Hi Beck, tell us more about yourself.

Where’s “home” these days?

In terms of travel, I’m based in Bangkok, and it feels like home. I just spent a month in Vietnam, and I can go anywhere I want and rent out my apartment here, it’s pretty sweet. I’ve always been a traveler, I’m not happy unless I’m out of my comfort zone so Asia is a great base for me. And it’s really cheap while I build up my projects.

What has been your digital nomad journey like?

I’ve always done things fairly randomly and without much of a plan. I tend to learn skills as I go, so when someone says “hey can you help with this?”. I learn it then I teach it, as most nomads do when they’re discovering email lists, funnels, new software, apps, websites, platforms etc.

I went through a pretty rough patch last year, where I lost my confidence and couldn’t get anything started. I had too much in my head. It lasted around 8 months and it was only pretty recently I really began to understand the meaning of hustle, perseverance and vision.

So tell us more about Nomadfly.

I run NomadFly, which is a small project I started after reading Dan Norris’ 7 Day Startup. I was thinking of small ideas to launch in 7 days and I asked on a FB group if people would be interested in it, and got a lot of yeses. I was a travel agent for a couple of years in NZ and had my own spin on booking flights so that turned into a small online course that I now sell for $49.

Besides Nomadfly, what else do you do?

I’m also hosting a virtual summit on ideas which is really fun (you get 500 online biz ideas just for registering), and I have a few other projects in the queue - there’s just not enough time!!

One upcoming project will enable nomads to research new destination using videos made by other nomads - so they can see relevant info about the place, like coworking spaces, interviews and accommodation recommendations.

What was the journey like from starting with 0 customers to now being known as a flight hacking expert?

The main transition for me was learning about hustle. Once I decided to go for it there’s just no looking back and I just have to push through the problems that inevitably pop up. It’s such a small thing but I really think that’s the main problem most wantrepreneurs struggle with - picking an idea and just launching quickly, then breaking through those first few issues. Once you break through the initial wall and get a few customers, your vision will carry you through.

What prompted the decision to become a digital nomad?

I love the nomad lifestyle because I don’t have to do what I’m told, I can innovate every day and work on stuff I love - and I like solving the problems that come up every day. I’ve always pushed myself and the opportunities for growth as an entrepreneur are endless.

I always used to fly by the seat of my pants and was just about homeless in Cambodia once. I refer to that as my rock bottom, and I think about it almost every day. It’s made me so grateful for what I have now. Some of us need to have our backs to the wall before we’ll transform our thinking, and I guess that’s what I needed. I’m never doing that again, and that’s what drives me now. I’d say that’s the ‘worst’ thing that’s happened.

What’s the best thing about being a digital nomad?

The best stuff is my life now - I feel like I’ve made it, I’m living my dream life and I’m not even making much money. Everything more than this is just the cream on top. I love what I do and I get to have flexibility, meet awesome people and help people find cheap flights and also learn how to come up with ideas and execute them too. I wanted this life and I worked really hard for it - you always get what you think about and take actions towards. I’m a big believer in positive thinking and taking action all the time.

Have you ever encountered any safety issues while traveling?

I’ve been really lucky and haven’t had any safety issues, but I suppose my life is quite epic compared to most people. I haven’t ever felt threatened, but I guess I’ve been in some hairy situations - I feel like Asia is super safe generally. I keep leaving my phone in taxis though :/

Any advice for aspiring digital nomads?

If someone wants to be a nomad - my advice is literally to just do it. If you want something, you’ll do it. If you don’t, you’ll always find excuses.

I arrived in Chiang Mai with $44 last year and I made it work. It was hard and I tried to launch some stuff but didn’t have the kahunas to really put it out there.

My advice is to launch something small to 10 people who want it. And take it from there. And most importantly - keep going and do not give it up. If you take action, the universe always shows up.

Follow Beck on Nomadfly, Ideas Summit, and Twitter.

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