Notes from Chris

Episode 528

Strategy and innovation is the name of the game for Rolando Archila, a Guatemalan globetrotter slash strategy and innovation consultant. It’s safe to say he knows a thing or two about both strategy and travel, so it was natural for him to put the two together after being inspired by reading The Art of Non-Conformity. I’m not bragging, he actually said that. But back to the story!

Rolando was on a bit of a book kick when he picked up his copy of The Art of Non-Conformity a few years ago. He looks back on that first reading as a time that “blew his mind” and inspired him to live a more unconventional life. He and his wife took the book to heart as they sold half of their possessions, ended the lease on their apartment, and set off to travel the world—hitting 15 countries on 5 continents, all in 8 months.

Needless to say, it was a transformative experience for Rolando Archilla and his wife, Jenn. When they got back from their travels, and even as they thought about their return to “real life” during their trip, they knew that going back to a 9-to-5 job was not going to be fulfilling in the long-term. They knew they needed more than a commute, a desk, and that feeling of living for the weekend.

On their trip, they had started to brainstorm ways to make money outside of their jobs, and the more they thought about it, the more they realized that they were motivated by the idea of helping inspire others to travel and live adventurously. And, after 8 months of travel across 5 continents, they knew that there was an art to their process. An art to… wanderlust.

So, in September 2017, Rolando and Jenn created their side hustle as a way to bring that art to life (and an airplane near you). The Art of Wanderlust had taken off.

Rolando and Jennifer were hooked on their side hustle from their first sale in January. They began to tick off accomplishments on the paper where they had written their goals and pinned to the wall and watched as the sales came in. They sold nearly $6,000 in their first six weeks. They weren’t expecting that response at all (they were hoping for something like $1,000!), and they ended up running out of inventory for a month until they could restock.

This location independent income helps Rolando and Jennifer do something they love while measuring their lives according to two metrics: freedom and impact. Art of Wanderlust helps them accomplish both because the additional income enables them to be location independent, while helping them inspire others to travel more, which is something they believe can make the world a better place.

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MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• The Art of Wanderlust: Discover new products to fuel your wanderlust—check out Rolando and Jenn's website!
• The Art of Non-Conformity: The book that helped Rolando and Jenn realize that they needed to live a more unconventional life
• Jungle Scout & Helium10: Two of the tools that Rolando and Jenn used to scout out their competition and help them figure out which products would do well on Amazon

SEE ALSO:

• Adventurous Couple Designs & Sells Fashionable Backpacks: Backpacks that bring fashion to the mountains earn a Colorado couple an additional $2,500 a month while also feeding the homeless
• Graphic Designer Profits from Print on Demand; Quits Job to Hike New Zealand: With zero cost, a graphic designer earns $20,000 and works virtually while hiking the Te Araroa trail in New Zealand
• Avid Travelers Turn Finding Deals Into Vacation Planning Side Income: A couple in Washington, D.C. convert their passion for travel into a side hustle planning all-inclusive surprise vacations for those who lack the time to do it themselves

Inspiration is good; inspiration combined with action is better. Now get back to work!

Yours in the revolution,

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