to find quality clients and not get ripped off. For me it's easy and doesn't matter, as I have no need for clients, sales or any type of development, content creation or productivity in my business model. Keep up the good grind man!
well all of the examples have to do with being a digital nomad. Being a digital nomad and self-employed aren't mutually exclusive things. It's ok for experiences and issues to overlap. lol. There are very few issues that digital nomads deal with that any business owner doesn't. In the same line, there are few issues outside of professional ones that digital nomads deal with that any other long term traveler doesnt. All a matter of perspective.
We all have to employ the business model and tactics that work best for us. Appreciate the comment.
I wanted to thank you for that honest video. It's greatly appreciated.
My pleasure
Really good to see someone talk about the bad things so we, that haven't started this life yet, can know what the reality is. Thanks for the info!!
No problem
I really enjoyed hearing your perspectives on this. We're just starting to enter the digital nomad space and a lot of your points really hit home.
We were actuaries before this and that occupation was REALLY hard to explain to people, so hopefully being a digital nomad will be a tad easier 😅
You should be able to tell people what you do in two sentences. "I travel the world doing cool shit and talking about it on social media. While teaching others how to do it also." Simple. I think people make being a "digital nomad" seem far too complicated. It's even a job. it's just a lifestyle.
Just subscribed to your channel! Great interview on the Future of Work PBS documentary. Hope we can meet again soon in Thailand.
Appreciate it. I'm easy to find when home. Hit me on IG.
I hate getting weird stares from immigration officers and other travelers when I tell them I work 100% remotely from anywhere. I also don’t like the cost of maintaining a home base in addition to 6-8 months a year of travel - but I like the peace of mind and security of owning a place I can always return to
I never tell them that. Hahahahah
A fellow East Side CLE Web Dev out there doing it - I see you!
We're a unique breed.
"Clients who pay on time." Oh my goodness. Yes, that struggle is real.
+Sabra Kay they seem like unicorns these days right? Lol
Are there any who do? I found one (actually, she found me), but her husband tried to steal my work. I do think going nomadic might help me. Cheap places to live, choice of climates, etc. Do any older people do this?
+Tina Braxton most of my clients pay on time now. Overtime, you tend to purge the ones that don't and build relationships.
Quite a few older people go Nomadic. I can think of three off the top of my head. Many I know tend to settle long term though.
In the beginning you will find alot of those but as your client quality gets better it will rarely happen.
extremely rare for me these days. late? sure. But never not pay within my 14-day window.
Just watched you in Thailand doing an interview @ being blk n that city/country.. U made several great points when it comes to dealing with new people that took decades for me to learn. Leave the World better than u found it. Yes. I'm and African America female who has live a bitter life in America. Even hard work didn't give me the peace of mind I search. IV watched decades of Black men parish under yt anger . Yes America is the most violent place for Blacks . Especially Blacks with a generational history here. I'm older now. My biggest regret is that I didn't travel much. And spent decades working for a very small pension.
Thanks for sharing your insight! 👍
Shout on from South Africa - I too will be departing on this Nomad Journey soon
Welcome. A Great journey
Loooovvveee this. That last point is everything. It's a tough tough tough gig.
+Meg Cale now I have to rewatch this. You complimenting it is a big deal. Lol
mate your a great speaker. Killing it! GRRRRRINNNNDING
+Philip Ghezelbash that's a big compliment. Appreciate it
*YOU'RE
Digital nomad is cool what I hate is finding clients and not being able to become a millionaire since you're trading your time for money. That would be wise to just scale your business, for example if you're a marketer you become a media agency then you just manage all these people doing what you love to do and basically just take the big slice.
finding clients is the fun part. lol
It seems to me, but could be incorrect, that a digital nomad is term applied to people who do their job in various locations rather than one location and use a computer to do that job.
Obviously, they are not in a country for a vacation thus a tourist visa is not applicable. As they are working, it would seem a work visa is the appropriate visa. I assume that it not difficult to get a work visa, as i never see it mentioned as an issue.
A digital nomad can be both nomadic and temporarily stationary. Work visas are EXTREMELY difficult for digital nomads to get around the world. that's why you never hear people mention them. Pretty much not an option. Most digital nomads are working illegally in the countries they're in.
First video of yours I've seen (just stumbled upon this channel). Thanks for the information, subb'd!
+Shawn Does (The Razor) glad to have you my man. Let me know anyway I can help.
Thank you! Let me know if you need anything as well!
Shawn Does just might. trying to get my gains on soon. lol
#LifeGainz
I second this :)
Just got back from Thailand (Bangkok and Chiang mai) on vacation. I could work remotely from anywhere and I enjoyed my stay but I cannot tolerate the air pollution in the cities... (from "dirty" jersey). I've been looking into the digital nomad life and it's far easier than I thought with the low cost of living out there. I hear a lot about web designers and programmers, but I think seo/marketing is best for pure monthly revenue.
Oh if you just got back you haven't even seen the worse air pollution Chiang Mai has. They actually have a burning season where the farmers burn the crops to get ready for a new planting season. Also, the smog from cars. It's almost unbearable.
I think both are good options. Everyone's looking for a concrete answer to what's the "best". You have to find what's best and manageable for you. Personally, I think SEO is important but not a long term plan. Those who hopped on it say 5 years ago are going to be fine. But people just walking in better have something else to offer. Web designers and programmers will always have a place. We're seeing SEO become automated.
Yes i heard about he burning season and glad I wasnt there. It's bad enough now.
I wanted to work from a co working space but the super nice WTF CHEAP apartment (studio 99 apartments) I rented was too nice not to work from.
For sure, its the best in my opinion though however my idea of "seo/marketing" may differ from others.
On the contrary, ppl that joined SEO 5 years ago cannot even use the same tactics as now. However, I do agree that new SEO kids on the block need to have more skills sets. Actually , the best SEO'rs IMHO are the ones that have experience in diverse practices - graphic design, adwords, facebook ads, web design, programming, etc they all make a SEO'r more effective... most notably SEO and Adwords (PPC).
There are many companies running cookie cutter automated SEO campaigns and they are far from effective. If you want to hear about automation, it was far more automated 5 years back when backlink quality wasn't a concern. Now even with automation tools, there is alot of manual outreach required. The future of SEO relies on traditional PR practices...creating relationships with reporters, bloggers, etc. instead of just blasting spam links.
Each and every company is totally different in terms of formulating strategies. The tools for SEO are much more advanced now but without knowing how to use them properly, its the same as not having them. I wont write a 5 page post on this but I am currently writing a long blog post about how SEO collaborates with paid search and social advertising.
Sean Juan interesting. seems like you have an excellent business plan. looking forward to seeing what you create. offer something no one else is and you'll always find clients.
When I as in corporate IT, one of the things I learned was... figure out what other ppl in the industry are not good at, or few ppl want to tackle because its more difficult. That's how I 've built my business. (in IT it was virus removal. Everyone used scan tools, but I learned to remove most manually in literally seconds with tools such as "systernals suite".) We don't need to be the best, we just need to show progression. Of course, we all strive to become better everyday!
I just saw you on PBS and rushed here to find your channel 😇
Hey, really hope you enjoy.
Hey!
You persumed that all of the digital nomads search for clients. Me, myself and a lot of my friends are remote employees, so we do not encounter this issue :)
+25Reborn I assume you mean presumed*. Lol. I didn't presume it State all DMs deal with these and I believe I stated that. You and your friends, might I say an echo chamber, represent a niche. As I said, DMs aren't a monolith. But a good number of us fall into client based categories. The number of companies that offer remote work outside of the creative space are slim. If you don't have that issue, congrats. It's a pain in the ass.
If I didn't have a wife, dog, cat, and house I would do this lifestyle for sure being a part web design among other digital things. Do you know anyone who does this with a family, not with them but by themselves when the family is home?
no. But I honestly don't get too deep in other "nomads" personal lives like that. I know several that travel with their families or spend half their time traveling for work and rest at home. Not really sure how that would look. My girl would KILL me if I was having fun traveling the world while she stayed home with the kids. lol
Dude, you are on point. I'm so lucky I'm contracting with a single entity in USA so don't have to find clients. But straight up, have you heard of a retainer?? You need to be getting money up front. EVERY TIME.
EDIT just got to the point in the vid where you talk about Retainers... so yes I will go with my first thought: this vid is ON POINT
Only thing I could add here is: when it comes to work -- Don't call yourself a digital nomad. Say you are a digital marketer. Or a web developer, or whatever it is that you do. Digital Nomad is a label your friends can call you, NEVER your clients.
Digital Nomad is an extremely broad and general label. Anyone using it with their clients isn't likelt to be in business long. Well unless they are selling one of these courses on how to be a digital nomad. lol
I like that advice. If digital nomad doesn't make sense, choose a different phrasing. People know what a digital marketer is, content creator, creative director, editor, designer, etc. Digital nomad leads room for so many questions and yet you complain about it getting repetitive or annoying. Perhaps that's why 🤷🏽♀️
Haha mate just found your channel while looking for a digital nomad channel on TH-cam and recognized you.
We met in Budapest, I was in the Avenue Hostel.
small world. lol. Avenue is my favorite hostel in Budapest. you doing well?
So much solid info, thanks man great video
I might not be the typical kind of digital nomad but I've met a lot of them I am nomadic ever since I left high school. Sometimes more nomadic and digital, sometimes less. The one thing that effects me most is this kind of rootlessness that comes up in the long run. And that's not healthy at all. Some people might not be able to foresee what consequences this might have on one's own psychology. But then, what's the solution for that? Going back to a standard city life living in one of these big rat cages called apartments?
I firmly believe for myself that this privilege, the flexibility and freedom that you gain, can be given to something bigger than just yourself jetting randomly through the world. I'm seeking for a place where you can live sustainable, healthy, in a real community - and still have the flexibility and freedom to travel when I wish so. I am sure that most of the DN won't travel forever - and then what?
+Jorin Eichhorn it's about living the life you want. It's perfectly acceptable to travel forever if that's the life one chooses. It's also acceptable to get a house, job, and family. Or whatever balance in the middle. Every decision we make in life has consequences. We just have to decide our tolerance level. I love chocolate but I also love having abs. Something has to give. Lol
I've been an online instructor for 11 years. I love working any time and anywhere, but I hate not having a replacement so that I can take time off without creating a backlog and paying more than 25% of my income in taxes because there's not much I can deduct.
Great thing about travel journalism is you can deduct pretty much everything. Lol. I've made a huge shift in my business model since I did this video. Have to include more personal time. Just necessary
Another great video Erick, describing the details of what you do. Thank you so much fo the knowledge. :-)
always here to share my man.
Minority Nomad without a comma, your sentence made me chuckle. :)
Hate: Digital Nomad is a person who can work anywhere and who HAS to work ANYWHERE. I mean you HAVE to find WiFi in some rural places and work at uncomfortable bench.
Thank you so much for providing this excellent advice and insight!
Thank you for watching
This was an interesting video. Good point about taxes, but about having no days off and needing to work so hard all the time, I think any self employed person who runs their own business has the same complaint even if they are not working remotely. :-) Good point also about immigration. NEVER say you are a journalist. One thing you didn't mention though is about visas. When you are thinking of staying in a country for a considerable amount of time, arriving on a tourist visa often does not work. I have found this visa question to be a royal pain in many countries.
Yeah. Just trying to lay it out for people that never ran their own business. Many digital nomads tend to be young these days. Visas are another video. Lol
@@Minoritynomad I see you are in Vietnam and Cambodia at the moment. My old stomping grounds in the 1990s.
Prospective young digital nomads are thinking that moving a self owned business to an exotic and sun drenched foreign country will result in fewer work hours per week? LOL. Sorry to have to confirm to all readers that it does not work that way. Moving your small business overseas results in more work hours simply because of more complications in running your small business. In my opinion, the exclusive upside to working on your computer in a foreign country is the lower cost of living when compared to the States. Whatever the case, best wishes to all expat Americans.
Just checking in on you buddy, keep us posted and be safe out there!
Why? Did something happen? What you hear? Lol. I'm good.
Thanks for the video. Have to say I'm amused how the term "digital nomad" is used so much. I'm self employed, working remotely in tech, dual citizenships. That's really what your issues are about, no? Yes there are challenges but that's what you sign up for. In particular it's important to have skills and clients and tax strategies sorted out in advance. Whatever you call it, it's hard work.
Having travelled for more than 20 years constantly I find the majority of travel bloggers content is mainly fluff. They aren't value adding to their readers, just advertising. As more people start blogging and doing TH-cam videos etc I think the numbers of people subscribing will start to go down and the money will dry up. I could be wrong but I don't think so. For example, if you had to pay for the content would you?.
Travel blogging/influencing is like any other industry. Value is a matter of perspective. For example, I get zero value from models. Yet their the highest paid influencers in the world by far. I would say travel bloggers provide value to their target audience. A blog focused on traveling on the cheap for 20 something females likely means nothing to me. But I wouldn't call it fluff. If content entertains and educates I think it's a win.
if you work remotely as an employee of a company you get full benefits including pto and sick days and get paid regularly in usd so taxes would be easy.
Depends on the company
awesome video! i don't know what to call myself - i have no nine to five - i travel and live all over the world - i sell my book, art and give meditation classes - is that a digital nomad? *grins* anyway love the video and my number one challenge is the government / tax thing. Also the bank thing. Using my UK bank account in other countries is real costly. And finding the best money exchange rates. *wipes her brow* but i won't change this life for anything! i love it. :)
+Energy Artist call yourself whatever you want. And that's my thing, titles mean nothing to me. You could call yourself the Supreme Travel Ruler Deluxe Tiger Edition. Wouldn't change who you are and what you do. The issues start from a legality standpoint. Easier in the US to be nomadic given our individualistic culture. But definitely restrictive in ways.
I am such an impatient person. I feel like if I don’t get quick results then I’m not doing good enough. That’s my biggest fear thinking since nothing is happening soon so, being a digital nomad won’t work for me. I really feel like this would be my biggest struggle. I don’t even know how to go about overcoming this yet. However, this is a dream job for me.
That makes sense. And it's extremely important that you have the self-awareness to know that about yourself. For example, im a procrastinator. Always have been. Simply because I'm good enough to get away with it. So I've insulated myself with people and techniques which offset my procrastinative nature. That's what you have to do. You can mitigate the damage your nature does.
Minority Nomad. Thank you for responding. Finding people to offeset that feeling of impatience is something I've never even considered!
I’m watching you on WQED Pittsburgh. Thank you
Hey, that's awesome. Wish I was home to see it.
I liked this video bro, keep more coming , all the best
A great insight to this lifestyle, I have a job....hmmm well lets say a way of a making money to legally stay in the system as it were but also a way to travel, I am also a keen photographer and take lots of travel shots, traveled to South East Asia many times and in fact just did another 6 months away last year in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Laos I met so many people on this trip doing Blogs and Vlogs and also telling me they are digital nomads ....where i take great pics and upload them they were writing about the locations and history and places of interest ....it has really made me think lately where am I going wrong, especially returning to the "Norm" as it were......working for the system ...I listen to what you had to say and its great to hear some home truths to this nomadic lifestyle and definitely food for thought in making some decisions... I want to enter this lifestyle and be free to embrace a new chapter rather than look back and ponder "what if".... hey dude keep up the good work f
this was great, really inspiring, and realistic! thanks for the advice!
+A Curious Expedition my pleasure
Getting paid - I use an escrow service on a freelancing platform, so the client pays up front each month, or if paying direct, clients pay up front. In 4 years I've only had about 3 instances of not getting paid.
Thanks for the clear honest answers .
Well explained!!! I appreciate your sharing this.. 👍👍👍
thank you for watching
Very good video I thought it was gonna be a rant but it wasn't. I feel you were just being real thank you
My pleasure. Glad so many people are liking this video. SOOOOOOO much BS information out there.
I think you should say, your a business owner as your title and then , you can say what you do as an owner, or you can say I have my own company and you work for yourself....Its in your presentation.
Why wouldn't you use fiverr, it holds the money in escrow until the job is completed, they also work as an arbiter if there are any issues.
what point are you referring to?
You mentioned in your video that sometimes people don't pay up after you have completed job.@@Minoritynomad. You should be using fiverr or places like fiverr, the money is held by fiverr in order to start job and fiverr acts as a arbiter if any issues pop up, fiverr does take a percentage but you can factor that into your asking price.
That's not how the travel industry works. I'm a travel journalist. My clients are large brands and multinational companies. None are on fiverr. That's a good platform for people starting out freelancing for smaller jobs.
and that..... is why i day trade..... I hate having a boss....... or relying on others for a pay check!
Makes sense to me
Honestly I had no idea what you did. 😂😂😂. Very cool brother. I would love the travel. Hate the money woes
yeah. a lot of people don't know. I've always been the kind of person to keep people out of my pockets if you know what I mean. lol
+Minority Nomad I know exactly what you mean. Smart man
traveling the world while working sounds amazing I'm sure the good things about the job outweigh the bad things. it makes me feel a little envious not because of the job you do but the level of self discipline it must take to do that job. how do you maintain?
You know what. I'll tell you my secret. Anger. I internalize my anger when I look at the misrepresentation of blacks in media. Lack of representation of minorities in travel. Income inequality on a global scale. Homophobia and xenophobia in the U.S. And several other things that piss me off. I turn that anger and frustration into action. Everyday, I create a list of what pissed me off that day. When I wake up I look at the list and ask what do I need to do to fix the problem. And then attack.
I have a passion for problem solving and helping people. And I've found that anger is my most motivating emotion.
epic attitude, I live in South Africa and there are far too many people who sit and complain rather than getting off their asses and changing things for themselves. If they put as much time and effort into creating a positive life for themselves rather than complaining and bringing other people down, the world would become far more happy and productive. I travel when I can, have a full time corporate job so leave days are more of an issue, Im slowly growing my freelance work portfolio on upwork while maintaining my current lifestyle... for now.
Adventures of Graeme and Ang keep grinding and putting yourself out there. WORK pays off. period. everyone talks and talks and talks. Few put in the work. Put in the work first, then talk about it.
I like this series and the truth about this topic.
glad you like it. New Love/Hate series coming soon
What camera do you use? Thanks!
Great points, especially about governments not understanding the nomad lifestyle. Why do you not want to say you are a journalist?
I find one of the most difficult things personally is finding a work / experience balance. We are traveling with two kids and they demand a certain amount of time. It's not that different from a static lifestyle except you are typically in places where you want to explore.
+TravelingMel many governments don't look kindly on American journalist. I used to say I was a journalist and ended getting questioned quite a bit more than when I say I'm a web developer.
I'm sure it's more difficult with kids. For me, working in a space away from where I sleep increased by efficiency ten fold. A complete separation from "life". I find I'm far more productive. "Life" feeds my creativity. Work feeds my efficiency.
I like your channel's name and found it after a search. Thank you for that name. I would like to know how a dark skinned woman and a Muslim could survive being a digital nomad. I am not interested in moving every months and would select a few countries I feel would be safe for me. Some of these are Indonesia and Malaysia. But I am dying to see Vietnam and not sure what to expect.
I wrote this comment before.even watching but after I smashed the subscribe button lol.
You would survive the EXACT same way you do now. Of course, your personal experience will be different depending on where you decide to go. But overall, it comes down to research and what you're comfortable with. Thailand isn't the same as Romania which isn't the same as Argentina which isn't the same as Mexico. In regards to Southeast Asia, if you carry yourself with respect for the local culture everything else tends to fall in line. Dating might be tough outside of the "expat" bubbles. I'm not sure where you're from but I feel A LOT safer in Southeast Asia than anywhere in the West. And I mean anywhere.
Feel free to reach out with any specific questions.
@@Minoritynomad I will just go vegetarian in all South Asia except Indonesia and Malaysia. For the rest, you are right I should be fine.
Great info. Thanks a lot 👍
After 30 years as an IT systems infrastructure and security professional, I could never be allowed to go nomad. Pre-COVID, the powers that be kept us in cages and limited, 50 hours a week. I said F That and quit. My skills won't translate to location-independent work. But, at $12K a year, geo-arbitrage might be able to make it work once I sell all my American shit.
While 12K doesn't seem like much to many, it sure goes a longgggg way depending on where you chose.
automate ur business, outsource it. That way if u are sick, u can still make money. Also by having monthly commission from affiliates like clickfunnels etc
My business cant be automated. I'm the product. I dont believe in affiliate programs. Find them shady. Which is why I have no ads or products on my site. I'm doing just fine. Make a good living while keeping my moral code in tact.
Good thing I don't get sick.
thats a life WIN!!!! lol
I never think about that. Yeah but true get your point.
OMG! Nobody pays on time, especially in my line of work. I do political Strategy and communications consulting (basically a ton of data work). Whether I can be paid is often dependent on funraising by the client. If the campaign launches late or fundraising is slow, my pay gets postponed. It often not the candidates fault either. Thankfully, I love my job.
Thank you for posting this
Love your videos. But I think it’s different for people who are retired with stable Monthly income. I’m thinking of being a Digital Nomad. I’m starting late lol.. which I would’ve knew about this life earlier. So what’s the best mobile service, medical coverage, etc to have when you’re traveling to all these places?
The best is whatever the locals are using. No idea why some people are advocating for these ridiculously overpriced plans from home which have trash service anyway. Medical, depends on the destination and your situation. Best is subjective my friend.
@@Minoritynomad ok.. you could’ve lost what the locals use as far as medical other places you visited or lived lol. That’s why u have the channel I thought.. to help ppl out
Could've lost medical? I dont understand what you're saying.
Most of everything you just explained comes with the lifestyle of being self employed and starting a business. nomad or not... maybe people can experience what it means to not work a 9-5 to see if it fits their desires before becoming a "digital nomad". It's not for everyone. :)
Uhhhhhhh yes?!?!?
As a beginner, I see a lot of jobs posted on freelance sites. I know there can be issues with clients as you said, but what makes it such hard work? I'm guessing doing your own taxes, promoting yourself, negotiations with clients. not having a support network.
Is it that hard to make a living at?
Yup. But it's like anything else. It's hard for some and easy for others. For me, I embrace the grind so "hard" isn't a word I would use. I would say challenging. But a beginner might find it hard. Many of us have been in the game for years so it's par for the course in our eyes when clients don't pay for example. Also, quantity doesn't equal quality. You might see 100 jobs posted for a graphic designer but how many pay what you're worth? How many have realistic expectations? Just finding the right job can be a job. lol
Also, everything you mentions as well.
The beginning of any new career is difficult. Digital work is highly competitive but still based around trust more than price. Any GOOD client will gladly pay more for better work. Any time you think you "are good", then you have not reached the next level yet.
Its not a crime to not pay your taxes. It is only a crime if you choose not to FILE your taxes.
I think digital nomad experiences are going to vary from person to person because there is no such thing as a digital nomad job, it covers a wide range of activities. For instance, I don't have clients or customers so some of your experiences do not apply to me.
That last one does apply to me. Telling other people what you do is sometimes a challenge. I'm an online poker player and I sometimes have trouble with that. For instance, telling an estate agent or a landlord that you're moving from country to country earning money playing poker on the internet does not go down well most of the time. I tend to leave it vague such as "I work on the internet".
Finally, I think you forgot one thing, or maybe you're not experiencing it. Being that geographically mobile creates problems when it comes to relationships. You meet friends and then have to leave them and of course you have the problem of significant others. I've left a couple of girlfriends behind and it sucks for everyone.
+BlunderCity yeah. That's not too much of an issue for me because it doesn't really matter in my life. But I can definitely see how it can be for some. I know many digital nomads have issues with families back home as well.
Great video. Subscribed!
+ViolaAndJan appreciate it
Hey man, nice vid. What camera did you use to film this?
really enjoyed enjoyed this. i love this life but sometimes it sucks ass
ohhh yeah. not everyday is the dream. lol
Haha hate my digital nomad friends that don't want to do anything but work and complain about trivial things like chair, workspace. Also hate those nomads that have commitment issues haha guilty as well
Man for point 3 you should really start looking at ways to create recurring revenue. That's the only way to ensure that you can take a day off while still making money. :)
Not my style. But to each their own. Love what I do.
thanks for keeping it real!
+Imani- Tarpeh my pleasure
Can you share a template contract you use for brands/clients??
A lot of these problems are also just for self employed people in general
well yeah. Digital Nomads are generally self-employed. Most problems tend to have industry overlap in business.
Great video.... shouldnt you not hand in the product before you get paid, arent there other options like screen shots of code, making a video showing the code works (quicktime screen capture), and even blurring out certain parts of the code and submitting it (like blurring function names or css assignments, blurring file connection paths?)
Just not the way some industries work. The reality is, for everyone that does some of the things you suggest, there are 10 that don't. Making life easier for the client. For me, I don't have these issues anymore. But it's a major problem for many DMs ESPECIALLY artist. In theory you're correct. But in practice, not the way things work out.
I hear you on theory vs practice, id actually like to ask you more specific questions regarding the contracting and freelancing as I am new to the industry if possible, do you have a forum for mail from viewers?
+West Jr just email. Ask away.