The Rv Entrepreneur With Heath Padgett

Have you ever thought about overlanding in a truck camper as a digital nomad in foreign country? If the idea of combining your professional life with the adventure of overlanding has ever crossed your mind, then you're in for a treat. Martin and Amy have been overlanding in South America, while working remotely, in their trusty GMC based truck camper they call, El Truckito. And their mission is to visit every country in the Americas! They began their journey in Boston and have been on the road for 14 months. They've already conquered the southernmost city in the world, and now, they're weaving their way back to Boston, one slow and deliberate mile at a time. In this episode, we dive into the evolution of their journey, from road-tripping in a Mazda 6 to upgrading to a truck camper, driven by a desire for a more cost-effective and flexible exploration of South and Central America. We also discuss planning, logistics, border crossings, navigating the diverse cultures and terrains, their strategie

If you have ever considered buying a campground, don't miss this episode! Longtime part-time RVers Mark and Karla Lemoine made their dream come true in 2016 when they purchased a KOA campground. Mark shares why and how he left a lucrative government job to start their campground career. Jim dives deep into the decision process, and sizeable investment. Mark shares tips for coping with the stress of daily operations, and the long term goals. We hear about how building the right team helps, and that includes workampers. Thinking about building a campground versus buying one? Yeah, we cover that. We also hear about purchasing a larger established resort versus a smaller park in need of repair. Mark shares what to look for in RV resorts for sale, as well as common obstacles of campground management and how he overcame them. And in a discussion about purpose, Mark explains the work he's doing with Care Camps. RESOURCES MENTIONED KOA Coloma https://koa.com/campgrounds/coloma/ CNBC Article https://www.cnbc

Elizabeth Bourgeret is an author, blogger, podcast host, momma, Grammy, and full-time RVer. In this episode, she shares details about her unique approach to entrepreneurship from the road. In addition to her books, Elizabeth offers Lavender Letters, a historical fiction subscription model. Her customers get new letters in the mail every other week. To craft this subscription model, Elizabeth RVed through the Oregon Trail in real-time, soaking up all the sights, sounds, and smells. She writes historical fiction rooted in research and real-life experiences from the places she’s writing about.  On this episode, you’ll hear her story about the challenges involved with running this business from an RV, how she has systematized her business to make it easier to manage, and how she overcomes the feeling of being alone while working as an RV Entrepreneur. Subscribe to Lavender Letters before December 23 when doors close for this round! Subscribe here: https://www.elizabethbourgeret.com/lavender-letters.html Check out

Carpe Diem! What does that mean when it comes to living the nomadic life? And how can nomads feel a sense of community on the road. Jim dives into answers to these questions and more with April and Ken Pishna, half of the team that foundeed of Camp Carpe Diem. It can be difficult to find community centered around fun and adventure while working from the road. Camp Carpe Diem meets this need, and is now hosting their fourth anual gathering of RVers and other nomads. It is an informal fun event unlike your typical RV rally. The main focus is all about building community and forming relationships that last long after the campfire burns out. Discover the challenges RVers have for finding a sense of community on the road, and how to overcome them. Find out how this can be done through adventurous activities - even with people from differnet walks of life, or vastly different definitions of adventure. Hear about the tools and apps they use to plan and collaborate with the team when working remotely, and for promoti

In February 2022, the Neuman's faced an unimaginable loss—their adventurous and compassionate son, Josh, who at just 22, left a void in their lives. Josh wasn't your ordinary young man; he was an avid adventurer, a talented filmmaker, and a downhill skateboarder with a heart as vast as the great outdoors he cherished. His passion extended beyond personal pursuits, as he dedicated his life to positively impacting those less fortunate, leaving an indelible mark on everyone he encountered. In honor of their son, Chris and Kristin have embarked on a journey of their own, embracing the full-time nomadic lifestyle in their Airstream. They've transformed their grief into a powerful force for good by establishing the Josh Neuman Foundation, which spreads the word to "Live A Good Story" and continues Josh's legacy of providing clean water, food, and shelter to those in need. In this emotionally charged episode, we delve into the Neuman's incredible journey. From the challenges and to t

Join the cohosts of the RV Entrepreneur podcast for a special Ask Us Anything episode. On today’s show, the cohosts will share some behind-the-scenes details on what they’re currently working on, as well as answer listener questions including:  Where do you find jobs from the road? What hardware and software do you need to run a business from the road? Which campsites have the most reliable, business-class WiFi? There were many tools and tech tips offered on this week’s episode. Here is a list of the ones we shared: Jim’s Business: @LiveWorkDream - https://liveworkdream.com @Tripawds - https://tripawds.com  Books:  Income Anywhere! The Ultimate Guide for How to Full-time RV & Support Your Nomadic Lifestyle Be More Dog: Learning to Live in the Now Rose’s Business: Reset Your Journey- https://resetyourjourney.com/ Full-time RV Coaching- https://resetyourjourney.com/fulltime-rv-coaching/ Kimberly’s Business: Roadpreneur: Roadpreneur.com Cruisin’ + Campfires: Cruisinandc

If you don't think teardop trailers can provide the comforts of an RV or stand up to tough terrain, then don't miss this episode! Jen and Chris Hudak started Escapod Trailers in 2016 after designing an adventure rig to meet their demanding needs when getting way off the beaten path. From building their first ruggedized teardrop trailer in the garage, they now operate from a 20,000 square foot manufacturing facility with two models they build from the ground up. Their growing customer base includes overlanders and adventure travelers from Florida to Fairbanks. Hear how the Escapod's monocoque design helps it outperform other excursion trailers. Learn how they launched and stood out in the crowded RV marketplace. And, discover how telling and their story is the best distribution model. Learn More at: https://escapod.us/ Connect with Escapod: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/escapodtrailers Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/escapodtrailers/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EscapodTrailers RE

If you’ve ever transitioned from a high-stress job, such as one steeped in protocols and life or death situations, over to the entrepreneurial space, this episode is for you. On today’s show, I (Kimberly Crossland) am talking to Suzy Wraines about her journey from the medical field into entrepreneurship and full-time RVing.  You’ll love this episode where she talks about how to simplify your business, from finding ideas through a proactive and personal brainstorming approach, to giving you the courage to talk about your fresh idea and still hold boundaries as you pursue that goal so that you can live the RV lifestyle with more freedom and flexibility. Follow Suzy to continue learning from her here:  Website: SuzyWraines.com   Podcast: https://suzywraines.com/page/podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzywraines/  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE RV ENTREPRENEUR https://therventrepreneur.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Join the RVE community on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/groups/therventrepreneurco

Have you ever wanted to renovate an RV with a more appealing design, or to better fit your full-time Lifestyle? Perhaps you've seen photos of some stylish interiors that don't even look like RVs. Well, that just may have been the work of Alice Zealy, our guest for this episode of The RV Entrepreneur. Since remodeling her first RV to better meet her needs when hitting the road full time, Alice has turned her passion for RV renovation into a successful business at Rain 2 Shine Ventures. With a background in architecture, Alice has a keen eye for design. And having traveled full-time, she understands the needs of clients living in their rigs. Her work has been featured on the cover of RV Enthusiast magazine and in numerous RVing lifestyle blog features. Alice shares her RV renovation tips, including what to look for when considering and older rig to remodel. We discuss the challenges when taking on a DIY project, and what materials hold up best against the wear and tear of full-time living. If you'v

Today we're diving into the other side of RV Entrepreneurism, the renovation and building side of Vintage RV Trailers with Nate Stover, the Owner, Head Builder & Designer at Innovative Spaces. From an early age, Nate became involved in the trades from building furniture to eventually building entire homes. His work has taken him through a myriad of crafts which have constantly been stretched to new limits in the small spaces and vintage trailer world. The trailers he works on at Innovative Spaces give him the opportunity to stretch all that he has learned and acquired through his years of experience to their full potential. Along with his previous building skills, he is also able to exercise his creative skills to produce something truly unique and functional. Every project that leaves the Innovative Spaces yard represents their ingenuity and years of craftsmanship, but most importantly YOU the customer! In this episode, Nate describes the process of renovating vintage Airstreams, the challenges o

Dylan Brown lives the go and do kind of RV life. His early car camping and extensive overlanding experience plus a love for motocross sports led him to launch Terra Bikes. As an entrepreneur often on the go, he gained first hand experience launching a major manufacturing business from his garage. Terra Bikes are the new low powered electric motorcycle designed and fabricated at Dylan's shop in Colorado. These are in no way your typical pedal assist e-bike. Terra Bikes are true long travel scrambler style dirt bikes built to climb anywhere and go fast. And, they're a lightweight alternative to your traditional toad for any size RV or van. Dylan describes the challenges of launching a manufacturing business in the regulation-filled vehicle niche with licensing requirements which may differ by state. We discuss the importance of identifying your target market, and the benefit of providing customization. You'll learn tips for ramping up production as a new on demand manufacturer, and what steps are n

For RVers, it's all about simplicity in business. With the resurgence of newsletters and the restructuring in how these newsletters make creators and entrepreneurs money, now is the perfect time for RV Entrepreneurs to jump back in. On this episode, your host for this week, Kimberly Crossland, will share her journey in starting a paid newsletter. You'll learn strategies for how to earn money via the inbox with more ease, authenticity and less sacrificed time on the road. Check out how Kimberly is using Substack for her paid newsletter here: https://roadpreneur.substack.com Follow Roadpreneur on Instagram: https://instagram.com/roadpreneur ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE RV ENTREPRENEUR https://therventrepreneur.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Join the RVE community on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/groups/therventrepreneurcommunity  Connect with RVE on all your favorite socialshttps://therventrepreneur.com/connect Got questions or comments for our hosts? Leave us a voice message! https://therventrepreneu

Have you listened to the RV LIFE Podcast? Dan and Patti Hunt have been sharing all aspects of the RV Lifestyle since they hit the road in 2019 after COVID turned their life upside down. After launching the RV LIFE Podcast in late 2022, it quickly ranked in the Top 10% of all podcasts worldwide. How did they do that? Spoiler alert: Authenticity plays a big role in the success of all the content they produce - on their show, the website and their Youtube channel: Exploring Through Our Lens. Tune in to discover the importance of knowing your Why. Understand your "moral compass" and what it means to be authentic in the work you do. And, learn how being positive can help you stand out in this age of clickbait and negativity. We also discuss purpose, overcoming fears, resilience, mindset, and more. Connect with Dan & Patti https://www.youtube.com/@ExploringThroughOurLens https://www.facebook.com/exploringthroughourlens RESOURCES MENTIONED: RV LIFE Podcast https://podcast.rvlife.com Exploring Through O

Today we have the pleasure of speaking with Shannon Neumann. He's been a full-time (location independent) remote worker for 10 years and a full-time RVer for 6 years. Over the last 3 years, he also started a side hustle, freelancing as a remote technology consultant (Hedgehog Technology Consulting, LLC.) Shannon and his wife initially jumped into part-time RVing for ease of travel and food preparations while running marathons, but after a couple years of moving their stuff in an out of their RV they decided that it would be easier to go full time! Shannon was already able to work remotely from anywhere, before hitting the road, but he still had to learn a few things before launching! In this episode we chat about: -The evolution of growing a side hustle while RVing with a full time job -RV and Camping styles for working on the road -Connectivity -Balancing life, remote work and travel -Distractions while working on the road -Lessons learned to enable a digital lifestyle -Advice before jumping into RV li

Ever wanted to turn your passion for photography into a business? Now consider taking that business on the road as you travel full-time with your own family. Wedding and Family photographer Jake Ford has done just that! Tune in to discover the joys and challenges of growing a successful family photography business from the road. Hear tips and get apps for fulfilling image orders or selling stock photos. Learn the importance of making connections, and consistently sharing quality content on social media. Spoiler alert: It's more about quality than it is quantity. Connect with Jake: https://jakefordphotography.com/ Instagram: @jakefordphotography https://www.instagram.com/jakefordphotography/ RESOURCES MENTIONED ------------------------------ Album Production: Millers Signature Albums - https://www.millerslab.com Red Tree - https://www.redtreealbums.com Photography Fulfillment Platforms: Pic-Time - https://www.pic-time.com/ Pixieset - https://pixieset.com/ Zenfolio - https://zenfolio.com/ Smug Mug - h

When it comes to running a business from the road, space, systems, and simplicity are paramount. Kelsey Henry is an author, entrepreneur, singer/songwriter, and owner of Cozy Organizing. She is a self-proclaimed cozy expert who gets a thrill out of decluttering and organizing spaces. Kelsey believes that a cozy space leads to a happy mind, and she is passionate about helping others achieve a sense of calm and order in their lives. Using her unique background as a life coach and full-time RVer, she helps her clients let go of the physical and emotional clutter to make space for what truly matters.She is the author of Growing Up Roadschooled: Stories, Lyrics, & Lessons Learned from Full-time RVing & Life After Roadschooling. Learn more about Kelsey at cozyorganizing.com or follow her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/cozyorganizing/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE RV ENTREPRENEUR https://therventrepreneur.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Join the RVE community on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/groups/th

The definition of "workamping" has evolved over the years. Traditionally, the arrangement included working at an RV park or campground in exchange for a place to camp. Technically, if you're working remotely wherever you camp, you now might consider yourself a workamper. But what are the different types of workamping jobs are available now? Are there short term gigs, and what kind of compensation is available? Where do you find workamping jobs, and what does a workamper resume look like? Jim sits down with Workamper News executive director Jody Anderson Duquette to discuss these questions, and more. Like, what seasonal opportunities are there? And, is workamping a career? Tune in as we bust some common myths about workamping too. Spoiler alert: Yes, there are jobs that include housing, and workamping is not just for retired couples. Resources Mentioned: Workamper News https://workamper.com Facebook Workampers Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/weloveworkamping 16+ Years of Workamping Exp

Do you ever feel like you wish you could have someone look from the outside in at your business and help you get clear on your goals, strengths, values, and roadblocks? Someone to be there for you, advocating for you and keeping you on track especially on those down days? Maybe you're just not sure what all your business offerings are worth? Or maybe your inner critic is a bit out of control lately and you need help managing your mind and emotions better! In this episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with Holly C. Priestly, a nomadic mindset and strategy coach for freelancers and entrepreneurs. Holly's been a mindset coach since 2016 and she lived out of her 1997 Ford E350 van for over 3 years with her pup traveling the American West. She traveled and worked as a freelance writer, a coach, and a photographer, and also picked up odd jobs as they presented themselves. Today, Holly shares her experience as a nomadic mindset and strategy coach and how she helps individuals build businesses that are

Don't miss this first AMA Roundtable discussion with all three hosts of The RV Entrepreneur podcast. Jim, Rose & Kimberly discuss answers to questions from the RVE community Facebook group. Learn tips for providing a return address when shipping physical products. And discover why having a domicile address affects more than just return shipping. What business models work best for nomadic entrepreneurs? Spoiler alert: it's the business that works best for you! This turns into a discussion about redefining success. And, find out what our hosts wish they knew when they first got started working from the road. RESOURCES MENTIONED Escapees RV Club and Mail Service:https://www.escapees.com/ Fulfillment by Amazon:https://sell.amazon.com/fulfillment-by-amazon ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~THE RV ENTREPRENEUR⁠https://therventrepreneur.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Join the RVE community on Facebook!⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/therventrepreneurcommunity Connect with RVE on all your favorite socialshttps://thervent

If you're into the van life this episode is for you! If not, you'll still enjoy hearing from vendors at the 2023 Adventure Van Expo in Evergreen Colorado. Jim hosts this live report on location during the expo. He gets the scoop on cool new products and services for loving the RV Life, including: New Electric Dirt Bikes from Terra Bikes Pyurify Compact UV Water Purification System Custom Fairings for any Vehicle Orthopedic Mattresses to fit any Van or RV Window Coverings & Storage Solutions And more... You'll also meet a few van conversion companies and outfitters, each unique in their own special way. Recorded live on location in Evergreen Colorado, July 8 & 9, 2023. Resources Mentioned: Adventure Van Expos: https://adventurevanexpo.com Terra Bikes https://terrabikes.com/ Wilderness Vans: https://wildernessvans.com Venturhaus: https://venturehaus.com Avatar Offroad: https://avataroffroad.com/ Pyurify Water Filter: https://www.rivernadventuredesigns.com/ Live More Camper Vans: http