The OpenWorld Podcast: Live Without Limits

In this episode I'm joined by Melinda Chen, founder of Women Making Big Sales. She's created a location-independent lifestyle where she travels and works from coffee shops - interacting with huge companies and earning seven figures - while supporting two children.

She's here to share valuable insight for the one thing holds most self-employed people back from making the money they really want: Sales!

Melinda has been selling to big companies around the world for the past seven years and earned eight figures as a location-independent entrepreneur. She’s made over 5,000 cold calls, and studied under some of the most seasoned sales professionals.

In this interview shares her best secrets and strategies. We discuss the fine intricacies of sales conversations and how to close the big deals that can secure your financial future over the long-term.

Why people fear going after big clients

How to discover a potential client's "bleeding neck pain" and create proposals that cannot be refused

How to create the "Wow" factor that gets clients lining up to work with you

Increasing lead to conversion ratio

How to manage follow up contacts to prevent leads from disappearing

Charging more for your services

Plus more!

Melinda holds nothing back and gives some great strategies to help you increase your confidence and go after big deals for your business.

Welcome to another episode of the OpenWorld podcast! I’m joined today by Derek Loudermilk. He’s a professional cyclist, explorer, scientist, and adventurer.

He’s been a full-time slow traveler for two years, currently living in Bali. He’s also been to all 50 US States, 27 countries, and four continents.

He hosts the podcast “Art of Adventure” which interviews world-class performers doing things never been done before in Global Exploration, Human Performance, and Entrepreneurship.

We start out discussing his backstory - and how his curiosity and passion for science developed into a love of travel. Also, he shares how his passion for cycling developed in him a competitive edge and a knack for refining systems for optimal performance.

We discuss all kinds of “hacks” for performance such as ketosis, fasting, and human longevity.

We also discuss fun topics such as:

How to influence willpower through physiology

How to turn fear into courage

Power posing

How to push your boundaries

How to increase rate of learning and reach flow states for maximum creative energy.

Derek also shares his "crisis of meaning" in Hawaii and how it started him on his current path. He set himself a six month deadline to go from $0 to $1,000 a month, and has been a perpetual traveler ever since. He also shares how he makes his income during the call.

This was an excellent discussion with a wealth of knowledge, and I took a bunch of notes. Enjoy this interview!

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!

Welcome to another exciting episode of the OpenWorld podcast! I have a very special treat for you guys today... all of you entrepreneurs and anyone interested in peak performance will love this interview.

I’m joined by Colin Robertson, researcher of performance psychology, and the owner of Willpowered.Co. Colin has spent the last 5 years researching the science behind how normal people have harnessed their willpower to achieve extraordinary success.

He claims that willpower is a science that he has the answers about what it takes to will yourself through the hard times and come out the other side victorious. He shares these simple, proven ways on his blog... and he’s going to dish a ton of great stuff on this interview.

He also used his willpower to successfully crowdfund his book - “The Will of Heroes” on Kickstarter, picking himself up when his campaign was teetering on the brink and crushing his goal.

Colin makes a compelling case that willpower is the secret ingredient to getting everything you want from life.

But what is willpower exactly? Is it a physiological, mental, emotional? Is willpower influenced by the music we listen to, or the people we associate with? I brought Colin on the show to help me pin this down.

We discuss weighty topics such as:

The power of perspective, and how to use it to light a psychological fire under you

Case studies and examples of successful people - like JK Rowling - and how they willed themselves to their destiny despite everything

How to break negative habits - and resist temptations more effectively

Visualization and manifestation strategies

The right foods to eat - to increase willpower

How to stop negative feedback loops, and insert the thoughts / narrative that you want

Plus:

How Colin built a mailing lis of 37,000 subscribers - and wrote viral blog posts

A simple technique that instantly increases the credibility of your blog - and gets authoritative sites like the Huffington Post to link to you (I can't believe I haven't been doing this)

And much more!

Enjoy this excellent discussion with the one and only Colin Robertson!

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.

If you value freedom, exploration, and adventures big and small, want to see the whole world and make a difference, then you are going to love this interview.

I’m joined by Amy Scott, the host of Nomadtopia. She's a full-time digital nomad working and living remotely, a lifestyle that she's plugging away at for eleven years. On her weekly podcast, she interviews other nomads to find out how they maintain a nomadic lifestyle and support themselves with a business that can be run from anywhere.

In the beginning of the interview, we discuss Amy's former life and making the transition to her current nomadic lifestyle. We talk about minimalism, cutting back, and the sacrifices made.

About 15 minutes into the podcast, we begin to talk about how she's set up her location-independent freelancing editing and proofreading business and how she's managed to maintain it all these years. The conversation goes full throttle about location-independent entrepreneurship, especially in terms of freelancing, from there.

The value of a "wealthy patron" - an established employer that can send work long-term

Finding new clients through associations and forums

How to turn away low value opportunities and clients - with grace

The math of working less and earning more

How not to undercut your pricing - and a strategy to double your freelancing rate

The steps to "connect the dots" and become indispensable to a client

How to maintain a nomad lifestyle

Plus a lot more...

If you're interested in freelancing, and doing so remotely, then you can't miss this interview.

Amy also provides an example of an excellent, well-put together freelancing site with her own domain, nomadeditorial.com.

Enjoy the interview!

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 :)