This post is part of our second ever Nomad Week series, where we interview interesting Nomad Capitalists all across the globe, revealing their adventures, knowledge and travel tips. I had the pleasure to interview Digital Nomad Freedom Summit guests of which Andrew was a speaker, as well as the pioneers of industry and get their perspectives on living and doing business overseas. You can read the entire series here.
As an avid lover of fresh coconuts and globe trotting, you will often find Melanie in Bali, Indonesia. Melanie is a Business Mentor and Marketing Specialist who mentors Yoga Teachers, Healers, Coaches & Spiritual Mentors to create a sustainable business and strong personal brand. She is the creator of the Business Chakra System and teaches this via live workshops & an online course. She is also the host and founder of the Facebook Community: The Soul Lounge for Entrepreneurs. Melanie’s creativity will blow your mind, as she helps to propel your vision into reality and stand out from the crowd in the online space.
Where are you living now?
Ubud, Bali. For 2 years now, on and off.
What’s your favorite thing about the city (in detail)?
What’s your LEAST favorite thing about the city?
Hmmm… not much, other than some days you can be easily distracted – and what you thought was going to be a quick chat can end up being a 3-hour conversation lol!
Is there a little known fact about the city people might find interesting?
Ubud means ‘Medicine’… which is probably why so many people end up here to ‘find themselves’.
What is your favorite place you ever lived and why?
What is your LEAST favorite place you ever lived and why?
I would have to say London, but only because I tried living there in backpacker style and it’s a hard place to have fun on a shoestring budget!
What was the EASIEST country you ever visited (ie: easiest immigration, easiest to open a local bank account, etc)?
Of all the places I’ve lived, I’ve never really had too much of an issue.
Have you ever had any problems in a country? (ie: immigration issues, getting robbed, etc.)
No… although I think there were some problems when I visited Azerbaijan – but I left the sweet-talking to the tour guide!
Do you prefer one region of the world over another, and why?
Is there anything that would make you settle down and stop traveling as much?
Not really – I’ve tried before and it didn’t work! The closest I would get to this scenario is to have my 4 properties dotted around the world that I can head to at any time and still call home.
Who has been the most influential person on your travels (someone that encouraged you to start, or someone who has influenced you along the way)?
Ubud has been like the Hollywood of online business for me. I remember when I first got here, seeing people who I was following online eating in the same cafe as I was pretty mind-blowing and inspiring. Great space to meet so many positive and influential people from around the globe.
If you were coaching a new nomad, what you recommend they do to get started?
Work out who your ideal client is and how you are serving them first… get specific. And don’t invest in website development until you are super clear on this – DIY before then later if possible.
What country would you recommend a new nomad go to FIRST?
Any place with great WIFI!
What is one country that you have not been to but is high on your list, and why?
What was the most unexpected surprise you ever encountered as a nomad?
When someone stops me while I’m in a cafe because they recognize me from Facebook or they are on my mailing list. It’s happened a few times now, and I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to that. What was the biggest mistake you made that other nomads can learn from?
How do you meet new people while living the nomad lifestyle? Do you ever get lonely?
