Joined FL in late 2007 w/10K+ in CC Debt. Now biz averages 170K/month. AMAA

[jilla82]

9 times out of 10 the desire to get things "perfect" has nothing to do with the marketplace-- it's emotional resistance. You'll need to know if your current mental challenge is because of your own fear or because you're the next Steve Jobs demanding perfectly rounded iPhone corners or whatever.

I'm a big fan of READY. FIRE. AIM.

Entrepreneurs have conversations with marketplaces. They ship and iterate. They get the market's support in the form of feedback and cash flow, and use those resources to become better.

This is good stuff here.

When starting out, how important do you feel having a good looking website is?
Do you recommend throwing a site up, and sorting out the details w/ time...or would you start w/ a hired designer etc...?

 

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[Twiki]

CPC vs. SEO will depend a lot on your product, but generally if one works the other should because they are the same thing. If you can't buy an add for premium SERP placement you can't afford the SEO either. A lot of people will pursue SEO anyway b/c they don't see the cost of it because they are just spending their time on it. That doesn't, however, mean it's free!

Anyway, if you are spending 6 months testing an SEO strategy, you aren't getting into the furniture biz, you are getting into the SEO biz.

This single insight has blown me away. I cannot believe this has not occurred to me before, in the context of SEO. I think I fell for the siren call of something that is technically and strategically fascinating, but misses the point. Thank you thank you thank you (as Yoko Ono once sang)!

 

[TropicalGuy]

This single insight has blown me away. I cannot believe this has not occurred to me before, in the context of SEO. I think I fell for the siren call of something that is technically and strategically fascinating, but misses the point. Thank you thank you thank you (as Yoko Ono once sang)!

Cheers thanks!

 

[TropicalGuy]

This is good stuff here.

When starting out, how important do you feel having a good looking website is?
Do you recommend throwing a site up, and sorting out the details w/ time...or would you start w/ a hired designer etc...?

With very rare exceptions-- for example an iOS application (a product who's value proposition is inseparable from it's UX) just toss it up.

Your value proposition is way more important. ALL of our sites looked like crap when we first started (try Archive.com if you want to have some fun!). If you start to make some loot, that's when you can invest in optimizations. 80% of the game is getting right value proposition in front of the right people.

 

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[MakeItHappen]

I find this to be so true for about any work tasks!
I was pretty much all my life a perfectionist and thought it was a good characteristic. Even today from time to time i have tasks i don't start right away because i am not sure how to begin the task "perfectly" if this makes any sense.
However now that i am aware of this habit what i try is this, i try to work as fast as possible no matter how good or bad the work is... after finishing the work task i check my work and make little adjustments if needed. You get just so much more done! Referring to Pareto principle you get your work done literally in 20% of the time and get 80% of the results which most of the time is enough anyways and if it isn't you still can adjust.

With very rare exceptions-- for example an iOS application (a product who's value proposition is inseparable from it's UX) just toss it up.

Your value proposition is way more important. ALL of our sites looked like crap when we first started (try Archive.com if you want to have some fun!). If you start to make some loot, that's when you can invest in optimizations. 80% of the game is getting right value proposition in front of the right people.

 

[Esquire]

Okay ... so you are a successful entrepreneur living Bali Indonesia.

I'd love to know more about the English-Speaking community where you live. Who are they? Why are they there? Where do they come from? Fastlaners ... Slowlaners ... Hippees ... Retirees ... ? Do you live in a predominantly English speaking community (sort of like a reverse Chinatown)? How did you decide where in Indonesia to live? And who (from the Western Hemisphere) do you see most actively trying to market its goods and services to your demographic?

Give as a window into your world (if you don't mind) ... curious.

 

[TropicalGuy]

Okay ... so you are a successful entrepreneur living Bali Indonesia.

I'd love to know more about the English-Speaking community where you live. Who are they? Why are they there? Where do they come from? Fastlaners ... Slowlaners ... Hippees ... Retirees ... ? Do you live in a predominantly English speaking community (sort of like a reverse Chinatown)? How did you decide where in Indonesia to live? And who (from the Western Hemisphere) do you see most actively trying to market its goods and services to your demographic?

Give as a window into your world (if you don't mind) ... curious.

Sure!-- this is one of my favorite topics. So before I begin, I should probably mention that if you want to get 30+ minutes of info on this topic (and that's just the start!), you can check out this podcast and blog post:

TMBA20 – What Is the Best Place in Southeast Asia for Internet Entrepreneurs?
Why I am Living in Bali, Indonesia

I've also attached some photos onto this post that are sort of taken from everyday life here in Bali. (On one pic you can see my business partner @AnythingIan hanging out with @TommySchultz). The photos are from just around my house (minus the Starbucks shot) and are of representative of what it might look like in a neighborhood that I live in (you can Google "Seminyak"). The Starbucks / temple juxtaposition is particularly apt when talking Bali.

Southern Bali is an extremely cosmopolitan place-- much more so than many of the places I've lived in the US. There are people from all around the world living and traveling here. Everyone in the heavily traveled areas speaks English. Lots of the expats are internet entrepreneurs, adventurers, or people who have one way or another "made it" or retired.

It was expats, just as much as the excitement of the countries and travel, that have drawn me to this lifestyle. Expats are a rare breed-- part adventurers, dreamers, and often entrepreneurial (outside of folks with multi-national corporate gigs in city centers, they have to be entrepreneurs... jobs aren't an option).

There's also the issue of access. If you live in Bali and have an income of, say 40K a year, you'd have a villa, a maid, a gardener, maybe even a driver. You could go out to eat every meal, and travel often. For example, I'm staying in a luxury hotel in Jakarta right now for 50 bucks a night. My plane ticket here cost $60 bucks. Check out the photo I attached of a lunch I had at a sheeshy beach club overlooking the ocean with a huge infinity pool just a 5 minute walk from my house... cost me 8$ for that fancy chicken and I got to watch the waves as I ate it.

Before I wrote this post, I was on Google chat with a friend who I'm meeting up with on an island in the Philippines in a few weeks to hang and talk business. Once we made the arrangements, I sent an email to 3-4 other friends and told them about it. The chances they'll come join us are very high (This is part of what I love about the lifestyle... back home, getting people to do anything feels like pulling teeth). Some of these guys are ballers, but some just have solid businesses making a good living... but here in SEAsia, they live lifestyles reserved for folks making BIG bucks in the US-- access to industry leaders and government, travel, staff, travel, free time, etc.

I've found that even in the entrepreneurial class in the US you don't see that kind of mobility and adventure and "hang out" culture and I always miss it when I'm home visiting my parents and friends.

Anyway, I can elaborate on specifics if you like.

 

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[Eos]

^^^ :O How many of the people you associate with other there are under 25 and in bali terms 'ballers' 40k+. Makes me want to just forgot any sort of job, fly straight over to SE Asia after graduation and work on internet businesses !
Keeping it on the personal level, how long do you see yourself living full time outside of the US for?

 

[Esquire]

I read your article and listened to the Podcast, Dan. I found them both interesting and enlightening ... Thanks!

Part of me thinks it would be fun to walk in your shoes ... the other part of me thinks there is so much to see, do and enjoy here in the USA ... I don't think there is a right or wrong answer to that question, but (regardless) I certainly enjoyed the insight. The only people I (personally) know who have traveled a similar path are vagabonding hippie-musician types ... so to get the perspective of an entrepreneur was refreshing.

I have a few follow-up questions (if you don't mind) ...

First: Might you tell us about the tax benefits (and pitfalls) of living abroad? I assume you do not pay state income tax to your last state of residence (am I correct) ...? And I assume you pay the same Federal income taxes, right ...? I thought I heard somewhere once that if you live overseas for a set period of time you get some sort of exemption (not sure) ... I suppose you must know the answer to this. And do you have to pay any sort of income tax to your host nation as a year-long resident ...?

Second: I do not know if you are single or married ... but insomuch as there are a whole bunch of single guys on this site ... what's your take on the singles scene there? If you are a single entrepreneur who likes to get laid (and often) ... how does Bali (or anywhere else you've lived) compare to your experiences in the states? An adventurous sex life is very important (to me) ... and I am sure it is for many others. ( Hey ... what's the point of being a successful entrepreneur if you can't somehow parlay that into great sex ...? )

Third: I am jumping head first into the Adult Entertainment industry (as an entrepreneur). I know Indonesia has some insane and draconian laws on the books ... would you be comfortable running a hardcore sex site from a computer in Indonesia? In other words ... would I be busting out in a cold sweat waiting for the authorities to crash down my door ...?

Fourth: Crime and corruption. What can you expect overseas ...?

Thanks!

 

[TropicalGuy]

^^^ :O How many of the people you associate with other there are under 25 and in bali terms 'ballers' 40k+. Makes me want to just forgot any sort of job, fly straight over to SE Asia after graduation and work on internet businesses !
Keeping it on the personal level, how long do you see yourself living full time outside of the US for?

Hey Swift Bali skews a little older in terms of demographic. The scene in Bali seems to appeal more to my friends who are in their 30's and 40's. I have many friends under 25 who are living the fastlane life in SEAsia. The hotspot is without a doubt Thailand. Many come here precisely to work on their businesses. For 1K a month you can live a great lifestyle in a place like Chiang Mai or Koh Samui, focus all your energy on your business (if you can stay out of the parties), and when your income get's up to 2-3K / month, you can start hiring

 

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[TropicalGuy]

....on the personal level, how long do you see yourself living full time outside of the US for?

I'd love to be able to continue living abroad as long as possible (as long as everyone stays healthy etc).

 

[TropicalGuy]

I read your article and listened to the Podcast, Dan. I found them both interesting and enlightening ... Thanks!

Part of me thinks it would be fun to walk in your shoes ... the other part of me thinks there is so much to see, do and enjoy here in the USA ... I don't think there is a right or wrong answer to that question, but (regardless) I certainly enjoyed the insight. The only people I (personally) know who have traveled a similar path are vagabonding hippie-musician types ... so to get the perspective of an entrepreneur was refreshing.

I know what you mean. I have seen these types and avoid them at all costs

First: Might you tell us about the tax benefits (and pitfalls) of living abroad? I assume you do not pay state income tax to your last state of residence (am I correct) ...? And I assume you pay the same Federal income taxes, right ...? I thought I heard somewhere once that if you live overseas for a set period of time you get some sort of exemption (not sure) ... I suppose you must know the answer to this. And do you have to pay any sort of income tax to your host nation as a year-long resident ...?

The tax benefits are potentially massive, but difficult to qualify for. If you can establish a foreign tax home (relatively difficult, and potentially expensive if it's in a place like Europe!), OR you can qualify for the FEIE by staying out of the US for 330 days a year, you can qualify to receive your first 97K of annual income tax free (mostly). You still have to pay some basics like social security (I think).

Second: I do not know if you are single or married ... but insomuch as there are a whole bunch of single guys on this site ... what's your take on the singles scene there? If you are a single entrepreneur who likes to get laid (and often) ... how does Bali (or anywhere else you've lived) compare to your experiences in the states? An adventurous sex life is very important (to me) ... and I am sure it is for many others. ( Hey ... what's the point of being a successful entrepreneur if you can't somehow parlay that into great sex ...? )

Since this is a business forum, speaking in purely market terms, your type is much more in demand here in SEAsia... and by a much bigger target marketplace to boot. Just by getting on a plane you could easily see a 5x upside.

Third: I am jumping head first into the Adult Entertainment industry (as an entrepreneur). I know Indonesia has some insane and draconian laws on the books ... would you be comfortable running a hardcore sex site from a computer in Indonesia? In other words ... would I be busting out in a cold sweat waiting for the authorities to crash down my door ...?

I would worry more about the US. I'd set up the business in a friendly jurisdiction and wouldn't have any problems with managing it from my laptop.

Fourth: Crime and corruption. What can you expect overseas ...?

Thanks!

The digital nomad credo is : though shalt not do local business!!!!

Violent crime is very low here, generally your biggest worry is transportation-- i.e., crashing your motorcycle and having some sketchy hospitals stich you up. Corruption is pretty petty and not really a big deal for me or my friends.

Expat pro tip-- 1) If you find yourself in trouble, ALWAYS pay the first guy. The more guys that get involved, the harder it is to get out. and 2) NEVER demand the embassy. US embassy will help you in SUPER serious jams, but they won't be quick about it. Getting the embassy involved only insures that you receive due process. Due process in a place like Indo might be exactly what you want to avoid-- e.g. 6 month trail.

 

[Mike39]

My god, I haven't had time to sit down and read through this book of a thread, although what I have read has been great info and insight.

Dan, if you don't have carpel tunnel from typing so much, I was wondering what your different sources of income are that pull in 170k/month (unless they are all from one source). You don't have to go into any specifics but just in general, what is making money for you right now?

Great thread man, seriously great!

 

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[Jake]

Second: I do not know if you are single or married ... but insomuch as there are a whole bunch of single guys on this site ... what's your take on the singles scene there? If you are a single entrepreneur who likes to get laid (and often) ... how does Bali (or anywhere else you've lived) compare to your experiences in the states? An adventurous sex life is very important (to me) ... and I am sure it is for many others. ( Hey ... what's the point of being a successful entrepreneur if you can't somehow parlay that into great sex ...? )

1 word

PATTAYA

 

[million$$$smile]

I just gotta say I both envy and admire you at the same time!

I've been to Bali six or seven times and always wanted to buy a place there. You are right, you can live like a king for a tenth what you could live the lifestyle here in the US. I always enjoyed renting a motorbike and just cruising around the island. Spent quite a bit of time in Ubud and learning about buying silver jewelry. I didn't have much money back then but I'd always take back a suitcase full of Bali jewellry and sold it to stores back home. It basically paid for the time I would spend there. Bali is truly a paradise and one day I hope to go back!

I really admire your way of life; kind of lonely planet style!

 

[TropicalGuy]

BTW, worth mentioning. Most fastlane spot? China!

Hey Swift Bali skews a little older in terms of demographic. The scene in Bali seems to appeal more to my friends who are in their 30's and 40's. I have many friends under 25 who are living the fastlane life in SEAsia. The hotspot is without a doubt Thailand. Many come here precisely to work on their businesses. For 1K a month you can live a great lifestyle in a place like Chiang Mai or Koh Samui, focus all your energy on your business (if you can stay out of the parties), and when your income get's up to 2-3K / month, you can start hiring

 

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[TropicalGuy]

I just gotta say I both envy and admire you at the same time!

I've been to Bali six or seven times and always wanted to buy a place there. You are right, you can live like a king for a tenth what you could live the lifestyle here in the US. I always enjoyed renting a motorbike and just cruising around the island. Spent quite a bit of time in Ubud and learning about buying silver jewelry. I didn't have much money back then but I'd always take back a suitcase full of Bali jewellry and sold it to stores back home. It basically paid for the time I would spend there. Bali is truly a paradise and one day I hope to go back!

I really admire your way of life; kind of lonely planet style!

Rockin' man thanks for that. I dig your local silver hustle!!! I have a friend producing a new kind of jewelry here and doing Amazon ecommerce, doing really well so far!

 

[TropicalGuy]

My god, I haven't had time to sit down and read through this book of a thread, although what I have read has been great info and insight.

Dan, if you don't have carpel tunnel from typing so much, I was wondering what your different sources of income are that pull in 170k/month (unless they are all from one source). You don't have to go into any specifics but just in general, what is making money for you right now?

Great thread man, seriously great!

Hey cheers Mike! Appreciate that. I'm doing a little bit of yoga to work off the computer posture

Rough numbers about 7% of income comes from biz coaching (podcasting and blogging related businesses), and 93% from products we design and manufacture like cat furniture, portable bars, key security devices, and a bunch of other stuff that's similar. We look for underserved B2B niches, build lists with IM tactics, and custom manufacture in China.

 

[Esquire]

Expat pro tip-- 1) If you find yourself in trouble, ALWAYS pay the first guy. The more guys that get involved, the harder it is to get out. and 2) NEVER demand the embassy. US embassy will help you in SUPER serious jams, but they won't be quick about it. Getting the embassy involved only insures that you receive due process. Due process in a place like Indo might be exactly what you want to avoid-- e.g. 6 month trail.

Someone ... Sometime ... is going to thank you for that little gem of advice (just hope it ain't me!)

Never thought about it like that before ... but makes perfect sense.

Thanks again!

 

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[Mike39]

OK, I have a second dumb question(s) for you Dan.

Where did you start out, did you have cash from your J.O.B. to invest, did you bootstrap, investors? Was there a business that you started out with and then graduated into manufacturing or was that it for day one?

 

[TropicalGuy]

OK, I have a second dumb question(s) for you Dan.

Where did you start out, did you have cash from your J.O.B. to invest, did you bootstrap, investors? Was there a business that you started out with and then graduated into manufacturing or was that it for day one?

Hey Mike. I had no money, in fact 10K in CC debt + student loans when I started my business.

At the time I was working for a manufacturing company and we were doing really well (this was 2007 at the height of the real estate boom, and we were in a related industry). I was VP of Operations, basically running the day to day of the biz (outside of accounting). I was also sales rep on the biggest account so I had some leverage/respect.

I presented a business idea to my mentor that would leverage some of his in-place assets (manufacturing connections, logistics, etc), but would be non compete and complimentary. A completely new approach-- instead of custom manufacturing we proposed building in-stock products for underserved niches. Basically a cheap "gravy" deal. Let's just toss these extra sales on top! Only catch? I wanted to be an equity partner (and so did Ian). Worked out pretty good for a few years. In late 2010 we bought him out. Until late 2010 it was a 33/33/33 split. Now it's 50/50.

 

[Steele Concept]

Hi Dan,

Nice to have you here! I just read through this whole thread and *whew* it's chock full of goodies. I am quite similar to yourself as I started my business Steele Concept - Age verification 6 months ago strapped with student loan debt from grad school. I manufacture an indestructible designer water pipe and wanted to know what you thought about the presentation of the site and the product?

How are counter culture items like this accepted in SE Asia?

Manufacturing is tough on a shoestring budget, but where there is a will there is a way. More and more orders are coming in and the ball is beginning to get rolling for my business. There is something magical about producing a physical product and listening to the market. I have been tweaking and upgrading the product listening to consumer response along the way.

Could you tell me a bit more how you got the word out about your product in the beginning? People tell me constantly they love the product, but as it was stated here... People have to know about the product to buy it. Print Advertising, Word of Mouth, Social Media and SEO have treated me well. Recently I did a free giveaway and there will be some video reviews of my product coming in. This month my product will be reviewed by several eminent media outlets as well. Business is really about that snowball effect... Just gotta get that ball rolling and pat her along the way to keep her solid.

Thanks for everything so far Dan. This thread has been an awesome read.

 

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[TropicalGuy]

Hi Dan,

Nice to have you here! I just read through this whole thread and *whew* it's chock full of goodies. I am quite similar to yourself as I started my business Steele Concept - Age verification 6 months ago strapped with student loan debt from grad school. I manufacture an indestructible designer water pipe and wanted to know what you thought about the presentation of the site and the product?

How are counter culture items like this accepted in SE Asia?

Thank you sir!

Checked out your site. It took me more than 3 seconds to figure out what was going on so I'd bounce. I'd clarify that it's the world's coolest pipe or whatever.

It's like this are very popular in SEAsia, especially in tourism marketplaces. I probably wouldn't get into biz there (no local biz!) but could be worth a look.

Manufacturing is tough on a shoestring budget, but where there is a will there is a way. More and more orders are coming in and the ball is beginning to get rolling for my business. There is something magical about producing a physical product and listening to the market. I have been tweaking and upgrading the product listening to consumer response along the way.

Could you tell me a bit more how you got the word out about your product in the beginning? People tell me constantly they love the product, but as it was stated here... People have to know about the product to buy it. Print Advertising, Word of Mouth, Social Media and SEO have treated me well. Recently I did a free giveaway and there will be some video reviews of my product coming in. This month my product will be reviewed by several eminent media outlets as well. Business is really about that snowball effect... Just gotta get that ball rolling and pat her along the way to keep her solid.

Thanks for everything so far Dan. This thread has been an awesome read.

I'd re-quote you as the example: "Business is really about that snowball effect.."

You nailed it. Seems like you are on the right track. Whoever your customers-- whether the retailers or end users-- do your best to develop a great long term relationship with them. Adapt and keep coming out with new stuff for them to use, sell, or collect.

As long as your fundamentals are good out of the gate, and your marketing efforts are paying for themselves, keep slowly snowballing. I really can't think of much better than delivering products to customers that will love you. They'll read your emails. They'll trust you. They'll listen to you. Keep shipping stuff they love their way.

Another way to put it, if your marketing efforts are paying, try to create SOPs for them and hire so you can get developing your next product or new campaign. And have metrics in place so you know what product "fail points" are. Spending your time marketing products that aren't going to fly (many of your products won't) is something you want to make sure you are always vigilant about avoiding.

 

[supervagabond]

Hey Dan,

Can you elaborate on how you...

- look for underserved B2B niches

and

- build lists with IM tactics (in these B2B niches)

Let's say I want to sell my wine to other businesses in China, do you have any example on how you would build lists with IM tactics in this market ? (businesses in China who buy wine)

Thanks for this huge value post buddy

Valentin

 

[TropicalGuy]

Hey Dan,

Can you elaborate on how you...

- look for underserved B2B niches

Sure man!

Step 1) Find businesses that make a lot of money.
Step 2) Figure out what they aren't doing, who they aren't serving, or why they suck.
Step 3) Do that! Even if it's for just a few people at the beginning.

Basically you want to poach a re-position something that's already working. That's the fundamental set-up for most business success. The "idea myth" of people with great ideas isn't how it generally goes down. People serve the market marginally better than others, generate profits from their actions, and use those profits to iterate. By the time you hear about them in a magazine they are some revolutionary company, but generally they spent years in the trenches delivering value.

and

- build lists with IM tactics (in these B2B niches)

Let's say I want to sell my wine to other businesses in China, do you have any example on how you would build lists with IM tactics in this market ? (businesses in China who buy wine)

Thanks for this huge value post buddy

Valentin

Back in the good old days you'd build lists by using landing pages and PPC campaigns, but one of the more innovative tactics product folks are using nowadays is sharing their product development journeys online. Basically an extended kickstarter campaign through their blog, Youtube channel, or similar. People love to follow and support a good story.

Now if you are in a niche where nobody is going to care (or you think that's the case and want to try other stuff), I'd find an alternate value / service that your customers really care about and build a list that way. What does your target customer care about most? More exposure online? Better loss prevention techniques? Start asking them and giving it to them. Sometimes the product we start out with in our minds isn't what our customers really want. Your customers matter way more than your product. Talk to them. See what they want. Give it to them. If you do that you'll earn their attention and you'll have a couple minutes to tell them about your wine and win them over one by one.

If you are selling wine-- make sure it's got a story that people want to talk about. It should be easy enough, margins are good and the product is fun.

Another thing to consider is creating online directories, clubs, communities, or events as list building techniques. If you are selling wine, why not create an association or event that helps resto owners get more customers etc...

This advice is kinda tough to follow b/c it's not like "run facebook ads," but at the beginning of a biz I'm a huge fan of high-friction, so you really understand what is going on with your customers. When you know how these people operate, the broader IM tactics that will work will likely become more apparent.

 

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[Steele Concept]

Awesome advice Dan. I'm an active member of the best vaporizer forum online and have been documenting my progress from the beginning and getting feedback from there. The SC is my core product but I have another design for a different product in my mind for the future. Im n the process of perfecting the product and in addition I have been pilot testing printed advertising and am finding the best ROI for the biz... I will keep that snowball rolling man . Thanks for your time.

 

[TropicalGuy]

You got it man keep up the good hustle and toss some new and complementary product ideas into your narrative. It can do wonders for your profitability. Pipe buyers like to buy a lot of pipes! Also consider bundling your product with how-to our DIY content as well. Of course with info about everything you offer. Build that list

Awesome advice Dan. I'm an active member of the best vaporizer forum online and have been documenting my progress from the beginning and getting feedback from there. The SC is my core product but I have another design for a different product in my mind for the future. Im n the process of perfecting the product and in addition I have been pilot testing printed advertising and am finding the best ROI for the biz... I will keep that snowball rolling man . Thanks for your time.

 

[djax06]

Awesome thread Dan!

I've read through most your website and love the articles. Almost finished How To Get Rich and it's a great book so thanks for the recommendation. Next up are the pod casts.

It's been my plan to move to SEA but Bali sounds interesting, actually it sounds F*cking awesome!

I've already set the date to quit my day job (January 1st 2015) - however if things move faster then it will be before then. I now want to make that day the day I leave Canada, Bali bound.

Can you really live on $1,000 /month? I can live pretty frugally, especially with biz goals in mind, and that's a lot less then my current cost of living in downtown Vancouver! As soon as my lease is up!

I know you mentioned Chiang Mai and Koh Samui - awesome.

Anything else you would like/love to mention?

 

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[TropicalGuy]

Hey Djax,

Thanks for checking out my site and for the kind words!

Congrats on your quit date. You can live in Bali for 1K a month but it will cost you a lot of time to figure out how to get that done. If you really need to baseline, I'd recommend Chiang Mai or Nha Trang as the two top spots nowadays. You'll spend less time figuring out how the local economy works and more time focused on your business, which is the idea. In Chaing Mai you'll find a lot of others doing the same, so double fun there.

D

Awesome thread Dan!

I've read through most your website and love the articles. Almost finished How To Get Rich and it's a great book so thanks for the recommendation. Next up are the pod casts.

It's been my plan to move to SEA but Bali sounds interesting, actually it sounds F*cking awesome!

I've already set the date to quit my day job (January 1st 2015) - however if things move faster then it will be before then. I now want to make that day the day I leave Canada, Bali bound.

Can you really live on $1,000 /month? I can live pretty frugally, especially with biz goals in mind, and that's a lot less then my current cost of living in downtown Vancouver! As soon as my lease is up!

I know you mentioned Chiang Mai and Koh Samui - awesome.

Anything else you would like/love to mention?

 

[JamesS88]

Hi, Dan. I've started listening to your podcast during my work commute and it's awesome! Great info and it actually makes me laugh out loud too. I listened to the one this morning that was like a muay thai fight and I was cracking up. Once I actually have some success, I will check out that DC group.