Location Indie

23/10/2024

{New Blog Post} Location Independence: Unlocking the Freedom to Live & Work Anywhere

Let me ask you – Are you TRULY living life on your terms? No alarm clock. No commute or office. The freedom to choose your surroundings and wake up anywhere in the world — a quiet cabin in the mountains or a bustling café by the beach — with a goal to travel, work, explore, just be and enjoy.

Sounds like a beautiful dream, right? That’s Location Independence.

Is this lifestyle right for you? Check out our newest blog and find out!

Discover the benefits and challenges of location independence. Learn how you can live and work from anywhere, and find out if this flexible, freedom-filled lifestyle is right for you.

22/10/2024

Our flight in Denver was delayed for 7 hours (boo)!

But...I had lounge access so I was hanging in the AMEX Centurion lounge (yah)!

But...it was super busy, so there was only one seat left (boo)!

But...that one seat was directly next to the free jelly bean stand at the exit (yah)!

Yes, you read that right:

The AMEX lounge in Denver has a big jar of free jelly beans - and they even give you bags to fill up and take them with you!

And when I say everyone loved this perk, I mean everyone.

Kids.
Parents.
Old people traveling alone.
Groups traveling together.

It didn't matter - every single person who walked up to that table had a big smile on their face and would say

"JELLYBEANS!!!!"

I had a front row seat to this excitement - and I cracked up every time.

In order to get in to this lounge, you have to have a card that costs $600+/year.

Some of these people spend tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars on their credit card.

And they were all so happy to get jelly beans worth less than $1!

It was just jelly beans.

But...

It wasn't just jelly beans.

It was an extra special, unexpected treat by AMEX that had a MASSIVE impact on the happiness of their customers.

AMEX had nailed one of the most important lessons in life:

Surprise and delight.

No one expected a big bowl of free jelly beans when they were exiting the lounge.

But there it was...
..and it was a huge hit.

Whether you're running a business or just an individual, there are always ways you can surprise and delight your customers, friends, or family.

Try it out - and let me know how it goes.

Heck - maybe it's as easy as carrying a bag of jelly beans around and handing them out!

Cheers,

Trav "Jelly Belly" Sherry

PS - I'm not currently eating sweets, so I didn't partake in either (boo!) but personally, I'm a MUCH bigger fan of yogurt covered pretzels.

Apparently, I'm in the minority.

Comment below and let me know - which team are you on:

Team Yogurt Covered Pretzels or Team Jelly Bean?

18/10/2024

{Trav Talks - Mostly Daily Inspiration} A Story about Love, Part 2

Two weeks ago, I got an email from Tyler.

He said lots of nice things (thanks Tyler!) and also said:

"If you're ever coming to Denver, I'd love to buy you lunch or ice cream."
Well, turns out I was flying to Denver two days later, so Tyler, his wife Kristin (of Big Little Feelings fame) and I met up for lunch.

We hit it off, talking about kids, travel, entrepreneurship.

I felt an instant kinship.

These were my people.

And then we went deeper.

About our dreams - and our fears.

About things we were excited about - and our doubts.

Sharing things with each other that I hadn't shared with people I knew for 20+ years.

------

After 3 hours of talking, I had to go to the airport.

Kristin had left, so it was just Tyler and I.

I stood up to say goodbye and a weird thought popped into my head:

"You should tell this guy you love him."
But of course I wasn't going to do that.

We had just met.
Two guys standing outside a brunch restaurant in Denver.
That'd be weird, right?
​

But...
..I felt so much love for Tyler.

For his journey.

For his heart.

For the person he was.

And the friendship that I knew would blossom.

So I said:

"I love you."
This is what I call "irrational love."

------

Irrational love, by its nature, doesn't fit in to a box.

It doesn't "make sense".

And oftentimes, I feel myself pushing it down.

Suppressing it.

But it's there.

And instead of trying to make it make sense...
..or tamping it down until I can justify it feeling rational...

I've realized my strategy for irrational love:

To let it flow.

------

Irrational love can be for people.

Irrational love can be for things you want to do.

Like buying a resort.

Lots of people have said things like:

"Trav, you know how hard buying and running a resort will be, right?"
​
"Trav, there are lots of easier ways to make money."
​
"Trav, why don't you just stick with what you know?"
Those are all very reasonable, rational thoughts.

But..
..I have an irrational love for creating physical spaces that allow people to have epic experiences they can't have elsewhere.

So I'm letting it flow!

(and I'll be creating the best dang resort out there)

------

Have you felt yourself suppressing down desires or love because it "didn't make sense"?

Is there someone or something you have irrational love for?

Ready to lean in to it?

If so, you know what my advice is going to be!

Cheers,

Trav "Let it Flow" Sherry

18/10/2024

{Trav Talks - Mostly Daily Inspiration} A Story of Love, Part 1

Seven days. Three states. Three resorts.

Heather and I have been on a trip to scope out resorts around the West.

It's been fun.

It's been a whirlwind.

And it's only been possible because of one person:

My sister-in-law Julie.

Seven days. Three states. Three resorts.

And did I mention...
..Zero kids.

Yes, my incredible sister-in-law offered to watch the kids - ages 6 and 5 - while we went on this trip.

It truly is the greatest gift someone could give us.

On this trip we knew:

we needed to go fast
we needed to be focused on being present at each property
we needed some down time from the kids (after 2 months in Europe 24/7)
​

Because of Julie, we've gotten that.

She's gone so far above and beyond what a sister and sister in law normally does - and she deserves to be recognized for that.

(and to get a nice gift!)

So Julie, if you're reading this - THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

------

This is what I call "rational love".

Julie is my sister in law.

Julie has done something incredibly nice for me.

I love her.

I want to show her love.

To most people, that makes a lot of sense.

And there is nothing wrong with that - in fact, it's a very good thing.

So my urging for you today would be to reach out to just ONE person and thank them for something they've done for you.

Can you do that?

Let's start a love train!

Cheers,

Trav "Love Train Conductor" Sherry

11/10/2024

If Forbes says so, right? 🤔🤔🤔 We're not so sure about these top side hustle options...what do you think? What else should be added to the list? Drop in the comments below!

Ready to build financial independence? Here are 3 easy side hustles you can start with no experience—just time, drive, and a desire to grow!

08/10/2024

{Trav Talk - Mostly Daily Inspiration} Asheville and How You Can Help

Dear Friends,

For such a small place that I've only visited a handful of times, Asheville, NC has had an outsized impact on me.

From the moment I first set eyes on the town 10 years ago for my brother's wedding to the incredible 3 days I spent there just last week, I've loved it.

The quirkiness.
The food.
The beauty.
The people.

It's one of my favorite places in the world.

So much so that Heather and I have often talked about spending more time there and just last week I was there looking to buy a resort.

It breaks my heart to see the level of devastation that Helene has caused Asheville and the surrounding areas - and it feels unreal to be going on a journey through the West while such loss is occurring.

I still feel so helpless. I think we all do when a natural disaster such as this hits, no matter where you are in the country.

I reached out to two very, very good friends in Asheville (both who are safe, thankfully) to see what's the best way to help.

I was told that our best bet was to donate directly to a charity called Beloved Asheville, a local non-profit on the ground that is delivering supplies around the area.

​You can see what BelovedAsheville is doing on Instagram and how you can offer support. Link Below​

​Or you can donate directly via Venmo -> BeLoved-Asheville

Anything helps.

Thanks,

Trav

05/10/2024

(Trav Talk - Mostly Daily Inspiration) When things are out of your control, do this...

I had just checked in to my hotel room in that middle of nowhere area around the Denver airport. It was 11:30 am on a Sunday, just in time for football.

And a guy a few hotel doors down was screaming:

"What the F$%*? You stupid $ #@*. Catch the ball! What's wrong with you?"

Not exactly the warm reception I had envisioned on my first few hours in Denver, but surely, it was only momentary.

WRONG.

The tirade continued... every couple of minutes...

For 9 straight hours.

Through the early games, the afternoon games, and even the Sunday night game. (I'll give this guy credit for his stamina, if nothing else.)

Meanwhile, I was texting my friend Joe. Two weeks earlier, Joe’s two rental properties were completely destroyed by a flood that hit our NC town.

The floors, drywall, furniture—everything was ruined.

It was horrible.

Then, the flooding in Western North Carolina happened.

And Joe has 7 properties there.

So I reached out to him to see how they were doing , expecting the worst.

Joe had every reason to be upset, pi**ed off, angry, or even despondent. Multiple properties destroyed in just two weeks—it’s a nightmare.

And instead, he was thankful his guests got out safely.

He remained positive, at peace with a situation completely out of his control.

All while the guy three doors down was nearly having a heart attack over a football game.

So, what should you do when things spiral out of your control?

Do what Joe did:

👉Focus on what you can control—your response and your mindset.
👉Adopt an attitude of gratitude (I promise, this alone works miracles)
👉Let go of the rest. Getting worked up won't fix the problem.

There will be lots of things in our lives, businesses, travels that we can't control. I hope these three steps can help you get back on track...even in the toughest of situations.

Who do you want to be like—psychotic football guy, or Joe?

Cheers,
Trav "Trying to be like Joe" Sherry

01/10/2024

{Trav Talk - Mostly Daily Inspiration} Why I have stopped traveling...

I have a confession to make:

Heather and I are deciding NOT to travel over the next 4 months. (ok not forever but it sure feels like it!)

I know, I know...

it's not really a big deal for most people.

(and I'm certainly not asking anyone to feel bad for us. We have been VERY blessed to get to see so many parts of this amazing world.)

But as someone who started his whole entrepreneurial journey around one topic - travel - it still feels odd to say it out loud.

And it goes against my natural inclination to get up and go at the slightest provocation.

But after getting back from a summer in Europe, we sat down and narrowed down the two most important things for ourselves, individually and together:

(Both) Buy a resort
(Both) Get in better physical shape.
(Trav) Help people buy a profitable short term rental
(Trav) Restart the podcast
(Heather) Continue to grow her interior design business.
(Heather) Keep up with her meditation and morning routine.

We realized that all of those things are MUCH harder (maybe impossible?) to do while traveling.

So as much as we want to go see my mom play field hockey in New Zealand in November...
..and attend a family ceremony in New England in October...
..we decided that we would be staying home instead.

To focus on the things we wanted to accomplish.
To put "butt in seat" time in to our businesses.
To simplify our lives.

​

In order to move forward, we need to stay still.

And while it goes against almost every fiber of wanderlusting soul, I'm actually excited about it.

Cheers,

Trav "Trying to Stay Still" Sherry

P.S If you too are in a "stay still" mode and what to connect with other people currently focusing on some bigger life goals (business, travel, real estate, leaving a 9-5), you're invited to join us inside the Location Indie Community. This is where all the magic is happening!
www.locationindie.com

P.P.S - Ok, I lied (kinda). We are still doing SOME traveling - I'm heading to Colorado in a few days to go to the Glamping Show, then to California and Idaho to look at two potential resorts.

So...it's for "work" - and it doesn't really count! ;) Does it?

30/09/2024

✨️Because you never know who might be watching...✨️

You know businesses always say remember the brand, wherever you are, whatever you're doing.

We have a similar mantra -- except ours is BE THE BRAND!

Why? Because you never know who is watching, who you may impact simply by showing & sharing your love for this freedom movement, and you NEVER ever know the ripple effect it can have on other people's lives.

Unless they tell you....

Co-founder Trav recently shared a story of this exact situation that happened to him at a real estate conference...while standing at the food table no less.

Someone recognized him, after exchanging pleasentries over cheese, and said, "I know you. You're Trav - one of the OG's of the lifestyle design movement."

😊😳 Thank you!

He continued:

"I love your stuff. Dude, you're the reason I'm here. Seriously. I listened to your podcast, my wife and I quit our corporate jobs, did van life for 8 months, settled down in Seattle, started running short term rentals, and now just bought our first boutique hotel. You changed my life!"

That's like a mind-blowing moment surrounded by a truth bomb all wrapped up in the best compliment ever received.

The power of LIVING your best, most authentic life, BEING your own brand has ripples beyond what we can ever see!

This is THE core value that we hold more dear here in .

These pics are just a few of the amazing Location Indie peeps living our their wildest life dreams, creating big ripples around the world!

Cause you never know when someone will walk up and say "You changed by life."

Looking for some help in figuring out how to take that next step in your REAL life? Membership is OPEN! Drop us a dm and we'll send you a link.

Drop a shout out below if you see yourself here!!🥰

30/09/2024

Seems weekend appropriate! Who is with me? 🐶🍕🍷

Also LI Membership is OPEN if ya need a little help with doing MORE of what you love 😏🙌🌎✈️

Click here for more info: www.locationindie.com

26/09/2024

{Trav Talk - Mostly Daily Inspiration} A Pickleball Tale...

I was missing everything.

Forehands.
Backhands.
Volleys.

I had never played with Sean before, and I was embarrassed. We lost badly—all because of me.

I walked off the court, head down, disappointed and annoyed, when I heard:

"Travis, get over here, you're on this court with us. We need a fourth."

I looked up to see the three best players in the group (out of 25).

"Uh-oh," I thought.

This was not going to go well.

​
Clearly, they hadn't just watched me get slaughtered by players much worse than them.

Sure enough, it started rough:

0-3.
1-5.
2-6.
3-8.

Then something strange happened. I decided to stop beating myself up and simply lock in.

The comeback began:

6-8.
7-9.
9-9.
11-9.

Against the two best players there, my partner Dave and I won.

I played well. No scratch that - I played awesome.

I was shocked.

And pumped!

Fifteen minutes earlier, I couldn't hit a single ball. I was embarrassed, frustrated, and tearing myself down.

Now, I was standing there with a sly grin, victorious.

{Trav Talk - Mostly Daily Inspiration} A Pickleball Tale

It was the best pickleball moment of my life to date.

(Granted, I’ve only been playing for two weeks, but still! 🤪)

And in that moment, I realized something important:

I rise to the level of the people around me.

When I'm surrounded by people who are better and more experienced, I focus, lock in, and push myself to be better.

Not just in pickleball, but in life!

That’s why I’m so passionate about surrounding myself with the right people, no matter what goal I’m working toward.

Want to open a boutique resort? Go to a conference with 85 people who have done it.

Want to get better at pickleball? Play with the best.

Whatever you want to achieve, surround yourself with others who push you—and you’ll end up victorious.

Cheers,
Trav "Still Learning to D**k" Sherry

PS That's my favorite Pickleball pic from Camp Indie 2024!. If you'd like to join for 2025, drop us a FB message.

24/09/2024

{Trav Talk - Mostly Daily Inspiration}

This summer in Barcelona, I got invited to a small entrepreneur's dinner in a "secret kitchen" tucked right in the heart of the Gothic Quarter.

It was hosted by my good friend Chris Reynolds, who throws some epic events, so naturally:

🏯The location? Incredible.
🤌💋The food? Next-level.
🥰And the 18 people there? Absolutely top-notch.

But...

There was one person I hadn’t spoken to by the end of the night.

And, well, I like to talk to everyone.

Thankfully, right as we were leaving, he came up to me and said, "Hey, we didn’t get to connect—want to meet up this week?"

OF COURSE I DID.

Three days later, we found ourselves at Norrsken, a super hip coworking space in Barceloneta. The conversation flowed easily—engaging, inspiring, all the good stuff.

Then, it got better.

We started talking about what we wanted to do in the next five years and, more importantly, how achieving those goals would feel.

(Because let’s be real, the feelings behind our goals are what drive us).

That’s when Matthias hit me with something that stopped me in my tracks:

“The feeling I want the most is the feeling of limitless possibility.”

LIMITLESS POSSIBILITY

Two simple words—but huge impact.

I’ve felt that before. It’s an incredible feeling of limitless possibility.

I've also be NOT there, plenty of time. (heck, most of the time)

I’ve also felt stuck, held back, and like the options are anything but limitless.

And I know which one I prefer.

But here’s the thing—it doesn’t just happen. You don’t snap your fingers and suddenly feel limitless. It’s something you have to actively seek out - and move towards it.

So, here I am, seeking that feeling daily.

What would I do with limitless possibility? Here’s a taste:

🏨Build resorts around the world that offer more than just a vacation—experiences that leave a lasting impact.
🌏Create a global community of traveling families and get them together (hopefully at our own resorts) to form lifelong bonds.
⛹️‍♂️Feel better physically at 45 than I ever have in my life (and yeah, if we’re going limitless, I’d love to dunk a basketball).

Limitless possibility.

What would you do with it?

Comment below — I’d love to hear your take.

Cheers, Trav

21/09/2024

{Trav Talk - Daily Inspiration} - GET IN THE ROOM

We JUST got home 2 weeks ago.

It was $1000.

And I felt like an imposter.

So, I almost didn't go.

But...
..my #1 goal for the next 6 months is to buy our first resort.

So, at the last minute, I bought a ticket to Boutique Hotel Con (a conference for, surprise surprise, boutique hotel owners).

And...WOW!

Even though it ended a few days ago, I can safely say that those 2 days have completely changed the trajectory of my journey.

Before?

I knew I wanted to buy a resort - and I was committed to it.

Now?

I know I want to buy a resort, I'm committed to it, and I have a whole host of people that will help it be a smashing success.

In just two days, I met people like:

Neil, who has owned 13 hotels, been in the game since 1997 and has seen it all. When I asked him "how do I find a mentor like you?" he said "here's my number, call me anytime."

Kevin, who turned a drug den motel in a seedy area in to one of the best reviewed resorts in the Northeast and just exited it for a $4 million profit.

Buck, a branding/marketing wizard who is opening up one of the coolest hotels in New Orleans in just a few weeks.

And that just scratches the surface.

I'm now a part of an incredible group of people doing exactly what I'll be doing - opening up the best boutique hotels and resorts in the world.

I went from feeling like an impostor to being an insider in just 2 days.

The #1 way to fast track your success?

Get in the room (or the community) with people you want to emulate.

Cheers,

Trav "Imposter to Insider" Sherry

17/09/2024

This has got to be the cutest picture ever AND the epitome of a Freedom Lifestyle!

We started a *NEW EVENT* inside the Location Indie Community - Morning Yoga with Heidi Nicklaus. (Wanna come check it out?)

And one of our nomadic members Jeff currently has the privilege of spending a few weeks with his nieces and nephews...because spending time with family is always the best reason to be Location Independent!

One of the youngest decided she TOO wanted to get in on this early morning stretch session.🧎‍♀️ We love how she's starting the day off right with some movement, hanging out with Uncle Jeff, and having fun while doing it!

If you aren't having fun, then what is the point! Drop a 🩷 In the chat for this cuteness!

14/09/2024

Have you ever thought about what Success means to you? What about Financial Freedom?

Seems like such trendy words to be throwing around these days - but as we discuss in our latest blog post, figuring out these things are the FIRST steps in building the Lifestyle Freedom you are truly craving!

Before Time Freedom and Location Freedom, we need Financial Freedom - and that doesn't mean millions in the bank or a perfect paying job. It simply means the freedom that comes with understanding money, money mindset as well as your deep core values and what your Perfect Average Day would look like for you.

Check it out and drop any comments you have below. We'd love to hear you story!

Redefine success by prioritizing lifestyle freedom. Shift your mindset from material gain to time, location, and financial freedom for a fulfilling life.

09/09/2024

We love LISTS of super fun places to travel especially if they are just a hop skip and a jump away! What do you think of this list for Best Small Towns in America -- yea or nay??

These are the best small towns in the U.S. of 2024, according to a panel of Travel + Leisure experts.

24/08/2024

🌍✈️ Happy National Cheap Flight Day! ✈️🌍

Those of us in the biz of travel – either we make it our “business” to travel as much as possible (wanderlust much?) or we literally make travel our business – we are always on the lookout for cheap flights…

Which is why of course NATIONAL CHEAP FLIGHT DAY piqued our interest! Rumored to be one of the cheapest days of the year to buy a plane ticket, this could just be the perfect excuse to grab that golden ticket!

But really is it??

🛫 Myth or Reality:

While the idea of a specific day offering massive deals is exciting (umm yes, please), the truth is it may be a bit more about marketing than anything else.

Yes, airlines do often release discounted fares towards the end of summer - to fill up seats as the summer surge ends and before holiday planning begins. Airlines strategically & intentionally reduce rates to lure in those passengers during the transition period and then give the day fancy name – think Black Friday.

Their marketing gimmick, our GAIN if you have the freedom to take advantage of these deals at the moment. If not, try these easy tips to score a good deal on your terms during the year!

💡 Pro Tips for Scoring Cheap Flights:

📩 Set Fare Alerts: Track prices for your desired routes and be notified when prices drop.

🤸‍♀️ Be Flexible: Midweek flights are often cheaper than weekend ones. Consider flying on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Saturday.

📆 Book in Advance: While last-minute deals can happen, booking 6-8 weeks ahead typically yields the best prices.

🛫 Consider Nearby Airports: Sometimes flying into or out of a smaller airport can save you big bucks.

Final Thoughts:

National Cheap Flight Day might not guarantee the lowest prices of the year, but it’s a great reminder to start planning and watching for deals...and if you score a great ticket...awesome sauce for you!🏅

Whether you’re eyeing an exotic getaway or a quick weekend escape, staying informed and flexible is your ticket to savings.

Happy travels! 🌍✈️ Where are you heading next?✈️

22/08/2024

This is the best travel advice you could ever possibly get. Like EVER EVER!😏🔥

I will die on this hill!

It goes a long way in showing respect and appreciation for the culture and place you visit.