Ep 176 No Plan B with Heather Thorkelson

There have been some big changes in my life since Jill Sessa interviewed me for Episode 200 at the end of 2022, so I'm back with some updates! Tune in to learn what's been going on, why I'm feeling the need for more space in my life and work, and how I'm creating that space. I share: The big trip we're gearing up for A major decision I've made about Nomadtopia(R) A life-changing diagnosis I recently received (don't worry, I'm okay!) And more   Download your free guide, ​​10 Things You Need to Do before Becoming a Nomad: https://www.nomadtopia.com/guide Ready to get more ideas, inspiration, and strategies for location-independent living? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platforms so you’ll get updated anytime a new episode is released!  Let’s connect! Get to know me better over on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nomadamy or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Nomadtopia/.  

Investing in real estate as a nomad might sound impossible. When you’re traveling all the time, how can you buy a property, fix it up, find renters, and manage it? As it turns out, there is a way, and it doesn’t involve renovations or interviewing potential tenants—or require you to be local to the property. In today’s episode I’m chatting with Matt Bowles, longtime nomad and cofounder of Maverick Investor Group, which helps people purchase turnkey properties that already have tenants and property managers in place. He shares why these types of properties are such great investments especially if you’re living the nomad lifestyle as well as the benefits of working with a nontraditional brokerage like his and how such an investment can give you consistent passive residual income for  years to come. In this episode: Why Matt wanted to build his own business and how he created more autonomy in his life to travel the world How joining Remote Year brought him community as a nomad, and what influences the pace at which he travels from country to country Why he loves visiting Africa and his recommendations for nomads interested in exploring the continent Everything you need to know about turnkey properties, from what they are to why they’re advantageous How Matt’s nontraditional brokerage approach works for buyers, and the income and tax benefits that come with owning rental property How this type of real estate investing plays into housing injustice, and how to be a responsible landlord who provides value and a safe space to tenants and the community For full show notes, resources, and links go to www.nomadtopia.com/203. Download your free guide, ​​10 Things You Need to Do before Becoming a Nomad: https://www.nomadtopia.com/guide Ready to get more ideas, inspiration, and strategies for location-independent living? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platforms so you’ll get updated anytime a new episode is released!  Let’s connect! Get to know me better over on Instagram https:www.instagram.com/nomadamy or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Nomadtopia/.

Simply deciding where to travel as a nomad can be tricky. Every country has different entry and visa laws, and it’s easier to travel with some passports than others. Unfortunately, people who have to apply for a visa to go almost anywhere face an unnecessary and unfair barrier to seeing the world. In today’s episode, my guest is Vangile Makwakwa, a South African, a nomad, and a money coach. We talk about discriminatory visa processes, her personal nomad style, her favorite countries she’s visited, and how to navigate money trauma when moving abroad. In this episode: The different home bases Vangile has had around the world depending on where she is in lifeWhy her podcast focuses primarily on helping Black women invest in real estate in African countries How her South African passport influences where she goes and why she primarily goes to countries that are more welcoming to Black people The discrimination of some Western countries’ visa processes, making it difficult for Black and Brown people to explore the world Vangile’s work as a money coach, her focus on ancestral money trauma, and how our relationship with money connects to our nervous system  How moving to another country affects your finances For full show notes, resources, and links go to www.nomadtopia.com/202. Download your free guide, ​​10 Things You Need to Do before Becoming a Nomad: https://www.nomadtopia.com/guide Ready to get more ideas, inspiration, and strategies for location-independent living? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platforms so you’ll get updated anytime a new episode is released!  Let’s connect! Get to know me better over on Instagram https:www.instagram.com/nomadamy or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Nomadtopia/.

Finding a forever home certainly isn’t a priority for all nomads. While some are on an intentional search, others actively spurn the idea of home—or they end up finding it when they least expect it and a location they visit just suddenly clicks. As I always say, there’s no one way to approach the nomad journey. In this episode, I’m chatting with Vanessa Jacquemin, an online business strategist who left her original home in the United States more than 20 years ago and recently found her forever home in Mexico. She shares her process for finding the right home for her, how becoming a mother shifted her point of view, and her advice for others wanting to embark on a nomadic journey.  In this episode: Vanessa’s history of traveling and living nomadically from age 21, and how she has now found her forever home in Mexico What Vanessa considered when looking for a forever home and how living multiple places helped influence her decision Her experience as a Black person living in Mexico Vanessa’s thoughts on the best way to set yourself up to be able to move abroad How becoming a mother shifted her perspective on what to look for in a place to call home The importance of making a change, even a small one, towards living your happiness For full show notes, resources, and links go to www.nomadtopia.com/201. Download your free guide, ​​10 Things You Need to Do before Becoming a Nomad: https://www.nomadtopia.com/guide Ready to get more ideas, inspiration, and strategies for location-independent living? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platforms so you’ll get updated anytime a new episode is released!  Let’s connect! Get to know me better over on Instagram https:www.instagram.com/nomadamy or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Nomadtopia/.

As we enter a new year and the podcast hits 200 episodes, I’m reflecting on my own Nomadtopia journey. I invited my friend Jill Sessa back to interview me on my experiences as a nomad. In this episode, we talk about how my Nomadtopia has changed since Jill last interviewed me in 2018. I share what’s new and upcoming in my work as well as how my lifestyle and my perspective on location independence has evolved over the years, especially since our twins were born in 2019. We also discuss some of the more challenging aspects of navigating life and family as a nomad. In this episode: What location independence means to me How having kids makes being a nomad and planning adventures a different experience The effects of the pandemic on nomadic life (for me personally and in general) What my local community is like and how I’m approaching schooling for my kids How the future plans we’re considering are different from the way we’ve approached traveling and living abroad in the past How we settled into a groove of working and spending time with our kids, and how things shifted when they started school What’s new and exciting in the Nomadtopia Collective, and the importance of non-judgmental community for nomads What I’m learning about how to navigate being a nomad with aging parents Upcoming workshops I’ll be offering about handling important aspects of location independence For full show notes, resources, and links go to www.nomadtopia.com/200 Download your free guide, ​​10 Things You Need to Do before Becoming a Nomad: https://www.nomadtopia.com/guide Ready to get more ideas, inspiration, and strategies for location-independent living? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platforms so you’ll get updated anytime a new episode is released!  Let’s connect! Get to know me better over on Instagram https:www.instagram.com/nomadamy or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Nomadtopia/.

If you’re switching locations frequently and working constantly, it’s easy to get burned out on nomad life. What systems and boundaries have you put in place to create more balance? In today’s episode, I’m chatting with Kristin Wilson, author of Digital Nomads for Dummies. She shares how she ended up writing this book and the main steps she outlines for becoming a digital nomad. We talked about how to build a life that works for you, finding balance, and setting boundaries. Kristin also shared her perspective on why you should outsource your travel planning and destination research. In this episode: Balancing the flow of staying in one place with regular travel How it was easier to handle the COVID pandemic as a nomad Kristin’s journey to write and publish Digital Nomads for Dummies, and the main steps it takes to become a nomad Kristin’s practices and advice for ensuring boundaries, time away from work, and rest Outsourcing travel planning and destination research For full show notes, resources, and links go to www.nomadtopia.com/199 Download your free guide, ​​10 Things You Need to Do before Becoming a Nomad: https://www.nomadtopia.com/guide Ready to get more ideas, inspiration, and strategies for location-independent living? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platforms so you’ll get updated anytime a new episode is released!  Let’s connect! Get to know me better over on Instagram https:www.instagram.com/nomadamy or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Nomadtopia/.

Do you find it difficult to resist buying all the beautiful and interesting things you encounter on your travels? Today I'm sharing my experience—including the story of a bedspread I've been lugging around for years—and some tips for finding the right approach for you. Check out my new video background that I mention in the episode: https://www.instagram.com/p/CjTsHXmpTqB/ Download your free guide, 10 Things You Need to Do before Becoming a Nomad: https://www.nomadtopia.com/guide Learn more about the Nomadtopia Collective at https://www.nomadtopia.com/collective Ready to get more ideas, inspiration, and strategies for location-independent living? Subscribe to Nomadtopia Radio on your favorite platforms so you’ll get updated anytime a new episode is released!

If you want to merge your interests with travel, whether on a personal or business level, then you’ll enjoy today’s episode. I’m chatting with Stuart Every, an international producer of street festivals, who lives a nomadic lifestyle with three home bases around the world. He’s sharing how he built his global business, logistics that come with networking, hiring, and marketing, and how to find community when regularly moving around.  In this episode: Why Stuart chose to have three home bases and how he built up his global business How street theater artists are the original nomads How often Stuart travels in his nomadic business What it’s like navigating the nomad life when you’re older How to balance independence and need for community as a nomad The logistics of running a global business and managing a distributed team  For full show notes, resources, and links go to www.nomadtopia.com/197 Download your free guide, ​​10 Things You Need to Do before Becoming a Nomad: https://www.nomadtopia.com/guide Ready to get more ideas, inspiration, and strategies for location-independent living? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platforms so you’ll get updated anytime a new episode is released!  Let’s connect! Get to know me better over on Instagram https:www.instagram.com/nomadamy or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Nomadtopia/.

The nomadic lifestyle tends to go in cycles. On the road for a few years, in a permanent location for a few years, back and forth as life brings different wants and needs. Complacency followed by a catalyst for change. In today’s episode, I’m talking with Michael Boyink, who spent eight years on the road in an RV followed by four years living in a small town. He and his wife are now on the brink of their next big move. He shares what it was like living in an RV, how his kids managed it, and navigating the decisions that come with being a nomad. In this episode: Michael’s journey in and out of nomad life over the past 10+ years How to navigate the up and down cycles that inevitably come with a nomadic lifestyle Why Michael and his wife decided on the Tulsa Remote Program How burnout contributed to their need for change How their kids reacted and adapted to this lifestyle   For full show notes, resources, and links go to www.nomadtopia.com/196   Download your free guide, ​​10 Things You Need to Do before Becoming a Nomad: https://www.nomadtopia.com/guide Ready to get more ideas, inspiration, and strategies for location-independent living? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platforms so you’ll get updated anytime a new episode is released!  Let’s connect! Get to know me better over on Instagram https:www.instagram.com/nomadamy or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Nomadtopia/.

There are a lot of decisions to make when it comes to starting a family as a nomad. Your priorities change, you have to plan differently, you might miss some adventures. There’s no question that having a baby (or two, in my case!) changes your nomad experience. In this episode, I’m chatting with Amanda Kingsmith, who currently lives in Mexico with her husband and new baby. She shares their experience planning for and shifting into this next phase, deciding when to stop traveling and where to give birth, and balancing their child’s needs with their nomadic lifestyle. In this episode: What it’s like for Amanda being in a more stable chapter of her nomad life How and when she first become location independent Amanda’s primary income streams How and when Amanda and her husband decided to start a family How trying to get pregnant affects nomads’ choices How Amanda navigated where to give birth and where to live What she thought life would be like with a baby and how that experience has panned out so far How their kids will impact their lifestyle in the future What it has been like traveling with a baby For full show notes, resources, and links go to www.nomadtopia.com/195 Download your free guide, ​​10 Things You Need to Do before Becoming a Nomad: https://www.nomadtopia.com/guide Ready to get more ideas, inspiration, and strategies for location-independent living? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platforms so you’ll get updated anytime a new episode is released!  Let’s connect! Get to know me better over on Instagram https:www.instagram.com/nomadamy or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Nomadtopia/.