Meet Vartika Manasvi, a digital nomad entrepreneur originally from New Delhi, India. These days, she is working on a platform for nomads, travelers and expats, while taking on project assignments to maintain the location independence lifestyle.
Why did you decide to become a digital nomad entrepreneur?
I left my successful well paying corporate career to be digital nomad. Life is too short to not do what makes you happy.
How long have you been a digital nomad?
It’s been just 4 months technically of being converted into a full-time digital nomad. but I think I have been a digital nomad since 2008 when I took admission in MBA course. That time I took some freelance travel photography, content projects and even did my first startup stint with toptalent.in to fund my basic pocket money and love for travel. It all started by just being very curious about exploring the world and knowing about how is life in a different city. My always on the move and knowing something about something which is new got me started on this path.
What do you do as a digital nomad?
I have been traveling extensively since the last two years and work on project based content assignments in growth hacking, strategy, and all things offshore marketing.
I live on a very bare minimum budget and take just enough projects which I can execute well and give quality results and pay my bills. But for the long haul, I have taken the plunge of building a sustainable business and I am working towards a platform for nomads, travelers and people who relocate to a different city to connect with each other based on their needs.
Any plans to go back to a location-bound job?
No plans to get a location bound job. I cannot imagine doing one now. I am writing these answers on my flight to Mumbai now and that’s a good feeling 🙂
Tell us more about the platform.
Imeyou is a social networking community platform with the vision to connect people contextually based on a need or a wish.
People can connect with each other in neighborhoods or can virtually travel to any location to chat with the local people there. In today’s digitally connected world we are so connected with each other on various social channels, but still, the real emotional bond of being connected is missing.
We want to address this gap of connecting people who can actually help each other at the time of need. Think when you travel to a new city you don’t know the local people, how cool would it be if you’re being able to connect with the people beforehand in a city you’re considering to visit. It’s about making a connection stronger. Every curated need posted on the platform is broadcasted to 100 people near that location.
We are currently a virtual team of 3 members from different locations in India and we work as per our milestones from wherever we are. We are united by the mission of imeyou.
Have you encountered any safety issues while traveling?
Sometimes yes! I have most done traveling as a single woman in flights, cabs, hotels, so while I go all daring and with a very open mind, the people that I encounter on the ground during my travels give me all sorts of strange looks of being a single woman traveling.
Any advice for aspiring digital nomads?
Just go for it. Don’t let anyone else to define how to live. Life is beautiful when you discover it yourself.
