What if real freedom isn't about adding more to your life but about what you're brave enough to subtract?

Host Ryan is making a bold move, sharing why he's hitting a temporary pause to go deeper instead of wider with his work.

You'll hear about his time learning Spanish, connecting with the expat community in Mérida, and why this ancient city keeps pulling him back.

Ryan reveals where he's headed next, a Southeast Asian country he's somehow missed for years despite spending months in the region.

Listen and discover the mindset shift that separates people who dream about becoming digital nomads from those who actually build sustainable freedom.

Huge shoutout to the podcast's #1 Fan- Kerri Vailati. Thank you for all your support.

Grab Your FREE Guide - 7 Steps To Launch Your Digital Nomad Journey - https://www.thedigitalnomadcoach.com/

MORE FROM RYAN MELLON :

Join the Work From Anywhere Challenge : https://www.digitalnomadnation.com/3daychallenge

Connect with Ryan: https://allmylinks.com/thedigitalnomadcoach

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DISCLAIMER:
Listening to stories of beachside zoom calls, mountainside work views, and island-hopping entrepreneurs may cause severe wanderlust and an irresistible urge to turn your laptop into a passport to freedom. Side effects include daydreaming about tropical co-working spaces, working with Ryan to learn how you can start working and traveling and buying a one-way ticket to Bali. Get ready to start living your dream life today!

The limiting beliefs about becoming a digital nomad you're carrying right now?

Host Ryan Mellon sits down with Duncan Malcolm, a product manager turned sailor, co-living founder in Kenya, and motorcycle adventurer, whose path was sparked by seeing remote work in 2007, long before “digital nomad” was mainstream.

Duncan shares how watching an eccentric coder work from a bike trailer planted a seed that grew into five years living and working full-time on a sailboat, traveling the Mediterranean, and building a co-living base in Kenya.

The big takeaway: a lot of the fear that keeps people stuck isn’t logistics, it’s the story we tell ourselves.

Chapters:
00:03:12 - The Hidden Problem With Perfect Bays
00:07:15 - Rock Bottom Reset
00:08:41 - Spain Agency Disaster
00:11:17 - Ghosted to Fully Booked
00:18:52 - The Accidental Boat Buy
00:28:09 - Kenya Surprise
00:39:39 - The Big Regret

You’ll hear the raw truth about Duncan and his wife Camilla’s journey. From nearly breaking under pressure in London, to realizing they could’ve left years earlier. Duncan breaks down the CV rewrite that flipped his results from constant silence to consistent interviews and contracts, and he gets real about the painful hiring lessons of building a co-living business in Africa.

He also explains why stepping away for weeks at a time helped the business grow stronger without him. Whether you're stuck in analysis paralysis or worried about income, this conversation will shift your perspective.

Listen and learn to stop building pressure around some perfect exit plan and just start.

Connect with the Coliving in Kenya: https://www.teamskippers.com/

Grab Your FREE Guide - 7 Steps To Launch Your Digital Nomad Journey - https://www.thedigitalnomadcoach.com/

MORE FROM RYAN MELLON :

Join the Work From Anywhere Challenge : https://www.digitalnomadnation.com/3daychallenge

Connect with Ryan: https://allmylinks.com/thedigitalnomadcoach

Share this episode with a friend or family member

• Give a Review on Spotify
• Give a Review on Apple

DISCLAIMER:
Listening to stories of beachside zoom calls, mountainside work views, and island-hopping entrepreneurs may cause severe wanderlust and an irresistible urge to turn your laptop into a passport to freedom. Side effects include daydreaming about tropical co-working spaces, working with Ryan to learn how you can start working and traveling and buying a one-way ticket to Bali. Get ready to start living your dream life today!

What if the secret to staying abroad longer isn't about finding cheaper flights or stretching your budget but about finding the right people to live with?

Host Ryan Mellon talks with Laurens Borrey about what happens when you prioritize community over profit in the hospitality business. You'll hear how Laurens and his co-founders met while volunteering at a hostel and accidentally discovered a gap in the market that traditional hostels and Airbnbs weren't filling.

Laurens started CO404 after spending three years backpacking on almost nothing and realizing he never wanted to go back home. Today his co-living network across Mexico and Colombia has cracked the code on something most nomads struggle with: building deep connections while actually getting work done.

Chapters:
00:05:00 - The 11 PM Rule That Protects Everyone
00:07:15 - How Many Rooms and Why It Matters
00:10:29 - Volunteers as the Secret Sauce
00:14:17 - The Activity Mistake That Forced a Better System
00:19:31 - From Backpacker Drift to Building Co404
00:26:52 - The Bad Apple Problem and the Hard Call

Laurens shares why his spaces attract an older crowd of experienced nomads and how keeping the party outside his walls has become his biggest competitive advantage.

They tackle the hidden challenges of long-term travel that nobody warns you about. Laurens breaks down the patterns he's observed in nomads who've been traveling successfully for five years versus those who flame out fast.

You'll discover why returning to the same places might be smarter than constantly chasing new countries and how simple routines like finding a sport you can play anywhere can completely change your experience on the road.

Listen and Learn how to create a sustainable nomad lifestyle built on real community instead of just Instagram moments.

Stay at Co404: https://co404.com/

Grab Your FREE Guide - 7 Steps To Launch Your Digital Nomad Journey - https://www.thedigitalnomadcoach.com/

MORE FROM RYAN MELLON :

Join the Work From Anywhere Challenge : https://www.digitalnomadnation.com/3daychallenge

Connect with Ryan: https://allmylinks.com/thedigitalnomadcoach

Share this episode with a friend or family member

• Give a Review on Spotify
• Give a Review on Apple

DISCLAIMER:
Listening to stories of beachside zoom calls, mountainside work views, and island-hopping entrepreneurs may cause severe wanderlust and an irresistible urge to turn your laptop into a passport to freedom. Side effects include daydreaming about tropical co-working spaces, working with Ryan to learn how you can start working and traveling and buying a one-way ticket to Bali. Get ready to start living your dream life today!