Becoming a Digital Nomad: How Ryan Mellon Escaped the 9-to-5 to Live and Work Around the World

In this episode of the Freedom Nation Podcast, host Jeff Kikel interviews Ryan Mellon, the Digital Nomad Coach. Ryan shares his incredible story of leaving behind two grueling full-time jobs to pursue a life of travel, freedom, and real estate investing. He talks about his transition from working 14-hour days at Chick-fil-A and UPS to becoming a real estate investor and digital nomad, traveling the world while maintaining financial independence. If you're ready to break free from the corporate grind, Ryan's story will inspire you to take the leap.

Key Takeaways:

• Breaking Free from the Grind: Ryan shares his story of working two jobs for a decade, spending 14 hours a day, six days a week, and how a two-week solo trip to Costa Rica opened his eyes to the possibility of a different life. He explains how that trip became the catalyst for his decision to leave the 9-to-5 world behind and pursue financial freedom.

• Becoming a Digital Nomad: After quitting both jobs and saving money, Ryan traveled across 23 U.S. states in an RV for a year. He discusses how he leveraged his real estate license and worked remotely from different locations, leading him to embrace the digital nomad lifestyle.

• Real Estate Investing on the Road: Ryan explains how he began investing in real estate while on the road, including wholesaling properties and working with a partner back home. This allowed him to continue earning money while traveling, eventually building a portfolio of rental properties that provided him with passive income.

• Coaching Aspiring Digital Nomads: Ryan shares how he began coaching others to achieve their own version of freedom, helping people transition from traditional jobs to remote work, freelancing, or entrepreneurship. He offers insights into how anyone can build a location-independent lifestyle.

• Life as a Hybrid Nomad: Ryan discusses his current lifestyle, where he spends six months traveling abroad and six months back home in Virginia. He talks about the benefits of the hybrid nomad lifestyle, where you can balance travel with maintaining roots and managing a business back home.

About the Guest:

Ryan's journey from burnout to a life of adventure is nothing short of inspiring. Just a few years ago, Ryan was grinding through two jobs, working 14 hours a day, 6 days a week. He was burned out, with no time or money to travel, and felt trapped in a routine that offered no freedom. But everything changed when he managed to take two weeks off, flew to Costa Rica, and embarked on a solo backpacking trip that would alter the course of his life.

During that transformative journey, Ryan met people from all over the world, many of whom had been traveling for years. This experience ignited a passion within him to see the world on his own terms. Upon returning, Ryan saved up enough money to travel for an entire year. He quit both jobs and even convinced two friends to join him on an epic road trip across the United States, covering 23 states in one year.

That year on the road wasn't just a journey of discovery; it was where Ryan found a way to make money while traveling. While his friends returned to the 9-to-5 grind, Ryan chose a different path, continuing to work remotely and travel the world. In just a few months, he visited 8 countries in 6 months, funding his travels through remote work and travel hacking, allowing him to fly for free.

Fast forward a few years, and Ryan has worked from 21 countries and still spends six months of every year traveling. His story is a testament to the power of taking risks, pursuing passions, and crafting a life of freedom and adventure.

Links:

https://www.thedigitalnomadcoach.com/

Fast Five Questions:

1. If you woke up and your business was gone, you have $500, a laptop, a place to live, and food, what would you do first? "I’d start calling everyone in my real estate contacts to find a property in distress and use the $500 as an earnest money deposit to flip the contract for a profit."

2. What is the biggest mistake that you have made in business? "Not starting soon enough. I spent a decade working two jobs, and if I had started my journey earlier, I could be much farther along."

3. What is a book that you would recommend? "The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss and The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho”

4. What is a tool that you use every day that you would recommend? "I use Apartments.com for managing my rental properties. It allows tenants to pay rent online, streamlining the whole process."

5. What is your definition of freedom? "Freedom is being able to get on a plane tomorrow and go anywhere in the world while your business continues to thrive without you."

About Jeff:

Jeff spent the early part of his career working for others. Jeff had started 5 businesses that failed before he had his first success. Since that time he has learned the principles of a successful business and has been able to build and grow multiple seven-figure businesses. Jeff lives in the Austin area and is actively working in his community and supporting the growth of small businesses. He is a board member of the Incubator.Edu program at Vista Ridge High School and is on the board of directors of the Leander Educational Excellence Foundation

Connect with the Freedom Nation podcast at https://freedom-nation-podcast.captivate.fm/

Connect with Jeff:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freedomnationpodcast/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JeffKikel

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffkikel/

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