The 50+ Nomad Club Podcast

Do you want to make 2026 the year your Substack takes off?

Then Dereks upcoming cohort is the perfect next step for you! Over 6 live sessions he’ll break down the steps he’s taken to not only grow his writing business, but to turn it into a money machine!

He’ll walk you through how to write articles that grow subscribers, post notes that get noticed and turn your publication into a subscriber magnet. All with live coaching and plug and play templates so you’re not starting from a blank screen!

If this con...

Is there a chance you’re still living according to a moment that maybe happened years ago?

A comment, a failure, an email, or a criticism that stuck with you longer than it should have.

In this New Year episode of The 50+ Nomad Podcast, I’m sharing a very personal story about something I didn’t realise was still shaping my behaviour. A confidence knock from nearly a decade ago that’s sneakily stopped me from fully backing myself and the work I create.

I talk openly about launching my new travel challenge cards, h...

Fear doesn’t always stop you from starting. Very often, it shows up after you’ve built the thing, launched it, and made it real.

In this episode, I unpack a pattern I’ve lived with for years: loving an idea, taking action on it, creating something meaningful… and then suddenly doubting it the moment it’s visible and open to judgement.

From my first six-figure launch back in 2011, to our Amazon business, to courses I know are valuable but haven’t fully promoted, right through to launching This Big World travel challenge cards, this episode expl...

I recorded this episode this morning from a little hotel room in London after just getting back from Morocco last week. I’m still buzzing from the adventure and thinking a lot about what it means to build a freedom-funding business in our 50s, 60s and beyond.

And today I’m sharing why I’ve gone all in on Substack, and why I genuinely believe it’s the most powerful, ease-filled platform for 50+ nomads & solopreneurs who want to write, share, build community, and grow portable income without playing the exhausting social media game.

This episode takes yo...

Stepping into solo travel can stir up a lot of ‘what ifs’, especially if you’re doing it later in life or heading somewhere unfamiliar.

In this episode, I sit down with the incredible Erin Michelson — writer, adventurer, ethical-tour creator, and all-round powerhouse behind Nomad Life — to talk about what it really means to feel safe, confident and capable on the road.

Erin has travelled to 130+ countries, lived as a nomad for over 15 years, worked in global banking, built an ethical AI company, volunteered around the world, been featured in National Geographic, and somehow still manages to...

People say they want more freedom… but very few actually design a life that gives it to them.

In this episode, I sit down with Linda Jackson — full-time sailor, digital nomad, and creator of Shellphone Chronicles — who, alongside her husband, lives aboard an incredible 77-foot aluminium yacht as they sail across the Pacific.

Linda has been a digital nomad since long before remote work was “a thing,” running her consulting business from the middle of the ocean, weathering storms, navigating huge passages, and building a lifestyle that most of us secretly dream about but rarely believe is...

We all love a good idea, don’t we?

A new project. A shiny platform. A “this could be the one” moment.

But the truth we don’t want to hear is that all that excitement is often what’s keeping us stuck.

This episode dives into the uncomfortable but life-changing truth about focus. Why it’s the absolute key to success, and why most of us sabotage it without even realising.

If you’ve ever found yourself juggling too many ideas, drowning in distractions, or constantly “starting” but never quite finishing… this on...

We’ve all been there. You spend hours creating something, pour your heart into it, hit publish… and nothing.

No likes, no comments, no traction. Just tumbleweed.

In this episode, I talk about that quiet, uncomfortable stage where you’re showing up, doing the work, and wondering if anyone’s even listening.

Because the truth is, this is where most people give up, and it’s exactly where your foundation is being built.

I share why consistency beats trends, why overnight success is rarely overnight, and how to stay the course when it fe...

You don’t need to reinvent yourself to create freedom, you just need to start sharing what you already know.

In this episode, I talk about one of the simplest and most authentic business models out there: learning in public and turning your knowledge, skills, and experiences into income.

From my early Facebook marketing days to building a million-dollar Amazon business, to what I’m doing right now with The 50+ Nomad — every step of my journey has come down to the same rhythm: learn, do, teach.

If you’re in your 50s or beyond a...

When I built my first 7-figure business, I thought I’d made it.

But behind the numbers, I’d lost the very thing I was chasing — freedom.

In this episode, recorded from a rainy car park in Salerno, Italy, I share why I’ve fallen in love with what I call micro hustles. Small, simple income streams you can run from anywhere without losing your freedom (or your sanity).

You’ll hear the story of my first million-dollar Amazon business, what went wrong when it grew too big, and how I’m doing things compl...

Do you ever feel like you’re standing at the top of a diving board, looking down and wondering if you’re really going to jump?

That’s exactly how launching This Big World feels for me right now.

In this episode, I’m sharing the story of This Big World. My new travel challenge card brand that I’ve just put into production with 4,000 decks and a very ambitious goal: to grow it into an eight-figure business.

You’ll hear how I came up with the idea, what it takes to get a product fr...

What if the next chapter of your life could be your best yet?

You don’t need a million-dollar idea or decades ahead of you to create freedom. You just need to decide, start, and take that first step.

In this powerful co-interview, Jo Barnes (The 50+ Nomad) and business coach Shandra Moran (The Transit Lounge) share the real stories, mindset shifts, and practical strategies that can help you turn what you already know into an income stream that gives you flexibility and freedom.

Shandra has helped countless women 40+ grow their service-based side businesses in...

Most of us want more freedom, adventure, or a side hustle that funds our travels, but none of it happens without resilience.

In this episode, I get real about why resilience has been front and centre lately: leaving the comfort of 15 years in Thailand, nerves about South America, a chaotic dog-sit that’s wrecked my routine, my daughter heading to uni, and a frightening park incident that tested my nerve.

You’ll hear why resilience matters more than talent, how Angela Duckworth’s research on grit ties in, and five practical ways to strengthen your own me...

What if you could turn something you love into an extra $3,000–$5,000 a month in spendable income?

In this episode, I share how I’m helping a close friend transform her love of jigsaw puzzles into a print-on-demand side hustle on Etsy. From choosing the product and testing the model, to designing the artwork and setting up the shop, you’ll hear exactly how we’re getting started, step by step.

Whether your passion is puzzles, painting, pets, or pottery, this same simple path can help you create a micro hustle that funds more freedom.

What Y...

Most people assume you need a fortune to travel the world or live a freedom lifestyle. The truth? It often costs far less than staying put.

In this episode, I unpack the idea of your Freedom Number — the monthly amount you really need to live the lifestyle you want. Not someone else’s Instagram version, but yours.

You’ll hear stories from fellow nomads living happily on everything from $500 a month in Cambodia to $8,500 in Belize — and how defining their number gave them confidence, focus, and motivation.

I’ll also walk you through a simple “...

Most people spend months (sometimes years!) consuming. Reading, watching, listening, but never doing. The truth is, nothing teaches you faster than action. Even the “wrong” action will get you further than staying stuck in research mode.

In this episode, I share how to stop overthinking and start your own freedom-funding side hustle in the next 30 days. You’ll hear a bit of my story — from selling a $7 PDF to running a seven-figure e-commerce business — and how taking imperfect action again and again has been the key to building a freedom lifestyle.

This episode will give you a simp...

Whoohoo! I’m excited to bring you the very first episode of my new 50+ Nomad Podcast.

I’ve wanted to get back into podcasting for a while now, and Substack makes it beautifully simple. So here we are, just me, my phone, and plenty of stories about living our best lives after 50.

I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoy sharing the journey! 😊🥳

Living The Dream - Ep 1

When I first read The 4-Hour Workweek on a flight home from Cyprus back in 2010, I didn’t realise I was about to cha...