The International Layover (part 1)

The Portable Lifestyle was founded on our desire to travel at will and our ability to trust that new & exotic locales will be right for us. We soon learned that trust was not enough. We now know that until we spend some time somewhere we never know how long we're actually going to stay there.

Our experience over the past 2 1/2 years includes stays as little as one week in one particular country that just wasn't working out for us to the 6 1/2 months we have spent here in the Philippines.

IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW:

1. Many countries require one to show proof of a return flight before even allowing you to board a plane heading to that country. This is not a problem for most people who generally plan short-term trips or "vacations". But for the Portable Lifestyler, it can be a tricky hassle involving planning your exodus prematurely or, if you're lucky, purchasing a refundable return flight (often non-refundable). The last thing you want is to be denied passage into a country when you already have paid for your ticket and have your itinerary in hand.

2. Every country has its own visa laws and guidelines which depend mostly on the relationship between them and your home country. For example, there are many places around the world where we can just show up and receive 90 days free-of-charge, no questions asked. But then there are other places we've been where the first stamp we received was only good for a week after we paid an "entry fee" in cash as we filed through immigration.

Once you're in a foreign country the ability and requirements to renew your visa vary greatly as well. Perhaps, the best way to prepare oneself for international travel is to secure all visas and roundtrip flights in advance. But then you are limited and can become "stuck" in a place you do not enjoy or you may be forced to leave a place you want to stay.

Do your research. If there are certain countries or areas that you would like to explore without limitation, learn their immigration and visa policies. The more you can prepare in knowledge, the less you'll have to "pay-up" when issues arrive. Next month we'll delve deeper into the "timing" issue and reveal some of the tips and tricks we have used to maximize our adventure.

back to top

6 Figures Is Easier than You Think

Many business owners think they can only hope for success - especially the virtual success that makes for a Portable Lifestyle - with a HUGE following. This is not true. We have interviewed people with just a couple of thousand on their email list who make well into 6 figures, even millions.

Here are some points that will reassure that building a lucrative on-line income is easier than you think:

1. Only a small percentage (maybe 10%) of anyone's list is the core of their business. The rest are non-buying "dwellers."

2. The more loyal a following you build, the smaller your list can be.

3. If you concentrate on giving excellent customer service (which ups the value of stock in any corporation by a significant amount), your repeat business will be more important than constantly attracting new followers.

4. The quality of what you offer plus the way that you represent it (marketing) can provide huge profits with only a handful of customers (a fellow Portable Lifestyler recently sold their software company for over $100 million & they only had 4 customers - good ones!)

If you have felt that it's a huge leap that will take years to set yourself up for a Portable Lifestyle, think again. We recommend listening to our free teleseminar, Making 6 Figures Virtually, if you haven't already and our Portable Lifestyle Primer shows you how to set up a virtual income in just days.

back to top