Interview with Josh and Jill – the Digital Nomad Couple from Screw the Nine to Five

One of the main reasons for starting this blog was to inspire others to do what we do. And what better way to do this than to let other couples like us share their reasons for long term travel, and how they make it work!

I’m therefore super happy to present Jill and Josh from Screw the Nine to Five in today’s interview. These amazing guys have been traveling for around 4 years and they are going to share with us how they started off, how they sustain their travels, and lots more. Read on!

Can you start by giving us a little bit of background about yourself and your blog?

We’re a couple of newlyweds with a lust for travel! We have been travelling together for close to 4 years now and haven’t gotten sick of it yet!

We started our site Screw the Nine to Five as an outlet for ourselves to vent about the ins and outs, ups and downs of running an online business as well as using it as a way to teach others how to build a lifestyle business and relish in the freedom that this way of life affords.

We quickly realized that was the aspect we liked most about the site and have enjoyed helping people along their journey since starting it.

How did you start traveling? When did you start blogging, and what did you expect readers to get out of it?

We started travelling together almost by default. Josh is an Aussie and I am Canadian so when we first met travelling was a necessity. Josh has been travelling much longer than me and I guess his love for it rubbed off on me and I’ve been hooked since we took our first trip together!

As for blogging – Josh has been working online for about 6 years now. I, on the other hand, got my start in hosting web tv shows so blogging wasn’t a huge aspect of that. Technically I guess I have only been blogging for about 2 years now.

With that being said, we hope readers will get inspired to create their own lifestyle business, embrace their inner content creator and forge their own path online, however unconventional or normal that may be for them. Essentially, we just want to spark something in our readers to escape mediocracy and live the life they have imagined.

What have been the best and worst experiences you’ve had on the road?

To be honest, we are hard-pressed to think of any negative experiences we have had while travelling. It sounds so cheesy but making this decision, while it can be challenging, has been nothing but positive for us.

The best experience I think we have had is doing a tandem bungy jump in the South Island of New Zealand. I think it will be hard to beat that one but that doesn’t mean we won’t try!

What’s been your favorite country thus far, and which one are you looking forward to the most?

It’s a toss up between New Zealand and Thailand. We are tempted to say New Zealand because it was quite a formative time in our relationship and our travels, and the country is absolutely stunning but Thailand has been nothing short of amazing!

The people we have met here have exceeded our expectations and you really can’t go wrong with the price of just about everything here!

What kind of business/es do you run?

We run an affiliate marketing business and currently manage 3 big authority affiliate sites as well as Screw the Nine to Five.

Do you both work on the same projects?

We do work on the same projects but we have different tasks. I run the content and branding side of our business whereas Josh takes care of all the technical and SEO side of things. We’re quite lucky the way our strengths match up!

Any essential online services or resources you’d like to share with us?

I personally cannot live without PicMonkey, Trail Wallet and Google Drive. Josh on the other hand loves all things SEO Moz, Open Site Explorer and FreshDrop.

How does your income compare to what you’d have made if you’d kept doing what you were doing before?

It doesn’t. We are making more than we ever have before! I guess it’s a sign we should keep it up!

What are some of the downsides of a location independent lifestyle?

I was asked this the other day and I can honestly say that I cannot think of one downside. I mean, if I were to really reach for something, not having my girlfriends around is kind of a downside but I get to see them every year so it’s not too bad.

Other than that, we see nothing but positives with this lifestyle. It may not be for everyone but if you are comfortable (or can get comfortable) with feeling uncomfortable, then this lifestyle simply doesn’t compare to anything else.

What challenges have you encountered with traveling as a couple?

I actually think that our travels have been better because we travel as a couple. We’re very used to being around each other all day, every day so it’s not too much to spend 364 out of 365 days together. Besides, we’re each other’s best friend and there isn’t anyone we’d rather spend our time with so for us it works.

What other blogs, websites, and books have inspired you to choose and live this lifestyle?

There is a podcast called The Lifestyle Business Podcast that is 90% responsible for us making the move to Chiang Mai, Thailand. The community here and the overall entrepreneurial vibe is crazy addictive and it is because of those two guys that we made the commitment to move here.

We also LOVE the webshow The Rise to the Top with David Siteman Garland and I am a devout Marie Forleo follower and watch her webisodes every single Tuesday, that girl just knows her shit.

Do you plan on eventually settling down in one country as a home base?

We constantly ask ourselves this question and each time we think we have the answer, we change our minds. So my only answer is, who knows! Maybe.

What’s your favorite expression or word that you’ve learned while traveling?

Mai pen rai – it means “no worries” in Thai and sums up the general feel of the country.

What are your travel plans for the next few months?

We’re seriously digging Chiang Mai at the moment so we have no plans to leave anytime soon and will probably stay put for the next few months.

However, next year we are planning on heading down to Argentina and Chile and checking those two countries out for a few months. I’m convinced that I need to learn how to do the Argentinian tango in the streets of Beunos Aires! Haha

What’s your advice for someone considering living and working nomadically?

Simply put, you have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. If you can wrap your head around that then this lifestyle will become a hell of a lot easier. After all, life begins at the end of your comfort zone and it is also where the best things happen.

So don’t be too quick to judge a place before leaving because you may find you miss out on the best stuff!

Thank you Jill and Josh for sharing your experiences with us! Are you a digital nomad or long term traveler? Let me know, I’d like to expose a few more experiences here!