How To Run A Profitable Local Business From Anywhere In The World w/ Neel Parekh

What would happen if you left home with no destination, no goal or deadline, and simply just went until you couldn’t go any further? Jacob Lemanski is an engineer-turned-world traveler who bicycled 38,000 miles over 999 days, crossing six continents and circling the earth twice. After returning home, he turned his travel journal into a video podcast, How To Move The Stars. He also founded an art and clothing company inspired by the experience and now runs a bike touring business in Colorado. Jacob shares what it was like to travel without a finish line and how it reshaped his entire approach to life and adventure. He reveals how three years of solo, open-ended travel deepened his understanding of presence, identity, and emotional endurance. You’ll hear what it took to stay on the road for 999 days, the personal cost and reward of extreme solitude, and how returning home led him to reshape his life through creativity, entrepreneurship, and reflection. This episode challenges conventional ideas of success and shows what’s possible when the journey itself becomes the destination. What’s one journey you’ve been holding back from because you felt you needed a clear goal or endpoint? I’d love to hear your thoughts, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. Tune In To Learn: What inspired Jacob to leave home without a destination and why he expected to quit much earlier What it’s like to live without a schedule for three years and how that changes your sense of time What the trip taught him about limits, identity, and emotional endurance The emotional impact of returning home after years of open-ended movement How Jacob turned thousands of journal pages into a long-term podcast art project Why he built a giant ant farm, and how psychedelics helped him process the trip His best advice for aspiring long-distance cyclists and building a trip around your personal limits And so much more Resources: Sign up for our FREE newsletter Jacob’s podcast, How To Move The Stars Ant Life psychedelic art and clothing Mountain High Bicycle Tours Want More? Lessons From Caring for the Dying and Bike Packing 18 Countries With Jerry Kopack 7 Bike Rides of a Lifetime With National Geographic’s Roff Smith Bike-Packing Scotland and Breaking Free of Cultural Expectations with C.D. Seventeen Thanks To Our Sponsors Apple Card - Earn 3% back on the Apple products and services you love with Apple Card. Smart Travel Podcast - Before you book, learn how to get the most out of your travel dollars. Follow Smart Travel on your favorite podcast app.

23 Sep 56min

What does it take to plan an unforgettable African safari? How can one trip lead to building a life and business around travel?  Scott Brills is a long-time digital nomad, international entrepreneur, and co-founder of Pamoja Safaris, a locally run company offering custom wildlife safaris in Tanzania. Over the past 20 years, he’s lived at the intersection of travel, business, and service — running trips, participating in charities, and creating a location-independent lifestyle before “digital nomad” was a common phrase.  This episode is both a guide to planning a world-class African safari and a behind-the-scenes look at how Scott built a thriving travel-based business from scratch.  Whether you're dreaming of lions in the Serengeti or wondering how to design your own unconventional lifestyle, this conversation delivers both practical insights and personal inspiration. If a safari is on your bucket list, you’ll learn how to plan smart: when to go, where to go, what it should cost, and what red flags to avoid. And if you’ve ever dreamed of building your life around travel, Scott’s story is proof that it’s possible, even without outside funding, marketing spend, or a fixed address.  What would building your life around travel look like, and what’s one step you could take today? What element of a Safari is the most important to you? I'd love to hear what you think and hope you will share by sending me an audio message.  *This is a previously released episode from the archives! Zero To Travel interviews are timeless, offering valuable insight whenever you listen.  Tune In To Learn:  What makes Tanzania a world-class safari destination  How Scott co-founded a safari business through a single serendipitous encounter  Key factors that affect safari pricing and how to keep costs down without sacrificing quality  When and where to go for the best wildlife, weather, and experience  Why guide quality is the single most important factor in a great safari  What to look for in ethical safari operators (and how to avoid greenwashing)  How Scott ran his business for over a decade on referrals alone  The origin of his travel obsession and how it shaped everything  What “building a life around travel” actually looks like, practically and emotionally  Advice for travelers considering a leap into remote work or entrepreneurship   And so much more  Resources:  Sign up for our FREE newsletter  Learn about Pamoja Safaris  Scott’s website  Pamoja on Instagram  Scott on Instagram  Want More?  9 Ways Travel Will Change You + Lessons from Cycling Africa and Visiting 95 Countries with Alex Hennock  Adventure and Conservation: A 6000 km Tuk Tuk Journey Through Africa  5 Surprising Experiences in Africa, How to Transition to a New Career After Travel, and Exploring the African Diaspora With Jay Cameron  Thanks To Our Sponsors: Apple Card - Earn 3% back on the Apple products and services you love with Apple Card. Smart Travel Podcast - Before you book, learn how to get the most out of your travel dollars. Follow Smart Travel on your favorite podcast app.

18 Sep 1h 32min

Could you turn a product idea into passive income, without starting a business or having to do it all yourself?  Courtney Laschkewitsch is a serial inventor who, with no prior experience, licensed six products after facing 51 rejections. Now, Courtney helps everyday inventors bring their ideas to life and earn passive income through the free resources on her website, Serial Inventing, and the company she works for, inventRight. Courtney lays out the inventRight 10-step product licensing business model and shows how she went from zero experience to multiple licensable products. We dig into what realistic timelines, costs, and mindsets look like when you want to bring your product idea to market by licensing instead of manufacturing. Courtney explains how licensing can let someone else build your idea while you collect royalties from anywhere in the world. You’ll learn not just the mechanical steps, but why so much of your success depends on persistence, handling rejection, and building skills many people overlook. She’s honest about the financial realities - what small checks look like, what good deals look like - and what terms in contracts you should always negotiate. If you want a clear, actionable path toward turning ideas into income without a massive risk, this episode gives you that roadmap.  Do you have a product idea that could help you earn passive income while you travel? I’d love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share them sending me an audio message.  Tune In To Learn:  Why product licensing can let you earn passive income location‑independently without owning inventory or manufacturing  The first three foundational steps: doing market research, checking for prior art/patents, and defining what makes your idea unique  How to build prototypes or virtual models to show your concept  How to write a one‑line benefit statement and develop an effective sell‑sheet   Common myths around patenting and protection: what it does, the costs, limitations, and when it’s essential  How to build a hit list of companies, reach out sensitively to avoid unsolicited idea policies, and follow up well  Key negotiation levers beyond royalty rates: territory, exclusivity, distribution, wholesale vs net sales  How to decide when an idea is worth continuing vs when to shelve it, and how to improve your process as you iterate  And so much more  Resources:  Sign up for our FREE newsletter  Courtney’s website  The Serial Inventing Podcast  Want More?  How to Grow Your Location Independent Solopreneur Business in 2025 + Advice from 8 Years of Slow, Nomadic Travel with Jeremy Enns  10 Key Principles That Built a $40M Business While Traveling with Dan Demsky  How To Run A Profitable Local Business From Anywhere In The World w/ Neel Parekh  Thanks To Our Sponsors  Apple Card - Earn 3% back on the Apple products and services you love with Apple Card.  Smart Travel Podcast - Before you book, learn how to get the most out of your travel dollars. Follow Smart Travel on your favorite podcast app.

16 Sep 1h 35min

Have you ever had the urge to explore the world beyond the boundaries of society? Greg Abandoned shares his passion for urban exploration, including stories of some of his most challenging journeys, most cherished experiences, and all about the URBEX movement.  If you have ever wondered what it would be like to visit lost parts of society and want to know more about finding beauty in decay, then you don't want to miss this episode. We discuss how Greg discovered a new perspective on life through urban exploration, what inspired him to adopt this lifestyle, the unwritten rules of URBEX, and how to begin your own journey. Have you ever participated in urban exploration? I'd love to hear about your experience and hope you will share by sending me an audio message. *This is a previously released episode from the archives! Zero To Travel interviews are timeless, offering valuable insight whenever you listen. Tune In To Learn: What happened when Greg was arrested by the Chinese secret police How to follow proper etiquette when doing urban exploration When and why Greg fell in love with urban exploration The video game that inspired Greg to visit Chernobyl and start his journey How to start out on your own urban exploration adventure  Why it's important to find a balance between sharing locations and keeping undiscovered places off the map What makes photography an important part of the process for Greg The most challenging urban exploration experiences Greg has ever encountered Why Greg feels that URBEX has given him a new life purpose The hidden meaning behind Chasing Bandos And so much more Resources: Sign up for our FREE newsletter Check out Greg’s Website Listen to the Chasing Bandos Podcast Instagram Want More? How To Get Off The Beaten Track with Gunnar Garfors Getting Off The Beaten Path with Travel Writing Legend Joe Cummings Hidden Paths and Sacred Rides with Mike Brcic Thanks To Our Sponsors Apple Card - Earn 3% back on the Apple products and services you love with Apple Card.

11 Sep 1h 34min

What if the best time to start your business or creative pursuit was before you felt fully ready? And what if you didn’t need to follow all of the current “best practices” to market yourself?  Nat Eliason is an entrepreneur and author based in Austin, Texas. Over the past decade, he’s built a career that gives him location freedom through writing, course creation, and now fiction. His debut sci-fi novel Husk: Book 1 of the Meru Initiative, was released in May 2025.  In this episode, Nat returns to share his experience transitioning from nonfiction writer to sci‑fi novelist, revealing the counterintuitive strategies he used to launch Husk and build momentum in the noisy creator economy.  Whether you're building a location-independent business or launching a creative project from anywhere in the world, Nat shares how to take control of your output, challenge “start later” thinking, and embrace the long game. He also opens up about what it takes to be patient in a fast-moving digital world, how he used an experimental marketing mindset to sell his products and books, and the often unseen emotional work of building something sustainably.  What’s one creative project you want to launch? I'd love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.  Tune In To Learn:  Nate’s journey as an entrepreneur and author, and how he constructed the fictional world of Husk  Insight into balancing the joy of the journey with your bigger goals  Why starting creative work before feeling "ready" may be your strongest move  How to think like a business even while focusing on fiction or creative work  Why Nat says newsletters and funnels are out and where you should focus instead  The creative way that Nat sold his preorders instead of launching through Amazon  Advice for staying motivated before your work gains traction   How the "prep trap" holds creators and entrepreneurs back, and how Nat learned to bypass it  Nat’s favorite fiction book recommendations  And so much more  Resources:  Sign up for our FREE newsletter  Visit Nat’s website  Get the book, Husk  Instagram  Want More?  Lessons From Winning and Losing Millions in Crypto, How To Find Fulfilling Work, Advice for Transitioning to a Creative Career, and Creating Unlimited Upside With Nat Eliason  How to Grow Your Location Independent Solopreneur Business in 2025 + Advice from 8 Years of Slow, Nomadic Travel with Jeremy Enns  An Interview With John Craigie: Notes From The Road  Thanks To Our Sponsors  Apple Card - Earn 3% back on the Apple products and services you love with Apple Card.  Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com

9 Sep 1h 25min

Today, I’ve got a special episode from The Elements of AlUla, a travel docuseries produced by Armchair Productions. The company was founded by Aaron Millar, who you may know as the host of The Armchair Explorer podcast.  In this series, Aaron is going to take you on a journey into the heart of one of the most ancient kingdoms on Earth. Located in the northwestern corner of Saudi Arabia, Alula is an oasis in the desert, layered in 200,000 years of human history.  Until recently, it was closed to outsiders, and to this day, only a handful of visitors have ever been. In this immersive documentary recorded on location, we’ll take you to the heart of one of the great wonders of Arabia and give you a glimpse of what it feels like to be there for real.  Highlights Include:  Exploring the ancient city of Hegra. Built by the same people who built Petra in Jordan, Hegra is every bit as spectacular, but only visited by a handful of intrepid travelers.  Visiting Jebel Ikmah, a library of ancient inscriptions carved into stone that reveal life in the desert more than 2,000 years ago.  Riding Arabian horses to petroglyphs in the desert (and nearly falling off).  Meeting a herd of overly friendly camels, with a taste for microphones.  Learning from rawis, local storytellers, about the history of the incense road, a vast trading route that passed through Alula and changed the face of Arabia forever.  Resources:  Sign up for our FREE newsletter  Listen on Apple, Spotify  ExperienceAlula.com  Instagram, Facebook, X  Armchair Productions  Armchair Explorer Podcast  Want More?  Top 3 Life Lessons from the World’s Greatest Adventurers with Aaron Millar (Host of the Armchair Explorer Podcast)  Travel To Utah: Fireside Dances, Ancient Ruins, and the Beauty of Hózhó (Balance)  Exploring San Francisco by Cable Car  Thanks To Our Sponsors  Apple Card - Earn 3% back on the Apple products and services you love with Apple Card.  Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com

4 Sep 48min

What happens when someone gives up security to build a tropical dream on a tiny island, with no job, no plan, and only one light bulb for power? Martin Vrana is the founder of Lost Paradise, a boutique resort he spent nearly 15 years building from scratch on a small island off Bali’s coast. Born and raised in Scandinavia, Martin left a safe life behind to follow an adventurous dream, one that taught him resilience, determination, and the art of creating a life on his own terms. In this episode, Martin tells the story of how he turned a blank plot of land into Lost Paradise resort, through three jobs, relentless determination, and years of overcoming logistical, emotional, and cultural challenges. Martin shares the raw truth behind building Lost Paradise from the ground up: the emotional cost, the logistical nightmares, and the relentless mindset that carried him through. You’ll hear how he navigated burnout, sacrificed relationships, and lived off-grid with no electricity, all while staying anchored to his vision. This story isn’t about overnight success; it’s about what’s possible when you refuse to quit. What wild dream or goal of your are you ready to make happen? I'd love to hear about it, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message. Tune In To Learn: Why he kept the journey secret (even from his own mother) How sourcing reclaimed wood across Indonesia became an epic logistical feat What it felt like to work 450 hours a month to fund a project you’re not sure will succeed How natural disasters and COVID unexpectedly pushed the project forward The emotional toll of isolation, stress, and living off-grid in a half-built bungalow How Martin became part of the community, learning language and culture on the ground Why he calls himself a modern-day adventurer, not a social media entrepreneur What building Lost Paradise taught him about success, freedom, and fulfillment How he’s recovering from the journey and what he’s dreaming up next And so much more Resources: Sign up for our FREE newsletter Lost Paradise Resort Martin on Instagram Watch the YouTube documentary Want More? 100 Documentaries Project: Traveling the Globe to Find Extraordinary Humans + Changing the World One Story at a Time with Robin Danehav How To Go Sailing Around The World with Brian Trautman Bicycling Across the USA Without Money in Search of Human Connection With Daniel Troia Thanks To Our Sponsors: Apple Card - Earn 3% back on the Apple products and services you love with Apple Card. Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com

2 Sep 1h 16min

What does thriving as a long‑term digital nomad look like in 2025? Welcome to our debut episode of Remote Roundup - a new monthly series exploring what's new in remote work and travel, including helpful tools and resources, need‑to‑know trends, destinations, and insight into what it really means to live and work around the world. Caitlin Sunderland is the associate producer, and Janessa is the partnerships manager of the Zero To Travel podcast. Both are digital nomads who’ve embraced the ups and downs of remote work life from all over the world. Caitlin and Janessa open up about navigating burnout, experimenting with work routines, their thoughts on where nomads will be heading next, and what it means to be a “digital nomad 2.0.” You'll hear real stories and reflections on money, mindset, productivity, identity, and the emotional shifts that come with long-term travel.  What did you think of this episode? We’d love to hear your thoughts, and hope you’ll share by sending an audio message. Tune In To Learn: Why one underrated city could be your ideal remote base outside of the Schengen Zone How 4‑hour work containers and energy management can boost focus Advice for experimenting with your routines (without the guilt) Our predictions for the next digital nomad hubs What it means to build a sense of stability and home on the move A wild café policy that had us doing a double-take What rapid‑fire questions reveal behind the scenes of Zero to Travel And so much more Resources: Sign up for our FREE newsletter Caitlin on Instagram Janessa on Instagram Rogue Roundup article Cal Newport Deep Work Want More? Two Paths to Location Independence and Travel (No Skills Required) With Caitlin Sunderland and Janessa Klatt Building a Travel Lifestyle: Digital Nomadism, Slow Travel, Exploring Latin America with Kyle Cohenour The Reality of Digital Nomad Life (Warts and All) With Steph and Dalt Thanks To Our Sponsors: Apple Card - Earn 3% back on the Apple products and services you love with Apple Card. Booking.com - Book your next stay and find exactly what you’re looking for on booking.com

28 Aug 56min