The OpenWorld Podcast: Live Without Limits

Welcome to another fun episode of the podcast! Today I'm honored to be joined by a fellow Southern Californian :) He's a nomad currently calling in from Da Nang, Vietnam. We were neighbors together in San Diego, now both exploring the world. David s running a laptop business, traveling the world fulltime, wherever the wind takes him. He lived in Alaska for a year, traveled extensively through Europe, Asia, India, and Central America. He started out as a freelancer, and now he’s partnered with an expat and running a full on agency called Handmade SEO which you can see at handmadeseo.co. • Tips and tricks for making it as a freelancer • How David finds high-paying clients on Upwork • The trick David used to cut through the competition and differentiate himself • Strategies for consulting and converting clients • Favorite SEO strategies • Mistakes people make with their marketing activities • Why experts in a field handicap themselves • Techniques and tools to gain user feedback and improve websites • And much, much more! Hope you enjoy this fun chat between myself and my friend David. If you like our show and want us to keep going, please do take a moment to write a quick review on iTunes. We'd like to hear from you!

Welcome to another episode of the OpenWorld podcast! In this episode, I give you a sneak peek into my new upcoming book, dubbed "Dr Growth." I'm really excited about this new book, and you'll soon see why! I've been hard at work for the last seven months to create one of the best and most comprehensive guides to growing your business and brand online. Through the course of launching five best selling books, starting a top-ranked blog and podcast, publishing courses, a magazine, and information products, appearing on more than 50 podcasts, I've had a hand in everything. I've learnt a ton about how to best bring products to the online market space -- and how to blend in the secret ingredients of leverage and automation for best results. In the new book, "Dr Growth," I share all of my best secrets -- most of which you will not find anywhere else, in any other book, or even on this blog. • How to create viral launches • How to automate lead generation with social media • Price, promotion, neuromarketing hacks • Hack press to become an internet celebrity • How to appear huge by being "Twitter famous" • The most effective free traffic source you aren't using • And a bunch more! In this free excerpt from the book, you'll receive exclusive access to the foreword of this exciting new project, titled "Marketing is War, Minus the Venom:" • Lessons in marketing from history's greatest generals • Why those who create their own rules win • The most fascinating dentist you've never heard of • How to thrive in a world of chaos and change • What separates the most successful entrepreneur from the rest. • Plus more! Hope you enjoy this episode! If you're interested in receiving an early copy of the new book as a beta reader or helping with the launch, please comment here or send me an email to: [email protected].

Welcome to another great episode of the OpenWorld podcast! As a podcast that encourages people to view the entire world as a home base (and potential market), we don't often feature the traditional Silicon Valley type of entrepreneurs and startups. Today's guest is an exception, as someone who grew up in Palo Alto, with companies like Google and LinkedIn in his backyard. It was there he began his journey four years ago... as a part-time valet driver. In this interview I have the pleasure of welcoming my friend Amar Ghose, whom I met recently in Bangkok. Amar is the founder of Zenmaid, a calendar and scheduling application for maid services. Today, Amar's business is doing well and is very profitable. In this chat we discussed how he was able to "rearrange his stars" and go from an employee earning a pittance to creating his own successful software as a service company with over 200 customers and traveling the world. In the beginning Amar struggled to find qualified prospects for his niche product - a struggle all too common to new businesses. He kept plugging away, kept testing methods, and eventually discovered how to make very profitable partnerships and the best mediums to promote to scale up to his first ten clients, 50 and then 200. Amar is a very smart guy, and we had a great discussion with a ton of insights related to marketing and lead generation. We also discuss how he created a successful software as a service business (with a model that can apply to any type of business) by uncovering the market needs, niche selection, entrepreneurship, and travel. The spark that set Amar on the entrepreneurial path Methods Amar and I have been using successfully to generate productized service leads using online portals Simple techniques to build a stronger professional network How Amar created two years worth of e-mail follow up content - to successfully nurture and convert leads over time The most effective client-getting lead followup / onboarding process that Amar has used How to easily craft powerful headlines and offers Best lead magnets and offers The #1 asset to focus on for long-term success and freedom Monetization strategies using value generation, cross-sells and affiliates Zenmaid's best marketing channel - and actionable takeaways Marketing on Linkedin, Amar's LinkedIn marketing course. And much, much more! Hope you enjoy this awesome interview with Amar! And please do remember to show your love for the show by writing us a review on iTunes!

In this episode of the the podcast I have a special treat for you guys. Adrian is a 23 year-old Amazon author from Australia who has created a strong recurring income source through Kindle Publishing, having self-published more than 200 books. In January 2017 alone he just received royalties from Amazon for more than $11,000 from his book sales. We met last year in Chiang Mai where we co-hosted a presentation on self-publishing together. He also spends his time helping others to publish their own books through his course Freedom Self Publishing, writing for his blog Driven Living, and creating videos for his YouTube channel. Just a couple of years ago, Adrian was working a normal salaried job at a gym. But he knew he was destined for more. He had an itch for entrepreneurship and travel which couldn't be ignored. He began dabbling in online entrepreneurship peddling various products on eBay, from basketball jerseys to cosmetics, but found that selling physical products came with too many hassles. He discovered Kindle publishing, and the model suited him perfectly. At first, he stumbled learning the ropes and his first books were terrible. But within 12 months he was earning enough money to quit his job, and he hasn't looked back since. During the interview I picked Adrian's brain to share his entire formula for self-publishing success: The mentality that holds people - including Adrian at first - back The #1 biggest mistake that the majority of authors make - and what to do instead How to assess profitable opportunities and competition within an Amazon niche The #1 marketing "hack" How to use sites like www.ewritersolutions.com or www.hotghostwriter.com to get books ghostwritten on the cheap How to use tools like Kindle Spy and K Optimizer to simplify your life How to research what the market wants and create a killer outline for each book Quality controls to create books that sell Adrian's pricing strategy to sell printed books - which makes up 70-80% of his sales And much more! Enjoy this epic interview about self publishing with Kindle author Adrian Ingram! If you find value in what we're doing and want us to continue creating epic podcasts, please take a moment to hop over to iTunes and leave us a review. Thank you and see you next week! You might also like: How I've Optimized My Kindle Books for Better Rankings and Sales Earning Serious Bank with Kindle and Helping Others do the Same My Six Figure Self-Publishing Success Story

Hello and welcome to another exciting episode of the OpenWorld podcast! Today we're joined by our fabulous guest, Tayo Rockson. Tayo Rockson is a man doing big things with a big dream to make a difference in the world. He’s the host of As Told By Nomads podcast and has a YouTube channel called “Use Your Difference” which helps elevates cultural awareness. He also helps millennials pursue their passions in careers they love while making a difference. Tayo is a true global citizen; he has called Sweden, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Vietnam and the United States home. I’ve been a guest on Tayo’s podcast and it was a great discussion, we had a great chat about leadership, and identified a common mission to create a new generation of global leaders. In this discussion, we reflect upon how experiences as a long-term nomad have shaped our lives and molded into more confident, self-aware, more compassionate leaders and entrepreneurs. Tayo has some unique stories to share. You'll learn how he's been able to absorb different cultures and form different viewpoints and perspectives. We also discuss how we, as people, can make better decisions and set meaningful goals with an eye towards the big picture that will help the most people. We also discuss how empathy can transform you and your efforts, stoicism and objectivity, our business models, delegating, leadership, and so much more! I think you'll come away from this interview feeling charged and with a fresh and new perspective to play big in the new year. Enjoy this episode with Tayo! If you like our show, please consider leaving us a review on iTunes :)

Thanks for joining for another episode of the OpenWorld podcast. Today I’m joined by Johannes Koeppel, a long-term nomad and wanderer who with two friends created a travel startup, WeTravel. Johannes has a pretty inspirational story around travel, entrepreneurship, and changing your life. Out of college, he moved from his native Switzerland to Central Asia to work for the Red Cross first in a prison facility in Uzbekistan, then as head of the Tajikistan office. While living there for 3 years, he began to organize group tours for Europeans hoping to explore Central Asia off the beaten path. This became the seed of an idea for a startup, and now WeTravel is an 11 person team speaking 22 languages and representing 8 different nationalities. Anyone can sign up on the site and earn a living or extra side hustle doing similar things across the globe. WeTravel's growth has been phenomenal, within a year and a half it has organized more than one million in tours just this month. In this episode we discuss: Johannes' adventures in off-the-beaten countries around the globe, his motivation for adventure travel, and how he's funded his trips - starting with selling Yo-Yos on the street during his youth Lessons learned from working with political prisoners in Central Asia - and how he started a business on the side - which became his main venture How his platform grew so quickly to more than 1 million in transactions in a month after just a year and a half after launch How his team achieved its "product / market fit" based on early user testing (applicable to any type of business) How WeTravel helps travel-lovers become entrepreneurs How anyone can take advantage of the rise of the "sharing economy" to start a side business, or just live beyond their means Plus a bunch more! Hope you enjoy this interview with Johannes! If you enjoy our podcast, show your appreciation by leaving us a review on iTunes. It only takes a minute and makes a big difference.

How do you overcome social isolation, depression, anxiety, shyness, and loneliness to create a thriving online entrepreneurial career? How do you continue on and prosper after working your way through more than 30 jobs in your youth to find a mold that kinda - sorta - fits you? I was looking forward to this podcast interview because today's guest shares a backstory similar to my own. Just like me, Justin Stenstrom was a young adult who felt lost and confused. He couldn't find his tribe, and (just like me) had no mentors. Yet he went on to become a self-made man, and carved out a niche for himself in the online space. Today, Justin is a nationally acclaimed life coach, author, entrepreneur, and speaker. He is the founder of EliteManMagazine.com, the host of the Elite Man Podcast, and hosts the annual Elite Man Conference. We discuss a bunch of interesting subjects, and there are takeaways sprinkled throughout the podcast: • What we learned from experiences of failure and coming up short • How Justin has been able to connect and interview the world's top mentors such as Robert Greene, Sean Stephenson, Ryan Levesque, and many others. • Bonus strategies to connect with anyone. • Business models of coaching and methods for building a tribe. • And much more! Justin reveals all in this week's action-packed episode of the OpenWorld podcast. Thanks for joining us, hope you enjoy the interview, and leave us a review if you like what we're doing! Subscribe to Justin's new podcast, "The Justin Stenstrom show," and join the Elite Man Mastermind on Facebook.

"Mind your mind; guard it resolutely. Since it is the mind that confuses the mind, don't let your mind give in to your mind.” -Suzuki Shosan In this episode of the podcast I was invited on to the "Suitcase Entrepreneur" podcast where I was interviewed by the host, Natalie Sisson. We chatted about the mindset and lifestyle of high achievers, how to create your own set of rules to live by, and how to write your own life's narrative. It was a really interesting, candid discussion. Some things we discuss: How to flip the script on your internal dialogue and mindset Why perspective is everything and what you can do to change yours How to set specific and purposeful goals What do if you’re doubting your path What mindstorming is and how to do it Enjoy this conversation between me and the one and only Natalie Sisson! And let me know you think :)

Hey there, welcome to this week's action-packed episode of the OpenWorld podcast. Thanks for joining us! In this interview I had the pleasure of welcoming Ron Malhotra to the show. Ron spent most of his adult life trying to figure out who he was. As a young man, he thought that he needed to chase status, wealth, and own an expensive jet in order to matter. He was so full of doubt and uncertainty, and had no mentors to guide him - yet plenty of lingering questions. So he embarked on a lifelong quest to seek the "truth" of what success really meant - and stumbling upon a holistic approach that helps people find success on their own terms. Today Ron is a speaker, coach, wealth planner, leadership trainer, and a best-selling author. He’s been featured by the Huffington Post, the International Business Times, the Daily Herald, CNN’s iReport, and been endorsed by Jack Canfield. He is also the Founder of 'The Successful Male', a movement that seeks to help men develop holistically so that they can become more high-charactered, purposeful, confident and successful in all areas. Even if you’re not a man, I think you can still benefit from the leadership and wealth building concepts that he teaches. I’m excited to have him here, and we had a great discussion, hope you enjoy!

Hey there, welcome to this week's action-packed episode of the OpenWorld podcast. Thanks for joining us! In this interview I had the pleasure of welcoming Pete Sisco to the show. Pete has been an expat for 30 years and a Permanent Traveler for 10 years. He’s also made his living 100% from online income for 15 years and earned several million doing so. And he's passionate about helping others achieve their own dream of personal freedom. He made over $2 million when he wrote his first e-book way back in 2001 (for reference, I was a freshman in high school). During our chat, I picked Pete's brain to share his vast experience and what he's learned as a result of his journey. Most importantly - Pete shares his model of the "nanoeconomy" - a concept that enables you to create and sustain your own personal economic freedom autonomous from the fluctuations and trends of the world macroeconomy. He loves to talk about personal freedom, travel and expat life, and earning an online income. I’m excited to chat with him, and if you want to hear his take and advice on how to live on your terms, then you’re going to love this interview.

Hey there, welcome to this week's action-packed episode of the OpenWorld podcast. Thanks for joining us! In this interview I had the pleasure of welcoming Michael Margolis to the show. As the CEO and founder of Get Storied, Michael has spent the last 15 years on a path of transformational storytelling, pioneering new practices for corporate innovation, social change, and career reinvention. He’s served as a story advisor to leading institutions like Google, NASA, and Greenpeace. He has unlocked core narratives for 30+ different industries. Developed online courses, virtual summits, conferences, and live workshops that serve tens of thousands. On the outside he was a success. But on the inside, he was a mess. So he knew it was time for a sabbatical to really discover the core of himself, that he had long forgotten during his career. He sold off 90% of my possessions, emptied a big house in Marin County, California. Since then he’s begun living, working, and teaching around the world. Vancouver, Amsterdam, Mumbai, San Francisco, Melbourne, New York City, are just a few of the places he nows consider home. Michael believes that story is the biggest and most overlooked factor in the success of our lives. So I invited him onto the podcast to share more and also teach us how to create a powerful life story and narrative. "Life is performance art. We're all on stage. I'd much rather bet the house on you becoming more of who truly are, and letting that presence be your performance, than you trying to perform being somebody you're not. Just be you." -Michael Margolis We discuss some heavy and meaty subjects, such as: Michael's own breakdown. Burning the candle at both ends and hitting the wall, he got so sick he could barely walk. The "Dark Passenger:" What’s my place? And where do I belong? Making friends with "the dragon," and why it's the vehicle for growth. How to avoid becoming the victim of your story, and become the master of your destiny. Resistance and creative tension. Michael's six-step methodology for creating a powerful narrative that he used with Google and Greenpeace. Plus a lot more! This was a very informative and entertaining interview, and one not to be missed! Michael shared a number of deep and profound insights, that I plan to listen to over and over. Enjoy this episode with Michael and become a friend of the show, please leave us a review on iTunes.

Today I have a real special episode. I’m joined by Natalie Sisson, a lifestyle entrepreneur, nomad, podcaster, blogger, and #1 best selling author of "Suitcase Entrepreneur," a genre-defining book and blog of the same name. She got her first taste of international travel in 2006, and fell in love with the minimalist traveling life, and living out of a suitcase. In 2010, she quit her corporate career and officially became “The Suitcase Entrepreneur,” and since then she has been inspiring and educating thousands of entrepreneurs how to create a business around a fun idea and really upfront about she sharing everything. She was couchsurfing, and got to the point where after six months she had only $18 left in her pocket. She managed to get one client, and then another, and scrape together a modest $30,000 the first year. Now she’s making several times that. She’s traveled to more than 70 countries, which is more than double what I have. She recently just bought a home in Lisbon, where she’s calling from today. She’s someone who’s truly been around the block and around the world, and walking the walk. I’m super enthused to have her here. During the interview, I asked Natalie to share the formula for success that she's created over the last decade of "choosing freedom." We discuss intention, visualization, and the steps she teaches people to "paint the perfect picture" for their life. I asked Natalie about how she structures her time for productivity, whom she looks up and learns from, and so much more. We also discuss what Natalie's picture looks like, and how she's repainting that picture with an eye to the future.

Hey there, welcome to this week's action-packed episode of the OpenWorld podcast. Thanks for joining us! In this interview I was joined by Meryl Johnston from the Gold Coast, in Australia. Meryl is the co-founder of Bean Ninjas, a bookkeeping accounting firm which in just one year she’s grown to over 70 customers and approximately $15,000 / month in monthly recurring revenue. Her business currently employs 9 people in Australia, the US, and the United Kingdom. Inspired by Dan Norris of the 7 Day Startup, whom we’ve interviewed in episode #52, she launched the business in just one week and created a profitable productized service business. Feeling frustrated with her time-sucking consulting business and putting out fires, she was immediately intrigued by Dan's productized service business model. She wanted to create a business that could be systemized, built to scale, and could deliver a great consistently. It also needed to have monthly recurring revenue (MRR) so that cashflow would remain stable. We had an excellent conversation and covered a lot of points important to this type of business: • How to create an irresistible copy and offer • How to understand your market and create an ideal customer profile • How to easily carve out your own space within a niche • Getting clients globally vs locally • Where to find the best pre-qualified leads • Meryl's best sources of leads online - and how Bean Ninjas got dozens of clients for free • Content marketing strategies to promote an online business • The lead to conversion process and customer success process • Plus a bunch of other goodies... If you're interested in learning how to set up your own profitable productized service business, you'll find everything you need to know from this conversation. After you listen to this interview, be sure to also check out episode #93 with Russ Perry of Design Pickle.

To say goodbye to your first business after 10 years of blood, sweat and tears is gut-wrenching. Today’s guest Russ Perry was heartbroken and jobless after his agency fell apart. Worst of all he had slipped deep into a scarcity mindset. He could have easily continued into a downward spiral, as so many might in this situation, but he bounced back. He turned to consulting to get by, hired a business coach, and leveraged the skills he already had to create a multiple six figure business in just 106 days. Design Pickle provides unlimited graphic design services for a monthly rate and in just two years has expanded its customer base to 360 clients. I was really excited to pick his brain and hear his story, and what he’s learned. You’ll love this interview if you want to create a similar type of business that works for you, or if you want to learn the ins and outs of a productized service company. Russ shares everything from creating successful marketing that works, scaling up a service business, managing effective response times for hundreds of client accounts, lead generation, and standing out in a crowded market. Note: There were a few audio issues with Skype during this call but these are minor and I have done my best to fix them. Otherwise, enjoy this excellent discussion with Russ!

Welcome to another episode of the OpenWorld podcast! Today I’m joined by Adam Franklin, he’s the owner of Bluewire Media, host of the “Web Marketing that Works” podcast, and author of “Web Marketing That Works: Confessions from the Marketing Trenches.” Adam got his start in the web design business way back in 2005 with just $120, doing a bunch of knocking on doors, cold calling… and got rejected over and over again. After more than a decade of trying every marketing tactic under the sun, he's obtained a good grasp of what it takes to make successful marketing. When I talk to a lot of people who listen to this podcast, and subscribe to the newsletter, it seems like a common problem is that people have created a business, they a brand, a product, and a website, but they aren’t earning enough customers to replace their job. So Adam and I are going to discuss this detail and hopefully you’ll leave this conversation with several strategies that you can use. Some of the topics we discuss: • Filtering out high-friction clients to find and attract the best leads for your business • How to hone in and find the best leads • Creating an effective customer avatar - to give your marketing efforts clarity • Ways to pre-qualify potential customers and clients • How to stand out and gain a competitive advantage • How to rise to the top of your niche through public speaking • 33 marketing templates that you can apply to your business • And much more! Adam shared a bunch of hard-earned insights from the marketing trenches of strategies you can use to work smarter, not harder! Enjoy this interview, and let me know how you plan to implement these techniques in your own business.

Vincent Dignan is the co-author of "Secret Sauce: The Ultimate Course to Growth Hacking & Marketing Course," which has raised nearly $80,000 through Kickstarter and Indiegogo after just one's preparation time. After interviewing co-author Austen in episode #86, we had to invite Vincent to onto the podcast to share his remarkable story. If you haven't heard of him yet, you will soon. Vincent was living on welfare and benefits 3 years ago, until he received a check for $250,000 for one of his ideas. He then used the growth hacking techniques he was learning to get millions of visitors to websites he created and raise hundreds of thousands of dollars in investment, and got into the Techstars accelerator. He then launched a growth hacking agency and have used these techniques to move hundreds of thousands of people to websites, and acquire tonnes of users and followers for startups: • In July 2012 he started content site Planetivy.com, reaching 300,000+ visitors a month by November • In 2015 he “Hijacked” the #SXSW hashtag and got 1,700 people to attend an event at SXSW 2015 • He's also done dozens of live speeches on growth hacking and startups around the world, including more than 35 events in North America. During the interview Vincent shares some of his best tips and strategies for driving large amounts of visitors, users, business, and influence using free methods. If you have a website that you're trying to get off the ground or are thinking of starting one, then you must listen to this interview! If you enjoy this episode, please become a friend of the show and leave a review on iTunes. Each one helps.

Keeping in with the theme of dramatic personal reinvention, we have one heck of a story for you today! When we last heard from Tom way back in episode #11, he was travel blogging and roaming the world as a wandering musician. He entertained us with all kinds of travel tales, from hitchhiking to busking on the streets of Europe, to sleeping with exotic animals. Flash forward one and a half years later. Tom was down to his last $50 in Peru, volunteering at a hostel to get by. With nothing to lose, he enrolled in an ecommerce course and set up a Shopify business. He began making sales immediately, earning $20,000+ in revenue the very first month! Soon he was able to use the online marketing skills he'd learned from blogging to good use, scaling up Facebook advertising and earning $1,000 in profit per day. Needless to say, when you go from a 20 - 30 Euro budget to earning $1,000+ per day online, fun things start thing to happen! Naturally, I had to get Tom back on the podcast and hear in his own words how he's been able to change his life in such an incredible fashion. His story has inspiring many, and he freely gives back his best knowledge and tactics during our discussion. We discuss content marketing, ecommerce, Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and so much more. I shared some of my best tactics during the episode as well. Tom has also published several books on Amazon, including his riveting new Kindle book, "Two Bucks to Timbuktu" (available for less than a 7-11 coffee!) Enjoy the interview! Please throw support behind the show, leave us a review on iTunes, and see you next week.

I'm excited for this episode because I'm joined by one of the most inspirational women I know (and I know a lot of people)! Her name is Megan Jerrard and she is, undoubtedly, one of the most influential travel bloggers on social media. The owner of MappingMegan.com, she’s been a nomad for nine years, traveling full time with her husband for the last three years. Meg and I connected through the Facebook Group, "We Travel We Blog," of which she is a moderator. Each time we talk, I've been wowed by the work ethic she uses to sustain her travel lifestyle and her deep knowledge of social media and marketing. Meg has introduced me to so many innovative online tools and techniques that most everyone else has ever heard of. Her blog, which started out as a personal hobby, has now published over 900 posts. Within 3 years it's grown from 200 visits per day to 2,000 per day. If you're interested in blogging and social media and using these platforms to sustain a travel lifestyle then look no further, as Meg will show you how. Enjoy this interview, and see you next week! Please leave a review for the podcast if you enjoy our show.

Austen is co-author of "Secret Sauce: The Ultimate Growth Hacking & Marketing Guide." Austen has moved millions of visitors and dollars through multiple channels from Pinterest to SEO. Together with his co-author, Vincent, they’ve raised nearly $50,000 from 700+ backers - for an e-book! They did this through the very same tactics that he teaches (which he also shares in this interview). During our chat, Austen really opened up and took me to school about leveraging platforms for MASSIVE rapid growth. He shares his brilliant strategy for gaining 1,500 subscribers per day from free traffic, and how he was able to hit his Kickstarter goal for "Secret Sauce" in just four hours with only one month of preparation. He's engaged in numerous adventures in marketing over the last ten years, such as helping a friend sell $4,000 worth of neckties through Instagram, and talks about how he started as a growth hacker in his teen years - discovering an ebay glitch, buying iPods for $50 and reselling them for $300 - 400. He discusses the mistakes that most people make when it comes social media marketing, and why tactics without strategy is futile. He also shares his best growth hacking strategies to execute upon that work "smarter, not harder" getting you tons of traffic, revenue and sales.. while working less. Austen's Kickstarter for Secret Sauce closes in less than one day - with tons of great rewards still available. You can pledge at the lowest level (less than $1.50) to receive an invite to his exclusive growth hacking group on Facebook. Enjoy the podcast, and become a friend of the show by leaving a review on iTunes.

In this episode, we welcome Ryan Madgziarz on to the show. Ryan has been an entrepreneur since his teenage years, starting a marketing agency with eight employees before age 21, creating a successful app, and more. Today he is the founder of Winning International, which helps coaches and consultants make the leap to six and seven figure businesses. He's also author of “Secrets of the 7 Figure Coach,” and a public speaker.  To date, has worked with over 1,000 coaches. After his mother left during his teen years, Ryan compensated for the loss by becoming an overachiever, committing himself to sports and then to business. During the interview, Ryan shared some powerful insights to motivate people, how to succeed as a coach, how to create winning online marketing ideas, and so much more. Ryan specialty lies in growing businesses. If you're looking for novel new ways to grow your business through online marketing, list building, Facebook advertising, joint ventures, and video marketing - then you'll love this interview. We also discuss the pillars of $5,000 and $20,000 product creation, how to manifest a $15,000 client, and how to set yourself up for success over the long-term. This was a great in-depth interview with a bunch of actionable takeaways. If you want more from Ryan, you can get his book "Secrets of the 7 Figure Coach" for free by visiting this website. And if you love our podcast please become a friend and write an honest review on iTunes.

In this episode of the OpenWorld podcast I have the pleasure of hosting the "creative warrior" and "uncommon entrepreneur" Jeffrey Shaw. He is host of the popular business podcast, Creative Warriors, which teaches brave entrepreneurs how to earn a prosper making their art and giving their gifts. He says we live in a period which he calls “The New Renaissance,” where creative individuals have unlimited power to transform the world. Classically unemployable, but undeniably gifted, Jeffrey has created a thriving photography business for more than three decades. By turning conventional business wisdom upside down, Jeff became the go-to family photographer for America’s most affluent, invited to travel to some of the most beautiful destinations around the world. He's a model and an inspiration for those of us burning to create a prosperous living for ourselves through our art, and I am very excited to be able to interview him. Jeffrey didn't disappoint. His passion, energy, and vibrancy is infectious. He also shared a number of deep and insightful gems during our discussion. Identifying the "gaps" between where we are and where we want to be How the mindset of creative individuals stops them from earning the money they deserve - and how to correct it What affluent people do differently "Self discovery " made simple - identify your true strengths and unleash them Lead generation strategies, prospecting, and managing clients Marketing strategy and "alignment" - aligning to your ideal client Plus much more. Enjoy this excellent interview with Jeffrey Shaw! To get Jeff's 7-day, 7-lesson mini eCourse - Week of the Warrior - for free, click here.

He’s the business guru that the gurus go to. As the head honcho of SuperFast Business, James Schramko has created some of the most exclusive, prosperous masterminds for elite high-performing entrepreneurs. But before that, James was a top performing salesman at a car dealership, earning two Mercedes Benzes as company cars. On paper he had it all. But he realized he was chasing an endless cycle of needing to achieve to be happy, chasing arbitrary income goals, and felt like there was not enough meaning to his life. Despite the money he was earning, there was always pressure to earn more and buy more things that he didn’t need. It was a constant cycle of needing to overachieve to pay off more and more debt. So he started to question things and decided he would strike out as an entrepreneur, and set the goal to earn as much through self employment as he was earning at his sales job. At this point he became a learning machine, and after two years his business propelled to new heights of success. Now he’s created a brand and coaching business which helps entrepreneurs to accelerate their business performance and reach the massive success that we all dream about. During the interview, I pressed James to reveal his formula for creating a smart business with maximum leverage that drives us to freedom. As James explains during the episode, entrepreneurs struggle with discipline and effectiveness. Some have trouble asking the right questions and creating a structure to help them get the job done and realize their goals. James shares a ton of valuable insights won from hard-earned experience, and I kept pressing him to share more. If you enjoy this fine interview, please consider writing a review for the show on iTunes. Every one helps.

Welcome to another episode of the OpenWorld podcast! I'm publishing this episode today from my temporary office in Koh Phangan, Thailand. Check out that view! Onward to the podcast! In today's action-packed, content rich episode I’m joined by Sean Marshall. Sean blogs at FamilyRocketship.com where he teaches people how they can set up a business that enables lifestyle freedom with a family. So if you’re not 22, single and planning to move to Thailand for $1,000 a month, then you’ll be pretty keen to this interview. From Laid-off to Living the Dream Six years ago Sean was laid off, he arrived at home with all of his office stuff in a box. He was unemployed, and his together with his wife, they set course on a new path, selling everything they own and creating a lifestyle business. He started out by doing freelancing (as many of us do), and over time converted that to more of a real business that helps him break the chain of trading time for money. Together with his wife and three daughters, Sean has lived for more than 2 years in the Caribbean, and spent over six months living all over Europe. Sean works with people to help them figure out what they want deep down and turn those passions into viable sources of income. He's created an excellent course called "Online Marketing Business: Step-by-Step to $5k/mo in 90 Days" and offered a 50% discount to listeners of this interview. Sean is unique for several reasons. To start, he has begun his lifestyle business with a family - and mouths to feed. After being fired from his job, he hit the ground running really quickly, earning $2,050 the first month and then signing up a client for $18,000. Many of us struggle for a long time and just break even for a while before our business starts to pay us handsomely. I asked Sean how he was able to find the confidence to start performing at such a high level and how he was able to close quality clients to make this lifestyle possible. We also discuss the dynamics of creating a "smart" business that you work on and not in, the tools Sean recommends, and much more. At the end of the interview I break down everything into a 5-step summary and action plan. If you've been holding something off, as Sean says during the interview: "It's GO time!" Go get started on making your dreams reality, subscribe to our podcast, and I'll touch base with you next episode :)

In this episode of the podcast I was invited on to the "Unleash Yourself" podcast where I was interviewed by the host, Michael Carbone. We chatted about the mindset and lifestyle of high achievers, how to create your own set of rules to live by, and how to write your own life's narrative. It was a really interesting, candid discussion. Some things we discuss: What traveling through 30+ countries taught me about my true self. Why I couldn't hold a stable job for more than 1 month at a time. How to get comfortable being uncomfortable. Why having a work/life balance is the wrong lifestyle to strive for. How to take random, unplanned, and life-changing mini-retirements. (More frequently than you ever thought possible.) Why I settled on the metaphor of "buying an island" for my first book. How to keep growing and learning new things by throwing yourself into new, yet terrifying, business ventures. The concept behind the Cynefin Framework and how to embrace it. I'm traveling a lot over the next couple of weeks so these shownotes will be relatively brief. I'm currently in Hua Hin, Thailand headed to Surat Thani in the evening, then Koh Phangan / Koh Tao, Penang, Kuala Lumpur, then off to India for a month! In the meantime, enjoy this episode! And let me know you think :)

In this newest episode, I'm joined by my friend and a familiar face on the digital nomad trail. Derek and I met by chance a few years ago in an alley in Saigon, and then again in Chiang Mai. Unbeknownst to me at the time, Derek had whittled his savings down to his last $200 while in Saigon - but completely turned things around to the point where three months later he was earning $10,000 a month through T-shirt designs on Teespring. Within six months, he began hiring other digital nomads, and scaled up his activities to the point where he was earning $30,000 - $40,000 per month. He's since launched a Udemy course teaching how exactly how he was so successful with Teespring, and has created another successful business selling supplements through Amazon FBA. We reunited recently in Bangkok, where Derek was on his way Koh Phangan, where he's calling in from today. His travel plans this year also include Bali, Japan, India, and Africa. What really impresses me about Derek is his very thorough and analytical approach to entrepreneurship. He has an uncanny mind for breaking complex business opportunites down to their component parts and predicting outcomes. In this interview, we discuss Derek's systematic formula for quickly building web startups and acquiring initial customers within a few short weeks. We also discuss: The importance of discovery calls and dissecting existing business models Criteria to look for when assessing opportunities Paid advertising strategies for scaling up traffic and revenues quickly Top paid advertising resources to get up to speed quickly Understanding buyer behavior - and optimizing your funnel based on the lead source Strategies to fully monetize new leads Alternative advertising channels besides Google and Facebook Why blogging tends to be a broken business model, because most bloggers have no legitimate plan to monetize their audiences Successful ways to intersect content marketing and paid advertising How mailing lists affect SEO performance Plus much more! This was an excellent and inspiring interview with Derek. Enjoy, and if you love our show please subscribe and review! Every little bit helps. Links included in this episode: Discounted link for Derek's Udemy course: "Launch on Teespring: How I Make 6 Figures Selling T-Shirts " Fly Free Academy - How to Book a Flight to Anywhere in the World for $20 Dollars

In this episode of the podcast I was invited on to the "Brand New You Show" where I was interviewed by the host, Ryan Rhoten. Ryan did an excellent job of preparing for the interview, picking apart my first (and heftiest) book, "Buy Your Own Island," which led us in to a deep and rich conversation about the location-independent lifestyle. This interview is well worth your time! Some of the things we discuss: How I've systemized book production and launches (learnt by launching four books the wrong way) The moment I broke the chain of location-independence and overwork - and made my lifestyle dreams possible Alibi-itis, leaning beyond your edge, and building the right reference experiences How to write to your avatar - and why it's important Defining goals and busting through obstacles The importance of changing your environment - and who you surround yourself with - for massive personal change How I created my first mastermind, and how it led me to new heights A simple exercise to re-wire your mind from "can't" to "can" Stoicism and perceptive filtering Using the skills, knowledge, and experiences you have to build a brand and freelance business How to hack Upwork by creating massive perceived value, and juicing up your profile with reviews and brand studies How to handle client objections to close more deals and other important sales tactics Plus more goodies! Enjoy this episode with Ryan! P.S. we are switching to a bi-weekly publishing schedule over the next few months with new episodes every Sunday and Wednesday (ish - providing I have strong Wi-Fi). Thanks always for your support! Please subscribe and leave us a review if you like this podcast.

Welcome to another episode of the OpenWorld podcast! in this episode Sorin Constantin, an entrepreneur coach and prolific Udemy course creator, joins us for the call. Sorin is a location independent entrepreneur from Romania who has been an online entrepreneur since 2011.

 He also helps teach people how to create viable online business models, generate traffic for their products, and live the location independent lifestyle. Recently he has created no less than seventeen courses on Udemy, including the Entrepreneurship 2.0 - The Elite Online Business Blueprint (which is how I found him). The promise of the course is that it will teach how to set the foundation for time, money, and location freedom: the goal that so many of us are after. During the interview, Sorin provides a simple blueprint to successfully create your first online course and monetizing what you already know. He's created all of his courses in just a year and a half, and is earning multiple four figures per month in passive income (which will reach five this year). During the chat we discuss how easy it can be to set up your courses (he's created all seventeen of his within one year), and various online marketing strategies. Listen to this interview and be inspired to start working on your course today and start your own path to freedom! Also, if you're looking to take your education further, Sorin graciously has offered Udemy discount codes for several of his courses for more than 80% off each one :) You can also try any course with no risk - Udemy offers a refund for up to 30 days. Below are the discounted Udemy links: Entrepreneurship 2.0 - The Elite Online Business Blueprint Online Traffic Domination - The 9 Steps Success Blueprint Email Marketing Basics: A Step-by-Step Beginner's Guide Viral Marketing Blueprint- The 8 Steps Online Business  Note: if you sign up for any of these courses I will get credit, which will help support the podcast :) Thanks for listening, stay tuned for the next action-packed episode!

In this episode, I’m joined by David Hindin, he’s a doctor by day, by night a freelance writer who picks up gigs via Fiverr, and a closet tech enthusiast. He’s also created a digital magazine called “Invented Magazine," which is designed for new entrepreneurs seeking to become tech founders, which he’s successfully crowdfunded on Kickstarter, raising more than $7,000. He’s also been invited to speak at a forthcoming TEDx talk. He's an individual who wears many hats and is extremely passionate about entrepreneurship. David has a stable job as a practicing physician, but felt as though as he wasn't being properly challenged. Unlike many doctors, who tune out during their free time through a date with Netflix, David has instead quietly racked up a list of entrepreneurial achievements. So I invited him to join us today to share his formula for success. There were a bunch of great nuggest on this call, such as: The philosophy that seperates top performers from the mediocre majority How to become a top-ranked seller on Fiverr (David clear $10,000+ his first year as a side hustle in his spare time) How to avoid the "race to the bottom" and "play in a different sand box" The power of platforms - and how to leverage them How David successfully launched his idea on Kickstarter How he grew his Instagram account from zero to 15,000+ in five months (and then monetized it) David's new project, Invented Magazine And a whole lot more! The more I learned about David's story, the more I fascinated I became... and he has a lot of insights to offer to other entrepreneurs. Enjoy this episode! Please subscribe to the podcast and leave us a review if you haven't already.

Today I’m joined by Jiro Taylor. He’s the host of “Flowstate Collective” podcast and founder of a global community of the same name, where he helps individuals reach their ultimate peak performance and potential by optimizing "flow." He runs a blog, interviews top performers, creates adventure retreats, and explores altered states of consciousness. He also coaches entrepreneurs and guides them to optimize life through flow, mindfulness meditation and adventure. "Flow" is a state of heightened focus and complete absorption in the present moment. All sense of time and sense of self disappears and one becomes fully absorbed and connected to the joy of life.

We had an excellent chat where we discussed... Why there are few answers to life's deepest questions Why most of us live according to someone else's values instead of searching for our own Creating internal self-love and self-acceptance The value of separation and reinvention Eastern vs Western philosophy - and lessons The definition of "flow," where our sense of time, self, and rational thought shuts down Simple techniques to cultivate flow and heighten awareness Lessons from Zen Buddhism, samurai philosophy, and Zanshin - "the mind with no remainder" Plus much more! If you've followed my work for a while, you'll know that "Flow" and optimizing for peak potential is something that I'm truly passionate about, and could spend a whole day discussing this. Hope you enjoy this excellent, value-packed hour long interview with Jiro as much as I did. Also, if you have a minute and want to support our podcast, please visit our iTunes page and write us a review. Every bit helps!

In this fun and exciting episode I'm joined by the one and only Jeremy Ginsburg, who calls himself "The Culture Chameleon." Jeremy is a veteran digital nomad, who has experimented with countless ways to earn money and travel. To support his international travels, he has worked as a remote freelance writer, videographer, musician, stand up comedian, English teacher, and basketball coach (to name a few), and is based in Ho Chi Minh City, where he stars in Vietnamese reality TV shows. In addition to Vietnamese, he's fluent in four other languages, and is the author of the upcoming book called “Faking Fame” - the story of how he became famous in Vietnam. What I love about Jeremy the way he leads a full life as a "life experimentalist" - willing to try anything once, no matter how unconventional. During the interview, we discuss the recipe behind Jeremy's many achievements. How to become a prolific learner at any skill How to achieve mastery How to "break into" a new field and achieve success (such as acting) How to earn money on your own Cultural conditioning, and the importance of context and comparison How to become your "own person" - free from outside influence Jeremy's forthcoming book, "Faking Fame" - which you can get for free from his website. Plus a bunch of other goodies... Enjoy this fun chat, and for more from Jeremy check out the fun videos on his YouTube channel. Finally, if you like our podcast and want us to continue producing new episodes, become a friend of the show and write us a review on iTunes!

In episode #73 of the OpenWorld podcast I'm joined by my new friend and fellow author, Tommy Joiner. Tommy has just published his new Amazon book, "Teaching in East Asia" (full disclosure: we worked on the project together). The book shares his story (and the stories of many others) of teaching English abroad, a wonderful experience which helped him get out of debt, save a lot of money, travel, and start an entrepreneurial career. We talk a little bit about why teaching English is such a great opportunity (hint: second language speakers outnumber native speakers by 3 to 1), and how it can provide a stable runway to a very successful entrepreneurial career and digital nomad lifestyle. Tommy grew up, like many of us, in a sheltered upbringing in suburban America. Everything was taken care of; it seemed as if his whole life was set to run on autopilot. But he wanted to experience "rock bottom." He wanted to learn how to survive on his own, and develop himself and his life from square one. So he hit the "Reset" switch. He packed up everything, said goodbye to his boss at his dead-end job in Chicago, and left for South Korea, where he became an English teacher. In a year and a half, he was able to save $20,000, start his entrepreneurial career (he's now the founder of Gingerbread Marketing and Freelance Hustler), and begin a life of complete location independence and travel (he's currently based in Colombia). During our call we talk about his journey and he shares a bunch of great insights for anyone seeking to break free and discover their own location independent path. Be sure to check out the book we've create together as well, "Teaching in East Asia" includes several real stories and is available for just 99 cents on Amazon, Friday - Sunday (Feb 26 - 28 2016).

In this epic episode I’m joined by the one and only Fabian Dittrich, co-founder of Startup Diaries and HelpandDo.IT. Fabian, along with a couple of buddies, has spent more than a year traveling overland across the Americas, running their business remotely from a Land Rover, wherever it is parked. Pretty wild! He's also lived in Germany, Chile, Spain, and England and worked in IT startups such as Zendesk, driven across sub-saharan Africa singing and raising funds for underprivileged children. He’s spoken at venues such as TEDx and DNX about the art of “Designing Your Own Life” and has some great stories to share about salmon, Jamaica, waterfalls, malaria, and how all of these things connected the dots - for him - to help him create his own way in life. We both have a passion for vagabonding, remote work, and discovering your own itinerary in both travel and life, rather than having someone else prepare it for you. That's where our conversation kicks off and then it takes off with full force. Fabian introduced me to all kinds of new perspectives terminology that I had never heard of, and this episode is full of memorable quotes throughout. How conscious "switches" direct the subconscious mind to make it more receptive to certain details Psycho-cybernetics and channeling the mind The psychology of fearlessness and seizing opportunities A fascinating study that show how our beliefs affect our luck The learning to mastery curve of a lifestyle business How exposure to novelty expands your conscious awareness The "insanity" of running a business from the road - what they did, and what they learned How we create the state of "flow" through minimalism and reducing distractions And a ton more! Enjoy this excellent and insightful discussion with Fabian! And please - if you'd like us to continue producing free podcasts without advertising - leave us a review on iTunes.

In this episode, we've switched things around a bit and I'm the one being interviewed. I was recently invited to appear on the Borderless podcast with Jonathan Lockwood and James Guzman to share a bit about my story and how I broke free from the conventional mold (which never seemed to fit me in the first place!). I also share quite a bit about my early life and what it was like having entrepreneurial blood flowing through my veins - how it molded my mindset from a young age, and why I could never hold a regular job for more than a month. My story of trying - and failing - to fit into a respectable role in society How and why to integrate "hacks" in your life - to gain the leverage to help you lift off Our hidden drives and how they differ between men and women - and why they matter OpenWorld Magazine - our new digital magazine - and our successful Indiegogo campaign A look into what the long-term travel lifestyle is like How to get housesits and other long-term stays Networking, mindfulness, persuasion, freelancing, sales, minimalism, and other important topics! This was a very fun chat and an in-depth discussion, hope you enjoy! And sorry the shownotes are a bit short this time (it's Saturday afternoon and I'm eager to get out and have some fun in the sun.) In the meantime, have a listen, and see you next week!

A few years ago Sean Ogle was working 50 hours a week as a financial analyst. Getting up early, commuting to work, putting on a suit and tie and shaving every day. But he was miserable. He had this incurable wanderlust and desire to experience the world. He went to Rio de Janeiro, experienced everything he wanted at that moment... and felt he couldn’t go back to the financial analyst life. The rest is legend. He is now known as the "Location Rebel," inspiring and teaching others how to travel and work from anywhere in the world. He's also worked with other well-known names in the nomadic world such as Tropical MBA and Chris Guillebeau. Sean shared a fascinating look into the psyche of a self-made "location rebel," including sharing his own struggles and insecurities: “I haven’t had any huge public failures," Sean confides, "I would say that is my greatest failure.” During the podcast we rap about: Sean's history as a digital nomad and how he's successfully built his "lifestyle businesses" The inner game of success and entrepreneurship Traps of location-independent entrepreneurship and lifestyle - and how Sean plans to attack them The four-step action plan that Sean teaches people to create a life of freedom The biggest mistakes people make when they create their professional services website "The Ten Things E-mail" and other strategies to connect with powerful influencers "The Box" - what the concept is and why it's SO important and powerful How to stand out with your content - "show, don't tell" "The Desk" - Sean's exciting new video project And plenty more! If you're interested in quitting your job, starting a side hustle, or working remotely as a location-independent digital nomad then you won't want to miss this episode with the one and only Sean Ogle!

On paper she was a success. She had a high power job in marketing and business development back in Canada. She was earning close to six figures and traveling all over the world. Money, prestige and international travel. It was the kind of life many of us dream about. But then during a business trip in Moscow she had a breakdown: "You are going to die!" she thought. "Is this really all there is to your life?" From that point on, Lydia Lee changed her life completely. She has gone on to become tribe leader of "The Unconventionalists" - individuals leading unconventional lifestyles and started the popular brand and blog Screw the Cubicle. Lydia has over seven years’ experience working with everyone from lawyers and bureaucrats to educators, people from all walks of life chart a more meaningful course in their life. She consults with individuals to help them discover their “Genius Zone” and start a freedom business that's both profitable and that they feel passionate about. Lydia, joining us from her home amidst a rice paddy in Bali, brought a ton of insight, enthusiasm, and energy to this interview. How to discover and capitalize on your entrepreneurial strengths Finding breakthroughs among breakdowns How to re-write the story of your life Techniques to minimize and eliminate fear and internal resistance Why personality and compassion can be very powerful - and profitable The biggest mistake most entrepreneurs make - and why it stops success (it's not what you think!) Misconceptions about lifestyle design and lifestyle businesses. Three steps to create your own unique business and stand out from the pack Mistakes Lydia has made - and what she's learned from them Plus a few other goodies... Can authenticity and honesty can transform your business? Lydia shows us the way, and the choice is ours to follow her lead.

Today I’m joined by Bryanna Royal, co-founder of Virtual Powerhouse - "Virtual Solutions to Power Your Business" and blogger at CrazyFamilyAdventure.com. Bryanna works as a freelance virtual assistant -  or “Virtual Team Member” in her words. She's also living the remote working / traveling digital nomad life in an RV with her husband, four kids, and two dogs roaming around the US. Bryanna is someone with a great deal of hands on experience with knowledge  to share about life on the road and earning money as a freelancer. During the interview she tells us how to set up a successful service-based business remotely while living a nomadic lifestyle. Originally from Wisconsin, Bryanna joined us from steps away from the beach in Florida, living life on the road with her entire family and pets. She and her husband sold their home, gave up their mortgage, and moved into an RV. The goal was simple: to "live life without regrets." During the interview, Bryanna shares a ton of candid insight into how she and her husband have made this lifestyle possible. We discuss the steps to negotiate a remote work arrangement, how to stand out and become indispensable to employers and clients, and so much more. Equally important, we discuss how Bryanna is able to make a good living and provide for her large family as a virtual assistant, or "virtual team member" (as she calls it), when there are so many virtual assistants working for a mere $5 per hour (and clients paying sweat shop wages for them). She shared some great insights into how to find the best quality clients to work with, how to provide them the most value, and how to set up a boutique service-based business that makes competitive and pricing threats irrelevant. Enjoy the interview! Please leave us a comment sharing your thoughts below, and of course please subscribe and leave us a review on iTunes.

In this exciting episode we're joined by Caroline (Caz) Makepeace, the co-owner of Y Travel Blog. Together with her husband, Caz has traveled to over 50 countries and lived in 5. Her blog is getting over 300,000 visitors a month - over 10,000 per day. They have over 4 million followers on Pinterest. Their travel blog has led to incredible experiences like attending the first travel summit at the White House and the opportunity to speak alongside Kofi Annan at an upcoming travel forum in Turkey. "We've made it happen with an intense desire," Caz says during the podcast. It wasn't always clear sailing for this couple. They've encountered hardship and come through the fire and made it through to the other side stronger. People might look at Caz and Craig's success and say “Well, they must be special, lucky or gifted.” But there was actually a time when they were living in the US and lost $500,000 in investments and had to move back in with Craig’s parents. The pair has worked very hard and been driven by a strong WHY to reach their goals of lifestyle freedom through their location independent work. Caz has had to face rejection and failure hundreds of times to get here, but she's never lost a step. Now, what began with a very basic design on the Genesis theme way back in 2010 is now one of the largest travel blogs in the world. During our conversation, Caz dropped a bunch of knowledge bombs about the mindset and drive that has propelled their success. Some of the topics we discuss: How to minimize and eliminate your fears that hold you back The "WHY" that propels an individual to stick through the tough times and go on to accomplish great things How to cultivate an abundance mindset by changing the words you use How the Makepeace's earn money and a breakdown of their different income streams How to make the right connections - and establish a working relationship with the right people How Caz has parlayed her blog into public speaking engagements and other partnerships The BIG wins that grow a blog from a few hundred visitors a day to 10,000+ per day A 5-step action plan to create the life of your dreams Thanks for listening to this interview with Caz Makepeace! Please subscribe and write us a review on iTunes if you have a minute :)

In this episode I'm joined by Matt Inglot, host of the Freelance Transformation podcast, which interviews top freelancers to learn how they price their services, get leads and clients, and run their businesses. Matt is also the founder of Tilted Pixel, a web design and development agency, which he has been running for more than a decade. If you’re a freelancer looking to improve your business or interested in learning about freelancing to earn more revenue and do remotely, then I know you’ll love this interview. After more than ten years of running his agency, in which he was "in over his head" with to start, Matt turned things around. He went from being a slave to his business wallowing in "misery and despair" to creating a business that is very profitable and gives him free time to travel and to things he loves. In the episode we talk shop and discuss everything he's learned on the job and how he has structured his agency, especially where it comes to generating high value clients, negotiating, building relationships, and closing deals. How Matt generates valuable leads and vettes prospects to find the highest quality clients The mindset and being the selector, not the selectee A breakdown of the consultative sales-model for selling high-priced services How to break the chain of commodization of your offerings Tips for understanding consumer behavior The most effective techniques to "prime" prospects and warm relationships How to reach full lifetime value monetization from each client How to increase conversions of your offers A step-by-step process to construct exclusivity, to get new leads chasing after you to work with you Lessons learned from podcasting Plus a whole lot more… Thanks for listening and hope you enjoy this episode! If you love our show, please take a moment and write us a review on iTunes.

If you want to learn how to make more money with your website by increasing your visitors to leads and then converting those leads to paying customers, and then high-paying clients, then you’re going to love this interview! In this episode I’m joined by Joe Dejene, the co-founder of Groove Funnels. Joe spends each day picking apart online websites and their product and sales funnels to discover conversion opportunities, hidden profits, and other opportunities. He’s worked with notable companies such as Mind Valley, Zen Maid, The Foundation, and countless others... Joe is also a digital nomad and kindred spirit whom I met in Thailand, and a member of the Dynamite Circle. He has a colorful backstory of how he went from working as a firefighter to becoming a lead generation consultant. Joe and I went back and forth on a ton of different ideas to earn more money and convert visitors and e-mail subscribers to paying clients, so that you can earn more money from your business and more freedom! We dove right in and had a really in-depth conversation about website and funnel optimization. Some of the topics discussed: The main mistakes that most websites make (that they don't even know about) Sales psychology secrets: how to generate scarcity to create a buying frenzy and sell high-ticket products The most effective platform to nurture new leads How to dial in to a prospect's identity and speak in a psychologically powerful way that truly moves them "The Value Ladder" - how to create new offers to increase your business' profitability over the next 6 month, 1 year, and 2 years. How to create and sell high-ticket offers immediately to new prospects Simple - but brilliant - ways to clearly illustrate value The best ways to create effective calls to action, and handle the customer application process Plus a ton of other goodies This episode was a whirlwind of valuable sales, psychology, marketing, and entrepreneurial advice! I took a ton of notes of ideas to increase profits in my business, and if you listen to this interview I am sure you will find takeaways to add more money to your bottom line. Thanks for listening to the podcast! Please write a review for us on iTunes and I will feature your review in a future episode.

In this interview I’m joined by Gabby Wallace, owner of Go Natural English and the Laptop Teacher which helps entrepreneurs with YouTube marketing and creating online courses. She's here to share her story of quitting my university professor job in February to travel to 18 countries this year, and growing an online teaching business that's earning 3 times more than her job and growing quickly. Her YouTube channel has also surpassed 100,000 subscribers and 5 million views and she's about to publish a book on Amazon. Gabby has been on fire in 2015, her two brands are earning solid revenue, and her jetsetting lifestyle has been envious by any measure. But it took four years of dedicated work to get to this point. In this interview we really go into depth to discuss how she built up her brands as a "side hustle" while working at her English teaching job in Japan. Like many of us, Gabby wanted to travel and see the world and thought that English teaching would be a good way to do that. She got into teaching English but realized that the job was too restrictive; her work schedule was demanding and she didn't have the freedom to do anything crazy, like spend Carnival in Brazil. In this interview, Gabby tells all about her journey to this point and everything she's learned. The entire process of setting up her brand and content-facing business, broken down into steps The influences that have inspired her and encouraged her to start and step up her game Early wins (and early mistakes) made How she fell in to the trap of not earning any money… and how she turned it around Her current income streams broken down and explained What kept her going when all around her others were giving up on their hustles Tips to create the best content and information products Insider YouTube marketing and other marketing techniques How to automate and scale your workflow How to set up your own platform and sell products through your site (and earn greater revenues than through a third-party) There was a ton of value packed in to this podcast, and I took a lot of notes! Enjoy, and if you like our show, please consider leaving us a review on iTunes :-)

Want to learn how to travel more, work from anywhere, and live your dream lifestyle? Today I'm joined by Travis Sherry, who interviews globe-trotting location-independent entrepreneurs to find out exactly how they do it. Travis is the host of the Extra Pack of Peanuts podcast and an avid travel hacker and lifestyle entrepreneur who is living the digital nomad dream. Travis, along with his girlfriend Heather, have discovered ways to travel the world for next to nothing. They’ve scored $5 plane tickets, and gotten free stays in amazing homes around the world. Together they’ve scuba dived the Great Barrier Reef, ridden camels through the deserts of India, marveled at the wonder of Angkor Wat, sipped wine in Tuscany, drank beer in Prague, and even eaten a cricket in Thailand. Even better, Travis is doing something even more important and meaningful with his podcast, where he’s interviewed some of the top names in travel to learn their tricks and get a real taste of what the world and true travel is really like. Ironically, Travis had a difficult journey getting to this point. Ever since he was a kid, he hated to get on airplanes… and travel left a bad taste in his mouth. Later, as an adult, Travis encountered a number of difficult challenges trying to set up an online business and there were several low points… such as having his income shut off over night, and having to move back in with his parents (as a 30 year-old man). Despite the challenges, Travis persisted and came out better for the experience. Although Travis is considered a "travel hacking" expert we really dove in and talked about entrepreneurship and digital nomadism primarily during this interview. Travis shared some really on-point insights about mistakes he's made as an entrepreneur, how he overcame the hurdle of not earning much money at first, how he's built up his blog and podcast platform, and how he creates profitable products to sell online (and earn a nice income). This was an awesome conversation with a guy who is really dialed in, enjoy #59 of the OpenWorld podcast! And if you love our show please hop over to iTunes and write a review for the show :-) I will be immensely grateful for the support.

If you’re looking to break free and gain greater personal autonomy in your life, then I’m sure you’re going to love this interview. In this episode I'm joined by the one and only Johnny FD. He’s an OG in the location-independent community and a respected thought leader that another guest we’ve had on this show, Ben Finnigan (#21) credited for really helping him along on his path. His podcast “Travel Like a Boss” features entrepreneurs who are truly living the four hour workweek lifestyle, starting online businesses especially in drop shipping, ecommerce, information products, and so forth. In this interview, Johnny shares his personal story about how he clawed his way back from being stuck in Thailand having only $200 in his pocket and no return ticket home to now, where he's earning more than $20,000 per month. He's reached a point where he is now where he’s just living life to fullest, following his passions, inspiring thousands of people, and flying first class around the world. He’s truly someone who lives what he preaches and it’s a pleasure and an honor to have him on the show. Johny also shares some great insights about how to push through and overcome your fears so that you can step and play big and win at life. He drops some great quotes about fearsetting and motivation. In this interview Johnny also shares a simple 7-step process that will bring you success if you follow it. Then he talks about potential pitfalls to avoid, how to uniquely market yourself in a crowded market, niche selection, drop shipping and how to capitalize  and build on "early wins" in your own business. Enjoy this awesome episode with Johnny FD, and if you appreciate our podcast please consider showing some love with a review on iTunes - every little bit helps to keep this show going.

“If you’re gonna make it in this world you’ve got to focus. That’s the biggest thing I’ve learnt.” - Ben Worthington, digital nomad and entrepreneur In this episode I’m joined by Ben Worthington, a new friend and kindred spirit from the UK who hosts the IELTS podcast. He’s also a member of the Dynamite Circle, and we met recently at a DC meetup in Bangkok and became fast friends. I love Ben’s background because he went from moving abroad to Spain to teach English for a few years, then transitioned into private teaching where he was self-employed and making more money (and - he came up with a brilliantly devious way to market himself), and then finally to where he is now where he’s leveraged his skills and experiences into a brand and product-oriented business. So he’s evolved from employee to self-employed to entrepreneur in a really sustained and deliberate way, and done very well for himself. I think it’s a great model to follow if you’re looking for practical advice from someone who’s just a few steps ahead in the journey. Ben and I had a really solid rapport during this conversation, and discussed some pretty profound and deep insights about breaking free from convention, leading a goal-oriented life, why individuals fail (and what failure really means), and how to beat your insecurities to realize true success. We discuss a variety of weighty topics such as: Ben's step-by-step journey from employee, to intrapreneur, to consultant, to entrepreneur and digital nomad The dangers of social pressure to make us conform, think and live small, and how to break free from it Ben's failed ventures - the #1 reason why they failed - and how it's made him who he is today A hilarious marketing experiment, and tips to optimize paid advertisements to establish your coaching or consulting business How to cultivate an unstoppable mindset for success How to become hater and critic-proof (and why it's really about them) Fear-setting and future pacing to make significant changes in your life A simple strategy to create the best product in any market How to build up your platform online - and what to expect along the way How to overcome your own inner resistance to do what you need to do How to automate social media marketing And a whole lot more! Enjoy this excellent interview with Ben Worthington! If you love our podcast, please consider writing a review on iTunes, it introduces new people to the show and encourages us to continue :-)

Podcasting is really hot right now… it seems that everyone and their auntie is starting a podcast. But most people give up after 7 episodes. And of the ones who persist, far too many of them become "me too" also-rans… not able to become unique enough, drive enough downloads, or monetize their show. Why is it most people fail at podcasting while a few standouts crush it and kill it - and how can we avoid the fatal mistakes so many smart, well-meaning podcasters are making? I invited David Ralph, the host of Join Up Dots, a daily podcast with nearly 500 episodes, on to the show to discuss this and a whole lot more. Join Up Dots is a best of iTunes podcast, receiving 1 million downloads within the first 4 months! It’s fair to say that David is crushing it right now. He’s also created a training program called “Podcaster’s Mastery” which helps people create successful podcasts with real tactics, build an audience, and establish connections. David is a true master at making human connections, and a veteran speaker and presenter. He shared some deep and profound insights in this episode. We discuss topics such as how to create a brand that's uniquely you, how to engage with your content, and create a successful business in general. If you're ever curious about doing podcasting, or want to learn about how it can boost your business, then you'll want to listen to this interview! David lays it all out on the line and drops a ton of knowledge bombs. David's story of his former life in the UK The secret to becoming the best at what you do How to bring FUN into your business - and why it's critical to success How to immediately engage with people, break the ice, and build rapport - so they feel comfortable opening up to you How to perform at your best - even when you're feeling low How to create premium package products and support high pricing - whether you're a consultant, freelancer, etc (hint: this is the key to creating a "lifestyle business") How David created a unique daily show and carved out a success story by differentiating himself (even in the market presence of other daily podcasts, such as Entrepreneur on Fire) How to monetize a podcast and build your audience (David went from zero to 1 million downloads in just 4 months)

In this exciting episode of the OpenWorld podcast we're joined by the audacious and tepid world adventurer, Patrick Martin Schroeder, who goes by the moniker the "World Bicyclist." Patrick is one of the world's greatest young adventurers, and was recognized in our 2015 list of “Top 30 Adventurers Under 30.” He’s 28 years old, on a mission to travel every country by bicycle , and he’s been to 132 so far. He travels mostly overland and has cycled Europe to South Africa, Argentina to Canada, and from Europe to Japan. He has wrestled a crocodile, been a sniper in the airforce, run a computer game mod, packraft, paraglide and mountaineer. He has crossed Siberia in winter, camping in -45°, the Sahara in summer (twice) in 50°, climbed 6000m+ mountains and dived to -50m below sea level. He even rode a bike underwater. “Comfort is slowly killing you, I think,” Patrick confides during the interview. This was a fascinating discussion with someone who truly sees the world differently - as more than just dots and lines on a map, but as a living, breathing place full of memories, experiences, names, faces, and physical places. I talked with Patrick to learn about his experiences on the road, and what the eight and a half year (and counting!) journey has been like for him. He also dishes out some practical advice for those who would follow, such as three ways to get started on your own adventure, and easy ways to overcome your fears and live the life you imagine. If you enjoy this episode with Patrick, please subscribe for more updates and leave us a review on iTunes.

October is self-publishing month here. In honor of my 30th birthday, I'm giving away free copies of all five of my books on Amazon, one after the other. To be notified of the dates of the free releases, as well as to receive other free giveaways first, simply enter your e-mail and subscribe in the box at the bottom of this post where it says "Join the Ultimate Lifestyle Design Community." Also, we've recently published some really juicy content on the blog to whet your appetite, such as this interview with self-published author Patrick King, who is making $14,000+ per month publishing on Amazon, and this one with 16 year-old author Mark Messick. We've also compiled a great list of resources to submit your book to during its launch to dominate Amazon. I've also published a book on Amazon for a very low price, called "Hack Email" which lays out all of the best marketing outreach techniques (that you can do yourself) that I learned from promoting my first book to best-seller. Now then, on to the podcast. In this episode, we're changing the tables around a bit and I'm the one being interviewed. This is a chat I recently had with Shawn Manaher of The Author Hangout. I really enjoyed this conversation with Shawn and being able to talk about book writing and how to publish, promote, and market a best-seller. In the interview we talk about everything from writing productivity to challenges that I overcame as an aspiring author, to "hacks" to design a professional cover and top the charts immediately after your launch. A great episode to listen if you ever want to publish your own best-selling book, or are just curious about how the process works. This is your chance to learn from my experiences (and mistakes) when you listen to this episode.

We have another great guest on the show today. His name is Patrick King, and I think you guys are going to be blown away by this interview. Patrick has self-published more than 25 books and counting in just over one year. He’s at the top of numerous categories on Amazon as a best-selling author. He’s a top five author in Business and Money, top 10 in the category of Health, Fitness, and Dating, top 100 in other categories such as Self Help. He’s publishing nearly a book per week and his books are dominating the charts in multiple categories. Oh, and he's also earning royalty checks from Amazon of $14,000+ per month. We talk about how he escaped his former life as a lawyer to become a dating coach, and then eventually became a recognized authority on social interactions, to becoming a best-selling communication and relationships author. Patrick candidly discusses the characteristics that have made him successful as an entrepreneur, and how he's effectively applied communication skills to the world of business to dramatically shortcut the curve from beginner to digital nomad success story. He also shares the two most important factors that have made him successful as an Amazon author; as well as his four-step copywriting formula for driving book sales. Enjoy the interview! If you love the show, please consider writing a review on iTunes. Every little bit helps us to continue bringing you more great guests and episodes.

Welcome to Episode #52 of the OpenWorld Podcast! In this interview I’m joined by Dan Norris, the two time bestselling author of “The 7 Day Startup” and “Content Machine” and founder of WP Curve, which recently posted revenues of $74,000 / month, after just two years in existence. Dan and his businesses have been featured in Forbes, Inc, Mashable, and others. Dan was voted Australia’s top small business blogger by Australia’s largest business magazine, Smarter Business Ideas. …But that only tells part of the story. Before launching WP Curve, he founded called Informly which was generating less than $500 per month - while he was losing $2,000 per month. He was ready to throw in the towel, and crawl back to Corporate Australia, thinking "maybe entrepreneurship isn't right for me." On top of that, he had a wife and children to support. He came up with the idea for WP Curve on a Saturday, launched it by Tuesday, and immediately began enlisting clients within the first week. And the rest is history. Dan has gotten where he is from a whole of lot of hard work and hustle, as well as a keen sense of business acumen developed over nearly a decade of experience and experimentation. Dan dropped a lot of knowledge bombs during the interview, such as: How to validate and sell ideas quickly What it means to create a business that's new and unique The premise that "all businesses grow through conversations" - what that means and how to cultivate it A simple equation to price your product The paradox underlying Dan's second unsuccessful business - and his third, successful one, and the lesson learned Content marketing strategies and hacks And a lot more! Become a friend of the show, please share this episode and leave us a review on iTunes! Each one helps so we can continue the show and bring you more great interviews and guests.

Hello and welcome to another episode of the OpenWorld Podcast! As always, we try to inspire you with real stories of people taking action and doing extraordinary things around the world. I’m joined today by Grady Hicks, he’s the author of “The Amazing Journey,” the true story of his travels with his young son Austin. Since a young age, Grady has marched to the beat of his own drum. He has been curious about the world since a young age, and started his own business in 1999 which is one of the largest family-owned businesses in Texas. Inspired by “The Amazing Race” he and his family decided to recreate a real life version. When each of his three children graduate high school, they go an epic adventures criss-crossing the world, and delving into dramatically different cultures and beliefs. Grady believes that international travel is the ultimate form of education. "When my kids turn eighteen, it's not the end of their education. It's just the beginning," he says. "The Amazing Journey" is the story of his first RTW trip with son Austin, crossing over 24,000 miles, visiting 22 UNESCO World Heritage Sites and 12 countries. It's perhaps the greatest graduation present ever, the one we all wish we could have had! In this very interesting interview, Grady and I talk about the adventures he and his children have had around the world, high and low points, and lessons learned. Hope you enjoy Episode #51 and please consider becoming a friend of the show: subscribe and write us a review on iTunes!

In this episode I’m joined by Kavit Haria from London. Kavit is a specialist at helping people set up automated businesses on the web that hit $100,000 by the end of their 1st year. Like others that we've interviewed, such as Jesse Krieger of Lifestyle Entrepreneur and Sean D'Souza of Psychotactics, Kavit started out as an entrepreneur following his passion, then quickly realized he needed to master marketing if he wanted to get anywhere. He became a very consultant to other musicians, showing indie musicians how to promote their music and get more gigs. From that, he became a business consultant through his brand Insider Internet Success, with a stated mission to help new entrepreneurs reach $100,000 in revenue in the first year. In the last three years, they have over 147 success stories. So I invited Kavit onto the show to talk about his recipe for success. There was a ton of valuable content packed in to this interview. Kavit breaks down the three-step process that he uses when he works with clients to help them see serious growth. We also talk about: Characteristics that separate successful entrepreneurs from ones who struggle Case studies of entrepreneurs Kavit has worked with Inside the marketing "big wins" to establish a client base, to scaling up, and growing a six figure business The "Oprah effect" to hack marketing Entrepreneurial failures and lessons learned And a lot more! Hope you enjoy this episode. Please become a friend of the show, and leave us a review on iTunes. It's good karma too! :-)