LifePilot: Be the CEO of your life with Natalie Sisson

One of my favourite things to talk about here on the blog and in my podcast is sexy systems. Why?

Early on in my business I learned that if I organized my business processes and automated as much as I could, I could get more done in less time with less effort.

Which means, you got it, more FREEDOM.

Maybe you're not a systems person, and that's ok. I didn't think I was either but as soon as I realized how crucial smart systems are, I couldn't get enough of them.

I dedicate a lot of time and space to them in my flagship program, The Freedom Plan, because they can help you truly create freedom in business and adventure in life and I'm living proof.

Even though I've long valued systems, there's always room for improvement which is why I brought Amy Mitchell onto my team earlier this year to help refine and tweak mine.

Amy looooves systems. She loves to find ways to tweak and improve any business process to save as much time and effort as possible (which means more freedom and often more revenue too).

In today's podcast episode, Amy Mitchell and I jam on how we overhauled The Suitcase Entrepreneur systems and which tools we use.

Amy also shares some of her personal journey to freedom, what working on the road is really like, and how building a freedom business is entirely iterative.

Listen in to this episode to learn about:

• The top tools you can use to run your business from anywhere
• Why systems are the difference between feeling proactive and reactive
• How to use Slack for team communication
• Why Asana is our top pick for team task and project management
• How to Rock Your Systems

Subscribe: iTunes | Android | RSS

[Tweet "Use these three tools to run your business from anywhere?"]

Key Resources I mention or add value to this podcast:

• Check out Amy's work here
• Connect with Amy on Facebook
• Get on the Rock Your Systems interest list to get control back over your time and business
• Try:
  • Asana for task and project management
  • Slack for team communication
  • Google Apps for managing and sharing documents
  • Zapier for getting your tools to talk to each other

HostGator is your one-stop shop for all things web hosting. From design and marketing services to easy-to-use website builders, they are with you every step of the way.

Thanks to their 24/7 - 365 days a year live support - which you can get via chat, phone and email - any and all questions you have can be answered in no time at all.

They offer unmetered disk space and bandwidth, an easy to use control panel, 4500 free website templates, and one-click WordPress installs.

HostGator has partnered with me to help my listeners get started. Click the link below to get 50% off any new hosting package.

Visit Hostgator.com/Suitcase

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Systems have a bit of a bad reputation.

You probably think they're pretty boring at face value, but it's what they can do for you that make them sexy and exciting.

Systems can mean more time, more money, and more freedom to do what you love. They can mean peace of mind and ease in your business.

And, if you're committed to do what's necessary to create freedom in your business, trust me, you're going to need smart, sexy systems. You're going to want to figure out exactly what's holding you back in your business and create a system to solve it.

In today's podcast episode, Mandi Ellefson shares tip after tip on how to find more time and freedom in your business.

After working with plenty of high level CEO's, Mandi has worked out exactly how to pinpoint the bottlenecks in your business and break through the barriers with smart systems.

Listen in to this episode to learn about:

• The most important system to focus on in your business
• How you can find at least 5 extra hours in your week
• What a success map is and how you can use one in your clients
• How to standardize and streamline multiple business processes
• How to identify bottlenecks in your business and solve them with systems

Subscribe: iTunes | Android | RSS

[Tweet "Do you use smart systems to find freedom in your business?"]

Key Resources I mention or add value to this podcast:

• Check out Mandi's work at The Hands Off CEO Power Hour
• Use Nudgemail to create automated check-ins in your business
• Have you used Asana for project and task management?
• Read:The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It
• Find out more about how to Rock Your Systems with our sexy new solution coming soon!

HostGator is your one-stop shop for all things web hosting. From design and marketing services to easy-to-use website builders, they are with you every step of the way.

Thanks to their 24/7 - 365 days a year live support - which you can get via chat, phone and email - any and all questions you have can be answered in no time at all.

They offer unmetered disk space and bandwidth, an easy to use control panel, 4500 free website templates, and one-click WordPress installs.

HostGator has partnered with me to help my listeners get started. Click the link below to get 50% off any new hosting package.

Visit Hostgator.com/Suitcase

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What are we all doing here anyway?

Pretty deep question, I know, but this is something that keeps coming up for me. When it comes down to it, we are all looking for more purpose, more depth, and more meaning.

But, practicing and creating habits that make every single day more rich is a mission of mine, and Jonathan Fields shares that sentiment.

In today's podcast episode, Jonathan tells us about his new book and shares his approach on creating his best life which includes a simple daily check in to create awareness and guide behaviour. He talks about how he's able to reserve time for vitality, connection, and contribution and how maintaining those areas of his life has become non-negotiable.

Listen in to this episode to learn about:

• What the Good Life buckets are and how you can use them to create a better life
• Why optimizing systems are the key to freedom
• How forming habits can impact your quality of life
• Why gratitude is one of the greatest influencers of happiness
• What a gratitude visit is and how you can implement them
• How to structure your writing to maintain momentum

Subscribe: iTunes | Android | RSS

[Tweet "Do you use systems to create your best life?"]

Key Resources I mention or add value to this podcast:

• Check out and pre-order Jonathan's new book, How to Live a Good Life
• Learn more about his work here
• Connect with Jonathan on Instagram

HostGator is your one-stop shop for all things web hosting. From design and marketing services to easy-to-use website builders, they are with you every step of the way.

Thanks to their 24/7 - 365 days a year live support - which you can get via chat, phone and email - any and all questions you have can be answered in no time at all.

They offer unmetered disk space and bandwidth, an easy to use control panel, 4500 free website templates, and one-click WordPress installs.

HostGator has partnered with me to help my listeners get started. Click the link below to get 50% off any new hosting package.

Visit Hostgator.com/Suitcase

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I recently was introduced to the Kanban method and it piqued my interest for many reasons.

One, it's the final quarter of the year and I am about to go into a big audit of my business - what's working, what's not, what pots of gold are we sitting on and how best can I use my team to help uncover these.

Two, I'm all about continually improving what I do, and who I am, and this is one of the key principles behind the Kanban method.

The Kanban Method, as formulated by David J. Anderson, is an approach to incremental, evolutionary process and systems change for organizations. It was originally developed by an engineer in a Toyota Factory to overhaul their systems and delivery.

It uses visualization via a kanban board of intangible work items - an important aspect of Kanban since it allows a greater understanding of both the work and the workflow.

It also advocates limiting work in progress, which as well as reducing waste due to multitasking and context switching, exposes any operational problems your business my have and stimulates collaboration to continuously improve the system

Put more simply it's a way to:

1. Organize the chaos that you create in your business or that you and your team create by making the need for prioritization and focus clear.
2. Uncover workflow and process problems in order to solve them and then be able to deliver more consistently to your customers and clients.

Listen in to this episode to learn about:

• The Kanban Method and how you can apply it
• Why I'm doing a big ass audit on my business in October
• How important it is to step back and take a 360 degree view of your business

Subscribe: iTunes | Android | RSS

[Tweet "Are you doing work that you love every day?"]

Key Resources I mention or add value to this podcast:

• Check out this Prezi from Julia West on Kanban 101 that breaks it down
• Listen in to my podcast on how to fire yourself as CEO of your own business
• Get on the early interest list to learn more about the release of Rock Your Systems

HostGator is your one-stop shop for all things web hosting. From design and marketing services to easy-to-use website builders, they are with you every step of the way.

Thanks to their 24/7 - 365 days a year live support - which you can get via chat, phone and email - any and all questions you have can be answered in no time at all.

They offer unmetered disk space and bandwidth, an easy to use control panel, 4500 free website templates, and one-click WordPress installs.

HostGator has partnered with me to help my listeners get started. Click the link below to get 50% off any new hosting package.

Visit Hostgator.com/Suitcase

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Freedom doesn't always mean living out of a suitcase and jumping from country to country around the world on a whim.

For the past 6 years that has definitely been how I've chosen to design my lifestyle, but over the past year, my Freedom Plan has been evolving. And, the more my Freedom Plan evolves, the more people I meet that are seeking Freedom on their own terms.

And that's really it, isn't it? Freedom is whatever you want it to be.

It's unique to YOU. It's whatever suits your desires, allows you to live the way you want to, and do work that lights you up that supports your lifestyle.

In today's podcast episode, Joel Zaslofsky talks about the moment that led him to seek his unique Freedom Plan and his journey to achieving his goal to leave the corporate world.

He shares some of his daily rituals and how he uses gratitude and meditation to love his work and be present with his family.

Listen in to this episode to learn about:

• Joel's morning routine that helps keep him on track for his goals
• Why you deserve to do work that you love
• How Joel shifted out of his 9-5
• How to use meditation to connect to yourself and your goals
• Why incremental progress is the best kind

Subscribe: iTunes | Android | RSS

[Tweet "Are you doing work that you love every day?"]

Key Resources I mention or add value to this podcast:

• Find out more about Joel at joelzaslofsky.com
• Check out SimpleREV
• Get help with daily meditation with Headspace
• Check outInsight Timer, a free meditation tool
• Come join me while The Freedom Plan is open for enrollment
• Attend my free workshop at http://thefreedomplan.rocks/live
• Create your Daily Power Hour
• Creating Freedom in Your Daily Routine with John Lee Dumas

HostGator is your one-stop shop for all things web hosting. From design and marketing services to easy-to-use website builders, they are with you every step of the way.

Thanks to their 24/7 - 365 days a year live support - which you can get via chat, phone and email - any and all questions you have can be answered in no time at all.

They offer unmetered disk space and bandwidth, an easy to use control panel, 4500 free website templates, and one-click WordPress installs.

HostGator has partnered with me to help my listeners get started. Click the link below to get 50% off any new hosting package.

Visit Hostgator.com/Suitcase

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Getting crystal clear on what you want in your life is the key to everything. Once you know what you're working towards, the work starts to fall into place and you take actions to support your dreams.

But, it's not quite that simple.

Sometimes, when you know that you're capable of creating any life you want, it's easy to get overwhelmed by everything that's possible. How do we even start to narrow down all the potential paths?

The idea that clarity equals action is the foundation of the first stage of my Freedom Plan program.

In addition to some mindset exercises, I ask my Freedom Plan members to plan out their perfect day and their vision for their life three years down the road (written in the present tense).

I've seen these simple exercises take my community members from overwhelmed to making leaps and bounds towards the life they've always wanted.

In this episode, Frida Kabo talks about how she got clear on what she really wanted and took consistent action over time to overhaul her life and create a business that means the world to her. She discusses the a-ha moments she had while redesigning her life through The Freedom Plan program.

Listen in to this episode to learn about:

• How clarity is the greatest motivator
• Why it's never too late to dream big
• How to turn overwhelm into action
• Why it's important to do the foundational work first

Subscribe: iTunes | Android | RSS

[Tweet "Is your 3-year plan crystal clear?"]

Key Resources I mention or add value to this podcast:

• Learn more about Frida Kabo
• Ready to get started on your Freedom Plan? I'm launching the live program again on October 1st. Click here to learn how to get started.

HostGator is your one-stop shop for all things web hosting. From design and marketing services to easy-to-use website builders, they are with you every step of the way.

Thanks to their 24/7 - 365 days a year live support - which you can get via chat, phone and email - any and all questions you have can be answered in no time at all.

They offer unmetered disk space and bandwidth, an easy to use control panel, 4500 free website templates, and one-click WordPress installs.

HostGator has partnered with me to help my listeners get started. Click the link below to get 50% off any new hosting package.

Visit Hostgator.com/Suitcase

You know that famous quote, "Leap and the net will appear"?

I love it but I'd like to make an addendum... Leap and you'll work your butt off to make it happen. It's not as poetic but the more I jump, the more I find this to be true.

And, not just me. Every day I hear stories from my community, people just like you, that are taking huge leaps to follow their dreams and find more freedom in business and life.

People are selling their houses and packing up, they're moving across the world, and they're quitting their jobs to be at home with their families.

It's inspiring and I love it. But, it doesn't just happen effortlessly. It takes guts.

In this episode, Brigid Fitzgerald talks about letting go of everything that was comfortable, selling her things, and hitting the road. She created her Freedom Plan and took massive action to see it through.

Listen in to this episode to learn about:

• How even though it's not the easiest path, it's worth it
• The importance of getting clear on the kind of life you want
• How every step along the way, the good and the bad, is crucial to the journey
• Why it's never too late, you're never too old, and the only thing really holding you back is you

Subscribe: iTunes | Android | RSS

[Tweet "How big of a leap are you willing to take?"]

Key Resources I mention or add value to this podcast:

• Learn more about Brigid Fitgerald here
• Connect with Brigid on Facebook or Twitter
• Get on the early interest list for The Freedom Plan and start creating more freedom in your business and life

HostGator is your one-stop shop for all things web hosting. From design and marketing services to easy-to-use website builders, they are with you every step of the way.

Thanks to their 24/7 - 365 days a year live support - which you can get via chat, phone and email - any and all questions you have can be answered in no time at all.

They offer unmetered disk space and bandwidth, an easy to use control panel, 4500 free website templates, and one-click WordPress installs.

HostGator has partnered with me to help my listeners get started. Click the link below to get 50% off any new hosting package.

Visit Hostgator.com/Suitcase

Who we surround ourselves with can set us up on the path of our dreams or take us on a detour if we let them. Who and what we expose ourselves to starts to shape our future and finding your tribe can be the difference between the life you've always wanted and the life you're settling for.

Debashish Das has taken some big (although calculated) risks to pursue his Freedom Plan and has found success by carefully curating his tribe and consistently providing huge value to the people he connects with.

In another episode highlighting members of the Freedomists community, Debashish talks about his path to freedom, some of the challenges that he faced and how he stripped down his lifestyle to save enough money to survive without a job for a year so he could focus on creating his Freedom Plan.

Listen in to this episode to learn about:

• How to leverage your community to achieve your dreams
• The importance of setting deadlines for your goals
• Why a clear vision is crucial to your success
• Why networking is more than just a business building strategy

Subscribe: iTunes | Android | RSS

[Tweet "Are you ready to level up in your life by leveling up your tribe?"]

Key Resources I mention or add value to this podcast:

• Quit Be Free
• Connect with Debashish on Facebook
• Get on the VIP list for The Freedom Plan, launching this month
• Join the 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge starting 10 September
• Check out the product Debashish and I co-created - Idea to Income

HostGator is your one-stop shop for all things web hosting. From design and marketing services to easy-to-use website builders, they are with you every step of the way.

Thanks to their 24/7 - 365 days a year live support - which you can get via chat, phone and email - any and all questions you have can be answered in no time at all.

They offer unmetered disk space and bandwidth, an easy to use control panel, 4500 free website templates, and one-click WordPress installs.

HostGator has partnered with me to help my listeners get started. Click the link below to get 50% off any new hosting package.

Visit Hostgator.com/Suitcase

It may seem a little out of left field. I mean, I've been travelling the world, living out of my suitcase for over six years.

First came the apartment in Wellington New Zealand, my hometown, late last year. To have a base in my home country was a big step for this digital nomad. It was the first time since I quit my corporate job in the UK in 2008 that I knew that I would be spending a significant amount of time in one place.

I have been quite intentional over the last 6 months, since I realized my Freedom Plan was shifting, to redefine what Freedom looks like to me. I talked about it in my TEDx talk here.

In today's podcast, I had one of my previous guests Tim Leffel interview me (for a change!) about my new version of Freedom and what the heck The Suitcase Entrepreneur is doing buying a house in Portugal.

Listen in to this episode to learn about:

• Why I shifted from living out of a suitcase to buying property in multiple countries
• How to embrace change and honour your own path
• Why there is no right way or right path, just the one you create
• The ins and outs of buying a house in Portugal as a foreigner
• How to go about getting a lawyer, mortgage and the costs involved

Subscribe: iTunes | Android | RSS

[Tweet "You get to choose your version of Freedom!"]

Key Resources I mention or add value to this podcast:

HostGator is your one-stop shop for all things web hosting. From design and marketing services to easy-to-use website builders, they are with you every step of the way.

Thanks to their 24/7 - 365 days a year live support - which you can get via chat, phone and email - any and all questions you have can be answered in no time at all.

They offer unmetered disk space and bandwidth, an easy to use control panel, 4500 free website templates, and one-click WordPress installs.

HostGator has partnered with me to help my listeners get started. Click the link below to get 50% off any new hosting package.

Visit Hostgator.com/Suitcase

The thing about choosing an unconventional life is there are no rules to how you do

There are no limits to the way that you can make an income and to the freedom that you can achieve.

And, actually, one of the biggest things that I see holding people back is a lack of clarity on where they're going. Which is why I'm so adamant that anyone who takes the Freedom Plan program starts with the Perfect Day exercise and the Painted Picture.

It's a way of getting ultra clear on what you want so you can deliberately build the business of your dreams, not the business that happens to you.

Over the past few weeks, I've been sharing stories of community members that are living their Freedom Plans and how they made it happen. In today's podcast, Nat and Jodie share how they built their Freedom Plan around something that they were doing anyways - traveling the world by housesitting.

Listen in to this episode to learn about:

• How to make an income from something you're doing anyway
• How to sell your Facebook group
• Why it's important to thank about the sales value of what you're building
• How to repurpose your work and make sure you're making the most of what you've done

Subscribe: iTunes | Android | RSS

[Tweet "Is there something you're doing right now that you could be making an income from?"]

Key Resources I mention or add value to this podcast:

• Housesitting Academy
• Nat & Jodie
• Painted Picture
• Create your own Freedom Plan

HostGator is your one-stop shop for all things web hosting. From design and marketing services to easy-to-use website builders, they are with you every step of the way.

Thanks to their 24/7 - 365 days a year live support - which you can get via chat, phone and email - any and all questions you have can be answered in no time at all.

They offer unmetered disk space and bandwidth, an easy to use control panel, 4500 free website templates, and one-click WordPress installs.

HostGator has partnered with me to help my listeners get started. Click the link below to get 50% off any new hosting package.

Visit Hostgator.com/Suitcase