Neel Parekh on Digital Nomading, Scaling Your Biz, & Travel Styles

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Date: February 7, 2022
Episode: WeNomad Episode 2
Title: Neel Parekh on Digital Nomading, Scaling Your Biz, & Travel Styles

If you’re looking to create a life of freedom and fulfillment, make sure to listen to this episode of the WeNomad podcast.

Table of Contents

About Neel Parekh

Neel Parekh is the founder of MaidThis, a company that provides cleaning services to homeowners and short-term rental hosts. What originally started as a way to travel and support his family has turned into a thriving business that has allowed him to travel to over 35 countries while building his company remotely.

Neel is an example of someone who has been able to achieve freedom through entrepreneurship. He has been able to create his own schedule and work from anywhere in the world, all while helping others achieve a clean home.

In This Episode…

Neel and I discuss how to work from anywhere in the world, including the pros and cons of working remotely depending on your travel style. Neel also shares his tips for digital nomads in Chiang Mai, Thailand. And we talk about how to maintain a local business and franchise while traveling the world.

Key Takeaways

1. Fast vs Slow Travel for Nomads (Co-Living, Hostels, Airbnbs)

Timestamp: 4:21 to 10:11

Slow travel has a lot of benefits. You get to live life at a slower pace, see more of your destination, and build deeper relationships with people you meet.
Co-living can be a great way to experience a new destination while getting work done alongside like-minded people. But it can be expensive compared to Airbnb. It’s a matter of personal preference too because you might prefer living by yourself.

2. How To Convert A Local Business Into A Remote Business

Timestamp: 10:45 to 17:20

Starting a remote business can be done by anyone, regardless of the business model.
One of the main advantages of running a remote business is that it allows for increased flexibility.
There are many ways to make a remote business successful, it’s just a matter of finding what works best for you. Here are two ways to approach starting a remote business:
- By having a business model that’s conducive to become remote
- By getting to a stage where managers can mostly manage it and you only need to provide leadership and accountability

3. Should You Sell Online Courses if You’re Not an Expert?

Timestamp: 17:20 to 22:27

Sell products that add value, not just products to get rich.
You can become an expert on a topic by going deeper into your area of expertise to find new opportunities to sell courses or do coaching on those topics.

4. Reframing Limiting Beliefs In Entrepreneurship

Timestamp: 27:34 to 32:22

You don’t need to work a ton nor dedicate all your time to your business to be successful. You can find a middle ground between that and leading a freedom-filled lifestyle.
There’s a trade-off between being directly involved in your business and having more free time – you have to decide what’s most important to you.
Delegation is important to not get bogged down by the day-to-day of your business.

5. The Importance of Delegation & Outsourcing for Your Business

Timestamp: 34:01 to 36:00

The people you’re hiring don’t necessarily have to be 100% capable of doing tasks perfectly. If you’re able to hire people who can do a task 75-80% as well as you can do it, that’s enough to keep the business running and help you feel less overwhelmed.
Developing a mentality of “I have to do everything myself” is a common trap that many entrepreneurs fall into. Viewing delegation and hiring as investments for the long term can help you overcome this trap.
Learning skills in delegation and hiring can help you reach the next level in your business. Be open to change and try new things to grow your business.

6. Chiang Mai For Digital Nomads

Timestamp: 37:11 to 44:53

Chiang Mai is a great place to live for its low cost of living and quality of life.
It’s easy to find short or long-term housing in the city.
There are many places to work in Chiang Mai and many social opportunities for digital nomads.
The food in Chiang Mai is incredible and affordable.
Scooters are a cheap and great way to get around the city.