Viralogy

Contact: john [at] jetsetcitizen.com
Twitter: @JetSetCitizen
Websites: http://jetsetcitizen.com/
Passion: “I love music: I have played guitar for about 25 years and I am taking lessons now.

I love the art of business. Business gets a bad name because companies sometimes do unscrupulous things. Companies are not bad, people are bad. Long-lasting businesses are built around creating value for others. Real entrepreneurship is an art. It is creating something from nothing. I truly love the essence of business and always have. I was so excited when I saw the first issue of FastCompany. I still have fond memories of the excitement of that first encounter with the future of business.

Related to the first two passions, I value authenticity in people. Too many people try to impress others by faking sophistication, experience or skills. I want to connect with real people doing real things they believe in.  I love meeting people like that. That is the purpose of my blog and Twitter usage, just to connect.”

Why you should watch this interview

John breaks down the location independence lifestyle.  He talks about how people can live on a few hundred dollars a month with the bare minimum, or how you can live like a King in some countries with just a couple thousand dollars a month.  It all depends on your needs and the style of life that you want to live.

Whenever I interview people who are living abroad, I can’t help but feel a little jealous.  It just sounds like such an amazing cultural experience that I have yet to have.  I want to taste the world’s food, dance the dances, embrace the people, and just immerse myself in the culture.  John extended an invitation for me to go visit him in Japan.  To be honest, I really think I might take the offer.

John, if all goes well, you’ll have a guest for about 2-3 weeks!  See you soon hopefully!

Conversation Breakdown

Where are you originally from and how did you find yourself now in Japan?

John is originally from Canada.  He had a failed startup where he lost a lot of money.  He had always wanted to go to Japan, so he bought a ticket to Japan and planned to stay for 6 months.  It’s now been 12 years since he first landed in Japan.

What was the startup that failed and what did you learn from it?

John learned a great deal from his startup.  He learned how to work long hours without getting paid, how every function of a business works, and experienced launching a product.  It has been one of the most rewarding experiences in John’s life.

Tell us about the origins of your blog

John wanted to chronicle his adventures.  He will be leaving Japan in less than a year, and he wants to share the entire process with the blogging community.

How do you plan to have enough income so that you and your wife can live location independent

John has a lot of savings that they plan to use throughout their trip.  He is also currently working on a startup that is an application for children to learn how to speak English.  John doesn’t want to go for passive income; instead, he wants to build a business that he can consistenly work hard in and make it very successful.

John doesn’t know where he wants to travel to first.  South East Asia, Europe, and South America are definitely on his list.

What are some misconception people have about living location independent?

People usually make the mistake of thinking it costs a lot of money.  You don’t need to have millions of dollars in the bank if you go to the right place, cut back on expenses, and work while you’re at the location.  You can teach English for a quick and easy job.  For example, in Japan, you can instantly find a job teaching you English.

If you can’t get a teaching job right away, work at a bar.  If you’re sociable, motivated, and hard working, you will find a job immediately.

Would you recommend people go the location independent lifestyle during this recession?

Everyone is afraid of the unknown.  But, there are so many resources online that you can utilize to find a job, find your way, and even find a place to live before you even land in the country.

Yes, you should definitely live location independent; even in this tough economy.