Whether you are interested in travel, lifestyle design, or competitive basket weaving, we all need to earn a living. There is no better source than Naomi Dunford of Ittybiz.com for making money from a small business. Naomi has managed to build a $200,000 a year business in just a couple of years. Part of her success stems from her ability to make great business content humorous and entertaining. Her blog posts always manage to get a few chuckles out of me. I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did.
Please tell us a little about your history and how you started IttyBiz.com.
I started IttyBiz in late 2007 after realizing I was completely unemployable. My son had just turned one and I didn’t want to send him to daycare. Plus, my earnings capacity at that time was basically zilcho. I knew if I was going to make any money, it was on my head.
The reason I started IttyBiz.com instead of HowToKickAssAtMacrame.com or TheProblemWithCannibalism.com because there was a massive hole in the market when it came to marketing.…
Juggle: Rethink Work, Reclaim Your Life by Ian Sanders
I have recently had the opportunity to read an inspiring book on lifestyle design and the future of work called, Juggle: Rethink Work, Reclaim Your Life. Author Ian Sanders has some great ideas about the some of the biggest career and lifestyle design issues we are all facing. The book is loaded practical examples about how to live a “portfolio lifestyle” including quotes and interviews with Gary Vaynerchuk and Saatchi & Saatchi CEO, Kevin Roberts.
“You can choose to become a Juggler, to throw the rules out of the window, to create a life where you mix stuff you do for love and stuff you do for money. A life where you re-define success not by a salary package alone buy by freedom, enjoyment, flexibility and lifestyle. Where work is an extension of You, reflecting your personality, your talents and desires; where you juggle different projects to be stimulated as well as to earn a living.”
Think PassionS NOT Passion
Many of us are looking for our true calling in life. If only we could find that one thing…
You think your job is bad? These guys were laying asphalt in 35 degrees Celsius!
Most of us hate our jobs. We hate dealing with irate customers, inept bosses, lazy co-workers and work that is mind-numbingly tedious. Work sucks so we fantasize about magical places where we can do whatever we want and make wheel-barrel loads of money, maybe even get our picture on the cover of a magazine somewhere. That is the life the life of the entrepreneur. Digital nomads or location independent professionals have it even better. They get to travel to exotic locations around the world while earning a great income from anywhere with an Internet connection. Ah… the good life indeed!
Is the Grass Really that Green?
The problem is that starting your own business or working from another country still involve the very thing you are trying to escape: WORK. In fact, working for yourself generally has more responsibilities and requires more hours and effort than working for others.
I have been running my own businesses and living abroad for more than a decade, so I can definitely recommend both choices to anyone. However, I feel it is healthier to…
At 23 years old, Charlie Hoehn has already managed to work with marketing God Seth Godin, Ramit Sethi of Iwillteachyoutoberich.com, Tim Ferriss of The Four Hour Workweek phenomenon and is currently on tour with movie director Tucker Max. Charlie has also published the brilliant free ebook, Recession Proof Graduate to wide spread notoriety. The message of the the book is pure genius in my mind because it is simple yet innovative. Charlie masterly blends creative thinking with hard work to get exceptional results.
On the same page as the ebook, Sethi and Ferriss talk about Charlie’s initiative and talent that created those opportunities. If that endorsement isn’t good enough, check out what Seth Godin had to say. Clearly Charlie Hoehn is destined for great things. I am absolutely thrilled to have had the…
Today’s interview is with Lea Woodward, founder of LocationIndependent.com, serial entrepreneur and digital nomad. Lea and her husband Jonathan, have be working remotely from various locations around the world for more than two years now. They offer graphic design, web development and business consulting services. Lea shares some great advice on about their location independent lifestyle.
What countries have you lived in?
Since we left the UK in early 2007, we’ve spent time in the following places:
Panama – 2 months
Buenos Aires – 1 month
Grenada – 5 months
Toronto – 1 month
Dubai – 2 months
South Africa – 9 months
Thailand – 1 month
Side trips to: Italy & Hong Kong
Most of the places were chosen simply because we wanted to go there – although as with any destination we decide to go to, we do quite a bit of research first to ensure there’s the type of accommodation we want, good Internet access and that from a visa/immigration perspective we can stay for at least a month quite easily.…
I had an opportunity to interview expat and serial entrepreneur, Chris Osborne. Chris is only 26 years but has already lived abroad for more than 4 years and has started several business. He shares some of his experiences living abroad, starting businesses, outsourcing, and hiring foreign workers.
Where are you right now?
I’m in Bali right now. I plan to spend an extra month or two here and then make myself busy for a while before returning home for a wedding. I love the lifestyle Bali provides, especially the work/life balance. I work through sunrise and then go for a bit of a surf in the afternoon. I then come back to work before heading out to a restaurant for great food and wine.
What other countries have you lived in?
I lived in Thailand for four years and I have done extensive travel around the Southeast Asian region: Philippines, Burma, Vietnam, Taiwan, Laos, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore.
Why did you choose Thailand for four years?
The lifestyle, people, low cost of living and great food! I quickly got to know some great friends from my holiday…
Ian Sanders; business author, entrepreneur, project manager, marketing and business consultant, has some great advice for those thinking of starting their own business, consulting, writing a book and more.
0:29 Who is Ian Sanders?
I am an author of two books: JUGGLE! Rethink work, Reclaim Your Life and LEAP! Ditch Your Job, Start Your Own Business & Set Yourself Free. I also have a business and marketing consultancy called OHM. I also occasionally do freelance project management.
1:45 How did you transition from an employee to a consultant?
I was working for a media group as managing director of a small broadcast services company. I achieved a lot but I was getting frustrated that I was spending more and more of my time on general management bits, rather than being at the core face of what I really enjoyed, in terms of running projects and business management.
I took that jump with a safety net because what I did was, the company was so sad to see me go as a senior exec, they said, “Can you work on a freelance basis?”
3:30 How important was your work experience in getting…
We all know the great internet successes; people like Leo Babauta of ZenHabits, Gary Vaynerchuk of Wine Library TV, Ramit Sethi of I Will Teach You to Be Rich, Steve Pavlina, Yaro Starak and Darren Rowse of ProBlogger. All are “killing it” now and have been for a while. They are truly in a different league than many of us just starting out. It can be difficult to learn from and follow the examples of these gurus because they started in different times and with different circumstances. The Internet is much different now then what it was just a few years ago. There is a big difference between having 100,000 or 100 subscribers to your blog. I feel more can be gained by modeling people who have started from nothing and are currently rising through the ranks.
Here are some up-and-comers who are really starting to make a splash but may not have the notoriety and income of some of the bigger players….yet. They are accomplishing great things because they are excelling at…
I hate Chris Guillebeau. Actually, it is more of a jealousy issue. He just published a great free PDF, on a topic very similar to what I am working on. The problem is that he did an amazing job and to make matters worse, he has lots of subscribers and followers who are spreading the word, including Seth Godin and Guy Kawasaki. I don’t really hate Chris, of course. I love his blog and have been following his work for a while now. He has just forced me to re-evaluate and adjust what I am doing.
How to Compete with Experts
A quick internet search will show that there is no shortage of competition for any business you may be thinking of. It is unlikely that anyone can have a truly unique idea anymore. Everything we do is building on the work of others, so don’t expect to find something unique. If you have thought about it so have hundreds or thousands of others.
That kind of competition is good. If others are out there…
A person earning one million dollars a year doesn’t work ten times harder than someone making one hundred thousand dollars per year. Hard work is an important success factor, but it is clear that it is not the only ingredient. Some occupations pay more just because of the specialized nature of the work. It is not surprising that a doctor earns more than a bus driver. High skill, high risk work deserves higher returns. Luck can also play a large role in income opportunities but it is important not to underestimate the benefits of working smart, and not just working hard.
I Don’t Want a Job
In my one year plan to change careers and move to another country, I need to find a way to make money. An important deciding factor for any type of work I do is whether it is a ‘business’ or a ‘job’. A ‘job’ pays you when you work. The more you work, the more you get paid. Jobs are relatively secure and the income is predictable but there is a constraint on earnings potential, and that is time. You need to work more to make more money. Anyone…
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