”After quitting our 7-7 office environments for the digital nomad lifestyle, we have fully embraced our newfound freedom to be able to choose from where and when we work!”
SPOTLIGHT >
KEZIAH & SAM HOLMAN
YOUR CAREERS BEFORE BECOMING DIGITAL NOMADS (DNs)?
Keziah: Human Resource Consultant
Sam: Construction Project Manager
WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO BECOME DNs?
We just got married and decided that we were fed-up with the 7 to 7, micro-managing
environment of office employment. Kez also had several health issues that were exacerbated by her work. So, we decided that we only live once and that we wanted to make the most of it!
HOW DO YOU PAY FOR YOUR WORK-TRAVEL-LIFESTYLE?
We’ve been DNs for sixteen months now, and since building a decent social media following on our own Instagram and blog, we decided that we could continue traveling by setting up our own freelance business helping others to build a genuine presence on social media.
We work with clients who either have no time to deal with social media or who have no idea where to start!
YOUR BEST ADVISE FOR STARTUPS?
As long as your business idea is geared towards solving a problem or adding value, rather than ‘how much money can I make in as short a time as possible,’ you will be on the right path.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE THE TOP 3 THINGS OTHER DIGITAL NOMAD COUPLES SHOULD KNOW BEFORE STARTING A BUSINESS TOGETHER?
– Set your responsibilities early so you know what you are doing and what your partner is doing.
– Be prepared to work long hours and don’t lose hope. It takes a lot of dedication and, at times, reduced income to get where you want to be.
– It’s not for everyone – working, living, and traveling together isn’t without its challenges! Right from the start, we committed to having weekly meetings where we would touch base with project updates and our goals for the coming month, quarter, and year.
THE PLATFORM DO YOU USE MOST OFTEN TO GET NEW CLIENTS?
We mostly use our website as well as referrals, which we have found works best. Secondly, we use social media platforms such as Instagram.
WHAT ARE THE TOP 3 WAYS TO FIND CLIENTS?
We highly recommend referrals, networking, and making use of Instagram.
COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE WORK-LIFESTYLE OF A DN?
There are definitely more opportunities out there than people think, and it doesn’t mean that you’re an ‘entitled millennial’ if this is the path you choose to pursue.-
WORK HOURS?
It varies week to week. In general, we work more days but perhaps fewer hours if that makes sense? So, we’ll do half a day on a Saturday and Sunday sometimes as well as Monday to Friday, but then go out and do something fun for the rest of the day!
WHAT ARE TWO COMMON MISTAKES NEW DIGITAL NOMAD MAKE WHEN THEY START OUT AS DN COUPLES?
Expecting to be earning a lot of money straight away and hoping to earn a full-time salary doing part-time or sporadic work!
IS IT HARD WORK TO BE A DIGITAL NOMAD? WHAT ARE THE MOST CHALLENGING THINGS ABOUT THE DN WORK-LIFESTYLE WHEN WORKING TOGETHER AS A DIGITAL NOMAD COUPLE?
Motivating yourself to sit down and crack on with work. (Especially when you’re abroad and it’s a lovely sunny day with a beach to explore!) It can be hard work, but it is a hundred times better than the lives we were leading before when we had to commute to work early and only got back late. Trying to lead a healthy lifestyle and spending quality time together back then was simply impossible!
WHAT ARE THE TOP 3 BENEFITS OF BEING A DIGITAL NOMAD COUPLE?
Freedom, self-reliance, and more work-life balance.
IS YOUR FAMILY SUPPORTIVE OF YOUR DIGITAL NOMAD LIFESTYLE?
Sometimes. I think people of our parent’s age group sometimes struggle with the concept of earning a decent living without being employed in an office for most of your life.
DO YOU HAVE TRAVEL INSURANCE?
Yes, we use True Traveller.
WOULD YOU GO BACK TO A ‘NORMAL JOB’ OR WOULD YOU CONTINUE TO BE A DIGITAL NOMAD?
We’d hate to go back to normal jobs!
THE BEST COUNTRY FOR DN COUPLES IN YOUR OPINION?
We loved our time in Australia, but we have plans to explore other countries to test out their DN offerings soon!
TOP 5 ITEMS TO PACK?
- Phone Charger
- Plug Adaptors
- Plug Bar
- Camera
- Laptops
WHAT IS YOUR ROUTINE LIKE ONCE YOU ARRIVE IN A NEW COUNTRY?
We spend a few days just relaxing and getting to know the area. Then we knuckle down and get into a work pattern.
HOW DO YOU SELECT YOUR NEXT DESTINATION?
We have a huge list, but a lot of the time it’s dictated by budget.
HOW LONG DO YOU STAY IN ONE PLACE?
No more than 1-month.
THE BEST WAY TO FIND ACCOMMODATION
Airbnb, Booking.com, and house-sitting websites.
TOP 3 MONEY SAVING WORK-TRAVEL TIPS FOR DN COUPLES?
Signup to house sitting websites. It saves a lot of money that is usually spent on accommodation. Take advantage of free WIFI in cafes and bars and find cheap or free things to do when you take time off to explore.
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4 Responses
Best is best . . like it this text!
Thank you Alexandra!
I can relate to the couple. Im also getting a bit tired of all office politics and stuff… wish i could resign already and start my own thing..
Good Morning Angela. Glad you liked the article. There are quite a lot of people who want to quit their job. What actions are you currently taking to make changes in your life to achieve your dreams?