Expat living is usually the product of corporate relocation, however, there are business men and women that decide to pack their bags and move countries all on their own accord.
When you think of business travel I’m sure that many of you think of jet lag, stress, and the disappearance of a healthy lifestyle. These claims are backed by The Economist and with all the conversations that I’ve had with frequent flyers, it seems that these are in fact common themes.
There is a pioneering group amongst us, however, that are taking business travel to a new level. Business Travel Lifer’s, meet expat-preneurs.
An expat-preneur, a term that was originally coined by scholar Yvonne McNulty, is a daring soul that decides that instead of living life on the road for work, they will hit the road for good. More specifically, these self-initiated expatriates perceive the value of international work experience as something that will enhance their personal and professional development. Perhaps this new style of expat living seems like a millennial trend, however, the average age of the expat-preneur is 41. Further, most plan on living in their new host country indefinitely.
A lot of times, the drive of an expat-preneurs stems from their initial parent country national assignments; they realize that they could start a new business in the country that they have already spent a significant amount of time in. According to this Wall Street Journal article, being a foreigner in a new country allows a person to see market needs and opportunities that may not have been seen before. Finding the combination of the outsiders perspective and the insider knowledge is key to finding long-term success.
In some cases, the reason that drives the person to go overseas may not even be fully related to business. According to the data provided by Aetna, 13% of expat-preneurs are moving abroad to take risks that aren’t available in their home country. Sometimes the reason for moving is to pursue relationships or to move to a spouse’s home country. Another reason that these expat-preneurs are on the rise is solely based on a sense of adventure and the desire for a personal challenge.
So for those of you business travelers that aren’t tied down to where you are currently stationed, remember there are other options to evolve your business and see the world while doing it! Would any of you ever think about becoming an expat-preneur?
Business Travel Life
Business Travel Life is an online resource supporting the road warrior lifestyle. We give business travelers the tools they need to maintain their wellness and productivity when traveling. The topics we cover include business travel tips, travel workouts, healthy travel hacks, travel products, general travel tips, and industry trends. Our goal is to make business travel a healthier experience – and to make healthy travel practices more accessible to all road warriors.
