How To Run Your Business From Anywhere In The World

Most people are living in a box.

This box confines them and stops them from discovering who they really are.

Here’s some pretty scary facts:

• 11% of Americans have never travelled outside of the state where they were born

• 40% of those questioned said they’ve never left the country

• 50% of respondents have never owned a passport

• 85% said they like to experience new things

• 55% said they have a list of places in mind they’d like to see

• 76% of the respondents wanted to travel more than they do currently

There appears to be a disconnect between the desire to travel and those actually doing it.

But why?

The Modern Mind Prison

Most people think it’s too risky to travel, let alone live abroad.

They think it’s safer to stay at home (where its safe) and follow the conventional route…

Go to school.

Go to college.

Get a job.

Settle down.

Buy a house.

Get a dog.

Get a house.

Have kids.

Go on holiday twice a year.

Work till retirement age.

Retire.

Die.

This should give you chills.

It’s a BORING, PRE-SCRIPTED life.

It’s no different from living in a prison.

I can’t leave these set boundaries.

I must do these things I’ve been told to do every day.

I must conform to these set rules or I could get in trouble.

Is that what you want for yourself?

I sure don’t.

What’s craziest about this road is that you know exactly where it ends.

Every chapter is essentially mapped out for you.

My biggest fear is getting to 80 years old and looking back at my life and having regrets.

but why do people choose the conventional route?

In my view, this stems from a fear of the unknown. A fear of uncertainty.

Fear is the perpetual emotional state of the herd.

Think about what a herd of cows do when a predator is lurking…

They squeeze together and copy each other.

“Strength in numbers!” they collectively moo.

But really, they’re not doing ANYTHING.

Another example:

When they see rain clouds coming, they either lie down or move away.

Whatever uncertainty pops up, they all follow the same behaviour.

It’s too risky to get caught on your own in ANY situation.

So they never adapt to survive without the herd.

This mindset explains why people are too scared to think and act for themselves and end up following society down the same path.

The road to ruin.

Buffalo, on the other hand, run TOWARDS the storm.

Rather than moving away from a storm until it inevitably reaches them, they meet it head-on. They move towards and through the discomfort to get it over with sooner.

Have you ever thought about how you deal with storms in your own life?

I’m not telling you “not to be scared.”

I’m simply giving an example of how you can deal with fear yourself, based on a comparison between two of the same species in nature.

But I want to go a bit deeper on fear…

Fear is what stops people from living at their edge.

They don’t grow, so their business doesn’t grow.

They take no risks, so they get no rewards.

They run away from discomfort, so it lasts longer when it hits.

If you’re not growing and limiting your upside, how are you ever going to reach your potential?

You can’t.

Just like the Buffalo, you must dive head first into the unknown, embrace uncertainty and push yourself to your edge.

ALL growth happens at your “edge.”

The place between chaos and comfort.

You have to learn to dance in the chaos.

If you want to get through suffering faster, have to master your response to it.

RUN TOWARDS IT. Just like the Buffalo do.

And consider this:

Buffalos are much harder to control and keep as cattle.

Cows become beef burgers.

Would you rather be the brave Buffalo or the wimpy Cow?

Hunters Vs Farmers

I want to offer you another way to look at this.

The way I see it, there are two types of people in this world.

Hunters and farmers…

Hunters believe in going out and hunting for their food.

They take more risks. It’s not certain if they’ll eat each day.

But…

When they do eat – they eat well.

They learn where to hunt, schedule their day how they please and go after the bigger prizes.

An elk, bison or mammoth can feed the whole tribe for weeks.

It’s packed with protein, which fuels them for the next hunt.

And the dopamine from a successful hunt turns these hunters into effective, athletic machines.

They live a life of excitement, meaning and purpose.

If they don’t hunt, they don’t eat.

And guess what?

Neither does their family/tribe.

The stakes are higher, but the rewards are sweeter.

Then there’s farmers…

They prefer a “safer” route with a more certain outcome.

“If I plant these today and stay by my crop year round I’m more likely to have food.”

Their diet is less nutritiously satisfying than meat from a hunt.

But the trade-off for uncertainty that hunters experience is a predictable crop.

But what if there’s a drought one year?

What if a swarm of locusts comes and devours their crop right before harvest?

What if a rival tribe comes and takes over their land?

What if there’s a fire which burns the whole crop?

These black swan events are similar to a market crash, war or recession.

On the surface, it seems less risky to plant crops.

But when you look deeper, following this route can leave you with NOTHING.

For the hunter on the other hand, it doesn’t matter if there’s a black swan event.

They know how to go out and get food.

They adapt.

They’re best suited for black swan events and can turn them into massive opportunities.

Companies like WhatsApp, Dropbox, Uber, and Groupon all launched during the 2008 recession, leveraging the changing market dynamics to build robust businesses that thrived post-downturn.

In fact, businesses that can identify and meet new market needs, adapt quickly, and innovate tend to thrive even during recessions (Evolve to Grow).

This is what hunters do – in tough times they innovate and capitalise.

Hunters were nomadic opportunists.

Just like entrepreneurs.

They travelled the land and could survive anywhere because they knew how to get food anywhere.

Now let’s relate this to the modern day.

Hunting for food is similar to making money…

(That’s why they call it bringing home the bacon!!)

If you’re a hunter, you know how to make money anywhere.

Your laptop is your spear or bow.

Your hunting skills are your craft.

• Writing

• Sales

• Marketing

• Social skills

You require a much deeper and more diverse skill stack.

It’s a constant journey of self-development.

This is why throwing yourself into the unknown – living abroad and travelling -near enough forces you to become a more effective hunter.

Here’s my perspective.

Entrepreneurs are hunters.

9-5rs and the middle classes are like farmers.

But here’s the thing…

If you know how to make money anywhere, you automatically rise in the “status hierarchy” – society’s system for ranking humans based on their perceived value.

Here’s why:

1. Meat is more prized than vegetables

Why?

Because meat is more nutritious and satiating.

It’s higher in protein. It makes us strong.

AND…

It’s harder to get.

In other words – the man who knows how to acquire meat (and can share it) is king.

This person has higher perceived value.

2. Hunters can create opportunities for more people to eat meat too, raising their position in the hierarchy

By creating opportunities for people they raise their lifestyle and quality of life, you’re activating the principle of reciprocity (I spoke about this last week).

By giving to others, you receive in return.

In this case:

Help people get meat and you elevate yourself in their eyes.

You rise in the hierarchy.

My favourite quote about business comes from Zig Ziglar:

“You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.”

You might be sitting there thinking:

“But Dan, I don’t want status.”

Bullshit! Of course, you do.

Anyone who says this is lying. They’re just not prepared to do what it takes to get status.

We’re all playing a status game, whether you like it or not.

Why do I write these blogs?

Status.

Why do people want to be ripped and wealthy?

Status.

Why do girls get boob implants and butt lifts?

Status.

This isn’t a problem. It’s just a fact.

And if you don’t want increased status, may I remind you of the clear benefits status gives you:

1. Access to resources: High-status people get the best things first, like food. money and tools.

2. Authority & Influence: They have the power to make decisions that everyone else follows.

3. High-quality social connections: High-status people know other key people of influence, which helps them get better deals and opportunities.

4. More security: High-status individuals are better protected from danger and have more help when they need it.

5. Impact & legacy: High-status people can do big things that will be remembered, helping their families and others long after they're gone.

6. Mate choice: Higher-status individuals have a greater selection of mates (romantic partners). Ever wondered why the quarterback who throws the game-winning pass gets to sleep with the cheerleaders? You could even argue that the cheerleaders CHOOSE him (This also goes in reverse where men all go after the same attractive women).

Would these benefits not (subjectively) make your quality of life better?

These things might not be for you – but I’m certainly taking all those benefits given the choice!

And you do have a choice.

If you want to raise your status in society – learn how to hunt.

The best hunters can hunt anywhere.

In modern terms:

Learn how to make money anywhere, for yourself and others – and you can have whatever life you want.

The key ingredient beyond simply hunting…

Learning how to hunt ANYWHERE.

The Nomad Lifestyle

Jesus said it in the Bible:

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” – Matthew 7:13-14

What if the point of life was to do the thing that scares you?

To take the path least travelled.

To forge your own path.

I went deep into this topic in a blog a few weeks ago.

How did I do it?

I ignored the gurus and craved my own route to where I am now.

The outcomes?

• I live abroad full-time.

• My business pays me $15k/month.

• I write and consult for 8 figure CEOs.

• And get invited on podcasts weekly (2 just this week).

But I’ll level with you.

It wasn’t always like this.

Last year I took a big risk. I stepped back from my gardening business and moved to Bali.

And guess what?

It took me 8 months to monetise.

8 months!

No income. No support system. Expenses rising. Rent overdue.

In a country that wasn’t my own.

It was scary.

I thought writing online was suddenly going to start paying me… It didn’t.

I struggled in the trenches for months and got myself into horrific debt.

I was hopping on calls with people doing free work, only to realise they were more broke than I was.

So yeah… look, I get it.

The thought of becoming a full-time digital nomad where YOU’RE the rainmaker. You bring in the sales and the clients. You fulfil on the work.

Even if it’s just for you that you need to feed right now.

It’s scary.

And the reality is even scarier.

But I made it work.

In a moment, I’m going to share the exact steps and principles that helped me build my business abroad, even when I was failing.

Before that though, I want to tell you the realisation I had.

If you want to reach your potential, achieve fulfilment and live a life of true freedom, you have to break free – both physically and mentally.

You have to learn how to thrive in an uncertain world.

You have to get out of the box you live in.

Most of the time, embracing uncertainty feels like staring into the abyss and eating glass.

Some of the time it feels great.

But 100% of the time you feel alive. Filled with passion. In love with life and your work.

Pushing myself to make my business work whilst living abroad has 10xed my confidence, aligned me with my passion and purpose and earned me the respect of my parents and friends.

And yes. 20x’d my income. I went deeper on HOW exactly I did this a few weeks back.

Plus, it means I get to live in the sun YEAR ROUND. I haven’t had a winter in 2 years. I’m jacked and tanned.

My health has never been better.

Isn’t the above what you want in your own life?

My free time is filled with unique experiences. Things I used to dream of doing, I get to do whenever I want.

At the end of the day, all that is required to have this lifestyle is commitment.

A commitment to freedom and autonomy.

So you can work:

• When you want

• Where you want

• With who you want

• At what time you want

• At what price you want

Build a business on your terms and around the lifestyle YOU want.

Accept nothing less.

Autonomy Roadmap

You’re already convinced that becoming nomadic and learning how to hunt anywhere is a crucial part of making you a high-status individual.

Not only are the benefits of status unquestionable but the autonomy and freedom that comes with a lifestyle of freedom is what both the rich and poor dream of.

Therefore, autonomy is the ultimate status symbol.

But how do you acquire autonomy?

How do you set up your business so you can live anywhere you damn well please?

I’m about to show you.

Here’s the 8-step roadmap I followed to set up my $15/month business from Bali:

1. Set a vision

You need a vision.

Something to strive for.

• Decide WHERE you want to be living

• Set an image of it as your desktop background

• Create a vision board to remind yourself of your vision daily

Brainwash yourself with non-stop with visual reminders.

If you don’t design your own vision, you will be assigned one.

2. Create a plan

You won’t get far without a plan.

Start with the dream outcome and work back.

• Paint a clear picture of the lifestyle you want

• Determine how much you need to be making a month

• Create a series of financial and personal goals you must reach

Your plan isn’t just an intention. It makes your vision possible.

Remember: You climb a mountain one step at a time.

3. Build a service-based offer

Low budget?

Offer a service.

• Pick a high-income skill: writing, sales, copywriting, coding or design

• Create a dream client avatar: who are they? what problems are they facing? how do you help them? Where do they hang out?

• Hop on 10-15 market research calls to see what your market needs (but isn’t getting)

Find out what’s in demand and how you and your chosen skill can fill this need.

4. Get a selling mindset

You can’t survive abroad if you have no clients.

That means you must know how to sell and be WILLING to sell.

• Fill your pipeline: Send 10-20 outreach messages daily

• Track your leads in a CRM system

• Drown yourself in sales content & material

Start with warm outreach first.

Tip: Utilise your existing network and those who know, like and trust you first.

The more people you talk to per day, the more sales you’ll make.

This is how you get your first (and more) clients.

5. Build a Minimum Viable Audience (MVA)

You don’t need a big audience to monetise.

You need an MVA.

The smallest one you can live with.

• Find out their needs, dreams and pain

• Produce content & promotions to solve these problems

• Ask for feedback from the audience

If you can delight even a handful of people, you can monetise.

Activated audience of buyers > large audience of bystanders.

6. Stack Proof

Sustaining lead flow is crucial if you want to live abroad.

The best way is with social proof.

• Gather testimonials

• Create case studies

• Post client results

If you want more leads, drown people in social proof.

7. Mentors

Online business is filled with traps.

You need people ahead of you to stop you from making costly mistakes that might force you back into a 9-5 or boring job.

• Find people ahead of you

• Invest in their programmes

• Let them help you get what you want

Success is transferable.

Plug yourself into the minds of people who have what you want.

8. Keep your living costs low

You’re not “travelling”.

You’re not on “holiday”.

You’re building your business.

Staying in the game is the most important thing.

Weather the uncertainty by being smart with your finances.

• Start with a country where it’s relatively cheap to live: Bali; Thailand; Argentina; Columbia

• Optimise your cashflow

• Track your spending

Don’t get tempted to “flex” a flashy lifestyle.

The most important skill you can learn is to say NO.

If I could summarise this letter it would be this:

Building a business is hard.

Especially when you’re away from the perceived security of your hometown

But fortune favours the bold.

If you can’t make it work away from home, how are you ever going to make it work at home?

Bet on yourself for once.

Burn the boats.

Your dream life can be yours if you just FULLY, 100%, balls-to-the-wall COMMIT to make it work.

Focus on sales, marketing and being smart with your money.

If you can get good at these things, living somewhere like Bali or Thailand can actually put you in a far better financial position than if you were to build at home – with more skin in the game to do whatever is required to succeed.

A business is a business.

It’s going to be hard either way.

Why not do it where you’re treated best and set yourself up for success?

That’s it for today.

Have a great week.

KBO.

PS. Want to make $5K extra revenue a month simply by sharing your ideas?

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