What Is Digital Nomadism and Should You Embrace This Remote Work Lifestyle?
Prominent Black Entrepreneurs on Their Experiences Living a Digital Nomad Life
One reason why men choose entrepreneurship is the goal of creating freedom. The idea of being in control of your time while building a business that provides financial security and wealth is incredibly appealing. You can write your ticket. Plus, the internet and social media have ushered everyone into the Digital Information Age, meaning we can now build a business that's not dependent on a brick-and-mortar location.
There is an unconventional life path that has been dubbed "digital nomadism." This is when an entrepreneur doesn't have a permanent home base, allowing them to travel the world. The travel can be slow — staying in locations for as long as a Visa allows, or quick while experiencing more countries in a shorter time.
My wife and I are digital nomads. We sold our beautiful house in Florida, our car, and all of our material possessions. We don't have a storage locker somewhere full of stuff — we donated and sold it all. We slow travel, staying in countries for anywhere from six weeks to three months.
The digital nomad lifestyle is appealing. More men are considering this unconventional way of living because it can be less expensive while also allowing for experience of different cultures and ways of life worldwide. You can build a life that's not consumerism-based and one in which you're not simply working to pay for all your stuff. Actively earned revenue from your business can be re-distributed to passive wealth-building investments instead of buying more material possessions that pile up in a garage.
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While it may sound exciting, it is not an easy lifestyle — especially for black and brown digital nomads. Entrepreneurs of color will face some added challenges in their journey to create a freedom-based location-independent lifestyle.
Here's what it's like to be a digital nomad of color, from entrepreneurs of color who live this lifestyle. Here's what we experience, how we navigate racial challenges and some advice for men who want to become location-independent entrepreneurs.
You Will Face Prejudice
Daniel Mangena is a Forbes-featured international speaker, contributor for Entrepreneur, Wall Street Journal-featured entrepreneur, and a two-time bestselling author. He's a black digital nomad currently based in Mexico.
He says he chose Mexico because "when the pandemic kicked in, it limited the freedom of movement. The weather and cost of living in Mexico were perfect for a place to be holed up for a while. My son was born here at the end of last year, so we are looking at our options for where to head next in the face of the ever-evolving global landscape."
AskMen: Why did you choose location independence?
Daniel Mangena: I decided to shutter my consulting business and dive into sharing my views of what entrepreneurship can be like once you change your mindset. At the start of the journey, I had no idea what that would look like and followed the opportunities as they came up across the globe to share my work.
This took me to the Far and Middle East, across Europe, Central, and North America. I came to identify myself as what I called a "Happy Hobo" and fell in love with new places and cultures and the unknown of where I would be or for how long.
What are some challenges you've faced as a person of color?
Definitely prejudice. Interestingly, as I opened my mouth and revealed an English accent, a lot of it fell away in places where the difference was known.
Some prejudice felt innocently ignorant, and I was blessed not to face any outright hate. I was often the only black man in the village, and I could feel the eyes.
What do you feel has gone well?
I ended up spending more time in Spanish-speaking countries, as I had some competence with the language and finding temporary housing where I could leave my main luggage as I went off to work for a while.
It has been great to create some fabulous relationships on my travels, connect with them, and expand my network globally. This has created growth for my business and building my brand.
Do you have any tips you have for aspiring location independent entrepreneurs of color?
Be mindful of the limitations placed on yourself based on some people's beliefs, which you signed up for. Connect and network with other black entrepreneurs and people of influence to keep in mind that the limitations we sometimes have are not as fixed as we might think.
Self-care is a big one. Be unapologetically yourself and on your terms, not what society (or even dominant black culture) says you are supposed to be.
Different Regions Offer Different Experiences
Vernon Foster is a speaker, coach, and spiritual creative. His adventures led to him starting an entertainment business at 19, two stints living in Central and South America, becoming an award-winning speaker, MC'ing world-famous EDM parties, and moving to New York City with two suitcases to help build a tech startup.
His work has been featured in Entrepreneur, General Assembly, The Good Men Project, Ambitious, Entrepreneur On Fire, The Productivityist, and Podcast Movement.
He says he chose to live in Brooklyn because "you can spend a lifetime here and never uncover all the hidden gems New York has to offer, and you can fly almost anywhere in the world from JFK airport."
AskMen: Why did you choose location independence?
Vernon Foster: I went nomadic for the first time in 2013 and couldn't believe how easy it was to find an Airbnb and solid internet connection on the other side of the world. I was working remotely for an e-commerce company at that time, so I had very little to tie me down, and I figured it was worth a shot. I never wanted to say I wish I would have done it later in life.
What are some challenges you've faced as a person of color?
It really depends on the region and country you're in. For instance, in Cali, Colombia, I felt celebrated. They have a sizable Afro-Caribbean population, so I blended in.
In Mexico City, it felt like the locals seeing a black person in real life had more novelty. I've heard of other folks having challenges, but my experience has been generally positive.
What do you feel has gone well?
My worldview and lens of what I genuinely need to be happy changed. A lot of the places I've been, outside of the United States, operate as a true community. People take care of one another. It's a hard life for a lot of these local folks, but they make it work.
Do you have any tips you have for aspiring location independent entrepreneurs of color?
Try to take it slow. Don't be in a rush to bounce from place to place. I found it exhausting having to pack up everything and start all over again every few weeks. Staying in a place for three months allows you to build a routine. And without stability and a routine, your business will suffer.
You Deserve Freedom
My wife is Puerto Rican, and I'm African American. This current journey isn't my first time being a digital nomad, and for two years, I traveled, lived, and built my business from locations in 36 countries.
From my personal experience, I can tell you that life as a black digital nomad can feel mixed. I have experienced outright racism and have also been celebrated. My skin color helped me blend in and look like a local in Africa and even the Middle East, and I've stuck out like a sore thumb in Norway and Sweden.
The one thing I've come to understand is this: I deserve freedom and can earn it when I'm willing to put in the work.
As a digital nomad of color, you deserve a life of freedom, wealth, and fulfillment. If you want it, you're going to have to realize that what others think of you doesn't have to affect how you build your business globally. You create your reality while ignoring those that are ignorant. If a door closes because of your skin color, pivot and use that experience as fuel to succeed.
Digital nomadism offers entrepreneurs the chance to build a life and business that's not tied to material possessions and the ever-growing expense of stuff. You can see the world, learn, and build your brand as you live a life most entrepreneurs can only dream about.
For my fellow entrepreneurs of color, this lifestyle can create freedom and a different avenue to what we're used to experiencing. Don't settle for the societal and cultural expectations of anyone else. This is your life, so you decide.
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