Frontpage
๐ Dark mode
โค๏ธ Your favorites
๐ Nomad insurance
You won't be notified by email when a reply is posted, to change your notification settings. Posts must follow the TOS: No ads, self promotion, commercial posts, surveys etc. For customer support questions, don't post here but use the feedback box in the bottom right of this page instead.
Hey everyone!
So Iโve been nomad for coming up one year, Iโm a Front-end developer and product developer and co-founded the UX Agency Simple as Milk.
A company which is run on the road from a new country every month by myself and founder David.
Iโm a keen photographer and occasionally blog about my travels over on james.sl
My favourite topics include startups, travel, tech, remote working and remote team management.
AMA.
Thanks James for doing this AMA! Weโve closed the thread, will update with a blog post soon!
Hey James, thanks for doing this AMA and sharing your site. Enjoyed the photography articles and especially the Sony A7 review, Iโm suitably gear-poisoned now.
Whatโs wrong with buying a new pair of shoes every time a pair wears out, though? Wouldnโt you get sick of wearing the exact same clothing for years?
If youโre familiar with the MFA(MaleFashionAdvice) community on Reddit, they recommend particular styles of boots that wear well, for example brands like Red Wing, Alden. Would these be appropriate for a traveller, or are you solely looking for trainers that last longer?
Hey James, thanks for doing this AMA and sharing your site. Enjoyed the photography articles and especially the Sony A7 review, Iโm suitably gear-poisoned now.
Whatโs wrong with buying a new pair of shoes every time a pair wears out, though? Wouldnโt you get sick of wearing the exact same clothing for years?
If youโre familiar with the MFA(MaleFashionAdvice) community on Reddit, they recommend particular styles of boots that wear well, for example brands like Red Wing, Alden. Would these be appropriate for a traveller, or are you solely looking for trainers that last longer?
I think the main reason is that I feel a pair of shoes should last a year, when paying over ยฃ100 for any kind of shoe you expect it to at least last. Also since I only own a single pair of shoes Iโm rather picky when it comes to buying new ones.
I donโt wear any specific travel clothing, my clothes and what I wear hasnโt altered since I started traveling, so I wear the exact same types of clothes I did then and pretty much live life the same as I would in the UK just from a new country every month.
Hey James - given what youโve learned over the past year, whatโs one thing you would do differently if you were just starting out as a nomad today?
The one thing I would do differently is take less stuff, my backpack weighs half of what it did when I first started traveling. Iโve found that half of the stuff I originally took with me I never used. I spent ages researching the best x for travel or top gadgets for travel. Once out on the road you soon learn that youโve wasted a ton of money and theyโre just dragging you down (In the literal sense, my bag was so heavy it hurt my back).
Definitely agree. I cut my load down significantly as well and couldnโt be happier about it.
What about from a business perspective? Any major lessons learned that you didnโt expect, or obstacles you had to overcome that other nomads should be aware of?
Hi James! How do you see the nomad movement evolve in terms of the type of people doing this? I know years ago it was the 4 hour work week kind of people.
It seems people like you are a lot different in that youโre creative, make beautiful work and have a lot of taste in everything you do.
Where do you see this going? Will it stay a niche or are we seeing it go mainstream any time soon?
I think nomad culture is slowly changing, it was very closely tied to backpacker culture and its slowly catching its own style. form over function, I see far less people with ugly backpacks and โtravelโ clothes instead opting for style and traveling/living like they would anyone else.
No one wants cargo trousers, a fleece with 500 pockets and travel shoes anymore.
Now that a nomadic life is becoming more possible with the mindset changes of employers that remote working can be beneficial and the overall change of many industries with professionals going freelance becoming a nomad is not only viable in many cases its the best/most obvious option.
I think the main issue with nomads is that they are all very connected to their industries but not connected together as a group, this forum along with the Slack chat channel is bringing thousands of nomads together something that has not happened before and its really going to start to make changes, making the nomadic life style become far more mainstream. One I welcome.
Nice. Do you see a space here for luxury brands targeted towards nomads as a demographic?
I was thinking thereโs this fun irony where because many nomads live in relatively low-cost countries, they actually save a lot of money which becomes disposable income. Thatโs money the new generation of nomads might want to spend on high quality stuff. Most of us are already on iPhones, MacBooks etc, which are luxury products.
Are there any brands doing this yet? Premium stuff for nomads?
I think thereโs a huge market for luxury brands in the digital nomad space, weโve a huge amount of disposable income, an inability to buy large qualities of anything. What we do buy we choose carefully and have no problem spending high amounts on something when we only have 20-30 items to our name.
Iโve yet to find a decent pair of trainers that look good and last more than 6 months before they fall apart. Given the consumerist lifestyle of the general public people own more than 1 pair of shoes and more than 3 T-shirts, the quality and durability of these items is not for someone that uses the items every day, they just donโt last and I would welcome some serious innovation in this space.
Apple is the perfect example without meaning to be, very high quality products, expensive but last.
We choose carefully but when we choose price is not the defining factor, but Iโve not had much luck finding premium stuff for nomads, your standard designer or premium stuff is still not designed to be worn/used every day and falls apart as quick as cheap items.
How do people in cultures influence you in your daily activity? All this nomad thing help you to spend your free time properly or it benefits your work as well?
Have you tried to step out of your own company and do something with locals?
Iโm currently in Stockholm and one of their cultural influences I love and practice every day. โFikaโ which translates coffee break, normally had with a friend or two, to relax and chat over a coffee with a sweet pastry, personally I love their Chokladbollโs.
Weโve recently started to put together meetups in each country we visit to bring the locals and other tech people together, itโs a great way to meet loads of people at once, make friends and do something for the local community.
I was thinking thereโs this fun irony where because many nomads live in
relatively low-cost countries, they actually save a lot of money which
becomes disposable income.
I think this is a lot easier to do once people have their feet under them professionally, and will probably become more of a serious thing as more people and employers catch on. Arbitrage is a powerful thing.
Have you experienced / stayed in any kind of coworking/coliving/coworkation space on your travels?
Any tips for really interesting places in Europe that allow you to work and live in the same spot for some time?
I havenโt yet, its on my list, in fact there is one here in Gamla Stan, Stockholm Iโve been meaning to checkout. So far predominantly stayed in AirBnbs. Iโve spent a fair amount of time in Co-Working spaces, including some really awesome ones in Hamburg and Oslo.
Afraid I donโt have many tips on that front, but since most co-working spaces are situated in the main centre of the city prices are likely to be high, Iโve found staying a little way out and commuting 15-25 minutes in to work from a co-working space to work really well.
Do let me know if you find any, as Iโd love to come visit them for a week or two.
How you deal with personal taxes since you are abroad almost half of the year ?
Simple as Milk is still registered as a UK Limited company so we still have to deal with the whole UK tax process, we have an accountant in the UK that handles the majority of that for us though, handling signatures digitally with our accountant.
I have learnt that having no fixed office means I can now claim for food/coffee as a taxable expense as a form of paying for a internet space to work from. something I couldnโt do before with a fixed office, Unfortunately AirBnbโs are not workable as a business expense regardless of if I work from them.
The question of taxes is quite an interesting one. Since being a digital nomad means one can operate the business from anywhere and eventually choose where to settle down for some period of time, it would make a lot of sense to explore how to reduce taxes.
For example, a Hong Kong company does not have to pay any taxes on all revenue that are earned outside of Hong Kong. So, if you form a Hong Kong company, do freelance work for clients around the world, billed to your Hong Kong company, then you would only have to pay taxes on revenue from Hong Kong clients, but the rest of your revenue globally is tax free.
Here is the page from the Hong Kong tax department and Iโve quoted the paragraph below. http://www.ird.gov.hk/eng/tax/bus_pft.htm
The Scope of the Charge
Persons, including corporations, partnerships, trustees and bodies of persons carrying on any trade, profession or business in Hong Kong are chargeable to tax on all profits (excluding profits arising from the sale of capital assets) arising in or derived from Hong Kong from such trade, profession or business. There is therefore no distinction made between residents and non-residents. A resident may therefore derive profits from abroad without suffering tax; conversely, a non-resident may suffer tax on profits arising in Hong Kong. The question of whether a business is carried on in Hong Kong and whether profits are derived from Hong Kong is largely one of fact, however some guidance on the principles applied can be found in cases which have been considered by the Hong Kong Courts and the Privy Council. No tax is levied on profits arising abroad, even if they are remitted to Hong Kong.
I know some people who have been doing this for decades, but please do your own due diligence on how this would work in conjunction with the tax laws of your country of citizenship.
So, hope this helps any of you who are looking to maximize your income as a digital nomad.
Thanks, there has been a ton of chat in the Slack group about tax and how Hong Kong handles it, which would reduce tax considerably.
Although I do feel it would add quite a few complications, having a Hong Kong bank account for a start. but also we use services like stripe with all our clients for payments something Hong Kong currently doesnโt support.
Itโs also worth noting that the UK still covers my full range of healthcare and paid for the entirety of my education, taxes are just a part of paying that money back, but also helping out those in my home country who are less fortunate, unemployed, single mothers etc.
The UKโs tax is rather low compared to the rest of the world at 20%, so currently its not an issue.
Sounds great! Weโre heading back to Asia next yearโฆ Beijing for a little while and then weโll make our way down to Chiang Mai. Digital nomad heaven!
How do you tend to acquire new clients whilst on the road?
We stay fairly active on social media but the majority of our main clients come from referrals/word of mouth so we let them come to us, using any slow periods to relax and enjoy the country around us.
In addition to that I keep updated with the latest startup news and follow/engage with interesting startups online, more so because iโm interested in what theyโre working on, but that has also generated long term clients and some great friends.
Hey James!
What countries are next on your list?
Iโm currently working out where to spend Christmas, Norway is on the list. Iโm currently in Stockholm.
For the new year Iโm planning to go catch up with the business partner whoโs currently in Toronto for awhile, then Iโd like to head to Cape Town for their summer period for a spot of kiteboarding and join a few fellow digital nomads.
Asia is top on my list for next year though.
How you manage to not afraid clients when you say you change every month your location ?
Our clients tend to be tech startups, luckily for us startups tend to be far more forward thinking than many companies so they havenโt had any issues or problems yet providing time zones are coordinated well.
Weโve only met a very small % of our clients, as before going nomad we worked remote from our office in the UK, with the majority of our clients residing in the US weโve always worked remote. I think that track record of being able to manage remote working has carried over when we decided to get rid of the office and take the company on the road.
My fiancรฉe and I are most likely moving to NYC (maybe DC) in August, and as a technical startup co-founder I'd love to meet new people that are also into startups. Would joining a co-working space be worth the money to do this?
I work for a big tech company that has an office in NYC, but it's mainly sales so I wouldn't be able to meet others that are related to any of my 9-5 work or likely into tech.
If co-working spaces, post covid of course, aren't a good way to meet business starting people in a new city, what is?
I am planning to travel to Mexico City next weekend and stay for 7-10 days there. I wonder if cafes, stores and other places like these work? And if cafes work, do they work as usual or only for take away&delivery? Will be very thankful if someone can help here.
I am new to working out of coworking spaces. My business entails a lot of video conferences. I haven't chosen a specific coworking space yet but generally, what are the potential solutions for this? I have a microphone and headphones but still fell like it may be inconsiderate to take the calls anywhere in the coworking space. For a solo person, what are some general solutions? Are there usually options to rent a private room by the hour with just enough room to set up my microphone and laptop? Sidenote: any coworking space recommendations in Florianapolis, Brazil would also be appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Hey Nomads, would love to know any thoughts here.
Top of the list are currently Tenerife, Lagos/Ericeira (Portugal) & Malta??
Would love to know if anyone can vouch for these at this time of year.
Beautiful beach would be the dream. Basically European Bali! I'm sure something many of us are searching for.
Thanks a million. Much love.
Leo
Iโm looking for any recommendations for services or people others have used to get answers on the best place to set up their businesses based on their personal circumstances.
Leaning towards Singapore after a ton of research, but would really like some concrete advice before jumping in.
Appreciate it!
We are hoping to travel later this year and we will be working remotely - how do you ensure you get good WiFi in places such as in India where the signal isn't always great? Do you have any tips on where to go/ what equipment you have to get?
When reopening for tourism, Bali says it will focus on attracting remote workers to choose the island as their workplace:
"We will focus on a new pattern of how Bali is not just for leisure, but indeed to work in Bali as well"
thebalisun.com/bali-tourism-will-target-digital-nomads-and-those-who-work-online/
Transactional Attorney with a focus on US Immigration. Burnt out doing the law firm thing. Trying to leverage skill to get on this digital nomad tip. Love the traveling experience, hostels, seeing new places, new cocktails etc etc.
What do you use to work together remotely with your team?
I know Slack, Hipchat and Hall.
Which ones do you guys use and why?
Hoping to see all the cool stuff people are working on while they live an extraordinary life.
My interest in DN lifestyle started when half of our company have been taking 1 month for remote work @ Ko Samui. It was truly cool but we observed quite some communication challenges. Communication seemed just โriskierโ when online.
What were your worst situations caused by misunderstanding while communicating online with your teammates? What do you do to avoid misunderstandings?
Hi everyone and nice to e-meet you!
finally, after so long I found a job that allows me to work remotely.
But now? Do you have any practical advice that I can use to approach this new world?
In particular, I have to put my tax situation in order, do you know a good tax advisor from whom I can ask for advice? (Iโm Italian but I live in FranceโฆI donโt know how long it will beโฆ) )
Beyond that, any advice is welcome.
Thank you!
Maria
Iโm in a small town on the coast of Panama, and I was told that here they donโt separate the organic from the reciclable residues. Have you been anywhere in Panama? Have you recycled?
Looking for recommendations for reliable accountants who understand how remote businesses with off-shore freelancers and clients work. Thanks!
Daily/hourly pass needed.
Canโt work in normal cafรฉ because having clientโs laptop for security reasons, canโt use open networks. Working for R&D. Also laptop is so huge it doesnโt fit normal cafe environment because itโs far from discreet.
Iโm currently doing some work through Upwork, but itโs sporadic and Iโm keen to get more active on other platforms like Freelancer, Toptal, CodeMentor, Fiverr etc
Currently Iโm managing leads in a Google sheet. Basically itโs just a list of projects I pitched for, how much I bid, what I did differently from the last pitch/bid, how much time went by before I got a offered a job etc.
Iโm not actively following up anybody, and Iโve in fact โlostโ a few jobs where the client was keen, but then disappeared without a trace. I guess I need to keep in touch with those people to ensure that they remain focussed on our agreementโฆ
Iโm also keen to take on more small projects concurrently, without dropping the ball on any of them.
Iโve done a quick Google and turned up a few names including Salesforce, Zoho, Nutshell, HighRise, Base, Nimble, etc etc. But testing out all these products isnโt all that appealing, so I thought Iโd ask here first 
Ideally Iโd like something that integrates with remote job boards in some way.
Iโve done some research and currently have this feature list:
Cheers,
Dan
What are the most comfortable and affordable coworking places in Amsterdam?
I donโt like noisy cafes and high prices of Spaces.
Everything is in the title.
Iโm working on a big project so I will need fast internet (>15 mbps).
If itโs close to the beach, it would be even better.
Thanks !!
Would you recommend โWork Zoneโ http://www.oficinasplaya.com over Nest?
Do you have other coworking spaces there you would recommend?
And where is a good place to stay (i.e. coliving)?
Heyo folks! The idea to open up an own coworking space in Malaysia has been on my mind for quite a while and I would like to reach out on foreigners being a business owner/co working space owner in Malaysia, there are a lot of questions that would follow up but most importantly is to reach out to someone with experience.
Ideally would be someone who runs a coworking space in Malaysia, second best would be to just come in touch with a foreign business owner in Malaysia.
Cheers
Yamin
Can't login? See the FAQ
Nomad List
By signing up, you agree to our terms of service and community guidelines.
One-time-payment: $39.98 $19.99 ๐ซ2024 NEW YEAR 0% off
Billed once. Then never again
Nomad List members
work remotely at
Nomad List
๐ Thanks for signing up! I hope you like my site. I put a lot of effort into making it.
๐ฌ First, please go to your email and click the confirm link first to verify your email address, check your spam folder if you can't find it
๐ After you confirm your email we'll send you an email with more info
๐ฉโ๐ป You can start using Nomad List's member-only features now!
