Making The Empire Portable

Just how portable will my “empire” (business) be?

Well, I plan to fit everything into a small carry-on bag.  By everything, I mean not only what’s necessary to run the business, but also all clothes, toiletries, and random stuff I’ll be using to live for 4 months in Thailand/Asia.

I dont know why, but I really love the challenge of simplifying.  I think of it as a game.   In fact, I heartily recommend this mindset.  When faced with scary economic news and warnings of doom–  why not see simplifying as a fun challenge rather than something horrible that will be forced upon you.

My first simplification challenge happened prior to living in my car the first time.  I’ve always been nomadic, and I REALLY hated moving all my stuff from one apartment to another.  I’d rent a truck, haul a bunch of heavy furniture and junk, and feel exhausted.

So one day I decided to reduce my possessions to the point that everything would fit in my Nissan Sentra.  I sold or gave away almost everything.  I decided to use only free or near free furniture- so I could just leave it behind whenever I moved.   And happily, I accomplished my goal after only a few months.  I felt light and free.

Of course, the car and van living experiments created even greater challenges for simplifying.

Now, I’ve given myself the task of not only living out of a small carryon bag for 4 months.. but of also running my company from it.   Ill be doing demonstrations and seminars in Thailand, launching new lessons, launching a new website, creating & editing videos, and continuing my usual writing and podcast recording.

Here’s the basic packlist so far:

*  A Macbook Air laptop with wifi…. and a webcam for making videos

*  A Blue Snowflake microphone for podcasting and other recording

*  Final Cut Express video editing software.  Garageband software for podcast editing.

*  Cheap Thai cell phone for most local and international calls.

*  iPhone with international plan for a few select business calls.

*  Small headset for Skype (free international calls to friends & family.. and to my singing teacher)

*  Hiking/Backpacking Clothes made from quick-drying synthetic materials…  easy to wash and dry,.. and they pack up very small & tight.

* Dark, very lightweight running/hiking shoes.  Also a pair of Teva sandals.

* Toothbrush, contacts, glasses.

And that’s about it.

Most of you probably can or do travel with a similarly light load.  But here’s a powerful idea– if you can and do happily live from a small suitcase or backpack when on “vacation” or “camping”…   why can’t you continue to happily live from that same small suitcase or backpack once back home?

Why is it we are perfectly happy to live so simply when traveling, but at home this is considered a terrible hardship?  The shift is merely mental and attitudinal.

This is a powerful antidote to fear.   Realize that you could lose or sell 90% of your “stuff” and yet continue to be warm, healthy, and happy.

Living in the car… and later in a van… taught me just how fun and free a very simple life could be.  It taught me that most of our ideas of “poor” and “poverty” are just that– ideas.   Poverty is mostly mental, emotional, and spiritual,…  not economic.

When I moved to San Francisco, I learned a similar lesson.  I was very nearly homeless- having come with a small amount of money and no job lined up.  At the last minute, I found a part-time job and a tiny little apartment (one room and super cheap).

Was I “poor”?   I didn’t think so.  I had an apartment near the center of town.. within walking distance of everything I needed (quite a novelty in the US).   I only worked 16 hours a week… and I loved teaching at the school.  I had enough money for food… and I had a lot of free time.

So everyday I went on long walks through the city.   I relaxed in coffee shops and read books and wrote.  I met friends.  I started and built my business.   I was “poor” in money-terms… but rich in time and rich in freedom.

Ironically, that freedom and time gave me the energy and opportunity to develop my tiny business– which has since grown and given me financial security too.

So, the point is–  don’t believe the fear-mongering bastards on TV.  Don’t succumb to fear or panic or worry.   Simplify your life voluntarily as a GIFT to yourself– a gift of freedom, a gift of time, a gift of energy.

This is an opportunity, not a problem!

My Portable Empire

“Your Portable Empire” is the title of a book by Pat O’Bryan.  The book is an excellent primer on the nomadic entrepreneurial lifestyle…  And the title is cool too.

In fact, that title has inspired my next travel adventure.   I’ve decided to spend 4 months in Asia while continuing to run my little “portable empire” as I travel.

I’m always fond of experimenting with my life, so I’ve decided to push the limits and see just how much I can accomplish while living on the opposite side of the world.

Specifically, I want to see if I can achieve a number of important things while traveling, including:

• Continue Singing Lessons.  I love my voice teacher and missing 4 months of lessons with her was really depressing me.   So I talked to her and we are going to continue my voice lessons using Skype!  I’ll be annoying my hotel neighbors with scales and songs

• Continue Improving and Growing My Business.   I’ll continue to work with designers, contractors, mentors, coaches, and team members and will continue the projects we have started.  My ultimate goal– the business improves and thrives while I travel and enjoy my “vacation” abroad.

• Continue Coaching & Mentoring.  Again, using Skype I’ll continue talking to the mentors and coaches who are helping me with finances, marketing, and teaching.

• Continue Getting Healthier.  I’ll be training for a marathon and then an ultra marathon (a 50 miler) during my time in Asia.  I’ll continue eating a “Green Vegan” diet (the alkalizing vegan diet that has given me an absolutely incredible boost in energy).

When I first began planning a trip, I was thinking of just backpacking around as usual.  But something about that wasn’t inspiring me.   Just hopping from guesthouse to guesthouse didnt feel like a challenge– felt like a repeat of what I’ve already done for many years.

Also, I realized that I really love my life right now.  I love what I’m doing.  I don’t need to “work” for money and I don’t.   I “work” (actually, play) doing things I love doing and I thoroughly enjoy them.

When I was miserable at various McJobs, I desperately craved “vacations”.  I absolutely needed to just escape.

But when you’re life is fun and interesting and inspired, you don’t want a vacation from it!

So, I realized that while I was craving a change of location (that nomadic Hobopoet instinct)– I was craving it for different reasons.  I’m not craving escape– I’m craving inspiration, energy, and new input.

Also, I simply miss SE Asia (mainly Thailand)– my second home.

So that was the inspiration– to combine the best of both my worlds:  what I love about my life at home…  and what I love about Asia.   Take my “empire” with me.

As a final note, its amazing how easy this really is.   Technically, to run my entire company I need only: a laptop with wifi & webcam, a cell phone, and a good microphone.  Using these tools, I’ll record lessons, record podcasts, create videos, communicate with team members/teacher/mentors, and run my entire business.

Of course, I’ll also be posting the results of the “Portable Empire” experiment here.

Hobopoet “Portable Empire” updates coming soon…..

Financial Freedom Recommend Reading

Here’s a short list of books I highly recommend, on the topic of financial freedom.

Be practical when reading these books.  I often don’t agree with the authors’ worldview or motivations, and honestly, I don’t care about them.   I’m focused on getting practical knowledge that I can use for my own purposes.

With that said, here are some great books for starting your journey to financial freedom:

Walden by Henry D. Thoreau

(Read the section on “Economy”)!

The 4-Hour Workweek  by Tim Ferris

(The title provides you with a worthy goal

Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki

Cash Flow Quadrant by Robert Kiyosaki

(Will teach you financial literacy and how to gain financial freedom)

The E-Myth

(Great general overview of how to own a business instead of it owning you)

Web Copy That Sells

(Great if you’re going to do a web-based business (which I highly recommend))

Permission Marketing by Seth Godin

(Learn how to market in an ethical way that people will love)

Purple Cow by Seth Godin

(Learn how to be remarkable with your business)

Your Portable Empire by Pat O’Bryan

(Learn how to create passive income and live a mobile lifestyle)

Those are good places to start your education.   Of course, just reading isn’t enough.  You have to take action.   I think the best way to start is online because the cost of starting is so incredibly low.

My business started with $200.  I could have done it for nearly free if I had wanted to.

The beauty of online business is that you can start them as “Beta” prototypes.   In other words, you put them together quickly and cheaply and start fast.    Then you endlessly test, improve, get feedback, and evolve your business over time.

My first site was butt ugly… and I had a paltry few lessons to start with.  And the lessons had sketchy audio and were very limited.

But no worries–  I clearly labeled it a “Beta” site and explained that it was in “testing” mode.  I charged only $7 for membership at first.   To my utter astonishment, I got customers.  I added more lessons, and raised the price to $17.

I started a Google Ad campaign with a budget of $1 a day.  I tested the ads and compared ad cost to money made each day.   When I was making more than I was spending, I raised the ad budget to $5 a day…  waited a week.  I was still making more than I was spending on ads… so I increased the budget to $10 a day.  (I now spend nearly $400 a day).

The product (my lessons) likewise evolved.  I experimented with different lesson types and discovered the ones that students liked best.  Over time, I developed a very powerful teaching system.

Finally, the site and the business itself evolved.   I eventually changed from a membership site to a straight product sales site.   I hired a company to (still cheaply) design a custom website for me.   That helped to boost income.   Just recently, I had the whole site re-designed again  (for a higher… but still reasonable price).

All the while I have learned a tremendous amount–  from trial and error, from experiments, from customers’ feedback,  from business books and CDs, from other website owners, from blogs and podcasts.

So what’s the point I’m making?

The point is:   Just start.

I was totally clueless and nearly broke when I started.  I had NO idea how to build a successful business.  I just had a burning desire to be free,.. and I loved teaching English.  The rest, I learned along the way.

You can do this too.  Start a BETA website this month….    using a cheap or free website template…  and PayPal for accepting credit cards.    Make your cheap, fast, raw product or service.

You don’t need to be perfect when you start.  You don’t even need to be good.   Hell, if you really feel bad about it–  charge just $1 in the beginning.    Decide to learn everything as you go.

This is the Hobopoet way–  the opposite of the “Business Plan” approach.

Start cheap.  Start ugly.  Start clueless. Start micro.

Then evolve.

Freedom & Integrity

Now that I have achieved my goal of personal freedom, I want to contribute and help other people achieve the same.

I know what its like to suffer for years as a wage slave– always yearning for freedom.   I understand the horrible emotional toll it takes on those who long to live free.

At an intimate level, I have already helped one friend start a business and gain financial freedom–  and am in the process of partnering with my best friend and her boyfriend in order to help them also gain financial freedom.    Our joint venture business launches at the end of next week.

I’m very excited for them.  I feel incredibly happy whenever someone gains their freedom and leaves wage slavery!   (Of course I do have a selfish motivation–   I want more of my friends to have the time and resources to play with me

At a public level, I hope to use this blog to help people gain their freedom.  Its more difficult, because I can’t be there to guide you step by step.   Since I can’t do that, I try to motivate and inspire– because if you have strong enough reasons and strong enough motivation, you’ll succeed.  I also hope to point you to the sources I used to learn how to gain my own freedom.

The greatest resource you can develop is your knowledge.   You must learn voraciously–  in all fields of life– including finances and money.

One problem a lot of bohemians & hobopoets have is that they choose to remain willfully ignorant of finances and the way they work.   I understand.  I hate the big corporate capitalist system and what its done to our society and planet.

On the other hand, I’m not stupid and I don’t believe in denial.   Closing your eyes and refusing to learn how things actually work is stupid.   Ignoring your finances is stupid.

Refusing to start your own business is likewise stupid.  I laugh every time I hear of a self-styled hipster who cynically criticizes the idea of starting a business (ie. business = evil).  Yet this same fool thinks nothing of being a wage slave to other people’s businesses-  often other people who are totally amoral (or worse).

Slavery isn’t noble.  Working for peanuts for another person’s business doesn’t make you an anti-capitalist. Even if you work for a non-profit (as I did for many years) you are still perpetuating systems of control and authority in most cases– and you yourself are still a dependent, child-like wage slave.

Starting your own business means taking responsibility for your life, your principles, your actions.  It means being TOTALLY responsible– being the decision maker and accepting the consequences.

It also means FREEDOM…. including the freedom to make a stand based on principle.   As a wage slave, you labor for a company which reflects another person’s values (which, in most cases, is driven mostly by greed).

As a business owner, you can:  promote favorite causes with your profits, give any percentage you want to charities or political organizations,  and make decisions with integrity.

As a dependent wage slave, you usually (be honest):   deny responsibility for the company’s evils,  complain but do nothing,  or sheepishly do nothing because “you need the paycheck”.

Stop being a child.   Stop being a slave.  Stop making excuses.

Take responsibility– full responsibility– for your life.   Stop pretending that your financial life can be segregated off from the rest of your life.  It can’t.   How you make money is as important to your spirit as which religious rituals you observe.

Will you choose it–  or remain passive?

For you, is it freedom….   or is it dependence and slavery?

The System Is Rigged

Since starting my own micro-business, which has since grown well beyond micro, I have learned a lot more about how the economic system works in the US (and most of the world).

And the more I learn, the more I discover how rigged the system is.

In particular, the system is designed to punish and impoverish wage slaves, while doing quite the opposite for business owners and investors.

Taxes are the strongest example.   A wage slave is immediately taxed.  The government takes your money before you are paid and you never even see 30%+ of it.

After you lose that 30%+, you pay for expenses.

As a business owner (even a micro-business owner    you get all of your income.   You then pay expenses.  After you pay your expenses, you are taxed on what’s left.

The net result of that simple difference is HUGE.   Wage slaves keep a lot less of their income.  Even if a wage slave and a micro-business owner have exactly the same income–  at the end of the year, the micro-business owner will have a lot more than the wage slave.

If freedom isn’t enough of a reason to start your own micro-business, I hope you’ll be persuaded by the economic benefits of doing so.

The system is rigged and the system will remain rigged for the forseeable future.

You can remain a wage slave and complain about it forever.  Or you can take action.  Start your own micro-business.   Keep more of the income you earn.  Enjoy the freedom of being self-reliant–  of escaping bosses.

One last note:  As the economy continues to come apart, you’ll have a lot more security as a micro-business owner than as an employee.  Now is the time to add the extra security of a micro-business (even if you keep your job).

Financial Independence or Slavery

You really have two choices.  You can be financially independent or you can be a wage slave.  Which do you choose?

It is a choice.  Its a choice you should think very carefully about, especially as the US and World economies teeter.

I imagine, if you are reading this website, that you choose financial independence.  You may not have it now. You may not know how to get it.  But you know that you don’t want to be a wage slave any longer.

You have probably realized as well that the old belief that a “good” job guaranteed “security” is the cruelest joke of capitalism.   When times get tough, who suffers first?  Employees.   Wage slaves are the first ones to be cut loose.

To paraphrase Marx (and mangle his philosophy –   if you don’t own the means to your own financial production, you are not only a slave– you are an extremely insecure one.    Business owners, be they micro or macro, will find a way to adapt and do well during tough times.   Because they own their own finances, they have much more flexibility.

But a wage slave can only beg.   If downsized, they are in deep shit.  All they can do is go “job searching”– competing with hordes of other desperate souls to beg for scraps.

That never felt very secure to me.

So here it is– the fastest and most secure route to financial independence is to own your own business.

Don’t panic at the mention of the word “business”.   I too hated that word and the grubby republican connotations it often carries.   But as Ralph Nader says, there’s a world of difference between a family owned local business run with integrity– and the evil soul-sucking criminal mega-corporations that are destroying our planet.

You can be the former–  a micro or small business owner doing what you love with passion and enthusiasm.

In fact, I think its often best to adopt a “micro-business” goal at first.   The goal of a micro-business is not to make you rich– its goal is to cover your basic living expenses while you do something you love to do.  (And if you simultaneously reduce your living expenses– it becomes quite easy to reach your goal).

So my advice at first is:  Think Small.

You don’t have to be the next Apple or Microsoft.   You don’t even have to compete.   Just choose something you love and are reasonably good at, find a tiny niche that also loves it, and sell your funky/fun/unique product or service to them with passion and enthusiasm.

My good friend Wat is a great example of a micro-business owner.  He makes silver and leather jewelry.  He used to sell it on the sidewalks in San Francisco… but got tired of the long hours.  So now he makes a big batch, goes to music festivals from Spring through Fall, and sells his stuff there.

He loves it.  He meets great people.  He hears great music.  He “works” very limited hours.  Yet he makes enough to pay his living expenses and even save a little.

During the winters, he lives in his home country of Thailand– on a beautiful tropical island.

In many ways, he has the lifestyle of a very wealthy person.  He spends most of his time doing fun things that he loves and he lives on a tropical island 4 months a year–  swimming, diving, relaxing, etc…

I know people who make 350,000+ a year from “great jobs” who dont live as well.

So the point is–  own your finances and start micro.   Do it part time.

Just do it.  Create your ultra-tiny micro business this month.  Stop making excuses and reclaim ownership of your life!

On The Road In Good Hands

I just found out that a movie version of On The Road is scheduled for production, and Walter Salles will direct it.  He directed the excellent adaptation of “The Motorcycle Diaries”, so I think Kerouac is in good hands!

On The Road, of course, has inspired countless Hobopoets to declare their freedom, hit the road, and explore the world.

If you haven’t read it- definitely get it.  And read Kerouac’s “Dharma Bums” too!

Read more about the upcoming movie at: CNN Article

A Message of Hope

This is a re-print of a post from the old archives:  http://www.hobopoet.blogspot.com

One thing I love about this blog is that it offers an honest view of the process of moving towards one’s vision. A big problem with “self-help” books and programs is that they often seem unbelievable. Why? Because the authors write them AFTER they have achieved their own vision of success. No matter how many times they say “sometimes it was tough”, you get the feeling that they always felt confident– that they always knew they would succeed.

There is a lot of that in Tim Ferriss’ book The 4-Hour Workweek. Its a great book with practical advice. But as I read it I felt an almost smug sense of confidence. Sure, when you arrive it all seems easy and pre-ordained. But when you’re stuck in a crap job, depressed and frustrated… nothing seems easy.

I also admire Self-help guru Anthony Robbins for his passion, but again, when I read his books it seems like this guy was always a super-charged, enthusiastic, dedicated maniac.

So, when we read these people’s books, its easy to think “they are super-human freaks and Im nothing like them”.

My hope is that the extensive archives of Hobopoet will provide an antidote to those thoughts. In the archives, you find that I was frequently upset, depressed, angry, frustrated, and restless. I frequently had doubts. Sometimes, I was overwhelmed by them. You see the whole process in all its roughness. You see the occasional bitterness. You see the failed experiments. You see the desperation.

But hopefully, you’ll also find some hope… knowing that despite all that I somehow find myself here… free from wage slavery at last.

So what do I have to offer, in the way of advice? What were “the secrets” to getting here?

I think I can identify four… and they are Principles, Vision, A Process, and An Attitude:

1. Principles
My strategies, ideas, plans, and moods have changed constantly… and quickly. But throughout I have always had a core set of principles that have not changed. For me, these include Freedom (economic, political, social), Compassion (ie. a sincere wish that other beings be free of suffering and control), Lifelong Learning, Simplicity, etc…. You may have a different set, but the important point is that we all need a set of principles that enoble, guide, strengthen us. These are our compass.

2. A Vision
My serious journey towards Freedom started in 2000. At the time, I was working a horrible wage slave job as an Emergency Room social worker in a big hospital. I was doing 12 hour days… days full of crisis and chaos. Worse, I was in a new town that I hated (Greenville, SC)… a super-conservative and very Christian enclave where I had no friends. My longtime girlfriend had just broken up with me– and I was living alone (with my wonderful dog in a small, dingy apartment. I was deep in debt and had just started the process of filing for bankruptcy. I was so desperate financially that I briefly got involved with a multi-level marketing company… and was bothering my friends with ridiculous sales appeals. Truly, a low point.

But I had one important thing– a vision of the kind of life I wanted. I knew what I wanted. I knew the kind of lifestyle that fit me and pleased me. I knew I needed an independent income– that I HAD to be free from wage slavery. I knew I wanted plenty of time and money for travel… that I wanted to travel the world and live abroad at will. I knew I didn’t want or need a big apartment or a “nice” car.. but did want enough time-money for interesting adventures. I knew I needed a community of friends who shared this vision.

Though my life sucked at that time, I never forgot the vision… and never abandoned it in the name of “realism”. You must do the same. Many “responsible adults” will try to convince you that your vision is “irresponsible” or “childish” or “unrealistic” or “abnormal”. They’ll tell you its time to get a “real job” and settle down. They’ll tell you its time to conform. Never listen to these people and, in fact, eliminate them from your life. Never forget your vision no matter how far you seem from it.

3. A Process

Compared to the “experts” and self-help gurus, I have a very simple formula for living your vision (my definition of success

Most people make just one small mistake…. which dooms them to servitude. Most people follow the following process:

A. Brainstorm/Think
B. Analyze, Plan, Debate, Research, Contemplate
C. Try/Do

In fact, most people get stuck at B. They brainstorm some cool ideas. Then they start analyzing them… weighing the pluses and minuses. They think they can predict the success or failure of the idea through analysis. But since they can never be sure, they never stop thinking, debating, analyzing, researching, etc. They never reach C.

My process makes just one small change to the formula:

A. Brainstorm/Think
B. Try/Do
C. Analyze, Plan, Research, Contemplate

What a difference this makes. The truth is, you can’t predict anything. Forget trying to do so… its impossible. Ive been shocked by so many unexpected failures and successes that Ive realized that debate prior to action is nothing short of asinine idiocy. As the Tao Te Ching says, “those who talk don’t know”. To that I’d add, “Those who talk don’t do”. Forget talking and endless planning.

Just brainstorm some cool ideas and then try one. See what happens. Save analysis and planning for after the fact… when you have something concrete to analyze. Analyze your successes and failures, not your ideas. Do that, and you will be inexorably pulled along a path of discovery and learning. Keep doing that, and you will reach your vision.

D. An Attitude

The last key is an attitude of persistence. Its not easy to do, but persistence with equanimity as an ideal is vital. Scan my archives and you’ll find I often lost my cool… but you’ll also find that again and again I corrected myself and tried to re-center. I tried to regard my downs as interesting results rather than failures. I whined and raged… then got off my ass and tried something else.

Persistence is more important than cleverness. I’ve met countless clever people who never do a damn thing but talk cleverly. They win every argument, but remain pathetic wage slaves nonetheless. Avoid these people. Cleverness is a dangerous thing, because clever people have a way of fooling themselves more than anyone else.

Persistence is a much more useful trait. Cultivate it. Try to see experiments in terms of “results”… not in terms of “success” or “failure”. Develop the skill of dusting yourself off and trying again. Learn to love the challenges… and the interesting results they bring.

Enjoy The Journey

That’s the sum total of my advice… nothing too clever or amazing. As usual, the doing of it is more impressive than the talking about it.

Mostly, I want to deliver a message of hope. I know there are many people in the world like me… people who hate their jobs, people who feel trapped and degraded by employment, people who long for a freer and more adventurous life. Hobopoet is dedicated to you. To you I say, It Can Be Done.

Take Care and Good Luck!

Freedom Is Opportunity and Financial Independence

Freedom means opportunity and choice.  Financial opportunities.  Emotional and mental choices. Physical and temporal choices.

Freedom means you have the ability and opportunity to live your life according to your own:

• Genius
• Talents
• Principles
• Bliss
• Desires
• Needs

Freedom means flexibility–  it means living a proactive, rather than a reactive, life.

In today’s world, financial independence and freedom are particularly important.  As Hakim Bey said, today most of us are more enslaved by jobs than by anything else.   As an employee, you are nothing more than a slave with some basic human rights (or not,… in many places forced labor or sweat-shop labor means near-total slavery).

If you are lucky, you spend 40 hours a week in servitude–  working hard to make other people rich.  You must show up at an exact time, and cannot leave until an exact time determined by your boss.  You must wear certain clothes, and follow certain rules.   In many ways, you are still a child– still working to please those with more power than you.

Many of you work for horrible companies– companies that pollute the environment, assist murdering governments, cheat, attack unions, lie, and hurt people.  You hate these things, but you tell yourself you “need a job”.   This may or may not be true… but one thing is true– you are not free.

To live a life full of happiness, fulfillment, and achievement, you absolutely must be free financially.  You must achieve financial independence and work for no boss but yourself.

You must also free yourself from nationalism and your government’s propaganda.   Be honest- your government is bad.  They torture people.  They imprison people wrongly.  They kill people.  They help the rich and hurt the poor.   Its the same in every country.  If you are loyal to your government and believe its propaganda, you are a mental slave.

As Bob Marley said, “Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds”.

This is what freedom means-  a life that is open and full of possibilities… flexible… powerful…  principled.

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