00:00:52Clean is the founder of Kickstart your work, a Storyteller and globalxplorer. She's coached over 1500 hours with clients in 20 countries and started her first business. At 19 years old. She's an adventuring since 2014 visiting, 25 countries and living in Aruba Brazil, Indonesia the u.s. And Canada.

00:01:26Here's what my mug says, there are more Lovitz problem. Not unless I love that. That's, that is perfect. I was just having this discussion the other day. That's perfect. Just like, you know, what's it all about? And it's like, you're going to tell me it's all about love and its. Yeah, I actually am. That's exactly what it's all about. An anything that you possibly get it. This whole thing around you, no fear and then anger and that whole thing around. Okay. So what if somebody screwed her over right or something goes wrong and you know that bug tells it like it is. Okay. So are you going to bring are you going to try and screw them over? Or are you going to now say, OK, while everyone's a terrible person because it's one person hurt me, whether it's in business or personal, right? Like it doesn't matter. It's are you going to believe that people are good and trying to do the right thing? And throw more love at the situation or are you going to believe?

00:03:26Okay, with that being totally open to that and realize that it's like what we learn all the time with business. Like the more self-care you do, the better things are for you and general that's just another expression of self-love, right? Or if you have problems instead of sitting and shit all the time. You know, you just say, okay, but like in this particular moment, it's not shit. So I'm going to embrace this, you know, and then you can build on that. But too many people focus on all the crap or the people who've done them wrong or you know, to your point like the people who just think the world is out to get them and it to me that's just a very miserable place to live. Yes, completely. And it's what you said was really powerful to around Focus, right? So it's not that, like I said, you know, it's not that I'm immune and that no one's hurt me since I've adopted this way of thinking, and that everything is rainbows. And now I just, you know, I eat marshmallows and like it's not, it's not that everything is perfect. It's that I've chosen to put my

00:05:26How do I want to see this person? Do I believe they're doing the best? They can do? I am I doing the best I can? Like just, this is a constant dialogue in my head that has changed the way that I haven't responded. Just about everything in my life. And I think that's really powerful. I think that it, for me. It's been a shift over probably the last five years. That's one of the things that I've really been focusing on. Is just the idea that, although, I will say that I do think that you probably do fly in on a unicorn to work every day, but I would say that this new outlook of of looking at looking for the good instead of sitting with the bad all the time. I mean, I will say my life does feel a lot more like puppies and rainbows, but it ever has before

00:07:14I just called the lights.

00:08:19I was working at a law firm in my second year university. I did an internship and I thought this commute is terrible. The bureaucracy is awful. I hate this and I don't want to do it and it was, it was that simple and yeah, maybe not easy and turns out. It just not my fingers and teleport to this moment, but it was that simple in terms of making the choice. And so my manager said, okay, you don't like this but we want to keep you. So start a company and will hire you as a contractor and that was really the impetus to everything. I got a company laptop. I started doing the work from home and I just got a taste of that freedom and said, oh my God, I was maybe 19 and it was like, this is awesome. I'm never going to let you know. I made the choice and that I'm never going to do anything else, but that was a first for the step of saying. Okay. My choice. I'm taking ownership. It's a big responsibility. There have been a billion * a long from that moment to starting my first company to

00:10:16How to make sure that this is mobile. I have to make sure that I can travel and do this. All my clients are online, we're meeting. I mean, I'm in Toronto, you're at home to it. It's like, we can meet right from online. I just I'm planning a retreat in Chiang Mai in Thailand right now. Just had to call before this five women from all over the US and Canada planning. This Retreat that's going to be across the world, totally doable. Like we're so lucky to have the access to the technology. So it's been like everything that I choose to take on teaching at a coach in college. Billy thing would be speaking events which yet, he sort of got to show up and even that I did a keynote for a career day and then I was on zoom and they put me on their Auditorium screen. I was in Aruba so it's just been it's been one of those non-negotiables and really that's how you make it. You know, this fly in on a unicorn thing is everybody gets to set their standard and said their boundary and people will work with you, but you got to be really clear on what that standard is. I think a lot of people are willing to Waffle on their non-negotiables. And so that I think is the key to my whole journey and I

00:12:16Detroit went for lunch needed to have this. Call had another call on the road in the car. Reception was cutting out. The Unicorn was nowhere to be found. I was ready to lose it. Like, everything. I'm trying to hear the person on the line. It's not working. I needed to have this call that, I had another call after with a potential client. Couldn't you know lost credibility. There had a tough time like, you know, I was ready to just call it quits and it's in moments like that where you really don't feel like there's a unicorn and the tech of it is annoying and the, their flexibility like shit, you know, what if I was just in an office, but I just sat with a reliable Wi-Fi connection. I could have got in the solid day day's work at and I I lost that because I'm on the move and this is annoying. CG. I had to take a 20-minute boat to get a Wi-Fi connection where the Instagram photos glamorous, sure, but I had to take a 20-minute boat to be able to do any work. It was like, kind of started right there. I don't want to hear you bitching about Fiji.

00:14:16When you mention other people and how there may be a little softer on it, right? So like it's non-negotiable and bless bottle of a lot. So how do you define non-negotiable and how strong are you on that? Like, what are your top thing? So one of them seems to be you want to be mobile. You don't want to be grounded in one place? You want the choice, right? Like, if you want to be someplace longer, you get that choice as opposed to somebody else. Telling you, what are some of how do you define and what are some of your other non-negotiables then? Yeah. I think that's a really great question. Especially for people. That can you know, the first thing is like, okay, like what are you some Diva and you make people sort your Skittles or something like, you know, it's not this like long list of agreements or anything. You know, they too is really. The only thing for me is that I'm location-independent pricing. Is is something that's negotiable. Depends on how much work I'm doing, or what it takes.

00:16:14That is that feeling. So it's got to be location-independent. And that's not negotiable because I want to be able to be where I want to be. And of course even with that, right? Like I said, I need to be somewhere for a day 2 days, a week. Whatever really the first non-negotiable is that I'm just super excited and fired up about whatever that thing is because if I'm excited and it feels like a good use of my time. I'm there, an ad is Sookie, to people will take opportunities because of the money because of whatever that the seaming prestige or they should are all these other variables. Like I have to be fired up about the opportunity and then I also have to be able to integrate it with my lifestyle, which means location-independent the rest of it price, you know, the conversation Works itself out. The timing works itself out the people. Everything falls into place as long as you feel good about it and for me, it's the location Independence. And that is two things. No Skittle sorting required.

00:18:12Or that you've run into just working from wherever you know, that don't have a digital strategy. So how do you help people that? How does it work? Like the digital strategy? And then for people who don't have the same background as you, that's a great question. And that's really where this coaching business has involved too because I was doing the digital strategy thing for clients and it didn't feel that Empower websites and doing a CO and really taking companies and helping them to improve on their usual strategy. And that was one way where I was in packaging and it was like all this is cool. You know, I get to help people with their website, but another side of me was like, this is not really giving me and packed out when I get through the coaching that I'm doing now, the whole don't answer, sets the whole mission behind it. For me is to help women specifically at this point.

00:20:01And then I really am trying to link this digital strategy. But the reason why it's a digital strategies because they're compiling, a list of clients are getting their clients in there and they're executing from home. So really the Simplicity of the strategy is just, do you have an email address? Do you have a company website? Can you cultivate the leaves create a proposal? Get the work and then deliver on it? And if it's a service you can do it from anywhere if that's the real point of it. I've moved away from the really detailed based around. Okay, let's optimize your med attacks and your digital County website or less to your Facebook as bad, but totally not where I put my attention. Now, although from what we were talking about. I think those pieces are critical. If you're going to be be, deceased are going to work with clients, right? Then you might need the Facebook ads or whatever. And there would be someone else that I would direct women to that because I guess not might not mind. It doesn't get me excited. I think that's what I like about. This is the Simplicity piece.

00:22:01To be independent. So it. That's like that's probably the most challenging part is not. The digital part is not having a company website or a company email address. It's Having the courage and the support. And this is where it's, I wish I had that when I started because yes, I had someone that said, go ahead and do this, but then I really have to figure out all the pieces are to figure out how to incorporate. And what does it mean to have a company? And okay. I have one client, but how do I get more clients? And how do I deliver to these clients? So that they're happy with what I'm delivering. And how do I build a team around this? How do I get support when I can't be the one doing everything? Oh, my God, you know, are they paying me enough, or what? Do I charge, or do I charge per hour? Like all these sort of different details, came into the fold, and I wish I had the support around that around. That's a message strategy because that piece of simple. But more around in support of element to say, how do you navigate this being by yourself in your living room? That can be really.

00:24:01And I'm like, and and so what I really appreciate appreciate about what you're saying is that you're like, no, you need a lot more than that. And that's what I talked to my clients about to just in a different in a different way because there are so many elements there. Somebody foundational elements to business as you know, before you even get to the website, I mean. You know and people just want to start with that cuz they somehow think that we still live in, I don't know. I don't even know if was ever true. I don't even know. If in the late 90s he could build a website and people came like magically, you know, but I think a lot of people still live in this in this dream world where if you build a website, people are going to come and it's going to it's going to solve everything.

00:25:46Website anymore, either. I was just people need to back up a bit. Even the banana case guy. But yeah, I mean, he's a fascinating guy is so, you know, I'm not like that story. It's so funny because you beat people, like, as I've been traveling and stuff. You just meet people doing very fascinating things. Like this one lady is running a website for ants to gift specifically for ants. So it's like a 30, you know, like a 30 year old or so professional woman. That's never had kids but she spoils her nieces and nephews and so it's like gift site for that was just, I mean, an advertisement for the to say, like, I've met people doing all kinds of really nice or Niche, you know, my Canadian here, but, you know, really nice things and that's just it served as

00:27:27The only person that really you're doing a disservice to and not falling out as yourself because their people doing all sorts of weird, weird things and making all kinds of money doing them. So it's like to say that, it's not viable assistant that excuse doesn't work anymore. Not in the time when everything's so readily accessible and you can really start a business for so much cheaper. Then you know, ever before, are you can start and get possible right away as a sole proprietor. You don't need to be incorporated and you can start making money. And it's like, it doesn't it. You can really start from your garage. Look at the whole text. You'll write these guys are doing in their dorm rooms and in their garages and whatever and it's like seems like a crazy thing. If you told people about Uber 10 years ago, they think you are nuts. I'm going to get into a stranger's car in like a driven around and then like, it looks like, but it works. Well, I think it's no longer than 10 years.

00:29:01You learned that you can make money doing anything. And then there's certain things like, you know, like taxi cabs. Cuz if that's that's how cabs work in a lot of places, right? You just stick your arm out and get picked up and you think I can make an app for that? And then they did and Uber at all. These different. Places are born, you know, same thing. I think with Airbnb, you know, I when I was at Kazakhstan, I have people pulling me in off the street to like, feed me and stuff, you know, like, in America, we call that kidnapping in Kazakhstan. I call it. How I met my best friend. And so I just think that once you kind of say, okay at there's more than one right way to do things.

00:30:36I was traveling. I saw this one company that's doing a retreat with this other company and they have spaces. And, you know, now I'm running a retreat in Chiang Mai in November. I never been to Thailand. I never going to change my running a retreat there and it's going to be amazing and women on board and it's going to be so cool. And it's like, being able to be adaptable and thrown into any situation knowing that I'm resourceful and can figure it out. That skill set has been definitely ingrained in me through the movement. Not only like as a younger kid. I've moved a lot around the GTA the Toronto area and but then after after graduating school just getting out there doing a Europe trip like a lot of people do and then just saying this is way too good to stop here. I don't want to live in the real world. Whatever that means, and I'm going to keep going. So travel instrumental. I think the conversations I've had the connections. I've made the phenomenal, of course, places. I've seen

00:32:36Just that change of environment. I think is so powerful in creating new ideas and spurring.

00:33:42Or what would it be like to go work at a different place or I did this thing, and it didn't work out what's next, right? And being really curious about that, because that seems to be where the innovation in the magic happen. So, at least that's kind of how I'm thinking about it, right? So, how does curiosity factor into the work that you do? Oh my goodness. I love what you're say. I had a call earlier today. I'm doing some great work with University students and it's like, what, an inspiring group of people that still believe in possibilities. I think somehow as we get older and I'm not Butthead as people get older. It's like, there's something around. I know how things work and I know how things go. And so this is how it is, and it's like, that's nice searching T and feeling you feeling secure and feeling like you, you're competent is important, but curiosity, and that's such a innocent quality to have but it is

00:35:03Act imperfectly is a good word to throw in there, right? But take some action and then really reflect upon what you've learned right? And do you the three steps? And I think I enter a tan that from literally every part of my life. Whether it's my relationships, my business, where I want to go, what I want to do. It's always like, yeah, get curious. What, how could this be? What could it, what could it be? What would be fun? What would be exciting? Start asking questions and start doing some stuff because if you stick in the Curiosity, phase set the, the dreamer that doesn't ever iterating in real life, you know, it's a nice place to live in terms of in your head, but your reality might not be as exciting as it could be. If you're not living some of those things out or do it, right? And I'm perfectly is a great work because that is so what I'm doing.

00:37:00Do you want me to journal? Or do you want me to like, you know? Just sit in my feelings. People, resist that a lot. Like I just had to do things. I want to be productive, don't make me sit and think that's stupid. There's no point. I just want to keep acting, but the reality is that hamster, wheel. If you keep doing the same thing with expecting a different result, you know, you've heard a thousand times your lifestyle going to change. If you keep going to the same Chinese restaurant, you're not going to end up with Indian food. You're going to get a child to go to the Chinese place if you want something different. I don't know why. It just makes sense. Right? Like don't keep going to the same place thinking it's going to be different. Absolutely and start asking yourself. So yes.

00:38:43Turn off the stove. It's simple right, but it's not easy cuz you know all the sudden you're saying wall, but still pays me 50 Grand a year.

00:39:21Everybody keeps talking about it. It's so on my list, the south of Italy and every time we go to different places, where like, where are all the Americans, like, where is this curiosity, where and where has it gone in my country? Because to me, travel is all about curiosity, and it's all about like, getting in there and meeting people and learning a new way. But you see something else and you're like, wow, you know, and I think that being somebody who is just you know, location-independent like you have the benefit of having all these experiences that really feed into what you're doing rather than just being inside like, you know, the four walls of a cubicle or, you know, always talking to Bob at the water cooler, even though he's a dick and you don't like him like it's just a whole different world. But how do you handle things like when you were talking about driving back from Indianapolis and

00:40:39Yeah, that's actually a perfect. That's actually perfect thing. The perfect way to represent it is definitely. And I just I do on technology a piece about travel. I think you've hit the nail on the head here with curiosity and in changing your environment and changing just to get a small element of what you're doing to be different. I think that's such a powerful first step. And then how do you handle all the crazy that comes along with it? I think is being very I mean I've cultivated way more patients in the past couple years that I've ever eaten a patient in the big thing that I'm learning that solution-focused. Like you said. It's like, okay. I'm in this, not ideal. It's not what I wanted. I'm going to be pissed off for a minute and then I'm going to find a solution and give me a really big things that people sit there and breathe and just relax and think I am not relaxed, this sucks. So, you know, what? Giving yourself if it's really important to me to acknowledge your emotions, and that means

00:42:34As of my partner yesterday and I like I got I got back in the room and was like, I just want to be really angry. I don't want to lose it on you cuz you did nothing, but I'm just pissed right now and I went and I just had like I needed to have that minute.

00:43:41and I think the other end of the spectrum is important to and I think that's something so powerful people try to

00:44:40Yeah, I wear my grandfather whose 80 something and says you're a woman traveling by yourself. Why aren't you married with children by now? And I say I'm 26, stop it. Well, so you mention Mel Robbins. I think she's such a Powerhouse and she talks about making fear turns you into excitement and I think that's one way to look at it and say, okay again, how do I repurposed do anger? You repurposed, you forgiveness and you move into Solutions, I think fear is a similar thing acknowledge. This year's day. Hey, okay, this is absolutely petrifying or I'm scared and then tell it what I want to do about it. What it what's the bigger intention here? What am I trying to create? What you know is this fear? Because I'm fearful for my life or is this fear out of worry of failure like what stuff you're coming. But right cuz if it's like a deer endangered physically then yeah, you know, like I'm going to walk down an Alleyway at midnight on myself because that's a scary thing cuz I could get hurt. But what about the fear?

00:46:31Something could go wrong. If we do it or we have experienced in the past of it, not working out the way we wanted. And then we gets here. I think being able to acknowledge again and say okay like I'm this is important to me. I want to do it and yes, I'm worried. But I'm going to turn it into excitement or I'm going to see how it goes and give it my best shot. Do it. Anyway, I think repurposing this year again into excitement like Mel Robbins talks about, is such a powerful thing because a lot of fear is not based in the present moment there for me. I focus on how Chiang Mai is going to be awesome. Rather than all the things that can go wrong. And then and then in the present moment when I'm entering my if something does go differently, from what I expected, which it inevitably will. That's when it's like, okay.

00:47:33Solution if that makes sense, so it's like, I'm not going to worry about everything that could go wrong in Chiang. Mai.

00:48:32You know, and then I and I was like, well, I got to let that go, you know, after it was over. I'm like I didn't go how I wanted it to, I got to let that go but it's still kind of lingering a little bit. And then yesterday somebody said, were you using PowerPoint for that deck and they sent me a screenshot that Zoom wasn't working with PowerPoint? And I was like and that it had been updated and I'm like, okay, perfect. Now I can let that go. Like now, now I can let that one bad thing go and totally move on, and it's just really it's important to be able to do that. You know, when things go sideways, see it in the moment and then don't Linger on it. Don't think about the past, don't worry about the next time, you're going to do something handle it and then move on. And what what's helped me with that. Is that whole, you know, minute of anger thing, when I get when I kind of stumbled upon that, it is changed my world because I didn't really have a healthy way to deal with anger. It was kind of like what

00:50:32They're worse than, you know, that's awesome. That anger piece because it was like, I didn't feel like I had a really healthy way to deal with anger is a lot of, like I said, the projection or even like, with food or alcohol or whatever, right? And it's just not, that's not, that's not even dealing with the source of the problem. Right? Well, and for me, I didn't really get angry about that webinar thing. Cuz I was like, what can I possibly do about that?

00:51:50Do I have to be a millionaire to be a digital nomad?

00:52:56You are going to have potentially even a better quality of life somewhere else with the same budget. If not less. So, absolutely not. You don't have to be a millionaire. You don't even like, not even close again. Having a bunch of the school knowing, you know, what sort of experience you want to have, is a right and feeling like you're safe and you're happy with your environment is important, but definitely don't need to be on a millionaires. Budget to make that or anything like that. Answer that question. I just have to ask cuz I know a lot of people out there and it's really not I mean, on on part. Yeah, for me it's been on par is not cheaper, like it living in Canada. Living in the states like, California.

00:54:05All the yellow toad and that people get this waited by the flight, right, but it's like the flight is like a one-time, you know, he gets there and then you're there and a lot of public transit and stuff is cheap. And you can I do think it'll he's going to be more expensive than probably just about anyplace. I've been based, at least some of the cities were going to just based on all the research we've done. But okay. So how do people get in touch with you? And what do you have going on that? You want to share?

00:55:33Yep, so my name is kaleena miletic. And the reason I don't say that so much is because it can be a nuisance to spell. But if you got a link on the podcast Facebook page, it's all over there and it's all very linked to my name. So as long as you got my name, you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Twitter, Twitter or Instagram, Facebook chat, see how to get independent. And really, I think bigger mission is just helping as many women as I possibly can love the work that you everyday. Awesome. Thank you so much for being on the show and we'll put all the links in the show notes, and that's amazing.