It must have been love

20 Week Sprint to Nomadism!

So if you haven’t yet guessed from the email subject line & pic above I’ve just come back from seeing Roxette in concert at a winery here in Brisbane! And they were fab! 

Sadly the original lead singer Marie Fredriksson died in 2019 after a long battle with cancer, but Lena Philipson who sang in her place with the original frontman Per Gessle did her proud.

And at 59 & 66 respectively it was a great reminder to never stop doing what you love no matter your age! 

So with that in mind, I’m pretty darn excited to share what I’m up to this week, because not only am I doing what I love, for many of you, this is probably what you signed up for.

Every week, I share side hustle ideas to help fund your travels. But let’s be real, nothing beats actually watching someone test things in real time. Seeing what works, what flops, and what really moves the needle.

Recently, I’ve become fascinated with a couple of models for audience and income growth that align perfectly with where I want to take The Working Traveller, and are also fabulous models for nomads on the road who’d love to build an audience and make money in a niche they’re passionate about.

So I’ve been in deep research mode. The models are;

1. Substack - not just as a place to build a deeper connection with my audience, but also as a potential monetisation platform.

2. Facebook Pages (back to my roots!) - I’ve now seen two income reports from creators earning money (and lots of it) purely from engagement posts, and I want to see if it’s actually possible.

So, against my better judgment, (gonna have to focus & put a few more hours in! 😂) I’ve decided to set myself a 20-week sprint to test both platforms before we leave Brisbane mid August to reignite our full-time nomadic life.

How Will This Help You?

If you’re thinking about building an audience or monetising a niche you love, follow along, or better yet, set your own sprint alongside mine!

Here’s what I’ll be testing:

• What kind of content actually gets engagement and traction on Substack & Facebook?

• Can engagement alone turn into revenue?

• How do these platforms feed into monetisation strategies like subscriptions, e-commerce, and product creation?

(Side note: Both models give amazing feedback on what your audience actually wants, helping you create products, services, and content that are truly in demand.)

I’ll be breaking it all down each week - wins, mistakes, lessons learned - so you can take what works and apply it to your own journey.

Let’s make things happen. 🚀

Read more about the details of the challenge and experiments here;

And remember; Listen to your heart, when it’s calling for you! 🎵🎶🎸😂

SIDE HUSTLE HIGHLIGHT

Get Paid to Read Books & Write Reviews

Imagine getting paid to read books—sounds like a dream, right? Well, it’s totally possible!

Publishers and authors need reviews to promote their books, and they’re willing to pay readers for honest feedback. By signing up for platforms like OnlineBookClub, Reedsy Discovery, and Kirkus Reviews, you can get free books and a paycheck for your opinions.

This isn’t just for fiction lovers—there’s demand for nonfiction, self-help, and even children’s book reviewers. If you love books and can write thoughtful reviews, this is an easy and enjoyable way to earn extra income.

This week’s guide will show you exactly how to become a paid book reviewer and where to find opportunities.

You’ll learn:

📚 The top platforms that pay for book reviews.
📝 How to write engaging reviews that increase your chances of being selected.
💰 How to scale this into freelance work, beta reading gigs, or even starting a book blog.
🎁 How to get free books from publishers before they’re even released!

If you’re always reading, why not turn your hobby into a side hustle?

Download your quick start guide today to start earning.

RANDOM THOUGHTS & RESOURCES

1. When excitement turns to fear… I posted in the FB Group about how my excitement for our upcoming nomadic adventures is tinged with terror! If you’re currently facing any irrational fears, check out the post and, more importantly, the incredible, encouraging comments. My friend Graeme’s words about ‘youthful energy’ especially hit home.

2. Mobility at any age… I came across this brilliant Instagram video of a 70-year-old Tai Chi expert with her 90-year-old dad showing mobility exercises that can be done ay any age (she looks fantastic!). I love it! Exercises that can be done from anywhere at anytime, at any age!

3. Talking about health… After some recent health challenges, I’m on a mission to get stronger, fitter, and healthier before we hit the road later this year and have been knee-deep in nutrition, longevity research, and efficient exercise programs (see this week’s top read below). I’ve been learning how walking is one of the best exercises for our body & heart! And as we know socials track all our moves online (😳), so FB kindly started showing me this: The Conqueror Challenges. This looks amazing and such a great idea! While I’d rather do some of these in person, the virtual challenges look super fun and motivating. Have you tried it? I’d love to hear your experience!

4. Love the idea of group travel? I’m always on the lookout for great tours, groups & unique travel experiences, & stumbled upon TourRadar. Their tours look incredible, reviews are fab, prices are reasonable, and you get to make lifelong friends along the way! I’ll definitely be testing this out! Do let me know if you’ve used this company or have any other recommendations fellow nomads would love to hear about. 

THIS WEEK’S TOP READS

TRAVEL TRIVIA

Which country has the longest coastline in the world?

Stretching over 202,000 kilometers, this country has more coastline than any other, thanks to its thousands of islands, lakes, and ocean borders.

Can you name it?

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