Are you looking for ways to travel the world and get paid?
Did you know you can also do this whilst having fun; without being a coder or selling your precious time at an hourly rate?
In this article, you’ll learn what I’ve done to become a travelpreneur.
Many friends of mine back home wonder how I travel the world and get paid! This is the story of how I started to live, work, and travel.
Travelpreneur: Getting Started
If you read my old article on the best books for digital nomads; you’ll know the work that a digital nomad or travelpreneur does by day.
A Travelpreneur doesn’t necessarily have to run an online business.
What is a Travelpreneur?
By definition a Travelpreneur is somebody who runs a profitable business and is not restricted to a specific location.
The term also implies that no matter where a travelpreneur is in the world, they can run their business or businesses while they’re traveling.
Travelpreneur Meaning
A travelpreneur could have multiple location-based businesses that permit them to travel and still operate as if they were on the premises.
Does it sounds simple or too good to be true?
Well, it could be simple and it’s true, however, your business model must have a few important traits to make it a reality.
Most people I met were either excited or anxious to return to their jobs at home. Before meeting other online workers, I felt strange.
Sometimes I felt out of place sat there with my laptop and backpack in some back street coffee shop eager to work on online projects.
At that point, I didn’t realize there was a community of people that live, work, and travel. Some more advanced and capable than others.
What are Digital Nomads?
Today they call themselves digital nomads or even travelpreneurs, and they all have their own unique ways and styles of living.
If you’ve just discovered the digital nomad lifestyle here is an insight:
When people ask, I don’t call myself a digital nomad. But, you can put me into that category. As with most things today there’s a myriad of labels.
This is Lifestyle Design. A concept I’d heard of but saw as a weird cult.
When I feel somebody is ‘selling me a lifestyle’ or way of living, I revolt.
It could be through a book, an article, or even an intriguing conversation. Basically, I don’t like to be force-fed ideas.
My way is to arrive at new ideas for living through my own trial + error.
Travelpreneur Lifestyle
It took three years before I encountered a digital nomad community.
If I’d found it earlier, I probably would have been quicker to claim the digital nomad or travelpreneur label.
You know it’s ‘a thing’ when people start selling a lifestyle or idea to others in order to make a profit.
The more I got engrossed in online forums, I found myself identifying with the label which can easily happen on the internet.
Travel as a way of life
You could say I stumbled upon this ‘way of life’ by accident and I do find it interesting to see how others live work and travel.
A big change happened in my life when I started traveling through Mexico down into Guatemala and towards Nicaragua back in 2014.
Back when I traveled to the USA in 2013. I started by doing little bits of freelance work. Doing web design and front-end web development.
I spent many painstaking hours working indoors. Mainly inside Starbucks coffee shops and hostels – I now have several library cards.
How I became a Travelpreneur
Since then, I’ve been paying more attention to how I live work travel.
My wants, my needs… and how they affect my productivity.
I’ve alienated friends and family members with this style of living.
Many still don’t fully understand how and why I leave my hometown every year to pursue my wildest dreams.
When I was studying at Hyper Island back in 2011. I was still in a work for a company mindset. I visited the offices at Google and Facebook.
This was one of the main reasons I traveled to the USA. Facebook and Google were two companies I aspired to work with.
What I like about working remotely
One thing I like about working remotely is having my workstation and the ability to change working environments as and when I choose.
I find being confined to one space, one desk, one chair, very disabling!
Now I think about it, working from coffee shops is not always ideal.
Below are some of the pros and cons of working in coffee shops and other public spaces I have experimented with over the last year.
A Backpacking job wasn’t Necessary
Picking grapes in Australia has never been an ambition of mine.
Let’s see why that is…
I needed to learn how to sustain myself whilst on the road.
I’d find myself returning home after three months of travel.
On returning, I had reverse culture shock and an intense feeling of nostalgia, anticipating my next trip with my backpack.
Now, one year later, in 2018. I want to talk about my experiences on the road as a travelpreneur and some of the things I’ve achieved so far.
The Travelpreneur Label
Before I show you the things I did to travel the world and get paid as a travelpreneur. I’d like to say one important thing about this lifestyle.
The word Travelpreneur is just a label as any other thing!
On the internet, we use labels for people to understand what we do.
I like the word travelpreneur because it sums up what I do. I live, I work and get paid via the internet.
As well as build businesses that I can do offline.
Because of the work, I do, I can also be seen as a digital nomad which is another label that explains what I do. See! There are so many labels.
What I did to become a Travelpreneur
A big question I asked myself back in 2013/14 was…
“I want to travel the world where do I start?”
Fast forward 3 years…
I became obsessed with this idea of traveling to Latin America and using my digital skills to sustain my cultural travel adventures.
Do you want to know what are the best travelpreneur jobs and how do you get started? Allow me to share with you what I did.
Below are 3 things I did to allow me to travel for a living:
Set up a Fiverr Account
If you read my old post on how to make money on Fiverr you’ll see that I created a profile to offer various digital media services.
One thing I started to do in early 2017 when over to to live in Buenos Aires in Argentina, is start to build an online service business.
That meant I provided a 24hr service for people who are looking for someone with my particular skills.
Below is a screenshot from my Fiverr dashboard in 2017.
After starting on Fiverr I begin to work with clients from around the world. For example, here are the top 4 countries that my clients live in:
- 🇺🇸 United States
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- 🇨🇦 Canada
It can be very rewarding to work with these clients and I make them very happy with the service I provide and regularly get tips.
When I first started providing service in early 2017 I had to work really hard to keep up with the fierce competition on the platform.
Are you just learning about workign from home sites like Fiverr or, are you thinking of providing some kind of service? It’ll be worth it, you’ve just got to get started.
If you’re still reading you must be interested in getting paid online.
In 2017 Fiverr was one of the main platforms that helped me to invest the funds I made straight into my blog and other online ventures.
Created Various Online Blogs
I created this blog in 2016 but didn’t really start until 2017.
If you read my other travelpreneur articles, I talk more in detail about why starting a travel blog is a great way to find your bliss.
In my mid-twenties, I realized I was more passionate about building relations and learning new things than anything else I’ve done before.
My journey started by me connecting my passion to places. In my case, the place was Latin America. For me it meant doing solo travel – a type of travel that forces you to leave your comfort zone.
I even grew a beard. While at the same time learning Spanish daily, something many people told me I could not do because I was too old.
Set up a chocolate Company
I always knew my success was connected to a place. But I never knew that place was the same place I’d been traveling to since I was a kid.
One of the biggest things that came out of solo travel was learning about myself, who I am, who I want to be, and what I want to have.
I decided to go to Jamaica where my family lives in 2015 to re-discover the land of my ancestors which resides in the mountains.
Jobs That Require International Travel
During my trip to Jamaica, I discovered the Cacao tree, which I’ll be writing more about here on Layer Culture.
I learned that on our family land Coffee and Cacao grow naturally.
Most had died out but luckily some Cacao trees remained.
Inspired by this new discovery I ended up traveling around Jamaica looking for a way to create my own chocolate bar.
I built relationships with local farmers and even the Jamaican government after having an meeting with the Ministry of Agriculture.
Two of the coolest jobs in the world
Working online providing a service for clients in over 23 countries and making chocolate. I still can’t believe I’ve achieved all this so far.
My goal is to have my own Cacao farm in Jamaica.
As you can see, this is another expression of being a travelpreneur and how I can travel whilst working on business at the same time.
What I love about this type of (farming and developing a product) business, is that it allows me to work offline.
My end goal is not just to work online, but to leverage my digital skills and the things I learn into offline projects.
If I set up an Organic Cacao Farm in Jamaica, would you come and visit?
It’s my dream and it shows how travel for a living is much more than backpacking and staying in hostels and lounging in a hammock all day.
Backpacking is also about spotting new opportunities on the road.
Places I’ve worked Along the Way
Since adopting the travelpreneur lifestyle I have found myself working in a plethora of different environments.
Some of which have developed over the years through trial and error.
Let’s look at where it all started, shall we?
Coffee Shops:
For me being able to live work travel from coffee shops has been a blessing. No matter which country in the world.
I usually find at least one cafe that’s made it easy for me to sit down and get down to work.
Pros
- Accessible and easy to find
- Sometimes you can find great coffee
- Gives you the flexibility to leave at any time
Cons
- Can’t always leave your workstation when needed
- Weak or unreliable internet connection
- Fewer people to work or exchange ideas with
- When the best or most comfortable seats are taken
Air Bnb Rentals:
Working from AirBnb rentals is something I’ve done more lately. They have offered me a place to live and work whilst in a new county.
Up to now, I’ve done this in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Spain.
This is also a strategy to learn Spanish. Speaking with your host adds to your Spanish conversation skills and for me is the best way to practice.
Pros
- Dedicated internet usually faster
- Ability to cook own food
- Combined with living expenses
- Opportunity to interact with local people
Cons
- Overworking in solitude
- Blurred lines between living and working space
- Prone to procrastinate working from home base
- Misleading listings stuck with uncomfortable lodgings
Public Libraries:
Having owned a library card from a as kid. I’ve used my local library as an office while at my base. I have also used libraries in Latin America.
Pros
- Stable and quiet working environment
- Access to a large selection of books
- Sometimes free internet connection
- Access to meet-up groups and like-minded people
Cons
- Not always got an internet connection
- Unfavorable opening and closing times
- Need to be a local or have a membership card
- Old or tired spaces lack of inspiration
One style I have made over the past few years is to mix up all three location types. I like changing environments throughout any one day.
When I’m at my base in Sheffield AirBnb doesn’t get utilised. But it could, as what I’ve found is, these new environments mixed with other elements give me a new boost of unfiltered creative energy.
Going forward
As much as I enjoy it. Working from a coffee shop is a temporary solution. Usually, I plan just one part of my day around working there.
In 2017 I’d like to find more co-working spaces. I’m curious to understand the challenges and benefits for people who live work travel receive from working in these pay as you go office spaces.
4 Things I have learned
Over this last year, I have spent more than 6 months in Latin America building my travelpreneur business. This is how I travel and get paid.
Not for taking photos, though, I’m not an Instagram lifestyle, microblogger or YouTuber.
I don’t get paid to travel
Many people think the term travelpreneur means to get paid to travel and take photos. Or, sat around on the beach working from a laptop.
The Travelpreneur lifestyle can be very rewarding if you can learn how to appreciate the work that is involved in maintaining it.
If you really want to travel the world and get paid, I recommend you start by learning how to work smartly.
My best Clients don’t know that I travel
My best clients in the United States and in the United Kingdom don’t know I travel around Latin America.
I keep this private because people get upset by the idea of you having fun whilst working or question your seriousness and work ethics.
In a world ruled by competition, it’s too easy to be replaced.
We can’t always choose our clients so as travelpreneurs it’s important to be thought of as serious workers.
This is one way to keep clients happy. I like to give them peace of mind that they know where I am and can contact me when they desire.
No more Solo Travel – I’m omnipresent
It all started off with solo travel in Central America. It served a purpose for realizing many things. I do still travel solo from time to time.
However, now I’m much more interested in building communities and concentrating on having a sense of belonging.
Besides, actively working with clients on all four corners of the globe I barely have time to think I’m alone.
Being a Travelprenuer lead me to think about how I communicate with people much more smarty than I did when I was just backpacking.
Working 24/7 – It’s hard to switch off
Being omnipresent is cool. It brings out the magician in me. However, one of the biggest challenges Travelprenuers face is switching off.
Switching off your mind to relax is a skill one must adopt as a Travelprenuer. I must manage my own energy on a daily basis.
Not to mention, my tendency to engrossed in the things I’m working on because 80% of my work is online.
I often blur the lines of work and play and have to actively remind myself when to take a break.
Forgetting to switch off can be very unhealthy in more ways than one.
How you can get started
Have you started a blog, or are you thinking of becoming a Travelpreneur?
If you’re thinking of transitioning from a desk job or 9-5 start to think about what skill you have to offer the world outside of your job.
If you have money saved up, then you’re halfway there. You just need to do something courageous like solo travel to break the cycle.
As you start to travel you’ll begin to get a clearer idea of how you can travel the world and get paid.
For me, the practice of being a travelpreneur is something still new.
From the outset. I’ve found co-working spaces offer sn opportunity to do business networking, as suppose to just getting work done.
Meeting other people that live travel work will be a focus for me this year. See the jobs that allow travel I have grouped together for you.
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Did you find this post useful? If not, please comment. Let me know what else you’d like to know about me living on the road working from my laptop.
Hello there! What a nice post. 🙂 I usually prefer working from hotels or other housings when abroad, coffee shops are also nice. Additionally, I’ve sometimes worked in busses if those have free wifi (like in the US and Finland in most cases). I’ve never tried working from a library abroad, I should try that next time when I travel. I do work with my blog and I also have a consultant /sales job in field of tech.
Nora / https://dreamerachiever.com
I’m a coffee shop hopper too. I don’t “Live Work Travel” at the moment (maybe one day). For now I Work, Live, Travel. But I do step out of the office for days at a time and hop from meeting to meeting via coffee shops to fill the gaps with more work. I hear what you are saying about the Pro’s and Con’s.
For now my travels are pure pleasure and limited work. But maybe that will change and I will be able to apply some of your other tips.
Thanks for sharing and keep nomading. Adventure is better when shared with friends.
I coffee hopped for a year and a half of living in Saigon as a location independent writer and loved it! I only returned home for health reasons but your pros and cons ring true. The Airbnb rentals are very smart too, and some places are even communal so there’s a lot of opportunity for collaboration. BTW, I love this idea of “layering culture” and I hope you continue to do so! 😀
I love this 🙂 I am not a coffee shop person due to a low intolerance to the smell and taste. I really want to push more work traveling. I do it part time but I am hungry person to be in another country due to work. This looks like a great journey.
I’m not a travelpreneur as such, but I’m definitely a digital nomad. I totally relate to working in cafes/libraries; I’ve found more cons than pros unfortunately! This was an interesting read and I look forward to following more of your journey!
I don’t know if I will ever fall in the same category as a digital nomad or travelpreneur, as I enjoy having a community that I can contribute to. I currently volunteer as a youth advisor and previously as a cub scout leader. It’s really an interesting life, being nomadic. I can imagine that AirBnBs would be more convenient to work in, rather than a hostel, but I understand the desire to have more definitive lines between work and pleasure. I loved your pros and cons lists for each item you discussed. It really helps me understand where you’re coming from.
I am not a digital nomad but I do work remotely and I can move around whenever I want to change the air. I find it that working from home for a certain amount of time is depressing, especially that you can’t be motivated to go our or sometimes, even change from your pajamas. I think that these days it’s easier to find a place to work from, with more and more shared co-working spaces opening up. I do this sometimes and it’s definitely a much more productive environment where you can get the work done and also interact with other digital nomads when you want to take a break, in the coffee room.
Digital nomad and travelpreneur (I must admit this was a new term for me, I hadn’t heard it before your post) are just labels. You can call yourself anything you’d like. We certainly understand the alienating of friends and family back home once we started traveling, so it’s good to be part of a group that gets it. I’m just curious, is English your first language? I’m working to learn Spanish now to. Can’t wait to start actually immersing myself to speed up the process.
Although I can’t consider myself neither travelpreneur or digital nomad, I do have a bit of the latter in me. I used to frequently work from home, but instead of working from my own home, I would travel to some other place in my country or abroad. I believe you were very brave to do what you did and I congratulate you for being able to overcome some obstacles that others find definitory! Safe travels!
I love how you share all your working places! I’m trying to be a digital nomad in the future so it’s great to read the pros & cons of these working places. When I travel, I also work in coffee shops, libraries, but not Airbnb cause I just used it once ( I use Couchsurfing & hostels instead).
It’s an interesting term I’ve read today ‘travelprenuer’, I’ve heard of Digital nomads of course but this is a new term for me. I’d love to have this kind of lifestyle as well and by that I mean, location independent so that I can work from anywhere in the world. I’m training myself in digital marketing and hopefully soon I’ll be able to take on enough freelance projects. Thanks for sharing ideas on the workspaces that you use for your work, These are some handy tips and ideas from an experienced person, very valuable info 🙂
I have not heard of this lifestyle called ‘Travelpresnuer’ before but sounds good. I have been a digital nomad for two years but I still have base in London and in fact I have been home today before I fly to Switzerland tomorrow. I have never thought about working in a public library but that is definitely a great idea. I have though worked in plenty of coffee shopes when I want to get something finished though I do drink to much coffee when I am there. Keen to hear about the work space area.
Sounds good . One thing I really like is the options we have . I moved as a software engineer for work to two different countries and while living there went around quite a bit . But I don’t think I moved for travel but it just happened … I feel good it happens though ?
Thanks for sharing😃. My biggest dream is this – to travel the world while still earning a living, or vice versa😉. People like you do really inspire. I wanna leave my current 9-5 job and start living my dream! Taking the first step now: will attend a travelpreneur training session today☺️. Good luck to me. Thanks, thanks again and more power!