Ever since I was little, I remember being told that I had to work hard, get good grades, go to college, get a job, make money, and then I could do what I wanted. Except, I didn’t want that for myself. I didn’t want a 9-to-5 job, counting down the days until my next vacation. I wanted something more.

I just didn’t know how to get it.

For a long time, I was torn between joining the Peace Corps and getting a degree in comparative politics. I even thought about attending law school, but I knew it wasn’t what my soul really longed for. While all of the above would have absolutely satisfied the approval of others, it wasn’t what I wanted. I wanted to travel the world, and I didn’t want to wait years until my bank account made it possible. 

During my senior year of college, I started to think about creative ways I could earn money while traveling. Blogging was an option, especially since I already had a website and a logo, so I figured I could trade services for accommodations. However, since both of my parents are financial professionals, I realized that monetizing a travel blog would be challenging (and improbable). 

Without a better plan in place, I decided to take the leap anyway. Before I knew it, I bought a one-way ticket to Bali armed with my laptop and $800.

When I first arrived in Bali, I was making $12 an hour as a social media manager. I even worked for free or low-paying positions in return for testimonials, and that hustle paid off. I built a foundation of testimonials and referrals as quickly as possible, and I started to attract more clients. In my first month, I made $5,000.

Except, I was doing it the wrong way. I was working way too hard, I was overloaded with clients, and I’d trapped myself in a self-employed version of the same corporate grind that I sought to escape. Here I was, living in Bali, but I was working so hard that I couldn’t even enjoy it.

I could keep doing what I was doing, sure, building a business trading time for money, or I could take a leap of faith into something new.

I decided to invest in my own business coach, spending $3,600 that I could barely afford on hiring my first mentor, but the investment paid off in a huge way. Soon, I hit my first five-figure month. Then it doubled. Suddenly, I was bringing in $50,000 a month and landing features in Forbes and Business Insider. Within a year, I was a self-made millionaire working less than 15 hours per week from all around the world, and it’s been growing ever since.

And while starting a business definitely has its triumphs and tribulations, here’s what made it possible and how you can do it too.

1. Be very intentional about everything you do.

You need to know why you’re doing what you’re doing. Far too many people get caught up in chasing money or some other arbitrary version of success. What do you want? What actually drives you? 

I knew I wanted a business that gave me the freedom to travel the world, so I created a business model that allowed for that. Most businesses choose one of two pricing models, either premium pricing for a few clients or low pricing to serve a massive amount of people.

My business is built on both. By creating multiple streams of income, I can help as many people as possible and hit my income goals without working 80 hours a week. It’s all about being intentional and strategic in choosing what works for you.

2. Never, never never give up.

I moved halfway around the world by myself, so it’s no surprise that I thought about packing my bags, going home, and giving up. Fear started to slowly creep into my life, especially when it came to visibility. I convinced myself that other people would make fun of me for what I was doing, and it was my weakness for the longest time.

At one point, I was ready to quit. I went home for Thanksgiving, and my dad told me to give it six more months. Just six more months. Sure enough, I returned to Bali and my business exploded.

I was ready to let my own limiting beliefs hold me back. I wasn’t sure how I was going to get there, and the unknown can be incredibly scary. However, you’ll never reach your destination in life if you give up. 

3. Focus on personal branding and build a community. 

Once I started to build up my personal brand, a strong community began to form. I focused on creating a unique, visual brand that allowed me to share my own story so that I was able to stand out and attract the right followers for my business.

Then, I started to establish a presence on social media and connect with my audience on a much deeper level. As a digital nomad, having a strong brand on social media is the reason why I’m able to run my business from all the different countries I travel to. It allows me to establish a global, online presence and continue to attract the right clients regardless of the geographic location.

Plus, there’s no better feeling than having your audience root for you. People want to see you succeed, and you get to witness the direct impact your business has on other people’s lives. That’s incredibly fulfilling.

4. Create content that provides real value. 

If you want to connect with your audience in a huge way, then you need to be practicing value-driven marketing. Whether you’re creating podcasts, live streams, long-form blog posts, YouTube videos, Instagram Lives, or something else—what you’re creating doesn’t matter. Just make it valuable.

Remember, everyone’s journey is unique. Some people crave freedom. Others want the ability to spend more time with their families. Maybe you dream of achieving location independence. All of these things are doable, but it all starts with a choice.

And once you know exactly what you want out of life, it becomes way easier to create the business you want around it.

About the Author: Sabrina Philipp is an international online business and social media expert who has been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, Marie Claire UK, and more. She helps entrepreneurs build intentional, manageable, and profitable businesses so they can experience ultimate personal and financial freedom. 

Opting to skip the traditional 9-to-5, Sabrina moved to Bali with $800 to her name. Within a year, she built a thriving million-dollar business from her laptop. Currently traveling the globe with her fiancé Paul, Sabrina has a loyal community of over 100,000 business owners who follow her closely to see where in the world she’ll inspire them from next. You can follow her on Instagram at @sabrinamphilipp.

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