The beauty of the modern word is that we are now open to receiving more opportunities than ever to shape our lifestyle the way we truly want to live. With just a laptop and a dream, you can take off on an adventure that lasts a lifetime.

That is exactly what Lori Konkler, The Xennial Traveler did!

Which American Dream?

Like most Xennials, Lori expected to fall into the traditional American Dream. It’s something that is highly advertised as the sought-after lifestyle. She imagined 2 cars, a house, 2.5 children and a successful career under her belt. The whole package! Minus the children, this is exactly what she did for many years.

She has the same “get up and go to work” routine for many years as the director of sales and marketing for a high-end hotel. Each day, she and her husband arrived home exhausted and unfulfilled.

This is the unfortunate reality for so many people all over the world. The same monotonous routine, minus the adventure and flexibility. 

It Starts With an “Aha” Moment

Lori knew she wanted the freedom to travel. Initially, she thought the travel blogging and affiliate route was a clear path to this, but she soon realised it wasn’t her true passion. Being in leadership positions for 20 years, the part she enjoyed most was mentoring people. 

One of the things that happens when people choose to become a digital nomad is this “ah ha” moment. Lori’s happened a little over a year and a half ago when one of her friends pointed out to her: “You are living the dream.” That’s when Lori took a moment to evaluate her current situation. It turns out her friend was right. She could travel anywhere in the world, anytime. She has the flexibility to work any hours she wished in a job that was fulfilling to her. 

Living Proof

Having the confidence to push forward her success coaching business, Xennial Traveler, allowed her to help so many people achieve their goals.

 Having a good ability to connect and make people feel comfortable is an extremely important factor which Lori excels in.

When clients tell her of the impact she has had in their business and lives it really means a lot to her. She recalls that one client was failing continuously but then Lori changed their mindset, allowing the client to move forward and make huge progress in their goals. 

A Community of Like Minded People

On her remote journey she also found our community here at Furlough. From speaking directly to Lori, she has said that meeting  Joe Casanova – the anti-guru, serial entrepreneur and others in the community has given her huge support.

Finding a community of like minded people as a digital nomad is really important – just as it’s important to cultivate your global professional and social circles.

Wanderlust if You Must

There are a tonne of perks when it comes to living life as a digital nomad. Lori recalls one occasion where she and her husband took a helicopter trip up a mountain in New Zealand. If that’s not wanderlust worthy enough, they had a 5-course gourmet meal waiting for them at the top!

Imagine the exhilaration knowing that you could be working in the morning and then you are off to create lifelong lasting memories the same day!

Advice for Digital Nomad Businesses

We asked Lori if she has any advice for digital nomad businesses. You can tell Lori is living the nomad life, because not only did she drop some business gems, but she also gave some lifestyle advice, which will help aspiring nomads live the remote life long-term. 

Personal boundaries in life and business are a thing to keep at the forefront of your mind. If you want to hit your goals, you must set these boundaries. If you have the tendency to say yes to everything try to prioritise what matters most to you.

You can’t be everything to everyone. 

In your professional life knowing your non negotiables will keep you out of bad situations and will allow you to choose projects which fit you best.

Adding onto this, getting into business with friends is a slippery slope, but building friendships through business is a better way of doing things. When those people don’t put in the same effort as you, it makes things really difficult so if anyone has made this mistake the takeaway from it is that you will learn a lot by navigating this situation. 

Keeping those non-negotiables and values close to you will allow you to make good decisions over the long-term. Lori’s core values as a success coach include having kindness and empathy for others. 

The “B” Word

Burnout. An issue that many business owners have.

Lori used to experience this too, but by using proven coping mechanisms and strategies she has overcome this blocker and has helped others to do so as well.

Digital nomad entrepreneurship is a unique lifestyle choice which may put literal distance in between you and your family. Keeping up and making time for important people in your life is something that you will not regret.

Take the opportunities which pushes your journey forward but keep connecting with the people you love because you never know how much time there is left with them.

The goal is to live the most fulfilling life possible so having balance is key.

Lori has some extra advice that she would give to her younger self and others who aspire to live their best life: 

“Don’t take out credit cards straight after you’re 18.

You don’t need to have life figured out when you’re young – go with the flow. 

Nothing is that big of a deal.”

The digital nomad entrepreneur journey is vast. Each individual has a unique set of circumstances, wants and needs that propel them towards this lifestyle. Sometimes to walk a different path successfully, you may need a mentor to guide you along the way. 

Check in with Lori on Instagram for more digital nomad insights.