SNM266: Live Where You Want with Susie Bills

Jonathan Green: Live where you want with special guest Susie Bills on today's episode. Today's episode is brought to you by Builderall. They are my favorite all in one solution for your online business. everything you need to start your online business from landing pages to emails to selling your first products all without breaking the bank. Find out how builderall can help you grow your online business at servedmaster.comforward/builderall. Announcer: Are you tired of dealing with your boss Do you feel underpaid and underappreciated?

If you want to make it online, fire your boss and start living your retirement dreams now, then you've come to the right place. Welcome to Serv No Master podcast, where you'll learn how to open new revenue streams and make money while you sleep. presented live from a tropical island in the South Pacific by bestselling author, Jonathan Green. Now is your host. Jonathan Green: Now this is one of my favorite things to talk about.

I was actually having conversation with my best friend the other day, And his house is much smaller than mine, but about four times more expensive because he lives near in New York City. And oftentimes, people think And I think this is because of lifestyles of the rich and famous, which was a big show when I was growing up. They just convinced everyone that anytime you live near the beach, your house is ten times more expensive.

But a lot of people have these assumptions that everywhere else in the world is more expensive than America, but it couldn't be farther from the truth. Could it? Susie Bills: That's right. That's right. Exactly. We spent the last 4 years living in Mexico. So that is definitely a place where you can live on the beach for very, very affordably. Jonathan Green: Yeah.

I went on vacation to when I was thirty, I went to on spring break for the first time with much of my friends who were in college while I was doing my masters. And we went to Cancun and then Playa Del Carmen, which is nearby. And I was like, this is amazing. Why would anyone live anywhere else? And I realized that's why that's where many, many Europeans go to -- Yeah. -- when they moved to Mexico, and I realized there's so many opportunities.

And oftentimes, it's lack of information or just lack of research because you can find out what stuff costs pretty easily with about 2 minutes worth of research. But People just don't. Why do you think that people have this kind of mindset? You know what? It's like almost everyone, like, lives and dies within twenty miles of where they're born. Why do you think that is with how easy travel is these days? Susie Bills: I think it's just comfort. We get really stuck in what's comfortable and familiar.

And so it's scary to think a little bit outside the box. Right? And so 7 years ago, my husband and I sold everything We lived in California and started living a nomadic lifestyle, and we still most of our families still thinks we're crazy, and it's been 7 years. So it's just that people are scared to to even explore something different. Right?

And so it's great with the Internet now because you and I and people like us who love to travel and work remotely can you know, people can find us. Right? And so they can see examples of people that are living a different lifestyle. And I think if you're not searching it out, it's easy just to stay in the comfort zone, shall we say? And we know what stays in is in the comfort zone. Right? There's no growth there. Jonathan Green: Yeah.

It's very interesting because when I started my business. I was like, I wanna be able to live anywhere and do whatever I want. And within a few years, I was like, I'm gonna travel the world full time, and all the other people started the same time with me around 2010. We're like, what are you talking about? And I was like -- They think they're insane. And they all started offices, and they start had new offices, and they built companies with a lot of employees.

And I -- Yeah. That's not my dream. I think that's an important thing that I often tell people is that if you don't want what I do, don't follow me. if you don't wanna travel the world, if your idea of freedom is different. And for some people, it's very, very different. Like, they just wanna pay off their house and have less stress, which is great. But there's so much opportunity when you broaden your horizons. But you are right.

Like, a lot of people in my family just can't understand why I live where I do all the time. Like, why do you live in a foreign country? Well, my wife is from here. So -- Where where do you live? Where do you live? So, yeah, I live in Southeast Asia, and Oh, okay. I was just traveling around, bouncing from country to country, Andy, to Thailand, and you just bounce around.

And then my wife, while I was around, I was like, well, I guess I'll stick around. But we still are looking to move to another country. It's a little bit harder because we have 4 kids and they're very young and they're looking at -- Okay. changing schools, right, adds a layer of complexity. Yeah. We're already planning it. But as soon as you turn 50, you there's all these countries that have these amazing retirement visas.

You don't even have they're, like, amount of money you have to have when you're fifty is so low. It's like you have -- Yeah. -- I think it's $500 a month in income, and you can live in, like, dozens of them tropical Paradise countries. So it's a really low requirement. It's just I'm 42, and the requirement's at 42. It's for me and my kids to move thai we wanna move back to Thailand, and it's 20,000 per member of the family for the visa.

I'm like, I'm just gonna wait a few Is that -- Susie Bills: Yeah. Even their nomad visa's a little yeah. There are places. So, currently, my husband and I are in Portugal, and we've met several lots of different expats here that have families. So they did what you did. Right? They moved here with little kids. And so a lot of the countries just very recently, and I think a lot of it has to do because of COVID.

And so they kinda decided to different countries decided to speed up their visa processes and offer a digital nomad visa. So Portugal, we've just been here for a month, and they just about 2 months ago started issuing their nomad Visa. So this is like a new style of Visa for people that work online. And next month, we're on our way to Greece, and they also have a very nice digital nomad visa.

So we're hopping around trying to find which visa over here in the European side makes the most sense for us. But, again, the barrier to entry has been really reduced And so you don't need to be making tons of money or buy a proper you know, like, spend several $100,000 on a property or something to get to get your residency even in the European countries, which have always been really difficult.

And so there's quickly more countries are opening up. because they're seeing so many people working online, and they would like for you to come spend your money in that country if you even you know? So here, as long as my company as long as I'm not making money here in this country and it's all in the US, then I have options, lots of visa options and things like that. So yes. And my husband and I are 53.

So it is easier than when we started when we were in our forties. Definitely, as you get older, they invite you even more into the country. Jonathan Green: Yeah. It's amazing that every other country considers fifty the age of retirement. parents certainly didn't retire. Maybe, like, no one in America is doing that. You don't get Social Security at 50. He was like, oh, but -- Yeah. -- opens it does open so many doors.

And a lot of it does come down to this doing research and looking around, there are a lot of amazing new digital nomadvisas. It used to be. Yeah. You used to have to invest, like, half a $1,000,000 in a company country. So if you have a lot of money, you can basically go anywhere. Sure. You can buy your Visa anywhere. Right.

For people that are in between, there's always this thought of like, oh, I'm gonna lose all of these resources and stuff or there's time zone challenges. And those do exist, but I have gigabit Internet. My Internet's faster. Most of the time, when I'm on a phone call with someone in America, there's a problem with the Internet, it's their Internet. Right. So it's really and that's recent.

And you said a few years ago was the exact opposite, but there are these amazing opportunities, and the first step is to consider them. And there's a lot of countries I looked at. Fiji just it has a new nomad visa because they're so desperate. Their tourism dried up for so long. They're so desperate. One of my friends was able to get in, and it's just, like, 100100 of empty hotels. So there's all these amazing chances right now.

It's like, now is actually the best time that I've ever seen. But -- Yeah. -- it is also, there's so many advantages to being abroad as far as tax advantages as far as, like, freedom advantages. We have a lot more control over how we raise our children than we would in America. Yes. Yes. In some states in America now, we're, even if you want a homeschool, you have to be licensed to homeschool your own kids, and you still have to teach the St.

Crickland and all that stuff because we're very heavily -- Wow. schooling. We did a lot of homeschooling for a long time, but, like, I want to choose which school my kids go to. So that's why we chose where we live now. There's a really, really good school here. That's one of the best schools in entire nation. So we've picked a great European school and all of that stuff. But, yeah, definitely when you're a parent, there's a lot of different decision making.

And, also, you're solo nomad, oh my gosh. You have so many choices now. If you're willing to just do a year, a year, a year for us, that's one of the limitations. Like, well, my kids get stuck in. I don't wanna say, hey. We're leaving again in a year. Say goodbye all your friends. one of the things I don't wanna keep does. Right. Right. So you wanna you find me the place that you're gonna hang out for a few years. Yeah.

When they're older like, once we stop having kids, like, we're probably gonna have more. We're only at 4 right now. And -- Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. You're taking, like, a 6 month break. before we have the next baby. We were just talking my wife was talking about it yesterday. I was like, let's wait 6 months before we get pregnant again. And it's she just wants lots and lots and lots. So -- Lots and lots. It sounds like it. -- until you're done.

And go, oh, no. This is the last one. Once you have one, you're like, I don't like it to win this much. Then we're done. So Once we until we have a bad one, we're gonna keep going. But it's very much you know, there's also We travel all that whenever we have a baby, we travel with the baby all the time because babies fly for free until they're two years old. We're really big on that one. So the babies go on the most vacations right there.

Remember, because you can put the baby on your lap, and it's, like, an extra $4 for the baby on the plane. But, yeah, now whenever we plan a trip because there's 4 kids, so much logistics to it, We went on a big vacation -- -- a lot. -- a month, and my kids were I was like, what was your favorite part? And my kids all said, we love the airplane. And I said, wow.

That's worst part of the whole trip for us because now we're bigger than that. We're bigger than a row. So it's a whole new dynamic where you have to take up whole And would you two rows? a good -- Yeah. -- grab more kids so you can have 2 rows. Right? You can have the 2 rows.

That's what we're figuring out because exactly. because nobody wants to be the one person in the other row, and no stranger wants to be on the road with the extra person for the other family. I'm always like, listen. I'll sit in business class so that way you guys can all be together. That's my parents -- No worries. You're good. Parents and business kids and coach.

But, yeah, there's so many opportunities now in the cost of travelers solo, the cost of other countries is solo, and you can your money goes a lot further. A lot of countries just want you getting paid in dollars and then translating into their currency. They love it. Exactly. I just -- Yeah.

What do you think is the kind of biggest revelation you've had as someone who started traveling in digital nomading when you from what you thought about doing it to when you started doing, what was, like, the biggest revelation for you? Susie Bills: I just -- Yeah. What do you think is the kind of biggest revelation you've had as someone who started traveling in digital nomading when you from what you thought about doing it to when you started doing, what was, like, the biggest revelation for you?

The biggest revelation well, number 1 is well, it's so much easier now than when we started. and it wasn't even that long ago. Right? It was, like, 6 year 5 or 6 or 7 years ago. But now I'm literally as long as I have my laptop and my phone, I can even run my whole business just on my phone if I don't have my laptop with me. So just the ease of running an online business these days. It's just so easy.

We carry everything we need in the palm of our hand. And for me, for a long time, I thought I still had to have paper. Like, paper notepads and, like, all the things because that was just working in a 9 to 5 office. You had all the paper. And that's been a such a freeing thing is, like, I have no paper. We have no paper, and all of our records and things like that are on digital. And so that's been awesome.

And then the other another revelation as far as meeting new people in different countries out of all the places we've been, and we've been a lot of over the last 7 years. There was only one country where we didn't feel very welcomed, and that was the that is the exception to the rule. The people are so in each different country we've been to are amazing. I'm sure you've found that in Thailand. We found that in Thailand.

We loved Thailand and how accepting people are. and happy that you're there. Like, it's really nice. We're happy to see you. And everywhere else, we've been also the pace of life. is very different than in the US. It's much more trinkial. Jonathan Green: Yeah. There's all these things that seem really important before. Like, don't know if I still remember. I haven't driven a car in, like, so many years, probably 10 years.

And I just it's so funny because it's, like, the most important or the most expensive purchase. for most people and tell you about your house and use it so little. Right? You'd probably ride in your car 1 out of 1 hour the day at most, and it's the most expensive thing you have, and it's So such a big deal. And I actually almost bought a really expensive car right before I decided to move, like, start traveling. I'm so glad I didn't.

But it's like, I walk everywhere now or if I take a taxi, it's a hauler. and I used to pay so much money for the car, so much money for insurance. And since we spent so getting in time, getting to and from work, you know, I went to These have all these friends who have a 2 hour commute, 2 work, and a 2 hour. I'm, like, 4 hours a day just in the car. That's how much time I spend working. Like, It's so -- Yeah.

Susie Bills: It's just a different perspective and a different way of embracing life. Jonathan Green: Yeah. And I used to live on an even more remote island than I do now a year ago. And my friends was like, what do you do when you wanna go to the opera? And I was like, what? There's no opera house here. Like, when you like, in most countries, like, lands only play in the capital. Right? Like, YouTube goes to Moscow and that's it.

They're not going to the 50 Russian cities. That's only in America. So a lot of those things, Alec, I wanna go to Michelin Star Restaurant. That's not gonna happen. Right. Right. Right. The trade off is that life is slower. Life is a lot less stressful. There's a lot less pressure. And -- Right. -- there is assumption, I think, that at least I go up with it. There is a big, like, connection between possessions and happiness. Oh, sure. Yeah.

There's a lot of people where I live that have no money, and they're very happy. They just -- Right. -- they go fishing every day. They get enough fish to eat for the day. They sell a couple extras. So they can have a few beers at night, and they're very happy. And it is that thing of what's the balance of how I think that a lot of times we makes up the balance of wealth to happiness, like, what we need to survive.

And I think that it's, like, maybe that's why so many people are having so many problems with depression and stress and anxiety is that we feel this need. Like, I remember I used to go to festivals in Miami. And whenever in Miami, feel like so much pressure to get plastic surgery because there's so many boards. I know. It's wonderful for you to feel like am I the only one here that's got all original?

It's this only in Miami do I feel, but there are so many plastic surgery billboards there. It's almost it does affect you even if, like -- You know, I feel that my sister lives in Beverly Hills. and it's the same it's the same thing. Feel pretty good till I go there. Yeah. And you start to, I think, make go, oh, I need to make more money to get this and more money to make that.

And, I mean, we certainly with 4 kids and all in private schools, we certainly have bigger and bigger bills. But then when I talked to my friends in America on my bills, they're like, what? I saw my friend I talked to my best friend from college about my monthly cost the other week. He was my mortgage just four times that. Yeah. I was like, come on over. And now it actually feels like maybe I should start working with you. And I was like, hey, man.

Of course. I would love to do it because it's you don't need as much to have more here. And there's and you can make a real difference. Like, I think that's one of the things that I realized is that, like, we owe me higher local people, like, all of our money. We my end with all the money I bring in with all the people we have right over here.

We're just supporting, like, 50 or a100 people at any given time that we're their only source of income. We pay better than everyone else. You know, where we live, a lot of people if you have, like, your nannies out with you when you got to dinner, like, they sit at a different table and watch you eat, but don't eat. And I was like, oh, I can't do that. Like, that's -- That's -- -- so No. We -- That's not cool.

I couldn't I was like, that's a thing. There's so many things I didn't know about, like, a way like, that -- My wife, before she met me, she used to be, like, a house cleaner. She's like, yeah. I wasn't allowed to sit down during the day. And I was like, what? What? Our name doesn't sit down all the time. Like, Like, there's all these ways of treating people.

We ran a hotel for a few years, and we first, I went through all the workers who were running the hotel while the owners were out of town were sleeping in the stock room. And I was like, guy, this I can't do this. There's no way -- Oh, you mean that's where they would sleep at night. They live there. Or I go, guys, listen. This not gonna work. And, also, I can't pay you your old salary.

Like, I cannot look myself in the mirror -- And and pay you a dollar. I was like, we gotta pick I was like, first of all, you've gotta double your salary starting today, Number 2, you guys are getting your own rooms. Like, you're not sleeping under mattresses together. Like, it is amazing how much you can do with a little So just treating people nice and -- Right. -- it's not just the thing is it's not just about yourself, which is great. Right? You get these benefits.

Liminated list. You can also poor money in the countries that need it the most. Right? Like because I know I remember all these people going vacation to, like, Jamaica, and then they stay in the hotel, but the hotel is owned by American company. The money just goes right back to America. It doesn't go into the local. But when you live somewhere, you can start to hire local people state locally owned places, put money in the local economy.

Like, my wife and I went out last night, and it's the first time I've seen a really good DJ in a long time, And I think I tipped him $60, and the guy was because someone else tried to tip the guy a dollar. And I was like, come on. This guy is so good. I've seen so many bad DJ. I traveled the world seeing DJs for decades. So I'm like, to finally see it go to and it's such a pleasure.

And it was, like, life changing for the guy. And it's, like -- Yes. -- doing your good, you should get rewarded for it. And it's, like, you can do really nice things whereas -- Yes. -- if someone in America's sixty bucks are not gonna be impressed. Susie Bills: Well and when you say it's life changing, that is it's very easy to help people even if you don't have a lot because you and you just give something. Right? That's definitely and they're so appreciative.

It's a great it's a great way, right, to help out the local economy. Plus, you guys are living in Thailand, and you'll be there for a while because of your kids. Right? So you want you are part of the community. Right? And the other families and all the other kids and things like that. So, of course, it's wonderful to be able to also help people out.

So your point of view living from the US is really an advantage in being able to help people because you're you have a different perspective of what you will allow to happen, like, sleeping on the floor. Right? That's not appropriate. Jonathan Green: Yeah. It's is surprising how different, like, some things are in other places, and it is there are some values you wanna bring with you in. I get it. I know there are some people that come to other countries and treat everyone terribly.

Like, I've certainly seen that as well. -- all the time. We see it all the time. Yeah. We do. Oh, if I just shout louder, this person will learn English. I see that all the time as well. But it is exactly that. Like, I've always been someone who would travel somewhere I stay longer. I just can't do a 3 to 5 kitch because you can't figure it out.

You're never gonna see the stuff that's really cool, like the locals only places or the like, the part that's, like, really the most interesting part, if you're just somewhere for a really short time. because it takes a while to figure out where you can go, where you can't go, what are the rules, and all of that stuff. And to start to meet people. And I think that's always been to me the best part.

Like, I do wanna do a lot more traveling with my kids, like, definitely, once they're all probably 10 or above, we can do a lot of traveling or go to a lot of different countries, see all sorts of stuff, and see the seven wonders in the ancient world, and sees my kids have never seen snow. So all of those things like we wanna do, but it's just not as hard as you think it is. it's mostly about making the decision and then making a plan. Right?

And for us, like, the homeschooling and education thing, that's one of the big challenges and know -- Sure. who we're gonna travel with, but that's just part of the planning. Like, we have a lot of options we do. You can still go on big vacations, and a lot of it is. 1st, you're exactly right. Like, getting over the fear of leaving what's familiar.

I remember I lived in Japan for 2 years in my twenties and one of my lot of my friends. of my friends were super into Japanese cartoons. Yeah. Like, oh, they were like, oh, my dream vacation should be good at Japan. Like, yeah. You can just stay with me. It's like, get on a plane. You can stay with me. I know all the places to eat that are really, really affordable. Your vacation will be so much cheaper than you think, and they never do it.

No one ever did. I live in Kansas here. No one ever comes because there's just this thing. And I think it's the same thing about people starting their own businesses is this thing where they just don't do it. You know, I've always been I've always been out of shape. And one of my friends runs a really famous strong man gym. And we're in a bar 1 night. He goes, one on the train, come tomorrow morning at 6 AM. And I was there.

Array was even 5 there. I showed up the next morning. He goes, no one ever comes. say that. He's like, I invite people all the time in New Asia. What and at the time, I was dating a woman who was six foot 2 in Olympic alternate. So I was like, I need to be at least swung up to lift her up. It's like, I cannot be I don't need to be as strong as her, but at least able to lift her because she was so strong.

Olympic volleyball alternate. you know, score my wife, but and I was there every day until I left the country. Like, I trained a lie -- Yeah. -- it was the strongest I've ever been. You know, when you're carrying, like, kegs of sand and bags and all that stuff. But it's there's the thing where most people miss or don't do opportunities. They have an opportunity in front of them, and then they don't take action.

And I think it's the same thing maybe that causes people not to travel is that there's this Maybe it's the it's too good to be true for you. Like, oh, come on. It can't be that easy. And so they don't do it or they don't try for their story. Susie Bills: And I yeah. I also like to point out that it's not all roses. Right? Like, you don't just leave, and now you're in a different country, and everything takes work, right, and planning. and investigating.

And I tell a lot of people if you're interested in think even thinking about living in a different country, start by making a list of things that are required. Right? Like, do you require warm weather? Do you require that you don't have to learn another language? Like, there's places you can go you don't need to learn about it. Like, what are those what is that list that are kind of like your deal breakers? because then it's a great way to start researching.

You can see anywhere any street in anywhere you wanna go on YouTube. Everybody somebody's made a travel video about it. They've walked they've done a walking tour. My husband researches all the places before we decide to go somewhere, and he literally knows everything about it before we even go. The only thing we can't really know before we get there is, like, the vibe of the place. Right? because you really have to be there to experience it.

But all the places, all this streets, the hotels, the rest we're vegan, so he knows where all the vegan restaurants are. You can find out so much. You'll spend some time. If it's something that you feel called to or you think is interesting and gets you excited. You know?

Spend some time on YouTube, checking out some different places. spend some time if you're traveling with someone else, a spouse, or a friend, or whatever, make sure that you guys have some deal breakers, some things you don't want Right? because that's just important as understanding what you do want. Right? And just dip your toe in. Right? And then also, then plan a vacation. Go somewhere first. It doesn't have to be like, I'm gonna go be a nomad, and then the next month you have to move.

Like, it can be at 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 year plan. and you can go travel slowly and check out places and things like that. So, yeah, it doesn't have to be all or nothing. And same with an online business. If you have a great business are a great job right now that maybe you don't love it, but it's doing what it's paying. Right? It's your it's how you make a living. It's all the things that you need. start a side business.

Dip your toe in with the side business and let your current job, like, be your venture capitalist or whatever for the for your side gig. Like, let it fund your side gate. Right? But start something. And, again, if you have a 2 or 3 year plan, over time, even putting a little bit effort into an online business every day, an hour a day, a couple hour 4 or 5 hours a week. Over a year or 2, you can build something sub substantial. Right?

And then you can leave that 9 to 5 or you can do whatever whatever you want. So, again, not making everything so like black and white and just starting off with small steps in a direction of something you think you might be interested in learning more about, and then Google it. Jonathan Green: Yeah. I think -- Everything's on Google. There is so much opportunity now. Like, I started full time online in 2010 in February of 2010, and it's so much easier now than it was then.

Like -- Yes. when I think about the first website pages I build, like, I had to learn I used to have to do stuff in dream theater, and I don't I learned nothing like that to make an op to catch an email address or to make a page for website. into DreamWaver, like, copying and pasting, like, looking at someone else's website left and right, it was so hard or finding a client now and we're just starting a new training program tomorrow for a bunch of students about how to get their first, like, freelancing client.

And I was like, oh my gosh. It's so much easier now than it was. Susie Bills: So Yes Jonathan Green: And there's so many more ways you can hang up your shingle and get on people's radar. And I had to add this caveat. I was like, you have to be careful because you're gonna too many clients if you do everything here, like, where I used to struggle. Like, it took me a while to get ramped up when I was starting.

Now there's so many opportunities A lot of people I think most people, they either think their existing skill has no value. It's like, oh, no one would wanna pay it or they hate it. And It's so -- -- hate it and don't wanna do it. Yeah. And it's always like, well, just make an exit plan. Like, just use that to make enough money to get out, and that's what I did. I look. A lot.

I've done a lot of stuff I hate over the last 10 years. Yeah. And I was like, guess what? That's part of life. But now I make so much money for doing I don't like when someone's like, why do you do client work? Why just charge a fee for how inconvenient it is? That makes it worth it. Exactly. I was working with the team I work with now, and on a big project. They're like, well, we don't wanna do this anymore. We hate the clients.

I was like, what number would make you not hate them anymore? I said, well, that and they go this. I said, that's the new price. And I said, that's how I get all of my prices. Everyone I know who's in client services of any kind, the majority of the fee is an inconvenience fee. It's like, oh, this person's gonna call me, and the more someone The more you call someone. This is a warning if you are hiring people.

The more you call them, the more they're gonna charge you. Susie Bills: Exactly. The more you get of their time, there's a price for that. Absolutely. Yeah. And so did you said that you have a service business? Jonathan Green: What we do now this is great. I started a new company this year, I reached out to I saw these three twenty two year olds on TikTok who were doing really well.

And I just done a huge TikTok campaign with someone else, and a company bought me out of that project. And I said, that's fine. And I started with these guys the next day. And I just sent them an email, and I was like, I think I can make you guys a millionaires by next Christmas. And Most peep and they don't I've said that emailed about fifty people. They're the first ones who said yes. They do everything I say, and they're gonna hit it.

So they're gonna be millionaires by the time they're 23. So they're already dealing with all these issues, and they've built a huge TikTok business, consulting business, and we're getting approached by 10 to 20 companies a week. They wanna hire us as an agency, which we're not. but we're partnered with other agencies. And that they have clients who are paying a lot of money to learn how to do what they're doing on TikTok. And they just like -- Yeah. don't they'll get tired of the coaching calls.

And I said, well, just charge more. That's the secret. Yeah. The secret to anything is that there's a number which it's not annoying anymore. and you just figure out what that is. That's the amazing thing now is that exactly you only have to be good at one thing.

That's the biggest lesson I've learned in the last 12 years of this is that if you're just really good at one thing, don't have to be good at anything else because they're not good at any of the business stuff. They don't how to write the sales stuff. I do all of that. That's the part I bring to the table. I'll write all the structure. I'll give you the structure for the courses. You put in the knowledge.

I'll just go to the eye, and they are so good at what they do. every time they go, oh, should we do this thing outside? I go, no. Stick to what you're so great at because it's gonna explode -- Danger Lane. Yeah. Like, they had no idea. They were selling a $7 course when I reached out to them. I was like and they were so they I hired him as coaches first because it was $30 an hour for coaching.

And I said, can I buy a 100 hours? they said, wait a minute. Maybe we should raise our prices. And I was like, yeah. You definitely so you're instant what your knowledge at 30 is what? Yeah. You're way undercharging. And now, of course, they're much more they've learned, but there's so many people that don't realize what they know is so valuable. We've been trying to hire a phone salesperson for a while. because we're bringing we're getting so many calls coming in.

Our problem is not traffic because we they can get unlimited traffic from TikTok. They can generate a 1000 calls a week if we want. It's not the problem. The problem is who's gonna answer the phone. And it's so interesting how many people it's really hard we've discovered. There are certain jobs that are really hard to find for. It's really been hard to find own salesperson.

We finally got a couple of leads last week, but I've been trying for months because it's not a good use of their time to answer the phones. We just haven't found a person yet. And there's probably a ton of people out there that have terrible phone sales jobs that are good and I used to do it. I used to sell computers over the phone. Nightmare job. So horrible because you're trying to get everyone to get computer company credit card, which never has a great interest.

Oh, right. The hard sell. It'll take you 15 years after a computer, but I promise this is a really good deal. And But it's that's the thing. I remember so many people like that. I'm like, you have an amazing skill, and they go, no one will pay for it. And I'm like, you're completely wrong. Because they know it so easily. They don't think it's a thing. But you gotta remember that no but other people don't know that, and it's super valuable to them. Yeah.

So many things are really hard. One of my friends can build a house from, like, nothing, which is insane to me. And I came over one day with him to help him paint a wall just white walls. And he came back up to Mitch. He goes, how did you do that? How does it look so he goes, I've never seen a white wall with white paint look so bad. I didn't know you connected. Listen. He goes he goes -- I'm not a faner, dude.

I think that's not my deal. I know. I just it's amazing. how hard making the wall look one color is. That's funny. To him, it's so easy. Right? Because he's like -- Yeah. -- do it putting up -- Exactly. Jeep Rockamino. Every part of this is really hard.

And you can get paid really good money to do that stuff or teach people how to do There's a I watch videos all the time how to fix stuff anytime something's broken in the house. because here, you gotta fix it yourself. Like, that's definitely one of the challenges of living abroad is, like, you have a lot more personal responsibility. Like, same thing for your health.

Like, you have to be really in charge of your own health because the medical coverage in some places where we live, it's very remote. It's not you don't wanna have stuff happen here. So you have to be more responsible, but that's the trade off. Susie Bills: Yeah. And that's a good point that you mentioned, though, and for your listeners too, is you just to start an online business, exactly what you said, one thing. Right?

Like, what is it that you have experience in from your job that you're currently in or your past experience? What is it here's a question for you. If somebody asked you, Today, you had to give a TED Talk. What what could you get up and talk about right now that you could just riff on and talk about for half an hour? teach somebody talk about what's that topic? Like, what is it what could you teach somebody if you had to give a TED Talk right now?

Well, for me, that's creating an online business. For you, similar. Right? For someone else, it might be, you know, they can help you They're a lawyer. Right? Like, I have some clients that are lawyers, and we've turn we've helped turn their businesses into digital product businesses because they can help with contracts. Right? They can so there's just because you're in you have a a current job that might be in a brick and mortar. Right?

Might be or you might be a lawyer. or a in our accountant or any of these things, those can all be turned into product businesses, online businesses. right, or at least versions of those. Right? And so that's it's about kind of changing the perspective on how you look at what you do. right, and how other people would value it. Jonathan Green: Yeah.

I always remind people that whatever your company is paying you, it's less than your worth. because no company is trying to be at at 0profit. No companies operate it at exactly breakeven. So whenever you're getting paid, wherever you're working, it's less than the profit you're generating, or you wouldn't be there. You know, that's why the company is doing business, and so many jobs as soon as you switch from employee to consultant. Right?

Immediately, your salary goes up 50 or a100 percent because -- Yes. -- they don't have to cover your health insurance or whatever. Right? And they're kind of -- All the things. All the tax all the things. There's a lot that goes into it. Right? Yeah. So but the one of lessons I learned as well is your 1st year in business, most people make exactly the same as they did at their last job because they go, oh, that's what I'm worth, or that's what I should make.

And when I had that revelation, I made so much more money the next year. because I my 1st year online, I made exactly the same as my last salary because you we let other people decide -- -- worse. Yes. What were worse. Right. What am I worth? Oh, my boss, Toby. I'm worth $7 now. $15. Whatever the number is, and it's always well, why is your time worth that? And it's most of the time, it's well, somewhat this is what someone once paid me.

It's like, well, no. You're what's so much -- Right. -- more. And I've always found that as you raise your prices, you get nicer clients like that's in most of my experience. They're more likely to show up. They're less likely to complain about the bill, and they take action. So -- Agreed. They're -- Yes. year that if I charge more, I'll lose all my existing clients. And it's true. You'll have to switch to new clients, but you can make a lot more money. Yeah.

There's so many opportunities always am amazed by lawyers who think, oh, there's nothing I can do online. Are you crazy? Lawyers -- Susie Bills: I work CPAs too. It's, like, Jonathan Green: It's, like, Every single person I know who runs an online business has a bookkeeping problem. Yep. Absolutely. Agreed. Same with me. Yep. Same. All the people I work with My first accountant, I tried to hire it. She wouldn't work with me. She goes, how much money do you make?

And I said, I have no idea. She goes, what do you do when you run out of money? I said, I just make more. And I basically drive a roller coaster because if I need a project, I can always find a project where someone will pay me for something, and it happens all the time. And I've always lived that way. I'm just so good at it's like the curse. I'm so good at rainmaking that if I need a project for any number, I always find it.

Whether it's working for someone else or launching something or helping with something or just getting paid a flat rate, it always comes in right at in the nick of time. And it's happened, like, dozens dozens of times over the years, and accounts hate that. because they like predictability. -- predictability. Susie Bills: Yeah. They're like, what? How's your cash flow? You're like, it just happens. yeah, if I need money, I bring it in.

And that's why most of the things I teach about are rainmaking because I'm so good at -- Yeah. -- it was like, how do you find so many clients? I'm like, I just tell everyone I'm really good at what I do. And then they go, wow. You must be the best to keep saying it. There you go. Right? The a belief is just what you keep hearing over and over. And, obviously, you're good at what you do.

I mean, obviously, you have to be able to back it up. But but, yeah, I love that you said that about consulting, like somebody that goes from an employee to an consultant. can double how much money they make. And it really is just a limiting belief that they're only worth a certain amount. Right?

And so if you change your beliefs, right, that's another thing. that every single person I work with and myself included, they're if you're going to decide to go and be an on and have an online business. You're going to have to do some personal development work. You're gonna have to work on your mindset. You're gonna have to work on any money mindset issues you have come up, any worthiness issues, these things will come up. Right?

They might not come up at the beginning, But as you work and grow your business and wanna take it to different levels, you're gonna have to do some personal development. So be aware I'm sure you would agree with that. Jonathan Green: Yeah. I started off in personal development and then went into business. So I once I discovered I was 27, I read a book about dating, and I was like, wait. You can get better at dating. And I that's that changed my entire life.

I was because I was just so many bad relationships, so bad at dating. And I was like, oh, you can learn to be better at conversation. You could be more interesting. And now that time at my wife, through business stuff, but it was like it's such a foundation realizing you can get because there are certain areas where you think, oh, you're born good or not good. It's just limiting weights. Yeah. You can get good at almost everything. Right? You can get better at your health.

You can get smarter. You can get faster. I mean, I guess there's limits or whatever, but you're so there's so much beyond what we think, and there is this really belief. Like, I always thought I'm not an entrepreneur. And I realized I've started, like, a dozen side businesses before this one. Like, I was doing -- So, Zach, then what are you? Yeah. That's not an entrepreneur. Vince, because we're so caught in the west. Yeah. We are not allowed to be on shore.

Is that way to be an entrepreneur is be born with rich parents, then you could be an entrepreneur. That's what I was -- -- just go around and do make stuff. Right? Or whatever. Yeah. I am curious about one thing.

Now you and your husband, you're traveling into an did you guys start those entrepreneurs together? because I know for a lot of people, It's a really hard conversation, whether it's the husband or the wife when they say, I'm gonna quit my job to do my side business full time. It's really scary if you don't have the entrepreneurial gene. If you favor security over -- Yeah. -- because let's be honest, being an entrepreneur is risk. Right? You're all in. Travey is no net.

I met my wife after I'd started my this business. So this is all she's ever known from our relationship, but I know a lot of people, that's a challenge, and I think it's the same one of, like, let's travel discussion. That's very interesting to me. Susie Bills: Yeah. You know, our we were actually, it was pretty simple. We were on the same page. So we we had a very successful business in San Francisco for many years.

And so but what we found is that working 247 and having all the things and having all the trappings of a very successful life, we still weren't happy. Right? And so it was back to that, like, we talked about earlier, right, making a lot of money and buying a lot of things because we think that makes us happy. And so we weren't. And around that same time, we had a very, very, very dear friend of ours pass away from cancer at the age of forty.

And it was a very eye opening perspective switch that what are we doing? We're doing what we don't like every day of our life. We're spending every day of our life doing something we don't like. We only have one life. What the right? Like, what the f? So that was our per that was our switch. And then so then we, together, put a plan in place, that took a while to get things built up and exit other things and and move and all of that.

But it was definitely a joint effort. because we were both on the same page. So in that respect, it was it it can be really difficult if one person is doesn't I mean, that's a conundrum. Right? If your husband doesn't wanna move and wants to stay in your small town forever and you wanna travel, that's pretty that's more of perhaps a conversation to maybe talk to somebody about, like, a marriage counselor or somebody because that's a big that could be a big problem. Right?

And so, yeah, we didn't have to we didn't have to go through that, fortunately. We were both on the same page and realized that life is short, and we wanted we just wanna be happy Right? And we wanna spend more time on our health. We wanna spend more time, you know, helping do do things for with people and other people to make their lives good.

You mentioned helping out in your community, we have a online team that helps in our business, and they're from all over the world. Majority of them live in the Philippines. And you know, we can make a big we are making a big difference because we can help them live better lives because they work for us, and we pay them a great wage. Right? And so And it's a win win because they help us with our clients.

And so we wanted to do other things than just working to make money to buy more things. and that was kind of the impetus when our friend passed away that really was the change. Jonathan Green: Yeah. I think that's so important is that sometimes wait for something to happen to remind us that we're not happy or we're stuck or because I at one point, had an office. I've had an office outside the house that was, like, a hundred yards from the house.

And I got so much work done, but I didn't see the kids all day. That was, like, this is what I want. This is what I want at all. And -- Why am I having all these kids if I don't see them? Right? Like, that yeah. Yeah. The thought of, like, missing childhood events or their first steps are being home. So that's why I work from home. I want it to be around the kids all the time.

That's why I have a lot of kids, and it is you have to make this decision making capitalism. What's important to you, and then you can have it. You know, I'd be before this, I thought about, like, I'd looked at moving into, like, really small towns and, like, rural parts of America because, again, you can, like, Like, you could buy a house in Alabama like a mansion for the price of a small part in San Francisco. Like, sometimes even the disparity within America is crazy.

And I went to Hawaii for my 30th birthday for a month, and everyone was like, how could you possibly afford that? I was like, have you ever looked at what a plane ticket cost? It was like $500 round trip. It wasn't that crazy. And then it was, like, a $1000 for a month staying somewhere. So and it was, like, basically, the same as cost of living in Nashville at the time.

Like, A lot of the times we make these big assumptions, you don't even have to leave the country to make things. There's such a difference in cost of living in prices different between different states like Alaska. Come on. It's way There's a lot. Even though we're in the middle of the woods, and now that there's Internet everywhere -- Right. -- I mean, I live in a national wildlife serve. So this side of my house is just a jungle. There's not a house on that side.

And this side, there's just 3 other houses and then more jungle because this was here before they declared to the National Forest. And it's -- Oh, so so remote, but we have gigabit Internet. I can do literally anything with radio in, like, 2 minutes. I'm shooting this in four k. So a lot of times, we I think we don't feel like there's so many opportunities out there. There's so much you can do online. There's so much work. There's more work now for writers than ever before.

More and more people need to create social media creators. So it's actually I think it's actually better market than ever before. So this has been really good. -- Susie Bills: writer, If you are a writer if you can do copywriting and sales letters and website copy, you yes. If you have that skill, Amazing. Can do amazing things. Jonathan Green: So this has been absolutely amazing, Susie. I appreciate your time.

We've gone way longer than I planned, but I've been having a good time. nice to talk to another person that's traveling the world in the same way. Yeah. find out for about you, get to know you, hang out with you, and maybe see some of the other amazing things you're doing. Susie Bills: Yeah. suzybills.com. You can go there, and there's some links to a lot of free resources.

I have a great Facebook group called the savvy CEO Society. and it is a hub of free resources for people who wanna start an online business. And there's so much information out there for for people sometimes people get overwhelmed if they go to Google and put in, like, how to start an online business.

There's just so much that I've curated a lot of free resources so people can hop in there, join the group, and then I also am in there every Friday for a free coaching Fridays at 10 AM central where you can ask me any questions. And so I'd love to have anybody who's interested in living a laptop lifestyle in any manner, whether that is from your kitchen table or next door to you and Volley in the nature preserve or not Volley Thailand in a nature preserve. Right?

You can definitely do it. You just have to start taking small steps. And so that is what we do in the society, so we'd love to have you. Thank you so much for your time. Jonathan Green: Thank you so much for spending time with us and everyone that's usievils.com, suzybills.com. And then on Facebook, that's savvy CEO Society. Both were joining. Thank you so much for being here, Susie. I really appreciate it. Susie Bills: Thank you. Take care. Jonathan Green: Thanks for listening to today's episode.

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