Digital Nomad Life Podcast

Less than a year ago, Jess was commuting to her healthcare job in Australia, feeling exhausted, overworked, and secretly wondering if there had to be more to life than the traditional path.

Now?

She’s in Bali ( recording with me in a live studio) building her own location-independent business, signing clients online, working from her laptop, and literally on the cusp of fully replacing her income.

The craziest part is that Jess didn’t start out knowing anything about marketing, sales, entrepreneurship, or online business. But she did take the leap and invested in herself to jumpstart her digital nomad life she was dreaming about. 

She decided to stop letting her limiting beliefs run the show… everything started changing FAST.

Today we are talking about:

•  what it actually feels like to become a digital nomad 
•  the identity shift that happens when you quit your job and start working for yourself 
•  why “good jobs” can still feel deeply misaligned 
•  overcoming fear of failure AND fear of success 
•  building a business that supports your energy instead of draining it 
•  how to create a life where you can get paid to travel 
•  why healthcare workers are often secretly amazing entrepreneurs 
•  employee mindset vs entrepreneur mindset 
•  creating freedom without needing to completely burn your life down 

Jess also explains: 

•  How she was feeling emotionally drained from back-to-back client work 
•  why she never felt like she fully fit into the traditional system 
•  the moment she realized remote work could actually be HER reality 
•  what it’s like to finally experience true flexibility and freedom 
•  how entrepreneurship completely changed the way she thinks 

Things We Talk About In This Episode:

•  Becoming a digital nomad in healthcare 
•  Starting a remote business from scratch 
•  Quitting a traditional career 
•  Building a location-independent life 
•  How to get paid to travel 
•  Entrepreneurship and ADHD 
•  Burnout from 9-5 work 
•  Creating freedom through online business 
•  Limiting beliefs around success 
•  Why remote work changes your entire life 

Connect with Jess: 

Follow Jess and her journey here:
@jess_mercieca

👉DM me “RRR” on Instagram @christabellatravels for your free Remote Readiness Rating call.

And if you’re ready to chat about joining the Digital Nomad Life Academy, send me “APPLY.”

Send us Fan Mail

🎧 Ready to take action on starting a remote business? Watch Christa’s free business training “5 Steps to Work From Wherever:” digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/biztraining

Support the show

Message me on Instagram:
(tell me you came from the podcast!)
https://www.instagram.com/christabellatravels/

FREE: How to Get Started as a Digital Nomad Masterclass (2 hr training)
https://www.digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/masterclass

Digital Nomad Starter Codes:
Discover the best remote career for YOUR personality
https://www.digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/offers/i5HuJjbk/checkout

Enroll in the Digital Nomad Life Academy
https://www.digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/dnla

Watch the Campus Tour:
https://dnla.thrivecart.com/join/

Follow me on Tiktok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@christabellatravels

There are two main ways to make money online and become a digital nomad: being a freelancer or being a business owner.

Inside the Digital Nomad Life Academy, I help people become business owners, but I’ve been noticing a lot of people are stuck in freelancer energy without realizing it — and honestly, it’s not sustainable. Freelancing can quickly turn into a grind where you’re working for your clients instead of for yourself.

So in this episode, I’m breaking down the difference between freelancing and entrepreneurship, how to shift out of freelancer energy, and how to build a business that actually gives you more freedom, income, and control over your life.

In this episode, we talk about:

•  The difference between being a freelancer and a business owner 
•  Why freelancing can quickly lead to burnout 
•  How to stop trading your time for money 
•  The mindset shifts required to start a business online 
•  Creating scalable offers instead of hourly work 
•  Why boundaries are essential as a service provider 
•  The biggest mistakes freelancers make with marketing 
•  How to build a lifestyle-first business as a digital nomad 
•  Why predictable income matters when leaving your 9-5 
•  How to create more freedom while getting paid to travel 
•  Building a location independent business with long-term sustainability 
•  The truth about “freedom” entrepreneurship vs. hustle culture 

Resources:

• Check out next: Episode 33: How My Career Assessment Process 

Want support building your online business?

DM me on Instagram @christabellatravels with the keyword “APPLY” to start the conversation about joining the DNLA and creating your own freedom-focused business.

paid to travel, digital nomad, freelancer, start a business online, online business coach, location independent business, remote work, freelancing vs business owner, scalable online business, lifestyle busines

Send us Fan Mail

🎧 Ready to take action on starting a remote business? Watch Christa’s free business training “5 Steps to Work From Wherever:” digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/biztraining

Support the show

Message me on Instagram:
(tell me you came from the podcast!)
https://www.instagram.com/christabellatravels/

FREE: How to Get Started as a Digital Nomad Masterclass (2 hr training)
https://www.digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/masterclass

Digital Nomad Starter Codes:
Discover the best remote career for YOUR personality
https://www.digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/offers/i5HuJjbk/checkout

Enroll in the Digital Nomad Life Academy
https://www.digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/dnla

Watch the Campus Tour:
https://dnla.thrivecart.com/join/

Follow me on Tiktok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@christabellatravels

Today I want to talk about why you haven’t taken the leap yet into entrepreneurship and to go after your dream of a digital nomad life of freedom. 

But here is the thing… you landed on this episode for a reason. A small part of you believes it is possible more than being scared. 

On this episode,  I’m gonna uncover some of the reasons why you have not yet taken the leap. I want to reassure you that it's not as scary as you might think, and it's actually so much closer to you than you think. But right now,  you might think that it's scary or you might think that it's inaccessible, and hopefully by the end of this episode, you will feel more empowered than ever to actually take more inspired action to start changing your life. 

We will dive into: 

• Why your curiosity about becoming a digital nomad is already a sign you’re ready
• The truth about fear when you want to quit your 9 to 5 (and why it’s not a red flag)
• How corporate conditioning keeps you stuck and what it takes to quit corporate for good
• The personality traits that make you naturally suited for entrepreneurship (hint: you might already have them)
• Why emotional resilience matters more than business skills when building a remote work lifestyle
• The biggest misconception about starting a business (and why you don’t need money, an office, or a “perfect idea”)
• How I built a million dollar business that allows me to get paid to travel and live a life of total freedom

This episode is for you if:

• You’re dreaming about becoming a digital nomad
• You want to quit your 9 to 5 but feel scared to take the leap
• You’re tired of corporate life and ready to quit corporate for something more aligned
• You want a career that allows you to work remotely and get paid to travel
• You feel like you’re meant for more, but don’t fully trust it yet

If you’ve made it this far, this isn’t random.
 You didn’t land here by accident.

Your desire for a different life?
 This episode your signal.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

👉 DM me “apply” to @christabellatravels on Instagram

Send us Fan Mail

🎧 Ready to take action on starting a remote business? Watch Christa’s free business training “5 Steps to Work From Wherever:” digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/biztraining

Support the show

Message me on Instagram:
(tell me you came from the podcast!)
https://www.instagram.com/christabellatravels/

FREE: How to Get Started as a Digital Nomad Masterclass (2 hr training)
https://www.digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/masterclass

Digital Nomad Starter Codes:
Discover the best remote career for YOUR personality
https://www.digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/offers/i5HuJjbk/checkout

Enroll in the Digital Nomad Life Academy
https://www.digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/dnla

Watch the Campus Tour:
https://dnla.thrivecart.com/join/

Follow me on Tiktok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@christabellatravels

If starting a business FEELS hard, it’s because you don’t understand these fundamental mindset concepts.

In today’s episode, I want to go through a series of topics that I tend to talk about with my clients often, where it's like they're thinking about business with a mindset that actually keeps them in scarcity, or it keeps them confused, it keeps them feeling stuck. And then when I share my perspective about business, suddenly—boom—they're unstuck. 

Boom, suddenly they have clarity. 

Boom, suddenly they have more motivation. 

Boom, suddenly they feel more free to actually take the next step in building their business. 

So today I want start talking about these aspects of business that you really need to understand if you want to have an easier time building a business.

Building a business is NOT  easy, but it also doesn't have to be that complicated.

You don't have to be that smart to build a business. 

You don't need to have an amazing idea. 

You don't need to have a ton of upfront capital. 

You don't need to have really anything specific in order to build a business. 

So let's dive into these mindset shifts about business, hopefully then it will be easier for you to build your uncomplicated business. 

What You’ll Learn Today

• Why business is about solving problems (not passion)
• The mistake people make when trying to start a business without validation
• How to actually build confidence (you don’t wait for it)
• What it really means to be the CEO + employee of your business
• Why your business should start as a simple “baby” version
• How to create a remote work lifestyle, quit your 9–5, and get paid to travel

💻  DM me “APPLY” on Instagram @christabellatravels if you want help mapping out your online business + freedom lifestyle.

🎧 Listen to NEXT:  Episode 99 – How Long It Actually Takes to Build a Business

Send us Fan Mail

🎧 Ready to take action on starting a remote business? Watch Christa’s free business training “5 Steps to Work From Wherever:” digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/biztraining

Support the show

Message me on Instagram:
(tell me you came from the podcast!)
https://www.instagram.com/christabellatravels/

FREE: How to Get Started as a Digital Nomad Masterclass (2 hr training)
https://www.digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/masterclass

Digital Nomad Starter Codes:
Discover the best remote career for YOUR personality
https://www.digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/offers/i5HuJjbk/checkout

Enroll in the Digital Nomad Life Academy
https://www.digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/dnla

Watch the Campus Tour:
https://dnla.thrivecart.com/join/

Follow me on Tiktok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@christabellatravels

Today, I want take you back to where my nomad life all began because I happen to recording this where it all started, Costa Rica. 
 
 And to be honest, being there on this trip has surfaced some emotional stuff for me that I wasn't fully expecting to surface and it’s kind of caught me off guard. I want to share the lessons that are coming up, my story and some things I want to come clean about. 

I've kind of been a little bit l offended when people ask me this question, which is: what are you running away from? And I have always thought,  why do I have to be running away from something? 
 
 I'm not running away from anything. 

But to be honest, I now understand 10 years later that at the time I was running away from something,  that I just wasn't ready to acknowledge. And today I want to talk about that and my story of how I became a digital nomad and now have a life in Bali. 

I also think that with everything that I share I just really hope that it falls upon the right ears, that there is someone out there who needs to hear this story and is gonna resonate with it, not just to help you feel less alone, but also to as a conclusion to this whole podcast to give you permission. Give you permission to follow your dream, whether you are running away from something or not. 
 
 So let me take you back to when my nomadic life began.. 

We will dive into: 

• The travel story of how my digital nomad life actually began
• Why Costa Rica changed everything for me
• What it felt like taking the first steps toward a remote job lifestyle
• The emotional side of returning to the place where your dream started
• The excitement, uncertainty, and discomfort of building a life as a digital nomad
• Why sometimes our biggest life pivots begin with one spontaneous trip

Curious about becoming a digital nomad? 

DM me @christabellatravels the code: APPLY 

Send us Fan Mail

🎧 Ready to take action on starting a remote business? Watch Christa’s free business training “5 Steps to Work From Wherever:” digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/biztraining

Support the show

Message me on Instagram:
(tell me you came from the podcast!)
https://www.instagram.com/christabellatravels/

FREE: How to Get Started as a Digital Nomad Masterclass (2 hr training)
https://www.digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/masterclass

Digital Nomad Starter Codes:
Discover the best remote career for YOUR personality
https://www.digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/offers/i5HuJjbk/checkout

Enroll in the Digital Nomad Life Academy
https://www.digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/dnla

Watch the Campus Tour:
https://dnla.thrivecart.com/join/

Follow me on Tiktok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@christabellatravels

Today, I am interviewing one of my previous clients, Aleigha Knight, who has such an amazing success story I wanted to share it with you. 
 
We are now recording this in Bali where she lives with her digital nomad business she built, but that isn’t where she started. She started in New York working a corporate job, getting no sunlight and working in a basement and realized this can’t be it for her. 

So she invested in my program, The Digital Nomad Life Academy to redirect and change the trajectory she was on. 

This year, she sold all of her stuff, let go of her apartment, and took her new Fractional Chief of Staff Business across the world to Bali.

Today we are talking about her transition and also how her story is a testament that you too can change the trajectory your life is on. 

This episode is for you if:

• You feel stuck in your 9-to-5 but don’t know how to leave
• You want to quit your job and work remotely
• You dream of becoming a digital nomad
• You want to get paid to travel
• You’re curious about starting a service-based online business
• You want proof that it’s possible to reinvent your career

Connect with Aleigha:

Instagram:  @aleighaaknight

Her business: @virtualseaa

Website
 

Send us Fan Mail

🎧 Ready to take action on starting a remote business? Watch Christa’s free business training “5 Steps to Work From Wherever:” digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/biztraining

Support the show

Message me on Instagram:
(tell me you came from the podcast!)
https://www.instagram.com/christabellatravels/

FREE: How to Get Started as a Digital Nomad Masterclass (2 hr training)
https://www.digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/masterclass

Digital Nomad Starter Codes:
Discover the best remote career for YOUR personality
https://www.digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/offers/i5HuJjbk/checkout

Enroll in the Digital Nomad Life Academy
https://www.digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/dnla

Watch the Campus Tour:
https://dnla.thrivecart.com/join/

Follow me on Tiktok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@christabellatravels

Today's episode we recorded in Bali, Indonesia, where I live with my good friend, Virginia Campo, who like many of the listeners comes from a pretty traditional corporate background but ultimately networked her way into an amazing digital nomad opportunity with Selena Hostels. She coins the word “intreprenuer” where she moved in and out of “Intrepreneurship” to “Soloprenuership” and now runs an agency. We also dive into how she has toyed back and forth from being nomadic to living a traditional life in the US to now living out her freedom filled life in Bali. 

Today we cover:

• What you are getting wrong abour starting your own business 
• What is blocking you from starting a life in entrepreneurship and how to unblock your resistance to "do it scared"   
• How Virgina toggled between "traditional life and careers" and a "nomadic entrepreneur life" 
• What the digital nomad lifestyle really looks being able to live a freedom filled life. 
• Why being a digital nomad doesn't mean you have to live a nomdic lifestyle

To connect with Virginia Campo: 

• Instagram: @virgicampo12

If this episode sparked something for you and you’re curious about remote work, working online, or creating a digital nomad lifestyle that actually fits you, here’s what to do next:

👉 DM me on Instagram @christabellatravels

• Send the word “APPLY” if you’re ready to start working together
• Send “CAREER ASSESSMENT” if you want to explore how your background could translate into a remote job
• Or send “FIVE STEPS” to receive my free 90-minute training breaking down my exact process for working online

Send us Fan Mail

🎧 Ready to take action on starting a remote business? Watch Christa’s free business training “5 Steps to Work From Wherever:” digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/biztraining

Support the show

Message me on Instagram:
(tell me you came from the podcast!)
https://www.instagram.com/christabellatravels/

FREE: How to Get Started as a Digital Nomad Masterclass (2 hr training)
https://www.digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/masterclass

Digital Nomad Starter Codes:
Discover the best remote career for YOUR personality
https://www.digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/offers/i5HuJjbk/checkout

Enroll in the Digital Nomad Life Academy
https://www.digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/dnla

Watch the Campus Tour:
https://dnla.thrivecart.com/join/

Follow me on Tiktok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@christabellatravels

Today's episode is not a normal business episode. It’s more of a life episode with business woven through it. 

I’m taking you behind the scenes of the six weeks where I basically ignored my to do list and said yes to life instead. I share what was going through my head as work piled up, why I chose presence over productivity, and what actually happened when I stopped trying to control everything. 

There’s a bit of story time, a bit of honest confession, and a lot of lessons about trust, freedom, and remembering why we built these businesses in the first place. If you’ve ever felt torn between living your life and keeping up with your goals, this one is for you.

 In this episode, we talk about:

• What freedom really looks like after years of being a digital nomad
• Why recently I've chosen presence over productivity (and why I haven't been as active on the podcast or my socials as much)
• My recent identity shift when travel is no longer my main priority 
• Why having a location-independent income changes everything—including motherhood, relationships, and how you experience life
• The balance between saying yes to magic and knowing when to put your head down and work
• Why quitting corporate isn’t about escaping work..
• How to build a life where time freedom is normal and not a luxury

If this episode lit something up inside you and you’re serious about creating a life with time freedom, location independence, and work you actually enjoy, I can help you.

I’ve helped 500+ people quit corporate, build online businesses, and design lives that don’t require asking for permission.

👉 To apply for the Digital Nomad Life Academy:

1. Send me a DM on Instagram @christabellatravels
2. Type the word “APPLY”
3. We’ll take it from there!

Send us Fan Mail

🎧 Ready to take action on starting a remote business? Watch Christa’s free business training “5 Steps to Work From Wherever:” digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/biztraining

Support the show

Message me on Instagram:
(tell me you came from the podcast!)
https://www.instagram.com/christabellatravels/

FREE: How to Get Started as a Digital Nomad Masterclass (2 hr training)
https://www.digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/masterclass

Digital Nomad Starter Codes:
Discover the best remote career for YOUR personality
https://www.digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/offers/i5HuJjbk/checkout

Enroll in the Digital Nomad Life Academy
https://www.digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/dnla

Watch the Campus Tour:
https://dnla.thrivecart.com/join/

Follow me on Tiktok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@christabellatravels

Today's episode is about making 2026 the year you finally make money from anywhere doing work you actually enjoy. We are not talking about affiliate marketing, e-commerce, or get-rich-quick schemes for your online remote business.. 

I’m talking about real, sustainable, high-ticket online businesses, the kind that give you freedom, stability, and the ability to live anywhere in the world without hating your work.

We are also talking about the tidal wave of AI and how to prepare yourself and get ahead with your own remote business while other's may lose their jobs. If you position yourself correctly, this is the best time in history to become a digital nomad and build a career that lets you work anywhere.

By the end of this episode, you’re going to feel clear, empowered, and ready to take action on changing your career, your income, and your life  so that next year you’re running your own remote business, traveling the world, and not listening to an episode called “How to Become a Digital Nomad in 2027.”

In this episode, I break down:

• How to become a digital nomad in 2026
• Why the high-ticket service provider model is the fastest way to work online
• How to niche yourself so clients say yes without shopping around
• Why AI is a threat to corporate jobs — not digital nomads
• How to get paid for outcomes, not hours

🎧 Check out these episode next: 

• Episode 56: Can’t Decide on a Remote Career?
• Episode 82: The Secret to Online Marketing for Digital Nomads
• Episode 33: Inside My Career Assessment Process

Don’t know what online business to start?
 DM me “CAREER ASSESSMENT” on Instagram @christabellatravels

Ready to go all in and work anywhere?
 DM “APPLY” to talk about joining the Digital Nomad Life Academy

Send us Fan Mail

🎧 Ready to take action on starting a remote business? Watch Christa’s free business training “5 Steps to Work From Wherever:” digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/biztraining

Support the show

Message me on Instagram:
(tell me you came from the podcast!)
https://www.instagram.com/christabellatravels/

FREE: How to Get Started as a Digital Nomad Masterclass (2 hr training)
https://www.digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/masterclass

Digital Nomad Starter Codes:
Discover the best remote career for YOUR personality
https://www.digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/offers/i5HuJjbk/checkout

Enroll in the Digital Nomad Life Academy
https://www.digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/dnla

Watch the Campus Tour:
https://dnla.thrivecart.com/join/

Follow me on Tiktok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@christabellatravels

Today’s episode is for any entrepreneur out there who has already started their digital nomad business, but isn’t quite sure what to charge their clients.

I’m here to help you come up with a price that you feel really good about—a price that makes you feel well compensated for what you’re doing, but also feels fair. 

But I am guessing you might be feeling resistance or even imposter syndrome when it comes to charging the price you want. Or maybe you’ve been pricing your offer based on “inflation,” or because “you’re worth it,” or simply because “that’s what my competition charges.”

Today, I’m going to show you exactly what I teach my clients inside the Digital Nomad Life Academy, how to price your offer with intention, clarity, and zero imposter syndrome.

What We Cover

• The two BIG questions that determine your price
• Why pricing is an ENERGY exercise, not a math equation
• How your money mindset is quietly sabotaging your income
• Why your clients WILL find money when they believe your offer is actually worth it
• Why market research matters WAY more than competitor research
• The real reason most early-stage entrepreneurs struggle to charge high-ticket

Resources Mentioned

Check out Episode 49 next: 

“How Your Money Mindset Will Dictate Your Success as a Digital Nomad”
Great next episode,  if you’ve ever felt weird about charging money, receiving money, or wanting more money.

My top Book Recommendation:

You Are a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero

Want my help starting or scaling your business?

If you’re ready to start a business, grow your remote income, or build a high-ticket offer that lets you work remotely and get paid to travel…

→ DM me “APPLY” on Instagram (@christabelltravels)

I’ll send you a few quick questions so we can see if the Digital Nomad Life Academy is the right fit for you.

.

Send us Fan Mail

🎧 Ready to take action on starting a remote business? Watch Christa’s free business training “5 Steps to Work From Wherever:” digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/biztraining

Support the show

Message me on Instagram:
(tell me you came from the podcast!)
https://www.instagram.com/christabellatravels/

FREE: How to Get Started as a Digital Nomad Masterclass (2 hr training)
https://www.digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/masterclass

Digital Nomad Starter Codes:
Discover the best remote career for YOUR personality
https://www.digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/offers/i5HuJjbk/checkout

Enroll in the Digital Nomad Life Academy
https://www.digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/dnla

Watch the Campus Tour:
https://dnla.thrivecart.com/join/

Follow me on Tiktok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@christabellatravels