Chris Guillebeau, My Interview With The Non Conforming Game Changer

By- Rick A. Griffith

Next up on the “Game Changers” interview series is well known author and blogger Chris Guillebeau. Chris was nice enough to indulge me in an interview, taking time out from writing for such publications as CNN, Business Week, the Huffington Post, Psychology Today, and the Oregonian newspaper, not to mention his own massively popular blog The Art of Non Conformity, and book by the same name. Chris shares the nomadic instincts so popular with the readers of this site and has traveled to over 150 countries. But for a man who needs no introduction, this one is already running on far too long, let’s get started…

(RG)- Rick Griffith's Questions

(CG) Chris Guillebeau's Answers

(RG)Your book The Art of Non Conformity and blog, by the same name are tremendously popular and inspiring for those looking to break free. When deciding on your life of non conformity, who did you turn to for inspiration as a writer and a traveler?

(CG)These days I often turn to my community, which consists of many people doing much more interesting things than me. I also think a lot about the aid workers and volunteers I used to work with in Africa. 

(RG)What is one experience you have had while traveling that stands out in your mind as a “wow” moment, that motivated you to keep moving?

(CG)I have them every month. Last month I was in Cambodia, where I met a tuk-tuk driver who had a very Western (and successul) approach to running his business. I was encouraged to see that a lot of what works in building a business is universal.  

 

(RG)Having seen so many cities around the world, what cities have you visited where there is great opportunity for talented people?

(CG) Every city offers unique opportunities and talent pools. But a few that I think are especially good at attracting like-minded creatives are: Austin, Toronto, Vancouver, NYC, Cape Town, Buenos Aires... and the list goes on. 

(RG)One thing I like to talk about is failure and how it is a necessity for anyone looking to do something truly great. How have you embraced failure in your own life in your path to becoming a successful writer?

(CG)I'm not sure that failure is a necessity. Often the things we are most afraid of never actually come to pass, and the bigger challenge is just to start. But in my case, I try to continually launch new things and experiment. Not everything will be mega-successful, but I'd never know without beginning.

(RG)You are great at staying in contact with your followers and keeping it real on your blog. How do you think this authenticity has benefited you?

(CG)Many ways. Here's two: a) It's been good for business, because things can only grow as more and more people become engaged. b) It's been good for me personally and as a writer. When I know who's reading, I can't just phone it in -- I have to deliver something worthy of their Inbox or RSS feed.

(RG)I’ll be exploring Europe for the next few months and noticed you mentioned you meet up with readers on occasion. If you happen to pass through, can I buy you a cold one to thank you for the insight?

(CG)Of Course. I hope to see you on the road somewhere. Happy Travels!

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Game Changers-Colin Wright

Colin Wright is an internet entrepreneur and and location independent professional who runs a number of different online businesses. I recently had the chance to chat with him about his unconventional nomadic lifestyle. My questions are in bold, followed by his responses. To follow Colin, you can find his website and links to his other works at ExileLifestyle.com.

You are someone who travels quite often. How do you manage balancing relationships with close friends and family while being away so often?

It's mostly a matter of figuring out what relationships require what kind of effort, and then prioritizing based on that.

There are great friends that require constant attention and others that you can see once every few years and still remain on great terms with. How much is too long to be away from your family? How much distance can a significant other take? These are all things to consider and then working into your travel plans, and things I think about constantly.

I'm also very good at de-prioritizing relationships that simply aren't valuable to me or the other person. I would hazard to say MOST relationships that people spend their time on are somewhat forced - you hang out because you have to see each other every day at work, or your friends are their friends, etc - and when you travel long-term, you don't have to deal with that. So who do you spend your time and energy staying in touch with? It's a really good way to figure out which relationships are the most important, that's for sure.

Was there a turning point when you realized that this was the lifestyle you wanted to lead and if so how long did it take you to take the leap?

I've known for a very long time that I wanted to make travel a big part of my life, but it wasn't until 2009 when I finally decided to take the leap. Once I decided this is what I was going to do, I gave myself 4 months to prepare and completely pull apart my old lifestyle before I flew to Argentina.

We are currently doing this interview series bringing to light what I call Game Changers. These are people who live unconventional lifestyles and embrace the idea of long term travel. Who are some people that inspired you to change course?

Ah, this is always a tough question, because there have been so many that there's no way I can name them all (and most probably have no idea they were inspiring anyone...they were just living their lives, and I was paying attention).

Some big names people would know I guess would include Ayn Rand, Seth Godin, Rolf Potts, and Tim Ferriss.

My parents have also always been supportive of everything I've ever done, which allowed me to bypass a big hurdle most people encounter when trying to make a major life-change like I did. Having them on my side really helped ease the transition.

You are a man of many ventures. For readers who may not be familiar can you give a brief overview of how it is that you make your living while living an international lifestyle?

I run a handful of businesses (though some are so small that they probably don't really warrant that name yet...projects?) and that's what allows me to do what I do.

Some are service-based - like Colin Is My Name, through which I do brand consultation work for clients large and small - while others are platforms for others to sell their work, like Ebookling. Most Interesting People in the Room is a membership-paid community with a unique monetization strategy, I Have No Shirt is where I sell some of my t-shirt designs (something I used to do for other companies), and How We Date is a publication that's evolving into a premium newsletter/magazine of sorts.

I find that having many projects at the same time helps me focus (seems counter-intuitive, I know, but if I get sick of working on one, I can refocus on another for a while and come back to the first one fresh). Sometimes I find myself having to put a few of them on the back burner so I can focus on one in particular, but generally I can keep all the balls in the air at the same time without too much trouble. I've always had a lot going on, so I actually get crazy bored when I have too little going on, and not enough novelty and change in my life.

As an entrepreneur, failure is inevitable. Is there an experience that you remember in particular where you failed and if so what did you learn from this experience?

Oh man, I've failed so many time I don't even know where to start.

I usually tell the story about my first business, so let's go for another one here. A more recent project called Ebookling is doing really well now and getting all kinds of press and investment attention, but I actually started it about a year ago, and have gone through two launches previous to the most recent launch in February.

Frankly, the first two times there simply wasn't enough uniqueness to the project to make it really stand out. It did shockingly well for a brand that was so basic and that didn't work very well. I essentially reached the limits of my development skills, so I launched, then, thinking I had a better solution on the way, started talking about a relaunch, but the new solution ended up being TERRIBLE, so the second time around it was worse than the first time. Yeeeeeesh.

Thankfully I had built up enough goodwill in the blogging community that I didn't chase away everyone else with the efforts (and bloggers tend to be just as enthused about failing often and moving on as I am, so they get it), but god was I embarrassed.

What I learn from every failure is how to do it better (even if not the best way possible) next time, and that failing is a natural part of the path toward success. At this point I've had more successes than failures, so I'm in the black!

What has been your favorite destination so far in your travels as a place where you would consider returning for a considerable amount of time?

Honestly, I would go back to any place I've been. Even the places that I didn't care for the first time around (like Peru) would likely be much better the second time.

Plus, every new place I go gives me a different perspective. After living in Argentina for 4 months, Peru wasn't my favorite, but how about now that I've lived in Thailand? In Iceland? How would I see things differently? What would I get from the experience this time?

It's bound to be completely different.

In what place that you have visited do you see the most opportunity for young entrepreneurs and professionals?

New Zealand and Iceland have got vast pools of young, intelligent, talented people waiting in the wings. Both have a little trouble, culturally, being able to stand up and say they have a new, better idea, however, which makes it difficult for them to start businesses (compared to in the States, for example, where even people with bad ideas have no trouble standing up and saying they rule and are the best at everything).

There's so much untapped brilliance all over the world, though, and I'm hoping that as more walls drop and more connections are built internationally, more people will be able to connect with others beyond their country's borders and create something amazing.

To a young person who may be in the position you were before making the decision to take up roots and hit the road, what is the one vital piece of advice you would offer in taking this step?

Make sure you know where your money is coming from.

I can't even count how many people I've met during my travels who were themselves also traveling, but running out of cash and would have to make their way back home soon, broke and wishing they could keep going.

I took 4 full months, working almost full time to rearrange my life so that I could continue to make a good living while traveling. Put in your due diligence so that you have a solid foundation and it will be time well-spent. The worst thing would be to get out on the road, love the hell out of it and then have to head back to live with your parents because you spent your savings in a few months.

A Note From Simon Black- A Man Living Without Borders

Photo credit- emrank

Simon Black is the author of the increasingly popular blog Sovereignman.com. Through his direct writing style and unmatched international life experiences, he is urging the informed masses to create new opportunities and secure wealth by "planting multiple flags".

Simply put, this means the act of diversifying aspects of your life away from your home country and seeking them in another more advantageous to your life plans.

Whether it be gaining a second citizenship, opening a foreign bank account or securing your wealth via a foreign trust, Simon has you covered with an immense amount of information that can help you with all these things.

I am an adamant reader of his daily letter and asked if I could share his posts with my readers. I thought this most recent letter is something that my audience should definitely consider

Enter Simon Black,

December 16, 2010
Auckland, New Zealand

If you’re reading this and under 30, let me be absolutely clear about one indubitable point: your government is going to sacrifice your future in order to pay for its own mistakes from the past.

To give you an example, students in London came out to the streets in droves last Friday to protest the British parliament’s most recent austerity measures which tripled the cap on their university tuition to $15,000.

Sure, Britain is imposing all sorts of austerity measures on its citizens… and while I won’t get into a discussion about the absurdity of government controlled education, I will point out that students are having their benefits cut far more drastically than any other segment of the population.

Are pensioners seeing their costs triple? No. Are middle-aged workers seeing 50% tax hikes? No. Aside from the very small segment of high-income earners who will be forever robbed and pillaged of their wealth, the younger generation is next in line to receive the butt end of the crisis fallout.

Younger folks have comparatively lower incomes, benefits, job opportunities, and political clout than their seniors, yet they are increasingly expected to assume a disproportionately larger burden of the consequences of government folly.

It’s the younger generation that is called on to go fight and die in pointless wars in faraway lands; it’s the younger generation that is forced to assume the debts of their forefathers; and it’s the younger generation that gets relegated to the back rows of the political amphitheater and dismissed by the establishment.

Meanwhile, retirees aren’t seeing massive benefits cuts, and middle-aged wage earners income earners are being protected from above by politicians. In fact, let’s take a minute and look at the looming fate of the average young person today:

1) Your government-run university tuition is going to go through the roof, saddling you with unfathomable debt before you even enter the world as an adult;

2) Once you graduate, you’ll be the last in the hiring queue;

3) If you do get hired, you’ll be the lowest on the totem pole and the first to be let go when tough times befall your business;

4) Once the labor market eventually stabilizes, you’ll enter your prime earning years with some of the highest tax rates ever seen as your government continues to cannibalize your generation to pay off its largess and indebted entitlement programs that benefited older generations;

5) For your entire working life, you’ll pay into a pension system that is going to be bankrupt by the time you’re qualified to draw on it;

6) More than likely, you’ll never achieve the standard of living that your parents achieved;

7) Whatever wealth your parents accumulated won’t be left to you– the bulk of it will be confiscated by the state (unless your folks were smart enough to plant multiple flags) due to a host of death taxes.

If you’re in the millennial Facebook generation, this is going to be the standard storyline of your peers. The system that’s in place right now– the failed cycle of debt and consumption fed by continuous government intervention– has stuck you with the bill.

Fortunately, there’s a silver lining (as always). Younger people are generally less anchored and more mobile than their elders, hence it’s much easier to opt out of this perverse system.

If you’re angry that your government is saddling you with the responsibility to pay off generations of bad decisions, then get out of dodge. Stop playing by the same rules of the game that used to work in the past– the old playbook of “go to school, get a good job, work your way up the ladder” simply doesn’t apply anymore.

Don’t stick around a society that has completely forsaken you and is waiting with knife and fork in hand to carve up your earnings once you finally enter the labor market… get out of dodge now, while it’s easy to do and you have little to risk.

Go explore the world and get an education based on experience, not expensive academic theory. Seek opportunities in thriving, frontier markets overseas… places like Kurdistan, Mongolia, Botswana, Kazakhstan. Soak up the local intelligence and become the grease guy on the ground who can make things happen.

Find people whose lifestyles you want to emulate and make yourself indispensable to them as an apprentice… this will be the only time in your life that you can afford to work for nothing in exchange for a valuable, first-hand education.

Most of all, stop playing by everyone else’s rules. Refuse to be enslaved by the idea that it’s your civic and moral responsibility to pay off the debts of your government’s failures. Cast off the yoke of their control… and summon the courage to live a life by your own design.

The path to prosperity in the Age of Turmoil depends on this ability to reject the old system, declare your economic independence, and carve your own path.

Eluding sharks and boredom- The Gary Misner Story

By- Rick A. Griffith

As Gary looked ashore, he saw the local surfers starting their bonfires. It was dusk and they had paddled ashore, content to call it a day. Gary on the other hand was determined to hone his surfing skills with every available wave. He’d left his home in Long Island, NY just two weeks earlier and was now doing all he could, determined to fit in with the local surf crowd who had so far been less than welcoming.

As he began to paddle back to shore casually he suddenly felt a breeze of energy beneath him. Convincing himself that it was all in his head he kept on paddling, picking up the pace slightly. Then in his peripheral vision just above the waterline, appeared a fin. His heart skipped a beat.

After all, he hadn’t traveled halfway across the world in hopes of living a better, more fulfilling life just to be eaten by a shark. He paddled frantically toward the shore. Just a week ago a girl had fallen victim to a shark attack nearby and now he thought that he’d be sharing the same fate. Instead of freezing up in fear, he swam like hell back to the shore with nothing on his mind other than hauling ass.

He arrived there bleeding from the coral which had cut his skin, looking as if he’d seen a ghost.

“Are you ok man? Asked a local who noticed Gary’s distressed state.
“I saw a shark and it followed me all the way in, I thought I was done for.” Gary replied panting for air.
 “That shark right there?” asked the local with a sheepish grin.
“Ya man, that’s it!” Gary answered.
“Haha, you were blessed by the surf gods bro, that DOLPHIN just escorted you safely back to shore.” chuckled the local.
“Huh?” Gary was perplexed
“Ehhh, don’t worry about it, grab a beer man, I’ll tell you all about it.” he offered.

The Bonfire

This was Gary’s initiation to the local surf scene in Hawaii. He would become friends with the group and share unforgettable memories over the next 3 months. Just weeks later, the same group of guys he shared brews with on the beach that fateful night, would take him on another adrenaline pumping journey. They offered to let Gary come watch them skydive. Little did he know that upon arriving, he would have a fully paid for pass to take the leap of faith himself. No video, no lessons, just adrenaline and fear. Gary was deathly afraid of heights. 5 minutes after arriving he was loaded up in a pick up truck on his way to a plane loaded with skydiving gear.

“ How long is the free fall?” Gary asked the driver.
 “For the rest of your life” the driver replied in a crazy voice.

Welcome to Hawaii!

But lets rewind…

How did Gary find his way here in the first place. Where does a young man find the time, money and courage to embark on such adventures halfway across the globe from his home in New York?

How do you trade coffee and cigarette brakes at the family auto body shop for swimming with dolphins in Hawaii and dinner with new friends in Italy?

Gary chose happiness.

Working each and every day at the auto body shop had motivated him to want so much more from his life. He began to open his mind to new possibilities and not just accept the traditional path to a life of 9-5 misery. To discover something more fulfilling, something with more purpose.

He quit the auto body shop and began exploring new ways to generate income that suited him better. Months of exploration lead Gary to the discovery of the investment potential of Silver bullion. He began investing in Silver, buying and selling it as a way of funding his new lifestyle, doing the things he always had dreamed of. The silver he discovered was beautiful and even more attractive were the profits he was making from his investments.

What if I could somehow incorporate the beauty of the silver & it’s investment potential together into an item that served a duel purpose? He thought.

The Peoples Bailout- The Border Bribe necklace

He decided to start playing with this idea, incorporating his investments into accessories that could be worn around town. Within a month he had designed a belt, hat, bracelet and necklace which he began wearing proudly around town. People started to take more of an interest in his fashion sense.

Unlike an Ed hardy accessory that quickly losses it’s value after purchase, Gary’s accessories could double in value within a few months, not to mention turn heads. As interest piqued, he began making similar accessories for friends and acquaintances who wanted to invest themselves. The Peoples Bailout was formed.

He began also selling Silver Bullion (large bricks of silver not incorporated in accessories) to investors on his website and on eBay and his business took off. He had done it. He could now do something he enjoyed and was passionate about, making income on his own terms. He could ditch the 9-5 boredom for a new jet setting lifestyle that fulfilled his needs.

“My favorite part about waking up in a foreign country, is that you are always learning something. “ He explained when asked what he enjoyed most about his new lifestyle.
“I go out into the street and talk to people, everyone, practicing a new language with confidence and even picking up new friends along the way.”

How would something like this change your mindset on a daily basis? It’s done wonders for Gary.

“Now when I’m relaxing, I’m RELAXING. Letting only good thoughts into my head, I’m free to thing the thoughts I want too, free from the bills and stresses of home, just looking for activities that make ME smile.”

“When I travel, I don’t look at culture and try to understand it. I LIVE their culture and I WILL understand it. I try to immediately become a local in the way I eat, speak and even dress.”

Gary blending in

“I even started painting motorcycles in Italy and realized that I really do love the auto body business, but on my terms.”

 A Scooter gary painted in Italy

So what now? How does one fill their time in the day once liberated from the 9-5 grind?

Gary structures his business to allow him to take 3 month breaks(mini-retirements) and pursue the things he likes to do.

The most recent goal?

He currently has an opportunity to run for the Achilles Foundation in the New York City marathon, a mighty task he knows nothing about. Fortunately he isn’t one to back down from a challenge.

“I recognize that people may look and say that he’s just lucky or he’s unstable, but that isn’t true. I’m learning not only about the world, but about myself. Those who stop learning, stop living.”

He urges this message to those looking for similar freedom.

“Don’t stop working, just start living. Learn to handle the critics and naysayer’s and remember, Some will laugh, Many will follow.”

No one is laughing now…

You can follow Gary's newest adventures here.



The Buenos Aires Pub Crawl, truly one of a kind

There are over 100 people crowded around in a half circle in Plaza Armenia in the Palermo Viejo neighborhood of Buenos Aires. They are drinking beer and wine and grabbing slices of pizza, discussing their ascent too the ruins at Machu Picchu, the beauty of Igauzu falls and  the amazing Bolivian salt flats. It is an international melting pot, drunken 20 and 30 something’s from all around the world meeting at the corner of Armenia and Costa Rica street to head out to 4 different drinking venues as one massive group.

This isn’t just a random party that came together perfectly, in fact it is much the opposite. Every Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday you can find similar groups making their way through the streets on the way to their next watering hole. The drunken debauchery is kept in control by 10 or so Pub Crawl employees rounding the herds of travelers and locals up and making sure there is no pub crawler left behind.

As with many good business ideas, this intriguing business was born out of spotting a need and providing a solution. After traveling in Buenos Aires and falling in love with the city, two entrepreneurs and fraternity brothers from Georgia, came to the realization that there wasn’t a pub crawl yet in the city of Buenos Aires and yet there we’re thousands and travelers, expats and locals who would enjoy having one.“ We thought, they need this, they don’t know they need it, but they do.” Roger explained. After 2 months of preparation Dustin and Roger held their first Pub Crawl in November of 2007.

 

Through necessity, they soon learned that business here in Buenos Aires was based on relationships, more than anything else. Building trust with local businesses has been one of their greatest assets. “Being on time, ethical, and forming great relationships with customers, bars, restaurants and clubs really set us apart” Roger said in our interview last month. This method has served them quite well as their business has blossomed into a mainstay in the Buenos Aires night scene.

The pub crawl is especially popular among tourists coming into town who are looking to party with fellow travelers from around the world, however efforts are being made to attract the local 'Porteno' crowd as well. “We want to be known for throwing the best parties in Buenos Aires. We are known for the pub crawls and having a strong contingent of travelers, but we want to provide the same awesome events for the locals as well.” Dustin explained.

More and more locals seem to be catching on and the pub crawls continue to expand in size. Utilizing Facebook as a means of promoting their events has brought them to the next level. During each pub crawl along with the employees, a photographer accompanies the group snapping hundreds of photos of the night's festivities. The following day the photos will be posted on facebook, enabling the crawlers to tag themselves in the photos and share their experiences with their friends. An awesome feature providing the customers memories and the company a nice way of marketing to prospective clients.

Clearly these two business savvy pub crawlers have a bright future ahead. Already up and running strong, is a second Pub Crawl in Santiago, Chile. When asked about their future plans they remained mum on the details, but hinted that further expansion was definitely in the cards. With an excellent business model that can be replicated in other locations along the tourist trail in South America, things seem to be looking up in the near future.

Just launched was the all new pub crawl targeted toward the Gay community “out and about”. They are clearly not shy to put new ideas into action, something that has already paid big dividends for the Pub Crawl. Wanting to make an impact and do something for the devastated residents in Haiti after the horrific earthquake in January, the BA Pub Crawl team sprang to action, pooling their resources and connections together to host “Kick it for Haiti”, a soccer tournament to raise money for the effected victims. The successful event drew hundreds of people to help support the cause.

Innovation, follow through, building strong business relationships and giving something back are all things have set this company apart and helped them build this unique business. It is no wonder why these expat idealists have seen so much successful in this venture.

Personally I have been on the pub crawl a few times and it has never failed to impress. You can not beat free beer for an hour and a free shot at each bar. The staff is awesome and friendly, like some guys I’d hang out with back home. I don’t usually talk people up without pointing out the negatives here, but the truth is these guys run a tight ship and do things right. With the Pub Crawl, you are always a VIP and always have friends even if you are new in town. If you visit Buenos Aires or Santiago, it’s no doubt a must see. In fact, I’m leaving town this weekend and guess where I’m going tonight. Yup, the Palermo crawl, there is just no better way to party.

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