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!