In 2015, Alex Fasulo quit her job with no plan, no money, and no idea what she was going to do with her life. She dove headfirst into freelancing platform, Fiverr, and have never looked back.
Today, her freelancing businesses generates 350k+ in income per year, and she is using her experience to show everyone what’s possible online today.
1. You are a keynote speaker at Digital Nomad Week in December. Tell us a little about DNW, why you decided to get involved, and what you will be talking about.
DNW reached out to me in early 2021 to be one of the keynote speakers for their festival this year, and I could not say no! As a fulltime nomad myself who has been bouncing around while managing multiple businesses for over 7-years, it simply made sense.
The title of my talk is: How Digital Nomads Rewrote the Rules for Work Around the World. I will be discussing how digital nomads became prominent thought-leaders in a COVID-19 world as a group of individuals who had already made virtual working work for themselves.
2. How does DNW rate on the nomad conference/festival calendar in your opinion in terms of size/importance?
I consider it to be one of the most important of the year – the roster of speakers they have gathered pretty much includes every single digital nomad driving conversation today. I am very excited to be part of it!
3. Reading your About page on your website is quite breathtaking. You seem to be doing about 400 jobs at the same time. How many hours a day do you work? And do you sleep?
I do sleep – sort of! I am a bad sleeper. I have been able to function on 5-hours of sleep or so since I was little- my mind never turns off.
I do admit I am bad at turning down opportunities – it’s what it’s all about to me. I work anywhere from 20-60 hours per week – depends the season! I do have a team now that includes my best friend and about 5 other independent contractors. I am NOT doing this alone anymore.
4. Your story and success are an inspiration to those who want to break the normal work cycle. What are the main pieces of advice you give to people wanting to make the leap but afraid to do so.
I would say to them: you only get one life. It’s not meant to be miserable. Take a risk – it pays off. And it’s not even a risk today! You can get started freelancing, for example, and it costs you NOTHING! In the past, people had to take out 50k business loans to work for themselves. You can start working on your own, for free. Do it, you won’t regret it.
5. The pandemic put an increased focus on the potential of remote work, but the trend has been building for some time. Where do you think all this will be in 5 years?
I think every industry will be 100% remote. I understand industries like medical need some kind of medical location to function – but with telemedicine on the rise, I think we can virtualize just about every industry except for those few industries when we need to see someone in person. Remote work works for everyone… people are happier, more productive (studies have proven this), and they can travel all over. To be human is to travel and go outside, in my opinion.
6. I would like to ask you about Croatia, as that is my primary focus. I understand you have not visited yet, but it is on the list. When did Croatia first come on your radar as a DN destination?
It came onto my list in 2015 because of… Game of Thrones haha!!! I am a HUGEEE GOT nerd and have wanted to visit Croatia ever since the show came out. I actually went to North Ireland in 2018 specifically because of GOT. Of course, I know Croatia is also an incredible country with breathtaking views and robust history – I LOVE learning about history.
7. What is the perception of Croatia as a DN destination, and has it changed in the last 12 months? If yes, in what way?
I know Croatia is an affordable destination, which makes it an obvious DN spot. Nomads tend to live in places where they can save money or spend frugally so they don’t have to worry about working 10+ hour days. The lifestyle is just as much as the job as a DN.
8. You are installed as the Croatian Minister of Tourism. What are the next steps you would implement to develop Croatia’s DN strategy?
I would
1) Prioritize tax/business breaks and loopholes that make it easier for foreign nationals to extend their stay and operate their businesses from Croatia.
2) Launch short-term programs that provide incentives, like tax-free beverages (haha), to DNs for their first three-months in Croatia.
3) Spend lots of time on futuristic marketing using platforms like Reddit and TikTok to reach younger generations about the potential and history of Croatia.
You can learn more about Alex Fasulo on her official website.
To get your ticket for Digital Nomad Week, check out the event website.
For more news and features about digital nomads in Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section.
