Compass
You want to work remotely and travel; or maybe stay at home with the kids but still earn a real income. Welcome to Compass, where we talk with location independent womxn about finding work and getting paid. Each episode focuses on one woman, their story, and what you can take away to create your own location independent life. Subscribe to receive new episodes every Tuesday, and get one step closer to finding your direction.
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Phon Baillie, Proofreader
04/21/2020
Phon Baillie, Proofreader
Phon Baillie enjoyed proofreading before she knew it was a job. After graduating university and later publishing school, Phon then went out on her own to become a freelance proofreader. You can find Phon on her site , where you can sign up for a or join her . Building your network builds your business. While it may not come easy for all of us, having a wide and solid network gives us a better footing for finding clients. Think about it, the more people who know you and what you do, the more likely one of them will either need your services or recommend you to someone who does. And for Phon, this was how she found her first clients. Phon devotes time to marketing to keep her income stable. Whether you're bringing in new clients or reminding former ones that you're available to meet their needs, a steady stream of requests creates a steady stream of income. what are some ways you can reach out to new and former clients? For full links and show notes, visit
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Chrystabelle, Messenger Bot Marketer
03/03/2020
Chrystabelle, Messenger Bot Marketer
We talk about university on the show for a couple of reasons. I think we need the reminder that for those of us who attended university, most don't end up working in the field we studied, but we can bring things we learned into what we do now. Also, we don't need to have gone to university to do well in life and in entrepreneurship. Instead of heading to study, Chrystabelle took a year off and then set herself up in an internship and worked her way up. A note here: in some countries, like the US, there are specific legal requirements for something to be considered an internship. In these cases, I think we might apply the word 'apprenticeship' more accurately. Either way, Chrystabelle created her own arena for learning and you can too. Chrys Media, Chrystabelle's company is her third venture. She set up two businesses that didn't work out, first. We need to remember that we may not find our exact right work the first time around. That also doesn't mean we need to give up and start filling out job applications. Had Chrystabelle walked away after her first failed business, or her second, she wouldn't be living the life she has now. Have faith in yourself and your ability to figure out what's next for you. Competing on price is a race to the bottom, every time. You get little money and clients who often try to take advantage. Instead, think about what you offer, what makes you different and build your business, your reputation around that. No one else is you, we don't think or create just like you. It may feel easy or obvious to you, but know that your way of doing things is important for your business. For full links and show notes, visit
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Arpine Ayvazyan, Product Designer
02/19/2020
Arpine Ayvazyan, Product Designer
This was a new one for me and it's great. Arpine became location independent so that she could earn a European income but spend as much time as she wants in Armenia, with her friends and family. This is the reverse of what we tend to think of with countries with a lower average wage, which is to hire for cheap. Just because you come from a lower average wage country, doesn't mean you're limited to those expectations. You can use the internet to level the playing field, just like Arpine did. As a service provider, what do you do when the client relationship isn't working for you? For a long time, Arpine felt like she couldn't walk away. And you don't want to unnecessarily burn any bridges, but you do have the right to end a business relationship that isn't working. You can find a way to approach the client with clarity and a fair way out for both of you. If they react poorly, then you're better off having left anyway. Do you have a product in mind, but don't want to waste materials working up samples? What about taking that extra step to see that your product has a second or even third life once it's first use is over? These ideas are possible and happening right now with product design. You can build sustainability into your design without ever casting a mold. What possibilities are popping into your head? For full links and show notes, visit
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Lili Tanis, On-camera Coach
02/04/2020
Lili Tanis, On-camera Coach
This is one that many of us go through, especially if we're extraverts. You go from having an office full of colleagues to bounce ideas around with and share downtime chatting to being all on your own. Pretty quickly it becomes obvious that something is missing. There are and , and some days when it's less the need for interaction and more about just having the bustle of people around there are coffee shops. Finding the right mix is very personal and it will probably take time to get the right set up for you. Working without an office makes it easy for work to leak into our personal lives, even more so when we're alone in a new place and enjoy what we do. Making time for hobbies and personal time becomes even more important now. What do you love to do? What makes you feel better? How can you structure your week to support you, and not just your business? We've talked about this a bit with , pricing is very region-specific. When Lili is in the US market, she's able to look at the competitive field and see where her pricing falls. In France, it's not so simple. There is a lower cost of living and what she does is new. This means she's the one creating the frame of reference and at the same time needs to take into account the local levels of disposable income. It takes a bit of trial and error, but one thing remains true, womxn tend to underprice ourselves. Unless you know you are at the top of your market, take your price and add 20%. For full links and show notes visit
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Tamar Levi, Children's Book Illustrator
01/22/2020
Tamar Levi, Children's Book Illustrator
Starting early, Tamar started investing any money that wasn't put towards immediate needs. Over time this built up as a way of supporting her art through residual income, giving her a freedom to focus her art when it wasn't yet paying bills. Is this something you can start? Putting away a little extra a month and letting it grow over time? You know what you want to do and with that in mind, you can create your own personal 'curriculum' for learning about business. Do you need to study marketing, or perhaps fulfillment? Not only are there a massive variety of online courses out there, but depending on where you live, there may well be in-person classes and support. As people who move around often, or even just work from home, building a network can be tricky. We don't have office colleagues or watercooler talk. We do have a ton of online groups and in many cases Meetup groups. Building support systems through our interests and travels is simplest if we reach out first. It takes more work and takes time, but we can set ourselves up for success when we start building a supportive framework. For full links and show notes visit
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Kate Birtch, Rental Property Insurance
01/08/2020
Kate Birtch, Rental Property Insurance
We are part of a global economy, and one that is shifting. Does your schedule mean working with someone in another timezone makes more sense? Are you okay working with someone whose native language isn't the same as yours if it means a better quality product or a better time frame? Will you choose a provider with a lower asking price if it means a time zone lag? We have a lot of questions to answer if we're going to make our best choices in the world of international hires. As digital nomads, it's easy to feel alone, and this goes for our business lives as much as it does our personal ones. The answer in both cases is reaching out, building a network. Interact, offer help, answer questions, and when you need it, ask for help. Since we're often on the move, online groups can be the best place to start. I love , , and . I love our pricing discussions because so many of us have no idea where to start. Kate talked about how in insurance, pricing is tied to coverage, but that she likes to add value as well. And it got me thinking, how can we add value to our products and services without adding work to our day. Is it in the way interacting with us allows our clients to feel? Is it in a product we can create once and send as a bonus to our loyal clients? What can we do and create that make the experience of working with us an even better choice? For full links and show notes, visit
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Zsófia Bányai, Operations Manager
01/01/2020
Zsófia Bányai, Operations Manager
Because of her background in history, Zsófia looks at problems differently than other finance students did, and now differently than other operations managers. This means seeing solutions the others wouldn't necessarily see either and that's a win for everybody. It's time to learn to view our different perspectives and ideas as the strengths they are. The job Zsófia applied for wasn't listed as remote, but she took the risk and asked. Instead of saying yes or no, they decided to have a trial period. When the trial period ended they agreed to turn the job into a contract position, and now Zsófia is self employed, and filling out her roster. There are so many opportunities that we don't see, and even the ones we do, we often just keep going, thinking they're not for us. But if we grab that opening and see where it leads, great things can come of it. Zsófia didn't set out to become an operations manager, but she followed the opportunities that presented themselves and found a great career that she enjoys. For full links and show notes visit
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Kari DePhillips, Agency Owner
12/17/2019
Kari DePhillips, Agency Owner
You have two options when you have more work coming in than you can reasonably handle. You can raise your prices to keep your project flow at a speed that works for you, or you can find others to outsource the work to and take on a management role. This comes down to personality. Would you rather work on your own working directly in your field? Or would you prefer to manage others? If you're not sure, then go slowly. Send any overflow to one freelancer and get your communication with them down. Then, check-in with yourself and see which you prefer. And this holds true for any agency you build, from , to , to writing. Kari got sued. Well, , because a contractor used an image that they pulled off of Google. Do not do that. Because Kari owns the agency, she was held responsible. Read the linked post, it's worth your time, and then, take the time to source all your images properly, it's pretty straightforward and definitely worth your time. We have a tendency to wait. Wait for the right time, wait for the perfect opening, wait for the go-ahead from someone, anyone. Here it is, your invitation to start, because it's the only one you'll get. No one is going to ask you to build your business, you have to decide to go after it. This can be unnerving at first, just know that it's like that for all of us. That just means it's time to start scared. For full links and show notes, visit
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Jordan Jeppe, Social Media Marketer
12/10/2019
Jordan Jeppe, Social Media Marketer
When Jordan was in school in LA she waitressed, and her customers would ask what she was studying. Having these conversations led to her first client, which led to more clients. And the thing is, most of us don't do this enough. Talk about what you do! I'm guilty too. So, let's make a pact, when someone asks us what we do, when they ask what we're up to, We Tell Them! When Jordan was working in LA, whichever client had a current project got the most attention, but that meant lots of time in recording studios and not much time taking care of herself. After starting her location independent life, that all evened out. Each client received a reasonable amount of her attention and so did she. Is there a way you can distribute your time now, so that you aren't run ragged? Oh my. This is such a struggle for so many of us. We're in our heads, worrying, discounting our abilities, thinking we'll wait just a little longer, until we're 'ready'. Excuses. They're all excuses. Get out of your own way, start now, start scared. We're here for you. For full links and show notes visit,
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Cepee Tabibian, Community Founder
12/03/2019
Cepee Tabibian, Community Founder
When your life is location independent, finding your community is difficult. We have online groups, and many of them are supportive, but the connections can seem fleeting. One thing Cepee does is foster meaningful connections within her groups. We hear that online relationships aren't real and that's just not true. It's a question of how strong those connections are. You have to decide how much effort you're going to put in, but building a network of other digital nomads is one of the best things you can do for your travel life. "What if nobody shows up?" The thought that runs through the mind of everyone who ever hosts anything. Cepee found her original members by posting on Facebook. She continued telling people about it, putting herself out there, showing up with energy and enthusiasm and built the community up. When working with individual clients, Cepee likes to overshoot her pricing, so she has a buffer for negotiation. So often we start with what we want to get paid and when the potential client comes back with a counter offer, we don't really have room to budge and either have to walk away or take a rate lower than our work is worth. This is similar to what talked about in her thoughts on negotiating a salary, aim high so you can land where you want. For full links and show notes, visit
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Alison Gold, Social Problem Solving Consultant
11/26/2019
Alison Gold, Social Problem Solving Consultant
Have you ever heard the same thing from several people and just not listened until it came from someone else? We can all be a little hard-headed at times, especially me. Alison's friends and family had been telling her she should consider consulting. She didn't listen until meeting a couple while on a cooking tour through southern India. Maybe it was the person, maybe it was the phrasing, but Alison took heed and set up her practice when she returned to DC. You know that anxiety when you've almost wrapped up a project or contract? That feeling of 'where does the next job come from'? Alison has started dealing with that by letting her contacts know that she's about to become available for work. Who can you reach out to? Who knows your work and could use your expertise or knows people who could? Alison believes that there are no failures, just things you have learned. Of course, this is a belief that requires practice, and self-compassion... which also requires practice. I'm going to be extra honest with you here, you're not perfect. You're going to mess up, probably big, at least once, and probably more. We all do. So, in that light, instead of getting upset, see if you can take a deep breath, see what you can learn, and then apply it. I would suggest having a tea in hand, but you do you. For full links and show notes, visit
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Chelsea Glass, Travel Consultant
11/19/2019
Chelsea Glass, Travel Consultant
The earlier you start going off on your own the easier it is later on, like literally everything else in life. Chelsea started going off to film school in LA when she was 14 years old. The first steps of independence can be freeing and unnerving at the same time. I didn't take off on my own until I was 33. You're going to do this in your own time, but don't put it off just because you don't feel ready. You're never going to feel ready, so start scared. If you're here, you're probably not the resort vacation type, not likely to look down on locals, or be upset by different customs and practices in a new location. And that's a great start. We can all do better with paying attention to our personal prejudices and lack of awareness. Is our guide receiving a fair wage? Are we participating in poverty porn? Is this show teaching us about a culture or just capitalizing on it and ultimately dehumanizing the members? We all can do better. I did this myself. <- We all want to say this right? I did it on my own, no help. Of course, that's never completely true. We all have support and should, it's what builds communities. Chelsea talks about taking loans to build Heart of Travel even further. Money, borrowing money especially, can be an uncomfortable thought. And this is one of the few times I'll say this, but it's just business. If you need a loan to grow, run the numbers. Make it a calculated risk, not a random roll of the dice, the make your best business decision. For full links and show notes, visit
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Elise Rorick, Book Designer
11/12/2019
Elise Rorick, Book Designer
Not all types of work exist as typical jobs. And it sounds really obvious, but it can be hard to internalize: Just because you can't find a job listing for something doesn't mean it's not valid and valuable work. Creating your own job description lets you take even greater control in building the life you want. Write it out, see what it looks like and go from there. If nothing else, you can visualize where you want to go. All of Elise's projects in university were inspired by books. Taking a look at that theme led her to figuring out how to make book design her work. Without taking a deeper dive into her influences, she would never have known to take the next step. What are your influences? What themes run through the things you enjoy? Elise shows up in Facebook groups adjacent to her work, groups for authors and creators, and helps. She's known for being there and lending a hand or giving advice when her expertise can help. This is not a call for more long form posts offering inspiration or unsolicited advice. We have enough of those. But being truly helpful can get you noticed. for full links and show notes visit
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Amanda Foltz, Cybersecurity
11/05/2019
Amanda Foltz, Cybersecurity
Getting certifications and formal training is always helpful, but often the information you need is online. Amanda says she will, "for three days put my head into my computer and learn what I need to know". And I think it's important to remember that learning this way can help you to just start and get going. We tend to use a need to learn as a way to procrastinate and if you have an inclination towards that, then maybe it's time to jump in. One thing that digital nomads sometimes forget to consider is time zones. When your clients are in the US, but you're in South East Asia that may mean you need to stay up until midnight or later to take calls. Can you keep up with that schedule, do you want to? Currently, I'm in Ecuador, so I'm on the same time as New York or Miami, but when I'm in Eastern Europe, the difference can be more like seven to eight hours ahead. And when you're moving frequently or some countries have daylight savings time and some don't... it gets complicated. One of the things I love about Amanda's story, and is also true for Amy Simpkins, if you listened to her episode, big companies target other big companies and charge high rates. Can you target small to mid-range companies and find a pricing structure that works for you and them both? Filling that market gap can mean big business for you. For full links and show notes visit compasspod.com/041 and to book a discovery call go to compasspod.com/discovery-call
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Britt Sheflin, Hypnotherapist
10/29/2019
Britt Sheflin, Hypnotherapist
What are the takeaways your clients have where you can see how they've benefitted? One of Britt's first clients went from having fears that prevented her from enjoying her day to day life to being able to fly to her honeymoon, go to a rooftop bar with friends, and take the elevator in her building. These all can seem like small things, unless you just can't do them. What is something that seems small that helps your clients change their lives? They say, if you really want to learn something teach it to someone else. Britt takes that in a slightly different direction. She teaches by writing about it. The idea is the same, you have to have a firm grip on something to explain it to someone else. Depending on your audience, you may be able to reach more people and do so from the comfort of your home, or coffee shop, or even airplane. I love the money questions. I especially love when different guests share similar answers. Britt talks about having a spectrum of prices, and so did . In addition to your one on one prices, you can have group offerings, and digital offerings that are targeted towards people who maybe can't yet afford your upper-tier pricing, but you can still help them. You can conserve your energy and still reach lots of people. For full links and show notes, visit
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Bonnie Christine, Surface Pattern Designer
10/22/2019
Bonnie Christine, Surface Pattern Designer
Five huge leaps, or a hundred tiny steps, it doesn’t matter how you get to your big dream. It just matters that you get there. If you make a commitment to taking one action every day, no matter how small, Bonnie says you’ll be amazed at how much progress you make over time. While it can take a while to get your first licensing contract, your wait isn’t over just yet. First, you create the design, then it gets approved and the items are made. Next, the items get shipped and hopefully sold. After that, you receive a quarterly paycheck based on how many sold and the percentage that you negotiated. So while this kind of work can be fulfilling, you need to have another way to support yourself in the interim. When it’s time to work out the details, make sure you’re happy with your percentage. There may be a standard rate and at the same time, there may be room for negotiation. It won’t hurt to try and can add up in the long run. Negotiation can feel uncomfortable for many of us. Companies sometimes count on that to limit their expenses, don’t let them. For full links and show notes, visit
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Rucheli Berry, Support Engineer
10/15/2019
Rucheli Berry, Support Engineer
Looking at Rucheli’s path you can see how she has moved from one use of her skills to another, picking up new skills to help with the transitions. This is one reason I always advise a skills assessment. You know more than you think you do and you probably don’t value what comes easily. Getting a broad overview can give you a way to choose what comes next. Rucheli started out her remote job search blasting the same resume to every open position. And it got her nowhere. Once she started targeting the language in her applications, customizing her cover letter, and including a project specific to the job listing, her responses skyrocketed. Eventually, she had offers to leverage against each other. The time each customization took saved her hours of sending out identical resumes and applications that would bring fewer results. There are recruiters and hiring managers looking for people just like you. Not only is that the attitude to take when seeking opportunities, it's also true. You have (or can gain) the skills companies are seeking, the bigger issue is how to best help them find you. And that's why you're targeting your applications, to help the right offer find you, not the other way around. For full links and show notes, visit
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Bari Tessler, Financial Therapist
10/08/2019
Bari Tessler, Financial Therapist
Bari started with small group courses of ten people, moving up over time. Then she added her telecourse which turned into 50 person classes, twice a year. Eventually, that became her Art of Money course, now with 500 people. Bari also has a book, The Art of Money and is in talks to become a spokesperson for financial therapy in Singapore. Your business will grow and change over the years as well. Keep your eyes open to opportunities along the way. A few years into her journey Bari received a call about creating a CD based course, something she had been hoping for. And when the time came, it just didnt' work. Sitting in front of a microphone just didn't work as well as talking with a class. And so, when she decided to do her telecourse, Bari nearly made the same mistake. Realizing what she was about to do to herself, she pivoted and got permission from her students to record and use pieces from the class she was already teaching. We all have strengths, we just need to recognize and play to them. Later, Bari had contracted to write a book using her methodology to start readers on their own personal financial therapy journey. And her editor took the book apart and reassembled it, but when you change the order you change the method. So the book was no longer Bari's. Thinking she was going to have to walk away she wrote a letter to the publisher and to her surprise Bari was able to go back to the original manuscript and preserve her vision of what the book should be. For full links and show notes visit
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Hannah Dixon, VA Trainer
10/01/2019
Hannah Dixon, VA Trainer
Talking with Hannah, I quickly learned how passionate she feels about niching down, because it's simpler to become an authority on one area than all of them. By focusing on one of your interests as a virtual assistant specialty not only do you get to dig in on what you enjoy, you add value to what you offer clients. It's basically getting paid more (specialists often earn higher rates) to learn about something you're already interested in. This is a tip I'm taking to heart and I wanted to make doubly sure you saw it. Hannah created short videos addressing common questions, and when group members would ask she would only have to share the link, instead of writing an answer, again and again. Not only does this mean less work for you, but it helps you get precise in your language when talking about your work, to get your point across in the couple of minutes you've got someone's attention for a video. When first building her course, Hannah quickly found out that she needed more time to fully deliver her work. Instead of hiding, she reached out to her students and explained the situation. By offering either a refund or additional consultation time with them, she managed to keep all her clients and give them exactly what she promised, in a somewhat extended time frame. Those clients are some of her strongest supporters. Honesty builds trust, like nothing else. For full links and show notes, visit
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Hope Allison, Fitness Coach
09/24/2019
Hope Allison, Fitness Coach
Keep your eyes and your options open. Hope decided to take on meal planning for personal trainers and in preparing, became a trainer herself. Seeing how much she enjoyed fitness and training she decided to add it to her main body of work. Sometimes the best ideas present themselves rather than you sitting down and coming up with them. When you’re transitioning from a specific location to remote, you may be able to transition your clients as well. This isn’t the first time we’ve heard of clients wanting to stay after a guest goes remote. Make sure they know they’ll still get the same level of service, no matter where they are. And if your packages change, it may be worth offering a “thank you” discount for staying, especially if you are in a more conservative field. It’s tempting to hide behind building and later, having a pretty website. A website, on its own, won’t bring you business. You have to let people know what you do, and who you are. For most of us, this means social media needs to be at least part of our strategy. Pick one platform that you’re most comfortable with and post regularly. Post about what you do, but also post about what you enjoy. You may bond with a potential client over a shared love of jasmine green tea, as much as your gorgeous hand lettering skills. For full links and show notes, visit
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Nicole Berry, Study Abroad Organizer
09/17/2019
Nicole Berry, Study Abroad Organizer
It can be scary putting money into something that you don't know if it will pan out. Especially in the beginning, you're risking money that could go towards fancier food or a night out with friends. Ultimately, risk is what we as entrepreneurs, do. We look at what we can lose and decide if it's worth seeing what we can gain. This is what Nicole did with advertising. It was scary, but when she made the leap, the money came back with great returns in the form of new enrollees. We generally talk with solopreneurs and sometimes agency owners. In terms of the people we talk with on Compass, Nicole is unique in the structure she's looking at to grow her business, employees. While having an agency means having employees, ultimately, they do what you do. Nicole is looking to free up her time by hiring out skills that she doesn't want to focus her energies on, like social media and lead generation. Just because you can do something, doesn't mean you're the right one for the job. When Nicole didn't find a job in international education she decided to go another way. She got a different job and started organizing study abroad experiences as a side project. There are always multiple ways to go after what you want, ask anyone who plays video games. If you can't get there directly, there's always over, under, around, and about a dozen other prepositions. Step back, be creative, and see what shows up. For full links and show notes, visit
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Sarah Cordiner, Course Creation Expert
09/10/2019
Sarah Cordiner, Course Creation Expert
While on her around the world trip after high school, Sarah repeatedly found herself volunteering in schools and orphanages. While she wasn't sure exactly she was after, she wanted to share education with others and signed up for a teachers course when she returned to the UK. Each choice brought her closer to finding her way as an educator. Not every path comes easily. Keeping your eyes open to opportunities can make all the difference. When first starting her company, Sarah took out the phone book and made a list of all the places that might need what she could offer. Then she wrote a letter to each of them, sending it in a hand-addressed envelope. This is a tactic she still uses today, as the novelty of receiving mail that's not a bill intrigues people enough to open the envelope. Your business may not lend itself to using mail, but what else can you do to pique your potential client's interest? Sarah took a hard knock a few years back. For many that would have been it, millions of dollars gone in a matter of hours. And how she handled this challenge is the difference between those of us that make it and those that don't. Sarah had a bit of a wallow and then set to getting back on track. It wasn't easy, and parts of it took until relatively recently, but she made it. That resilience, that determination to take responsibility for what happened and move forward is how we learn and grow as business owners. For full links and show notes, visit
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Amy Simpkins, Renewable Energy Consultant
09/03/2019
Amy Simpkins, Renewable Energy Consultant
The US Department of Energy had a program called the Solar in Your Community Challenge, which allowed Amy and her husband to make contacts and gain contracts all while helping lower income communities. Occasionally, we hear from Compass guests that they found a government program that in one way or another helped them get their feet under them. I think we don't hear it more often because these programs aren't well advertised and we don't think to look. Taking time to run a couple of searches might get your business on firm footing that much sooner. We often talk about scaling on Compass and it's a very individual decision. Coaching, consulting, and service work tend to be on the trading time for money end of the spectrum. Downloads, courses, and books are on the recurring revenue end, and they all are types of intellectual property. Additionally, you can develop systems and models to sell to other businesses, depending on what you do. It may be time to take another look at what you do and what other revenue streams are available. Amy consults and is still keeping an eye on whether they want to look at selling their proprietary models later on. It's rare that you get to see the effect your work has on the world at large. I occasionally hear from listeners about how the show has made a difference in their lives. When you manage a company's social media account you can see how it's helping grow their business. Amy gets to see how their work sets up individual companies to shift their energy footprints and it's overall effect in the grand scheme. For full links and show notes, visit
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Julie Waterkotte, Stationer
08/27/2019
Julie Waterkotte, Stationer
Julie has been an artist her entire life, first going to art college and later working in advertising, then video games. Only after becoming a bit frustrated with the inevitable changes in her designs, from decision by committee, did Julie start designing in her spare time, slowly building up income from Print on Demand sites. We hear it time and again and it’s so true. Having multiple income streams protects you from income volatility. In Julie’s case, the bridal industry has shifted from 80% to 50% of her design work. Having her PoD income as well as doing other types of design work have kept her going through those changes. Look at creating downloads, courses, PoD, books, audiobooks, affiliate marketing relevant to your field, having a shop, taking custom work, consulting… Choosing a few different streams can give you stability when circumstances out of your control hit. We all just want to be heard. When you’ve got a client who seems clingy, make sure they know that you’ve understood what they’re looking for and also that you’ve made time for them. Some clients are always going to try and micromanage, but many are just unsure and need to know what’s going on. For complete links and show notes, visit
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Kayla Kurin, Yoga Instructor
08/20/2019
Kayla Kurin, Yoga Instructor
When Kayla started her business, she did SEO, a mailing list, and all the social media. Her marketing efforts were scattered across several platforms. Looking back, she says she would really focus on SEO and her mailing list, if she could start again. Getting your footing in one area can help you boost your efforts in others later on. As someone with a chronic illness, Kayla knows what it’s like. So, she wanted to set up her yoga instruction so that she could teach others what helped her. Is there something you’ve learned how to overcome or support yourself in? That may be a clue to the next step in your path to becoming location independent. Yoga, in much of the world, seems to be the reserve of fit, healthy, white women. But in reality, it’s for everybody. And the yoga community is catching up, both in how yoga is shown and in who is encouraged and supported in showing up. Kayla is super excited to see and be a part of these changes. For full links and show notes, visit
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Getting Started, What Do I Do?
08/06/2019
Getting Started, What Do I Do?
Getting started with your location independent life can feel overwhelming. What can I do as a career? What should I charge? will my prices scare off clients? Can I do this? In order: Any number of things, more than you think, if you're doing it right, and yes - yes you can! Oh, darling, that is such a con job. You don't have any skills that you currently value, but you do have skills. Do you make amazing blackberry jam? Can you organize any closet, no matter the disaster state it starts out in? Can you get the most recalcitrant customer service rep to straighten out your problem? Do you have the perfect method to get yourself to work out each day? You have skills, you've just never viewed them as being salable before. If you want help with figuring them out, stick with me to the end of this post, I've got a treat for you! There's real math that goes into determining prices, but really this question usually is rooted in fear. Which brings up another question: Will my prices scare off clients? If you've priced your services correctly, yes, yes they will. When you're getting started, scaring off clients is terrifying. The thing is, when you price your services according to the value you provide you're scaring off cheap clients. You're scaring off clients who would have been a huge pain. Instead, focus on drawing in clients who value your work. Yes. I'm really tempted to leave that as the entire paragraph, because it really doesn't need any qualifiers. So, I will add this: You're stronger, better, and more creative than you believe you are. And when you put it to the test, you'll see it for yourself. Just take that first step, and then the next. You'll get there. For full links and show notes visit
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Casey Marriott, Digital Marketer
07/30/2019
Casey Marriott, Digital Marketer
After finishing her gap year, Casey didn't want to come home and after she did, she immediately set off to figure out how to leave again. Then, she extended. Again and again. In following her need to travel, she discovered her path through journalism and into digital marketing and SEO. Knowing one thing she wanted led to creating a life she didn't even know existed. It's not very often I get to talk with someone who is "traditionally" employed, we've had two others so far. There are certain difficulties that can come up when you're remote and your colleagues aren't. In this case, Casey handles the excuse of "you weren't here" by being super available. Being around on Skype and Slack and more to the point, obviously around, makes that excuse moot. Additionally, being available for meetings that aren't necessarily convenient shows a commitment to being a team player too. I often talk with womxn who start out at lower wages/prices because they are less experienced. Casey points out that a lot of this depends on your portfolio. If you can show your skills to be what your potential client needs, then that's mostly what they care about. If you do feel like you need to start at a lower rate, make sure to raise your rates with every project until you are at least at market rates. Yes, some people look for remote workers to reduce their spend. Go freelance and offer them a package rate, so they're not paying for time they don't use. And please, workout your freelancer math first. For complete links and show notes, visit
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Donna Long, Travel Writer
07/23/2019
Donna Long, Travel Writer
If you want to write for print and online publications, you're going to have to pitch. A lot. The good news is, it will get easier, and you will build up a contact list. This is definitely a case where starting is the hardest part. What tone should you use? How long should the pitch be? When should you send it? There is no one right answer, and you'll learn what works for you, as you go. Cover what needs to be covered to pique the editor's interest and go from there. Now that we no longer need to be afraid of wild animals chasing us on a regular basis, our brains find other things to "protect" us from. Our brains want to keep us safe and bless their little metaphorical hearts, they do try. A bruised ego is not fun, but neither is it dangerous. This is one of the few areas where I agree with the tech bros of the world. Risk rejection, as often as you can, and it will build a version of you who just isn't concerned with being rejected. If an editor ignores your pitch, nothing happens to you, except you learn to improve your pitch over time. And maybe, that editor thinks of you when a more appropriate piece comes along. Starting out, you're an unknown. And as an unknown, editors are less likely to respond to you. When Donna was first starting out, the low response rates were a problem. She didn't know if her pitches had even been seen. So, she started using a tracker in her email so she'd know if one didn't get opened and then she could decide how to progress. I use Streak to manage my contacts and email for Compass, and I'm forever appreciative of the included tracker. If you have Gmail, I suggest checking it out. For full links and show notes visit and to join us for the July 23 Are you Ready to Go Remote? webinar visit
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Elena Manavis, Business Developer
07/16/2019
Elena Manavis, Business Developer
Many of us start out thinking of our businesses as our babies. We have an idea and it grows and we love it, as Elena says, "it may not be perfect but it's mine." Only, that mindset can hold us back. Thinking of your business as what you do, means you can make changes, cut services, pivot, and rebuild as needed. It takes the emotion out of what can be tough decisions. If anything, it's more like a rose bush, strategic trimming and tending make your business stronger. It may be time to look at how you schedule your day. Do you try to cram in all the things? Elena schedules her day using what she calls the Swiss cheese model, more space than activities. This means, when things go sideways, as they tend to do, you've got the time to take care of them. And at the end of the day, you've got your big goals moved forward as well as any fires put out. Whether you're into the woowoo or not, meditation can serve as a reset button. Elena uses it as time to take a break and refill her cup, so to speak. If you run yourself down, then there's nothing for you to draw on when it's time to create or to serve your clients. Taking some time to recenter and build back up helps you and your business, and meditation is one way to do that. For full links and show notes, visit
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Linnea Molander, Dating Coach
07/09/2019
Linnea Molander, Dating Coach
At first, Linnea took what she was learning in her coaching program to improve her own dating life. Then, when she started talking about her experiences she learned it wasn't just her. So many people related to what she was experiencing. By tackling her own questions she learned how to help others. Linnea knew exactly how to speak to potential clients because she'd been there and knew how they were feeling, what they were experiencing. Happiness doesn't come from getting what you want. It comes from creating positive emotions in your life. For Linnea that means creating her own schedule, keeping things soft, using time over money to get what she wants. Of course, this is going to vary for all of us. But, think about it, what would make your life feel just right for you? Usually, I get a variation of one of two answers for how people decide on pricing. Either they start with how much they need to make in a year and work back to what that means hourly or they start with a number that "seems" right and adjust from there over a series of clients. Linnea has a different attitude. She thinks of a number and sees if she feels excited about doing the work for that price, does it get her going or is there resistance? Even if you love what you do so much you'd do it for free, there's still a jump out of bed number for you, I'd bet. For full links and show notes visit
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