Entrepreneur Jay Meistrich
Traveling while starting a company
Jay Meistrich is currently the founder and CEO of Moo.do, an app that helps users plan their work. Meistrich worked at Microsoft and EA for several years before deciding to quit to travel while building Moo.do.
A year ago, I decided to leave San Francisco, sell everything, and keep only what would fit in my travel backpack. I have traveled through 45 cities in 20 countries, while also working 50 hours a week to build my own company. All those expenses over the past year were even less than the cost of renting a home in San Francisco.
Travel Does Not Mean Rest
There are more and more ‘digital nomads’ like me—people whose lifestyles are independent of geographic location. We are software developers, designers, journalists, writers, engineers and anyone else who shares a passion for both work and exploring the world.
I can say that a love of traveling is also an extremely effective way to develop your own project. I am working as hard as I can to get my Moo.do project off the ground soon. I like tourism because it actually saves me quite a lot of money (sounds a little strange, doesn't it?), helps me work more effectively and gives me more inspiration than sitting in the same place day after day.
For me personally, travel is a fully responsible choice for my work, personal development, and personal finances.
I became a ‘digital nomad’ by chance
I still remember this day 3 years ago, when I was preparing to resign from my job at Microsoft, moved to San Francisco to begin my project, a friend asked, “Why San Francisco when we can work on computers anywhere?” That question awakened something within me. I then began asking similar questions about a “peaceful life” in today's modern world:
I do not like an office job. I prefer exploring the world outside to wasting hours sitting in an office without sunlight and daydreaming about my next vacation.
I do not like settling down too early. I want to experience different cultures and new foods instead of being stuck with fast food and shops near home.
I do not like materialism. I do not care about the price or size of the TV in my home. The world out there is far larger and more interesting than anything I can see on that widescreen TV.
Jay and a colleague in Thailand
I hate boredom. Since I started visiting new places, meeting interesting people, and regularly gaining new experiences, I have never felt bored on my journey. Old hobbies such as watching TV or playing games disappeared without my noticing.
I do not need a ‘bucket list’ — things to do before I die — because I have a list of things to do, and I am doing them right now.
So I decided to embark on my crazy plan. I spent 6 months traveling around Asia, Europe, and Australia, but nothing went as I had hoped. I moved to San Francisco as planned because I had a good idea, and what I needed now was intense concentration to complete it. Where could be better to start a business than Silicon Valley?
Then I realized life here was too pleasant and comfortable, leaving me bored and easily distracted. On a trip to New York, with all my friends at work, I had to work in a café and was surprised to finish in 6 hours instead of my usual 12. The same happened on my subsequent trip to London. I realized that a new location and new experiences helped me focus more on work.
And so, I left San Francisco 1 year ago and began my journey. I think I made the right choice. I always feel happy and excited, have met and worked with wonderful people, understand the world better, and, most importantly, have completed my product: Moo.do.
Here are the things I learned during my past 1 year of “migration”:
Travel Is Even Cheaper than Living in America
The table below shows Meistrich's living costs in San Francisco and Seattle, when travel and Bali:
This probably needs little explanation: while I had to spend nearly USD 5,000 to live in San Francisco, I needed only a little over USD 1,000 for a comfortable month in a hotel in Bali. And that does not even account for the fact that most of my expenses came from travel—train, bus, and plane tickets. If I stayed in these places longer, the costs would actually be much lower.
People often ask me, ‘How can you afford to travel all the time?’ How can I put it? I actually could not afford not to. Rent for an average San Francisco apartment alone exceeds 3,200 USD a month. If I continued living that way, I would have no money left to sustain my project. If you doubt it, try Chiang Mai, Thailand, where just 640 USD can provide a comfortable life for an entire month.
Travel Helps Me Work More Effectively
Previously, whenever I arrived in a new city, I spent a few days doing everything in the travel guide, followed by days of fatigue and exhaustion. I realized I did not have to do that. I had a whole month there; I could spend a few hours sightseeing each day and use the remaining time to finish my work.
I also find that I spend much less time on things that are not truly necessary. For example, knowing I will be in Rome for a week, why waste time on Facebook instead of going out and meeting new friends here?
And on my return to Seattle to coordinate with my co-founder friend, I found that my productivity had plummeted again. The Internet and TV have always been my number-one enemies simply because they are everywhere.
Afterward, although I traveled through 6 cities in just one month, I still consistently worked 48 hours a week with extremely high productivity. Clearly, the more focused my work, the more time I have to enjoy life.
A stable job is no longer the ideal
Instead of sitting in one place working all day and only having free time in the evening, I prefer going out during the day and working at night. I get up earlier when I can go out and have fun. I like working 7 days a week with flexible hours and rewarding myself with a day off whenever I want.
I wasted a great deal of time working in an office, commuting around the city and constantly being surrounded by the Internet and TV. Now I spread my work throughout the day and use breaks to explore life around me. Usually, after a few reasonably productive hours, I take a break to explore the city before returning to work. Or, if I encounter an unresolved problem, I go out for a walk until I find a solution.
Travel Enriches the Soul
My friends are now spread across the world. Their very different lives bring fresh perspectives to every idea I have. I understand more about global issues, which will certainly help my business later.
It is not hard to find people worth learning from. In many major cities, people have opened coworking spaces where people like me can meet peers from around the world and find opportunities to collaborate. We exchange experiences travel and work on forums such as Reddit or Nomad Forum, and even organize in-person meetups in many locations worldwide.
Closing words
Of course, to be fair, living and working as a ‘nomad’ is never that easy or simple. There will always be risks and difficulties, but the rewards are far greater. Low-cost travel will inspire you more than staying home. The ‘digital nomad’ revolution is only beginning, and it is wonderful that I can contribute to it.
According to Sài Gòn Entrepreneur
Chương trình liên quan tại YUP Education: X-Startup – khóa học khởi nghiệp «Khởi Chánh Nghiệp» · The Journey – lộ trình phát triển doanh nhân
