The Derek Loudermilk Show

“Life is not about winning or losing, it’s about the experience.” – Estela Kun Today’s guest on the Art of Adventure podcast is the digital strategist, Estela Kun. She is one of the founding members of the  Freedom X Fest, the first outdoor festival on the Location Independent Movement which will be held in Spain. She is an author, entrepreneur, and also the founder of Inspiral Studio. Estela is also digital nomad who runs adventure trips and retreats which cater to entrepreneurs and digital nomads as well. In this episode, Estela shares how she became who she is today. She also shares what it is like managing her stress while running her business. Estela also enlightens us to the impact digital nomads are having in society and business life. Reshaping the way many companies are doing business and what the future of business may look like.     What you’ll learn in this episode: * How she runs the different adventure trips and retreats * How she manages herself and the stress around running the events * How her team communicates and get stuff done at work * The philosophy behind running an event specifically catered to digital nomads * The impact of digital nomads to society   Quotes: “Life is not about winning or losing, it’s about the experience.” – Estela Kun “If someone really does what they love doing, then it becomes effortless” – Estela Kun “People can work in different time zones, there is no more excuse.” – Estela Kun "We are having conversations about what is possible for the future"– Estela Kun "I don't need to buy into being reactive"– Estela Kun "As humans we all want to be part of a community"– Estela Kun Continue the Adventure:Fredom X FestFacebook   You might also like these episodes:John Abbott | The Giving Model – How to Grow Your Impact and Business by Giving Away Your Product or ServiceChase Boehringer | Building an Adventure Brand and LifestyleHow to Run an Adventure + Business RetreatAOA 067 | Matt Prior | Adventure AcademyAOA 126 | Rock Thomas | Abundance and AdventureKit and Rosie Volcano (Part 2) | How to Make Business Feel Like MagicAOA 154 | Emily Utter | Coaching for Adventurous Entrepreneurs

“One thing about the world, it’s always changing.” – Jim Rogers Today’s guest on the Art of Adventure podcast is the incredible Jim Rogers, the Indiana Jones of investing. He is the author of The Investment Biker, wherein the legendary investor gives his advice in investing in other countries. Jim made the big move from NYC to Singapore a few years back mainly because he wanted his children to learn and speak Mandarin and he views Singapore as the most important global hub of commerce. In this episode, Jim shares his experience in investing abroad, particularly in China. He also shares his interesting stories of getting into war countries and facing bribery. When he was young, he wanted to see and experience it all, so when he had the money, he went out to see the world and that was when his adventure began. What you’ll learn in this episode: * How to see if a country is worth investing in * Driving through war zones * Who to talk to, and find the right people to connect with in other countries * How to observe the world to understand investment potential * Jim Roger's secrets to investing success * What it was like moving his family to Singapore from New York Quotes: “You have to constantly work on whatever you think is right.” – Jim Rogers “You’ll never truly know enough to make an investment.” – Jim Rogers “If you listen to conventional wisdom, you’re probably going to lose money.” – Jim Rogers "Adventure is easier with money" – Jim Rogers   Continue the Adventure:Jim Rogers You might also like these episodes: (More epic road trips!)Ashe Oro | Building The World We Want – Blockchain and CrytocurrencyAOA 157 | Mike Spencer Bown | The World’s Most Traveled ManAOA 060 | Dave Cornthwaite | Say Yes To AdventureAOA 067 | Matt Prior | Adventure AcademyAOA 130 | Anne-Laure Carruth | Shifting Sands: Circumnavigating the Mediterranean by Land RoverAOA 131 | Fabian Dittrich | How To Run A Nomad Company

“Why don’t we just build the world we want to live in rather than try to change the current legacy systems that oppress us?” – Ashe Oro   Today’s guest on the Art of Adventure podcast is the fascinating Ashe Oro, founder of Liberty Entrepreneurs. He is a thought leader, entrepreneur, engineer, and crypto-economist. Ashe Oro graduated as an engineer and started working for the government. After deciding that he needed to move into the private sector, he joined the banking industry. It is his experience in both fields that led him to his interests in the world of cryptocurrency and blockchain. In this episode, Ashe shares his vision as a digital entrepreneur. He says that he sees himself trying to create businesses and discussions that prompt curiosity. He shows us how entrepreneurs are building freedom for themselves while building goods and services that other people desire.   What you’ll learn in this episode: * How blockchain and cryptocurrency works * How money and banking works * Role of free-market money Quotes: “I don’t feel the need to push my beliefs on people because that’s not how it works.” – Ashe Oro “If you are fighting against who you assume to be your oppressors, you’re playing in to their game and that’s exactly what they want you to do.” – Ashe Oro “My mission in life is showing people how you build freedom rather than how you fight for freedom.” – Ashe Oro  Continue the Adventure:Ashe Oro You might also like these episodes:AOA 072 | Jason Treu | How To Build Extraordinary RelationshipsAOA 034 | Jordan Harbinger | The Art of the Interview and Networking Like a ProAOA 036| Judy Robinett | How To Be A Power ConnectorPatricia Parkinson | The Polymath Advantage: Specializing In Multiple FieldsAOA 096 | Monty Hooke | Increase Your Leverage With A Virtual Team

Superconductors is coming out July 2018 and I wanted share with you the two-year process that led to this book being published. I'll walk you through the development and writing process of the book up until launch, highlighting the key points along the way.  This is my first solo book, and first time working with the publishing industry, so this is just one example of how the process might work for you if you want to publish a book. Timeline: * In his podcast interview, JG Francouer suggests I have enough material for a book from the Art of Adventure podcast. August, 2016 * In September, 2016 I talked with Guy Vincent, founder of Publishizer, who suggested I run a book crowdfunding campaign on the Publishizer platform. * Lee Constantine of Publishizer helps me create the Conductors campaign (the title was later changed to Superconductors) and book proposal. * I used 99 designs to get a professional cover design to help make the project gain traction. * In October, 2016 I ran the campaign and received 255 preorders for the book. Publishizer had set a target of 250 preorders - which they believed would increase the interest from publishers, and it did, even before the campaign was halfway over. I had more than 100 preorders by the end of the first day, which created lots of momentum for the campaign. * To get the 255 preorders I relied on personal connections to buy 1-5 copies of the book and business to order the book in bulk as a sponsor, in exchange for rewards packages. * After the campaign, the book was pitched to over 50 publishers, and 18 expressed interest in publishing the book. Publishizer acted like a book agent (they took a larger % fee from the crowdfunding than other platforms).  I would recommend any author to get an agent if they are going with the traditional publishing route - you want as much insider help as you can get, to keep things straightforward. * After talking with several publishers, I decided to go with a traditional publisher, Kogan Page, to add credibility to the project and get the book into book stores around the world. The title of the book was changed to Superconductors: Revolutionize Your Career and Make Big Things Happen. * In February, 2017, I signed a contract to deliver the book by the end of 2017.  I requested a small advance, as I would be purchasing copies of the book to send to the supporters of the Publishizer campaign. * I was assigned an editor, and we set out a writing schedule for the book - to deliver two chapters a month, starting in April 2017. * This is where things got messy for me - I outlined all the chapters and was writing each chapter a bit at a time.  By the time the first chapter was due, I had written 25% or so of each chapter. * From June, 2017 forward, I was "behind schedule" for sending in complete first drafts.  I kept holding onto the chapters to make them better.  And basically even after many rounds of edits, I know they could be better still. * I was probably writing about 20 hours/week until August 2017, then up to 40 hours/week until the final chapter was submitted (three months late) in February. * Kogan page redesigned the cover of the book to fit more in line with their style, but also using the bold colors of the original cover design. * To do additional research for Superconductors, I booked key guests onto the podcast, such as

“I don’t take no for an answer, I keep going back in.” – John Abbott Today’s guest on the Art of Adventure podcast is a thought leader, mentor, writer, entrepreneur, world-traveler and adventurer, John Abbott. John wants to show others how through the act of giving we can positively impact the world. John is on a mission to awaken people to their power and to create a positive change on our planet. He discuses the Giving Model and shares how this technique is not only good for business, but a great way to reach out and help others too. In this episode, we get to celebrate the launch of John’s new collaborative book, Freedom By Design. John also shares about how his book came together and about his upcoming event in Spain - Freedom X Fest   What you’ll learn in this episode: * The Giving Model * Innovations as to how he manages his business * How to have fun in business * How he met his partner * How his book came together * The upcoming Freedom X Fest event Spain   Quotes: “If we just gave up the first time because we had “No”, how many things would never have shown up in our world?” – John Abbott “I don’t take no for an answer, I keep going back in.” – John Abbott “It all happened because of the tension that I created and the commitment that I had into making this a success.” – John Abbott  Continue the Adventure:John AbbottFreedom By Design.Freedom X Fest You might also like these episodes:AOA 154 | Emily Utter | Coaching for Adventurous EntrepreneursAOA 110 | John Williams | Start A Business In 30 DaysAOA 042 | Cal Newport | Be So Good They Can’t Ignore YouAOA 048 | David Wood | Get Paid For Who You Are: Part 1: CoachingAOA 088 | Derek Sivers | Turning Observations Into Action

  Recently, I took a group of entrepreneurs on AdventureQuest to climb Mt. Batukaru, the second highest volcano in Bali. It was an epic 10 hour trek to the top, through 4 different types of forests. We got back to our van after dark, using the lights from our phones to guide us. For many it was one of the hardest physical things they had ever done. We spent time on the hike thinking of analogies for how climbing a volcano (or mountain) is like being an entrepreneur: * You can't get to the top if you don't start * You don't see all the steps along the way * It pays to have friends helping and encouraging you * You need to take breaks sometimes * There is no one right way to get to the top * It is a mental and physical game * What you say to yourself is important * You move through different ecosystems * A guide can be important * Tools and equipment can support you * Trust your own abilities * Notice who you are when things are challenging * You get to choose if you are having fun * Set intermediate goals along the way * Once you have achieved it, you always have that accomplishment * You are forced to be present

“Our desire to understand other cultures is rooted in our desire to know ourselves better.” – Antesa Jensen Today’s guest on the Art of Adventure podcast is the fascinating and articulate Antesa Jensen. She is a speaker, coach, and emotional intelligence expert. She runs adventure retreats and also the website, Adventure Awake. The experiences Antesa has gained from her travels has awakened her self-awareness. She considers travelling as a trigger to self-awareness, and that it opens our eyes to something deep within us. She believes that people who are into traveling are in for self-understanding, because you get to discover who you are when you are in a different place. In this episode, Antesa shares an interesting and life-changing travel story that molded her into who she is today – a strong woman with a thirst for adventure and self-awareness. She shares an interesting Buddhist story on relative interpretations of the same truth. She believes that there will always be hundreds of different perspectives on the exact same experience. What you’ll learn in this episode: The value of travel and adventure. Her unique and valuable way of thinking. Her story and how she started her interest in adventure. How she coaches people. How she approaches her adventure trips. How disconnection and lack of compassion is killing us.   Quotes: “Our journey on the learning path doesn’t truly ever end.” – Antesa Jensen  “To separate ourselves from the reflection of other human beings actually stuns our growth.” – Antesa Jensen “The more we travel, the more outside of our comfort zones we are willing to go.” – Antesa Jensen “There are people out in the world who want to create space for you to become your greatest self.” – Antesa Jensen “Travel offers you the opportunity to recognize that we are all coming into the same planet and the same experiences with different lenses on.” – Antesa Jensen   Continue the Adventure:Adventure AwakeAntesa Jensen You might also like these episodes:Chase Boehringer | Experience The Most Epic Adventures With The Bucketlist LifestyleHow to Run an Adventure + Business RetreatAOA 067 | Matt Prior | Adventure AcademyAOA 126 | Rock Thomas | Abundance and AdventureKit and Rosie Volcano (Part 2) | How to Make Business Feel Like Magic

At the end of 2017, we purchased our first Airbnb investment property in St. Louis, Missouri, and this episode is all about how we found the right house and how we run the business! Want to check out our AirBnb listing or come stay at our place? Here is is our house on AirBNB We plan on returning to St. Louis to live in the house for half of each year I have some friends that already have invested in Airbnb properties, mostly other digital nomads as well. One of them even has a podcast and has been on this show, Jasper Ribbers, host of Get Paid for Your Pad. He also has a book about Airbnb which I used as a reference guide. I was thinking about buying an Airbnb property for quite some time, so, about six months ago, we bought a property in St. Louis, Missouri. We had spent some time picking out the exact neighborhood that we wanted to live in. Interestingly, this was going to be a house with split duty – we are going to live there sometimes and its going to be an Airbnb sometimes. We looked for a neighborhood which was a great Airbnb market, which for us means it is near universities, big hospitals, and large corporations.  We picked one that was triangulated in between some of these features. We knew there would be a lot of people coming into town for things like conferences, graduations, hospital visits, and things like that. We partly investing in the location, we just needed to find a suitably priced and suitably sized property. We ended up buying a four-bedroom property. We could rent out the entire place that can sleep ten or twelve people. There’s not much competition on the Airbnb market for houses this big. We don’t get everyday bookings, so when someone books us for two or three days in a week, that’s a pretty good profitability. We bought a house that is over a hundred years old but had been recently remodeled. We paid a premium to have a house that was move-in ready. The house, in addition to the granite countertops in the kitchen, looks great. Everything has been redone as it was also already being rented as an Airbnb. The people that refurbished the house had beds, couches, towels, wine glasses, things like that in the property already. It was all included in the sale of property. We were ready to start making money! We knew that we were going to be travelling for six months, before we would ever move in to the house, so we had six months of Airbnb rentals to take advantage of. We wanted to start making money on that right away. As we were looking at houses, we realized that some of the things needed some updates. Normally, if you were planning your house, you would want a something with great paint and furniture. Even though we didn't love everything that came with the house, we decided, after getting the property, that we could improve it along the way. A lot could still be possibly done to the property which may improve the resale value of the home and the overall beauty of it. We have been running our Airbnb this for six months now. We pay the former owner 20% of the rental income for the management and customer relations over the property. They have become our Airbnb mentor. Our plan going forward how to make the most of our Airbnb property: * Taking nicer photos. This does not add anything to the property, but it surely affects the way the property may be viewed. Interest is roused when there are captivating images of the place. * Buying or adding useful furniture to the property, not just for the aesthetic appeal. Take into consideration that fact that it is your home, and you might need the essentials.

“We are all on the same level. It’s only the perception that you are not on that level, is the only reason why you are not on that level.” – Chase Boehringer Today’s guest on the Art of Adventure podcast is Chase Boehringer, founder and creator of the Bucketlist Lifestyle. Chase is a returning guest and a good friend of mine. We have met up a couple of times in different continents and we run a similar lifestyle – coaching and leading adventure trips. Chase has great travel instincts. His involvement in adventure trips has made him vigilant and always ready for whatever fortune and misfortune he has set himself into. In this episode, Chase shares his experiences in running his business and some of the behind the scenes as well. He is going to share interesting travel stories and anecdotes that will surely inspire and also make you wonder. A fascinating story includes his recent trip to India. In addition, he will share our exciting Octoberfest trip together! What you’ll learn in this episode: The details of the Bucket List Lifestyle What it’s like running adventure quests How to run an adventure company How he is building his brand Brand awareness How to build trust and relationship with future customers Behind the scenes business details Great adventure stories   Quotes: “Every single challenge that came up, I crushed it. I found a way, I pushed through, and made it happen.” – Chase Boehringer “My business is so flashy, I understand that I can’t get caught in the hype.” – Chase Boehringer “A Lamborghini is really freakin’ shiny and awesome, but at the same time, if you don’t put oil on it and you’re not actually keeping it up to date, it’s just gonna explode.” – Chase Boehringer   Continue the Adventure:The Bucket List Lifestyle You might also like these episodes:Chase Boehringer | Experience The Most Epic Adventures With The Bucketlist LifestyleHow to Run an Adventure + Business RetreatAOA 067 | Matt Prior | Adventure AcademyAOA 126 | Rock Thomas | Abundance and AdventureKit and Rosie Volcano (Part 2) | How to Make Business Feel Like Magic

I just finished running this year's AdventureQuest Bali , and if you are curious what it takes to put on an adventure or business retreat (our was both), here is your guide! What you will learn in this episode: * Finding a location * Setting your schedule * Using an assistant * Determining your budget/profitability * Filling the retreat * Bringing in guest presenters/speakers * Long term profitability options * Scouting adventures Canyoning!