Advanced Digital Nomading 301: Location is Leverage
Many people talk about digital nomading as an exciting and occasionally exhausting lifestyle. But what if it could be more than that? What if digital nomading could become a business growth strategy?
At Dynamite Circle, the team has avoided using the term “Digital Nomad” for some time. The broader digital nomad community is mostly made up of remote workers, freelancers, or individuals earning short-term income online.
That said, many DC members have been digital nomads at some point in their entrepreneurial journeys. In a recent community survey, around 20% reported living a “full-time travel” lifestyle or having no fixed address. The rest maintain a home base, travel more slowly, or have expatriated from their home countries.
In many ways, the DC represents the business end of the digital nomad lifestyle: members who’ve achieved location independence largely through entrepreneurship, driven by a passion for travel and geographical freedom. Entrepreneurial digital nomads aren’t just chasing Instagram glory. They’re building serious businesses and using location independence as a tool to accelerate their growth.
Members often identify as:
“Location independent entrepreneur”
“Business owner with location flexibility”
“Business owner passionate about travel”
“Remote business owner with no in-person team”
“Business owner with an in-person team, but the flexibility to move around”
Occasionally, founders with larger teams and ambitions for location freedom join the DC to learn from others who’ve already done it successfully. Still, the majority have built their businesses with remote-first and digital-native principles from the start.
Whatever the label, it’s fair to say that DC members have used location independence strategically, and successfully. With hundreds of members generating over $1 million in annual revenue through diverse business models, it’s clear that travel can spark exceptional entrepreneurial outcomes. Here’s how you can use digital nomading as a powerful tool to grow your business:
1. Create Financial Leverage by Living Where Your Money Goes Further
DC members in Chiang Mai
Relocating to a place where your income stretches further is one of the smartest financial moves you can make. A good benchmark? Aim to earn at least 3x the local professional salary — think roles like registered nurses, engineers, or marketing managers.
By doing this, you unlock the ability to:
Save 20% or more of your take-home income. You don’t need a massive exit to build wealth. Simply saving and investing wisely and consistently can transform your financial future. And yes, travel can actually make that easier.
Access high-quality services like childcare, household help, and private healthcare for a fraction of what you’d pay back home. This frees up your time and energy to focus on business, not laundry and logistics.
Attend conferences (like global DC events), meet top-tier peers, and strengthen global relationships by being strategically mobile.
Live well — enjoy local restaurants, vibrant nightlife, and world-class experiences — without draining your resources.
Optimize your tax situation, depending on your nationality and residence status.
In short, you're using geography to create leverage: buying time, peace of mind, and financial breathing room.
2. Use Your Mobility to Curate Powerful Relationships
DC BLACK members networking and mastermind together in Phuket, Thailand
One of the best things you can do for your business is to upgrade your network, and your location freedom gives you an edge.
Here’s how to use it:
Co-live or travel with other entrepreneurs. You’ll tap into diverse ways of thinking and working, and the creative energy can be contagious.
Join communities, conferences, or masterminds with people who challenge and inspire you. Shameless plug, Dynamite Circle is a great place to meet these kinds of people.
Design your schedule to include midday surf sessions, deep conversations, or strategy coffees with people on your wavelength.
When you lean into the social advantages of travel, you’re not just avoiding isolation. You’re engineering a high-vibe, ambitious, energized environment around you. That’s business fuel.
3. Choose Destinations That Align With Your Business Goals
DC members in Medellín
Don’t just chase palm trees. The most experienced nomads choose places that support their current business focus.
Think about what each location offers you. For example:
Vietnam might be great if you're hiring local staff or working on international investments.
The Philippines offers access to affordable, experienced developers and operations pros, ideal if you’re building a backend team.
Hong Kong can be valuable for business banking, incorporation, and supplier visits in China, even if you don’t live there full-time.
Bali is incredible for creativity and meeting other online entrepreneurs, a true hub for digital business.
Barcelona offers beauty and culture, but also hosts plenty of high-net-worth expats and traveling peers, great for “group vacations” that double as extended masterminds (like DC BLACK Barcelona each summer.)
Austin, TX might be pricey, but it’s a powerhouse location for podcasting, long-term business strategy, and elite entrepreneurial circles.
Wherever you go, make sure it supports the next phase of your growth, not just your Instagram feed.
4. Reduce Lifestyle Overhead by Slowing Down
DC members in Playa del Carmen
The backpacker-style “on-the-move-every-week” nomad lifestyle might look exciting, but it can actually drag your business down.
Here’s what advanced nomads know: slowing down gives you focus, consistency, and room to build.
Try:
Rotating between 2–3 key locations a year
Staying at least 3 months (or longer) in one spot
Transitioning from “traveler” to expat
Planning short trips instead of living out of a suitcase full-time
This slower rhythm helps you create systems, routines, and momentum. It frees up the mental bandwidth you need to grow. If you're constantly trying to figure out where to get SIM cards or groceries, you're burning energy that could be used on your business.
Even if you settle down later, you’ll carry that nomadic DNA: flexible, intentional, and focused on what truly matters.
What to Watch Out For: Common Pitfalls to Avoid
This lifestyle isn't all sunshine and coworking spaces. Here are a few challenges to keep in mind:
Give it at least a year. This isn’t something you test over a long weekend. If it’s not serving your business, change your setup. Fast.
Be aware of currency risk. Relying on low cost-of-living hacks can make it hard to move “up” later. Ideally, you want to build toward affording life on your own terms anywhere, including home.
Watch for network ceilings. Not every digital nomad hub is filled with serious operators. Be intentional about the kinds of people you surround yourself with.
Dating and relationships can be tricky. If you’re committed to a location-independent life, finding a long-term partner may take more effort and strategy.
Digital Nomading Isn’t Just a Lifestyle — It’s a Lever
DC members in Cape Town
If you approach it right, nomading isn’t about escaping. It’s about building.
The most successful nomads don’t just travel. They travel with intention. They use mobility to increase their leverage, amplify their focus, and accelerate their business growth.
Live rich. Build fast. Not just by moving, but moving smart.
