Here’s the Merriam Webster Dictionary version of the definition of digital nomad:
digital nomad (noun)
someone who performs their occupation entirely over the Internet while traveling
especially: such a person who has no permanent fixed home address
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/road%20warrior
road warrior noun
plural road warriors
Definition of road warrior
: a person who travels frequently especially on business
When I worked at IBM for 11 years combined, having been hired twice, I was a road warrior for sure. But then I moved on from IBM and started a venture backed AI Team Collaboration startup called Habla in 2017 and sold my home in Silicon Valley in 2019. I actually like having a home and home base to come home to and “Feels Like Home.” But IMHO… the best of both worlds consists of living somewhere as a minimalist, like a nice apartment that is simple, easy, and comfortable in a great location for travel anywhere in the world. Of course, if you have a family and deep roots, this lifestyle is unlikely right for you. At the same time, it’s essential to be able to Work from Anywhere. WFA.
Interestingly, Northrop Grumman, a client of mine while I was an exec at IBM, talked about this a lot, and so did Boeing Defense Systems… and IBM and Cisco had this in place – home office and corporate office and work travel scenarios all rolled into a regular rhythm. At IBM, we had “Mobility Centers,” where I would bring my 10 kilo ThinkPad with Tokenring and AT&T VPN dialer, and log into FlexiMove at the front desk, then find a cube, team room, or conference room available, and select the date and time-frame I needed it for myself and /or myself and my team. This was genius in 2001!!! 19 years before COVID-19 and a global pandemic forced everyone to “Work from Home” or a hybrid.
I totally believe in a distributed workforce and tools, processes, methods, and people to make it all work incredibly productively. It’s not easy to accomplish and execute, but I’ve been doing this for 21 years now, so it’s ‘second nature.’
I am the most blessed man in the world!
This is beautiful Kyiv, UKRAINE at Christmas time.
Freezing in -15 C Ukrainian Winter…. and Loving it! 😍
I read recently that 3,000 to 5,000 new digital marketing agencies, solopreneurs, and freelancers launched during the COVID pandemic. People are realizing they can work from anywhere now.. and in the USA, there is now a phenomenon known as “The Great Resignation” in which people are leaving by the millions jobs in Distribution Sector, High Tech, Travel and Transportation, or retiring earlier. Quality of life is important.
This is not to say everyone will be successful in their new small business ventures above amongst the 5K, but it does mean people understand more and more the value of working from anywhere and having more freedom of time and finances.
This is just Part 1, and I plan on going into great details and stories about what it’s like to be a Digital Nomad Capitalist. And of course my story includes success for clients in Digital Marketing, Facebook and Instagram advertising, LinkedIn advertising, Google Ads, SMS marketing campaigns and automation, email marketing campaigns and automation, SEO, and web and mobile UI – UX design and development. I LOVE what I do. So one thing I would say to anyone reading this is LOVE WHAT YOU DO!! If you don’t, then pivot!
That’s all for Part 1 for now. Much Love and Peace Everyone and see you soon.
Thomas Knapp,
CMO and Managing Partner, MediaMagic
