On Sundays I like to share a few things happening in my digital nomad life and business, from wherever I am in the world!
This week I’m still in Chiang Mai, testing Facebook ads, meeting interesting people and enjoying a few too many foot massages.
Today I’m sharing what’s working for This Big World, a networking event I nearly walked out of, a few thoughts on nomadic life, and putting the ‘digital’ back in the 50+ Nomad.
Here we go...
#1: Turns out people prefer people. Who knew? 😂
It’s now 6 weeks since I started running Facebook ads for my This Big World Travel Challenge Cards, and my Shopify store has brought in over $2,500 in sales.
I’ve been testing all sorts of creatives, including some lovely, polished AI-generated videos featuring presenters talking about my cards.
For every $1 I’ve spent on those AI videos, I’ve got around 20c back in sales.
Meanwhile, an unscripted video of me in a blue hoodie, opening the box and scratching a few cards, has been bringing in around $1.40 for every $1 spent!
It’s been my best-performing ad for the last month, and this week I used the same ad to send traffic to the gift version of my product page, and it sold 3 packs on it’s first day!
I don’t have enough evidence to prove this beyond reasonable doubt just yet, but it makes sense that as AI-generated content explodes, people are going to start craving something more human.
And if that’s the case, perhaps the best thing you can do for your brand is forget about polished scripts and professional production, and simply get yourself in front of the camera.
It’s certainly something I’m going to be doing a lot more of (hoodie & all!)
By the way if you’re looking for the perfect Christmas gift for the travel lover in your life, you know what to do! 😎
#2: Could your favourite hobby make you money?
This week I went to a networking lunch here in Chiang Mai. A friend was supposed to join me but let me down at the last minute, and when I walked in and saw 3 full tables of blokes, I promptly turned around and walked straight back out! 😂
Then I gave myself a talking to, pulled on my big girl pants and went back inside.
And of course, everyone was lovely.
I ended up sitting next to a Kiwi called Nathan, who runs a YouTube channel teaching chess.
He has around 9,500 subscribers, and earns a full-time income coaching people to become better chess players.
And do you know why people pay him?
Because they want to beat their mates at chess! 😂
I loved that. We spend so much time worrying about finding the perfect business idea or building a massive audience, when Nathan is proof that something as simple as a hobby you love, a relatively small audience and people willing to pay to improve can be enough.
Think about the things you love doing in your spare time. The hobbies you enjoy, the skills and experiences you’ve accumulated over 50-plus years on this planet. The things you could happily talk about for hours.
Somewhere out there, there's probably someone willing to pay you to help them get better at something you already know & love!
#3: Thailand is a magical place. 🇹🇭
I was wandering around Chiang Mai the other evening, thinking how otherworldly this place can feel sometimes.
I’m living in shorts and T-shirts 24/7, mopeds are buzzing around everywhere, 7-Eleven sings at you every time you walk through the door, and little food carts with nothing more than a wok and a burner serve some of the most delicious food you’ll ever taste.
For around 9 bucks, you can get a fantastic hour-long massage, complete with a cup of Thai tea and biscuits afterwards, and as a woman, I feel completely safe wandering around on my own, even at night. (To be fair I’m rarely out after 9pm 😂).
But the smiles, the smells, the sounds, the slightly surreal mix of cultures & the sheer ease of everyday life…. There’s just something about Thailand.
You’d think I’d be used to it by now, having lived here for so many years, but I still find myself looking around in wonder.
It’s such a fab place to come back to. ❤️
#4: Do people know exactly how you can help them?
Last week I talked about how you don’t have to restrict yourself to one narrow topic when building a personal brand, as long as you’re crystal clear about who you’re helping and what you’re offering them.
You can share your life, your experiences, your opinions and all the things that interest you, but when someone asks what you do, they should immediately understand how you can help them.
I’ve been putting that into practice this week with The 50+ ‘Digital’ Nomad, and wrote a little more about why I think this distinction is so important when building an online business.
#5: Friday Side Hustles are back! 💻
I’ve brought back my weekly Friday Side Hustle series, where I explore practical ways to earn portable income and fund your travels.
Each strategy comes with a detailed downloadable PDF guide walking you through the side hustle, how to get started, costs involved and extra learning materials. Plus an updated AI section to ensure you’re ahead of the curve.
This week’s idea is freelance social media management, and before you dismiss it as something for the younger generation, think again!
Your years of experience, communication skills and understanding of people could be exactly what a business is looking for.
That’s it from me!
This coming week I’m volunteering at an SEO conference here in Chiang Mai, continuing to work on This Big World, and preparing for Black Friday, with hopefully a few more foot massages squeezed in along the way!
Thanks for reading my Sunday roundup. I hope you have a fab week wherever you are in the world.
Keep chasing your dreams!
Jo x ❤️
P.S. You don’t need to wait until retirement or have a fortune in the bank to start exploring the world. You simply need a way to fund your adventures. 🌴
My flagship course, ‘How to Become a Digital Nomad in Your 50s & Beyond’, walks you step by step through building portable income and creating a lifestyle that gives you the freedom to work from anywhere.
Regarding the AI ad vs the Real You: Honestly, if I see another pretty, young person on a beach trying to sell me something. . .
Someone once told me car companies choose people for their ads who look like the customers they imagine will buy their car. This was over 30 years ago. But the point still stands: that AI woman looks nothing like me. I don't live on a beach. I don't want to. I don't care what she's selling. My first thought it, "another young digital nomad on a beach. . . " and there's the "wah, wah, wah" sound as I click onto something else.
YOU, on the other hand, -- YOU are the reason I read this substack. YOU are sitting in a living room somewhere telling me about something you believe in. THAT is so much more real. SO much more interesting. Sorry for all the caps. . . I don't know that I have the exact reason, but you selling more than your AI generated person? Makes so much sense to me. . .
The blue hoodie beating the glamorous AI lady on a Thai beach made me laugh, Jo! $1.40 back per $1 against 20c is such a clear gap. Are you going to film more unscripted ones for the gift page?