Nomad Summit Podcast: Fuel for Your Nomadic Journey

Team Nomad Summit
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Climbing to freedom – one episode at a time. The Nomad Summit Podcast is for remote workers, freelancers, indie hackers, and founders building lives on their own terms. We unpack what it really means to work without borders, chase freedom, and build something meaningful – whether that's a business, a lifestyle, or a sense of purpose. Hosted by the team behind Nomad Summit and long-time digital nomad and podcaster Palle Bo, each episode features raw conversations, honest lessons, and practical ideas from people who've chosen the unconventional path. From landing your first remote job to launching your own company, we explore the milestones and mindset shifts along the way – with a healthy dose of real talk on visas, money, relationships, burnout, and belonging. If you've ever felt like you're building your life summit by summit – this podcast is your trail guide, compass, and campfire rolled into one. New episodes every week. Subscribe and start your climb.

  1. 59 | Stop Losing Money Across Borders – Smarter Payments for Digital Nomads

    4d ago

    59 | Stop Losing Money Across Borders – Smarter Payments for Digital Nomads

    Moving money across borders is one of those things many digital nomads know is important – but still find confusing, frustrating, and sometimes painfully expensive. In this episode, Palle Bo sits down with Zoey Lee, co-founder of Glintz, to make sense of cross-border payments in normal human language. Zoey grew up in Taiwan, worked in fintech in Singapore, relocated to Canada, and has spent more than a decade building payment infrastructure across different countries. But even with that background, she kept running into the same problem many nomads face: earning in one currency, spending in another, saving somewhere else, and never being completely sure where the money disappears along the way. Zoey explains the hidden money tax many globally mobile people pay without noticing – including deposit fees, exchange-rate markups, withdrawal fees, and the difference between the fee you see and the actual amount you receive. We also get into Wise, Revolut, PayPal, Western Union, bank transfers, SWIFT, local payment rails, and why the cheapest option is not always obvious. Zoey breaks down the idea of "single rail" and "multi-rail" payments, why different routes work better for different transfers, and how smart routing could help nomads keep more of their own money. The conversation also covers the Vancouver kitchen table story that led to Glintz, Zoey's startup journey with her co-founder, fundraising in Silicon Valley, and why stablecoins like USDC may become part of the future of global payments. If you have ever wondered whether you are sending money the stupid way, this episode is for you. Key Takeaways Moving money across borders is not just about exchange rates – the real question is how much money arrives after all fees. Many providers show one clean number, but hidden costs can still appear through deposits, currency conversion, withdrawals, intermediary banks, or payment methods. Wise and Revolut can be great options, but they are not always the best route for every transfer. A "payment rail" is simply the route your money travels on – for example bank to bank, Wise to Wise, local transfer, SWIFT, or stablecoin. A single-rail approach means relying on one provider or route. A multi-rail approach compares several routes and chooses the best one for that specific transfer. For digital nomads, freelancers, and globally mobile people, the best payment method depends on amount, currency, speed, country, client setup, and how easy it is for both sides. Stablecoins such as USDC may offer fast and cheap global transfers, but they also require both sender and receiver to understand the setup. Glintz is building a smart routing platform that compares different providers and helps users see which route gives them the best received amount after fees. The problem is not only for digital nomads – anyone earning in one country and spending in another can face the same money movement challenges. Zoey's own startup came from lived experience: too many apps, too many accounts, too many currencies, and no simple way to know the best route. Relevant Links Glintz: https://www.tryglintz.com Zoey on Substack: https://zoeylee.substack.com Substack article – "Where Does Your Money Actually Go?": https://zoeylee.substack.com/p/where-does-your-money-actually-go Nomad Summit: https://nomadsummit.com Episode produced by RadioGuru: https://radioguru.co.uk

    23 min
  2. 58 | Bigger Business, Smaller Team – AI, Freedom and the Turtle Nomad Life

    Jun 23

    58 | Bigger Business, Smaller Team – AI, Freedom and the Turtle Nomad Life

    What if growing your business does not have to mean building a bigger company? In this episode of the Nomad Summit Podcast, Palle Bo sits down with Gal Tzhayek – entrepreneur, speaker, software founder, and what he calls a "turtle-like nomad," currently traveling with his wife and three children. Gal has built, acquired, and scaled education businesses that reached more than 30,000 students and generated millions in revenue. But after growing one company to around 100 people, he realized something uncomfortable: the bigger the business became, the further he moved away from the work he actually loved. Today, Gal is focused on a different kind of growth – using AI, automation, systems, and smarter business design to create more impact with fewer moving parts. This conversation is especially relevant for digital nomads, freelancers, consultants, speakers, and remote founders who want to build meaningful businesses without accidentally creating a new office, a heavier life, and a job they no longer enjoy. Gal also shares how his company Speaka helps speakers find paid speaking opportunities around the world, why public speaking can be a great fit for location-independent professionals, and how AI agents can help match speakers with the right events and companies. We also talk about slow travel with a family, why not every business task should be automated, how to use AI without chasing every shiny new tool, and why deep expertise may become more valuable – not less – in the age of artificial intelligence.   Key Takeaways Growth is not always the same as freedom. A larger team can sometimes create more complexity, more management, and less personal flexibility. Many entrepreneurs start businesses to do work they love, but end up spending most of their time managing people, processes, and internal problems. For digital nomads and remote founders, the goal should not just be a remote business – it should be a business light enough to support the life they want. AI and automation can reduce the need to hire, but only when used with proper systems, processes, and clear goals. Gal warns against chasing "one prompt wonders." Instead, he suggests thinking about AI like hiring a person – define the role, train it, test it, and monitor the output. The best tasks to automate are recurring tasks that do not require your unique expertise, taste, judgment, or "genius zone." Deep domain expertise still matters. AI can help with surface-level work, but experienced humans still provide the insight, nuance, and strategic judgment that make projects succeed. For freelancers and solopreneurs, Gal suggests thinking of yourself as a business made up of different roles – CEO, accountant, marketer, assistant, creator – then identifying which "employee" you dislike being the most and automating tasks from that role first. Public speaking can be a strong nomad-friendly business model, especially when it leads to corporate work, consulting, products, or other paid opportunities beyond conference exposure.   Relevant Links Gal's speaker page: https://gal.speaka.io/en Gal's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/galtzhayek/ Gal's company website: https://speaka.io Nomad Summit: https://nomadsummit.com Episode produced by RadioGuru: https://radioguru.co.uk

    34 min
  3. 57 | Jungli – Inside India's First Digital Nomad Festival

    Jun 16

    57 | Jungli – Inside India's First Digital Nomad Festival

    In this episode of the Nomad Summit Podcast, Christoph Huebner is back on the road – this time in India, deep in the jungle near Dandeli, at Jungli The Nomad Village. He's there for the very first India Nomad Festival, a small and intentional gathering of digital nomads, co-living founders, remote workers, creators, and community builders from across India and beyond. Christoph sits down with Geetika, also known as Geet, the Marketing Manager and Tribe Queen at Jungli, to talk about what happened at the festival, why India has a branding problem as a nomad destination, and how Jungli is trying to create a softer, safer landing for people who want to explore the country. They also talk about the Jungli Trail – a curated network of nature-based co-living spaces with good Wi-Fi, community, and a focus on safety, especially for solo female travellers. Along the way, Christoph meets Bharti, Jungli's head of food, who explains why food is the "social glue" of the community. He also speaks with Mayur from NomadGao, Mohit from RAAN Guhagar, Arjen from the Jungli creative team, and honeymooning attendees Vishesh and Samiksha. This is an episode about India, yes – but also about community, hospitality, safety, collaboration, remote work, and what happens when people stop building in isolation and start building together. Key Takeaways Jungli hosted India's first digital nomad festival at India's first digital nomad village. India has strong potential as a digital nomad destination, but still faces challenges around perception, safety, and awareness. Jungli positions itself as "India on Easy Mode" – with food, community, pickup support, and a softer landing for international and local nomads. The festival brought together many of the people building India's remote work and co-living scene, many of whom had only known each other online before. Food plays a major role at Jungli, not just as hospitality, but as a way to create connection three times a day. The Jungli Trail is designed to help nomads explore India through curated, trusted places that share similar values. For Indian attendees, the festival also opened up a new awareness of global remote work and location-independent living. The episode shows how India's nomad scene is still emerging – but already full of energy, collaboration, and potential. Relevant Links Jungli The Nomad Village: https://www.junglithenomad.com NomadGao: http://www.nomadgao.com/ RAAN Guhagar: https://raanguhagar.com Jungli Trail: https://www.junglithenomad.com/trail Nomad Summit: https://nomadsummit.com Episode produced by RadioGuru: https://radioguru.co.uk

    39 min
  4. 56 | Having a Baby as a Digital Nomad – Pregnancy, Healthcare & Family Life in Chiang Mai

    Jun 9

    56 | Having a Baby as a Digital Nomad – Pregnancy, Healthcare & Family Life in Chiang Mai

    After more than seven years of digital nomad life and 37+ countries, Kate Guner thought she knew what freedom, flexibility, and intentional living looked like. Then she got pregnant. In this episode of the Nomad Summit Podcast, Kate joins Palle Bo and Alexandra to talk about what happens when a long-time nomad decides to start a family without completely letting go of the nomad mindset. Kate shares why she never really imagined herself having kids, what changed when she met her husband, and how pregnancy reshaped her relationship with routines, work, travel, and community. The conversation explores what it's like to navigate pregnancy as an expat in Chiang Mai, how to find support when you're far from home, and whether becoming a parent means the end of a location independent lifestyle. They also discuss multilingual babies, healthcare in Thailand, hypnobirthing, traveling with children, and the pressure many people feel to wait for the "perfect moment" before starting a family. Key Takeaways Why Kate originally didn't think she wanted children How love, timing, and years of nomad life led to a different decision Choosing Chiang Mai as a base for pregnancy, healthcare, and community The loneliness of pregnancy abroad – and the importance of finding your people Raising a multilingual child with roots in multiple countries What pregnancy taught Kate about slowing down, expectations, and self-care Pregnancy, private healthcare, and hospital experiences in Thailand Why Kate believes babies need love more than expensive gear and perfect conditions Can you still be a digital nomad after becoming a parent? Thoughts on traveling, homeschooling, and raising kids in a global lifestyle Relevant Links Kate Guner on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kateguner Kate Guner on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KateGuner Nomad Summit: https://nomadsummit.com Episode produced by RadioGuru: https://radioguru.co.uk

    35 min
  5. 55 | From Tech Consultant to Digital Nomad Startup Founder

    Jun 2

    55 | From Tech Consultant to Digital Nomad Startup Founder

    In episode 55 of the Nomad Summit Podcast, we meet Kex – a German-born techie, digital nomad, and startup founder who has spent the last three years building companies while traveling around Southeast Asia. After starting out in tech consulting, Kex made the leap into entrepreneurship, launching first THRIFTZ – a digital thrift marketplace for fashion lovers in Southeast Asia – and later Fanclip, a creator commerce platform designed to help trendsetters monetize their recommendations while giving brands better insights into creator-driven shopping behavior. In this conversation, we dive into what it really takes to build a startup as a digital nomad. Kex shares why she intentionally went into corporate consulting to learn structure and processes before going all in on entrepreneurship, how she brainstormed a business idea in just two days after moving to Bali, and why she believes Southeast Asia is one of the most exciting places in the world to build tech businesses right now. We also talk about founder mindset, the creator economy, digital nomad life in Bali and beyond, and how entrepreneurship is not just about building a company – but building yourself. Key Takeaways Why Kex deliberately chose corporate consulting before becoming a founder The story behind THRIFTZ and Fanclip Why Southeast Asia is becoming a powerful market for startups and creator commerce The challenges of building marketplace businesses and reaching critical mass How creators can better monetize their content and recommendations Why founder success is deeply connected to personal growth and identity The impact of solo travel, confidence, and digital nomad life on entrepreneurship Bali vs. Network School – and finding the right community as a founder and digital nomad Relevant Links THRIFTZ: https://www.thriftz.app Fanclip: https://www.fanclip.me Nomad Summit: https://nomadsummit.com Episode produced by RadioGuru: https://radioguru.co.uk

    30 min
  6. 54 | What Comes After Countries? The Future of Digital Nations & Borderless Citizenship

    May 26

    54 | What Comes After Countries? The Future of Digital Nations & Borderless Citizenship

    What if the nation state is just one chapter in human history? In this thought-provoking episode of the Nomad Summit Podcast, we sit down with Vikram Bharati – founder of Draper Nation – to explore one of the biggest questions imaginable: What comes after the nation state? Vikram shares why he believes we may be entering an era of digital nations, borderless communities, and entirely new ways of organizing humans beyond traditional countries and borders. We dive into the history of nation states, how technology shapes governance, and whether ideas like cloud nations, special economic zones, and decentralized communities could become part of our future. Along the way, the conversation goes into some surprising territory. Could digital nations exist without land? Are multinational corporations already functioning like countries? Could governments eventually compete for citizens the way companies compete for customers? This episode is speculative, philosophical, provocative, and very much about the future of digital nomadism, governance, and global mobility. Key Takeaways Why Vikram is obsessed with answering the question: What comes after the nation state? The difference between empires, kingdoms, and modern nation states How technology has historically reshaped human organization Why special economic zones and decentralized governance experiments matter The idea of digital nations existing entirely in the cloud Why Vikram compares multinational corporations to landless nation states The role of identity, trust, and storytelling in governance How projects like e-America are experimenting with new models of belonging and citizenship Why most government services may already be largely digital What these ideas could mean for digital nomads, global mobility, and the future of human organization Relevant Links Draper Nation: https://drapernation.com Draper Nation on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/drapernationhq Building startup societies: https://www.founderstartuphouse.com Experimenting with new types of nations: https://e-america.org Vikram on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vikrambharati/ Nomad Summit: https://nomadsummit.com Episode produced by RadioGuru: https://radioguru.co.uk

    31 min
  7. 53 | From a Small Village in Uganda to Tech Entrepreneur in Dubai

    May 20

    53 | From a Small Village in Uganda to Tech Entrepreneur in Dubai

    In episode 53 of the Nomad Summit Podcast, we sit down with Elias Hezron for a fascinating conversation about ambition, opportunity, remote work, entrepreneurship, and growing up in Uganda before entering the global tech world. Elias shares his journey from a small village in Uganda to building a crypto payments startup that expanded across seven African countries before being acquired. Today, he works remotely in fintech and spends much of his time in Dubai – but his story is about much more than tech and crypto. Together with co-host Alexandra Mosnitska, we talk about poverty, education, globalization, branding yourself online, and how remote work can completely change someone's life trajectory. We also dive into why access to traditional banking and business loans can be so difficult in many African countries, how alternative financial systems are emerging, and why events and networking still matter in an increasingly digital world. This episode is both inspiring and eye-opening – especially for anyone dreaming about building a location-independent life from wherever they are in the world.   Key Takeaways Growing up in rural Uganda without imagining a future in tech How a date – and only having $1.50 – changed Elias' life Why remote work opened doors that local opportunities could not Teaching yourself tech skills through YouTube Building and scaling a crypto payments startup across Africa Why access to capital and loans is still a huge challenge in Uganda The reality of salaries, banking, and entrepreneurship in emerging markets How networking and conferences helped Elias break into the global tech scene Why personal branding and visibility matter more than ever Life in Dubai as a remote worker and entrepreneur Relevant Links Elias Hezron on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eliashezron/ ViFi Labs: https://virtualfinance.xyz/ ViFi Labs on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vifi-labs/ Elias Hezron on GitHub: https://github.com/eliashezron 22STARS Foundation: https://www.foundation22stars.org Nomad Summit: https://nomadsummit.com/  Episode produced by RadioGuru: https://radioguru.co.uk/

    34 min
  8. 52 | From Student Startup to Global Beauty-Tech Brand

    May 12

    52 | From Student Startup to Global Beauty-Tech Brand

    In episode 52 of the Nomad Summit Podcast, we meet Yuliia Siletska – a Ukrainian entrepreneur who started her first business at just 17 years old and went on to build ÜLKA into an international beauty-tech company selling in more than 50 countries. What began in a small apartment with one handmade dust collector for a nail artist friend has grown into a factory with 80 employees in eastern Ukraine. Along the way, Yuliia has navigated war, remote leadership, international expansion, and the challenges of scaling a manufacturing business while raising a son and living increasingly location independently. In this episode, Yuliia shares how she built a global company from Ukraine, why health and safety in the beauty industry became her mission, and how travel and nomadic living now inspire her creativity and business decisions.   We also talk about: Building a company from a tiny apartment Managing a factory remotely during wartime Expanding into the US and other global markets Leadership after becoming sole owner of the company The hidden health risks faced by nail technicians How exhibitions and events helped grow the business Productivity, ambition, and balancing motherhood with entrepreneurship Why seeing the world gives her new business ideas This episode was recorded while Alexandra and Yuliia were attending Network School in Forest City, Malaysia – the futuristic tech hub turned "ghost city". Key Takeaways Start with solving a real problem Manufacturing businesses can also be run remotely International growth requires trust and visibility Events and exhibitions remain powerful for networking and sales Ukrainian entrepreneurs have developed extraordinary resilience Travel and new environments can fuel creativity and innovation Leadership styles evolve as companies grow Building systems and trusting people is essential for scaling Relevant Links Follow ÜLKA: https://ulka-global.com Follow Yuliia Siletska on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ulka_siletska/  Nomad Summit: https://nomadsummit.com Episode produced by RadioGuru: https://radioguru.co.uk

    27 min
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Climbing to freedom – one episode at a time. The Nomad Summit Podcast is for remote workers, freelancers, indie hackers, and founders building lives on their own terms. We unpack what it really means to work without borders, chase freedom, and build something meaningful – whether that's a business, a lifestyle, or a sense of purpose. Hosted by the team behind Nomad Summit and long-time digital nomad and podcaster Palle Bo, each episode features raw conversations, honest lessons, and practical ideas from people who've chosen the unconventional path. From landing your first remote job to launching your own company, we explore the milestones and mindset shifts along the way – with a healthy dose of real talk on visas, money, relationships, burnout, and belonging. If you've ever felt like you're building your life summit by summit – this podcast is your trail guide, compass, and campfire rolled into one. New episodes every week. Subscribe and start your climb.

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