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Karsten Aichholz: Gaming Entrepreneur and Creator of Thailand Starter Kit!

Courtesy of Karsten Aichholz

Karsten Aichholz is the perfect person to author the Thailand Starter Kit!, a website full of advice for ex-pats moving to Thailand. After nearly a decade of living in Bangkok, Karsten offers advice on everything from housing to fitness to grocery delivery in the Land of Smiles.

In our entertaining and fascinating discussion, Karsten explains how he went from corporate climber in Germany to one of the first nomadic entrepreneurs in Thailand’s video game sector.

Along with Thailand Starter Kit!, we also talk about Karsten’s Brewed in Bangkok podcast, an excellent dive into the hidden world of the most extraordinary people you meet in Bangkok.

“I took out a quarter of the money we had… It was a leap of faith, but I thought we got to do something.” – Karsten Aichholz

Travel Topics:

  • Moving to Bangkok 10 years ago before ‘it was a thing’ [2:20]
  • How to create a business from near scratch in Thailand [9:45]
  • How 3,700 hours of EverQuest in high school paid off [11:02]
  • Advice for freelancers: Creating a start-up? Find a platform to do your marketing [16:05]
  • Another tip: A platform bans your product? Make a new platform! [16:30]
  • Why Karsten actually loved working for a corporation [20:15]
  • What can happen in German bureaucratic unemployment offices [26:40]
  • When you almost run out of cash, you become less risk-adverse [35:20]
  • How Karsten’s partner left the gaming world because he was ready for more intellectual pursuits [43:40]
  • New dreams: Turning altruistic hobbies into a business [47:20]
  • Wild stories accrued while living in Bangkok for a decade [52:07]

Karsten Aichholz’ Talking Points:

Website  |  Twitter  | Facebook

  • Connect with Thailand Starter Kit:

Website  |  Twitter  | Facebook

Music Credit:

Take Action:

When Karsten and his business partner almost ran out of money, he decided to take a risk that changed the fate of his company. SO go ahead and take a risk!

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James Abbot: From Living on a Boat to Building a Coworking Space

Welcome back to the show everyone.

Today I’m talking to the brains and mastermind behind KoHub – the tropical coworking space in Koh Lanta – James Abbot.

James was a digital nomad before there was even a name for it. He used to divide his time between programming remotely using his collection of 3G sim cards, exploring undiscovered scuba diving spots, and sailing around South East Asia on the boat he lived on!

Since then James has traded in his life of perpetual travel, sold his boat, and now spends his time building a community within his coworking space along the Andaman sea.

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Travel Topics:

  • Feeling like something is missing [03:11]
  • Asking the boss if you can take a year off [03:49]
  • Selling all of your stuff [04:00]
  • Are workers who live the nomadic lifestyle happier? [07:00]
  • Is digital nomadism a movement or industry? [10:45]
  • The need to run a coworking space as a business first [11:45]
  • Making Thailand your home [15:00]
  • The Coworking Unconference Asia (CUASIA) [16:25]
  • The growing number of digital nomads in South East Asia [17:45]
  • Working from a boat with 3G [20:00]
  • Cabin Fever! [23:45]
  • Rekindling the love of diving [25:00]
  • Why James sold his boat [29:00]
  • The sustainability of living on a boat [30:00]
  • The trials and tribulations of visas [31:00]
  • Organizing the weekly beach cleanup [37:00]
  • Traveling vicariously through the stories of the people you meet [40:00]
  • The difficulties with finding staff in Thailand [42:00]
  • The philosophy of the risk-taker [46:00]

James Abbot Talking Points:

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Music Credit:

Take Action:

Have you ever thought about moving your life to Thailand?

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Johnny Ward: From a Medical Research Lab Test Subject to a New Rich World Traveler

From a poor family in Ireland to an enterprising business.

With no technical knowledge.

This successful entrepreneur builds teams to grow his own businesses.

All the while enjoying the long term travel lifestyle.

Please welcome, Johnny Ward.

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“Being broke is not an issue. There’s always a way.” – Johnny Ward  (Tweet It)

Travel Topics:

  • Money making as a medical research lab test subject
  • How Johnny managed to backpack for 2-3 years on little or no income
  • Why 99% of travellers give up and go back home
  • Johnny’s moment of realisation of how he wanted his life to be
  • How to grow a technical business, without technical skills
  • How to outsourcing works
  • Why being broke is powerful
  • How his passion got him to where he is today…. The New Rich World Traveler

Lovely Links:

  • Connect with Johnny:

Onestep4ward | Twitter | Facebook

Travel Tools:

Music Credits:

Take Action:

Write down a list of skills you can teach.

Now look at what tuition opportunities are in your local neighborhood.

Is this something you could earn a living from abroad?

If not, whats a better idea?

Let us know in the comments below.