If you’re here, surely, you’re an entrepreneur or an aspiring entrepreneur. Going out on a limb here, but chances are, you’ve gotten yourself onto this road as part of your bigger pursuit of freedom.

Am I right? I thought so.

Welcome, Freedom Seeker! Freedom can look many different ways. Different for you than it does for me. And then there’s some overlap:

• The ability to be wherever, whenever
• The freedom of choice – and ability to make decisions in alignment with your values.
• A love for adventure
• A desire to liberate your soul
• Location Independence
• Freedom of Time
• Financial Freedom
  

The above might be what you type into Google or YouTube when lost for direction or inspiration. The below, on the other hand, is what you need to write in your journal.

In that sense, this article allows you to forge a sustainable freedom path through business that is aligned with, and uplifts your definition of freedom.

Freedom is a result not of entrepreneurship itself, but of changing your relationship with your thoughts, habits, and values. When you do so, your business model can smartly align with your ever-evolving ideal version of freedom.

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My Path into a Freedom Based Lifestyle

As for me, I didn’t exactly take action from an intentional, well-planned place when I first followed the call of freedom. Instead, I acted rebelliously.

Within just one year, the idea of staying at my 9-5 in Los Angeles had become synonymous with suffocation. When I was offered the golden ticket – promotion, raise, three-year visa sponsorship – I handed in my notice and booked a flight to Vietnam:

Freedom!! 

At some point on that backpacker’s trip, I began to put pen to paper to ask myself some pretty existential questions. 

Uncomfortable questions. Inquiries that ultimately led me to become a professional coach. Questions that instilled a desire in me to not only lead a freedom based lifestyle but help others do the same as well. 

Without that legwork of truly getting to know my vision for my freedom based life, this business wouldn’t exist. And it wouldn’t have persevered over the last 5 years. 

While the ultimate shape of your freedom business may look entirely different from mine, the initial groundwork required of you is the same that was required of me. And it’s work that’s ongoing.

A Freedom Based Business is a Mindset First, a Business Model Second

Read the headline again. Freedom is a mindset, not a business model.

And while you may be diligently researching how to start a freedom based business, learning about how to grow a blog, build a website, and an Instagram audience all at once, freedom won’t come from entrepreneurship unless you let it.

In fact, entrepreneurship can hold you prisoner just the same a 9-5 did, except with less financial security and a bit more time flexibility.

That is when you’ve not gained clarity on who you wish to live your life as, you are not able to build a business that supports your dream for freedom.

What’s needed, first and foremost, is clarity on what freedom is to YOU.

What is a Freedom Based Business?

Typically, a freedom based business allows you to create a lifestyle that suits your desires and needs best while maintaining and growing financial stability and impact through your services.

So how can starting a business lead to financial freedom? The very concept of financial freedom implies a freedom of choice and time, for you’re only really free when you can choose when to spend your money and what on.

With that in mind, while modern-day office structures such as ROWE (Results Only Workplace Environments) or remote work can support your path to freedom, the ultimate freedom of mind can only come through entrepreneurship.

Define What Freedom is to You

Creating a freedom based lifestyle will ask a lot of you. And answering the call with have you handsomely rewarded.

First, you must know where it is you’re going. Otherwise, you likely won’t get there.

Without a clear North Star in mind, you may not have the courage to keep going. Getting a job might seem easier. Smarter. And the vision of freedom will fade into the background.

The absolute first thing I need you to do, therefore, is to truly go within:

What does freedom really mean to you?

Now, that’s a big question to spend ample time with. These prompts can help you do so:

• What in my current life drains me the most? What would happen if these aspects of my life intensified?
• What in my current life excites or energizes me the most? What would happen if these aspects of my life intensified?
• When left to my own devices, what do I yearn to do?
• What does an ideal day in my life look like?
• If money wasn’t an issue, and if I could be sure that all of my friends and family fully and unconditionally supported me, what would I set out to do right now?

You may wish to take these questions to an AirBnB over the weekend, retreat-style. You could take them into meditation. You could use them to create a vision board: a visual representation of your ideal freedom based lifestyle.

I’d encourage you to notice and park any limiting beliefs or doubts in a separate journal. Some coaches will tell you to ignore them. I’ll tell you that they are filled with wisdom and, in many ways, they are the key to changing the course of your life entirely.

Strengthen Your Freedom Mindset

A freedom mindset is a way of relating to your life and business from a place of loving and forgiveness.

It’s a mindset that encourages you to take action in your life and business in support of your dreams, not in against-ness to your current or former life.

It’s a mindset that, ultimately, will sustain your pursuit of freedom, location independence, time freedom, and a freedom based business.

Without it, you won’t be able to sustain the changes you wish to make to your lifestyle.

If that sounds a bit hard, yeah it is. And it’s the most rewarding journey anyone can walk. In order to create a freedom mindset, one must typically embark on a path that:

• Identifies and evolves any beliefs around what success requires.
• Acknowledges the fear of failure and being outcast by one’s community.
• Breaks down any patterns that lead one to ‘work hard’ for the sake of working hard.
• Encourages one to heal any past trauma as there is wisdom and freedom within that healing journey
• Emboldens one to defy society’s path and begin to lean on a new definition of freedom, success, and growth.

Oh, trust me, if I didn’t do this work every single day, I’d be back in Germany working for the man.

Engage with this prompt daily to strengthen your freedom mindset:

What does freedom mean to me, today? And how can I make room for that kind of freedom in the average-ness of today?

The above is a process. It’s a process I facilitate 24/7 inside of Freedom Seekers Community, a membership filled with online entrepreneurs that seek freedom of expectations, judgment, location and time. Because they know there’s freedom in paving your own path.

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Set Freedom-Aligned Life and Business Goals

As much as mindset matters, any vision is just a dream unless you take daily action on it. 

Sounds restrictive? Ironically, following a plan for freedom can be one of the most liberating things you’ll do for yourself. 

Imagine having a goal you KNOW, in your bones, that is aligned with your definition of freedom. Wouldn’t you love to act on that goal? 

You better believe that’s freedom in action right there. 

So how do you create freedom aligned goals? You take a piece of paper, create the categories listed below, set the date to be 5 years into the future, and reverse-engineer your goals from there. 

• Lifestyle (type of house, type of country you want to live in, type of adventures you can afford, type of friends you hang out with…)
• Income (and what do you want that income to afford you in life and business?)
• Time (how are you spending your time? How many hours are you working on your business?)
• Community (Who are you serving? What impact is your business having?)

Next, see, if you can fold the above goals in half: Where would you need to be in two to three years in order to be on track with your long-term goals?

Finally, come up with a 12-month action plan: What is it you’d like to have created by the end of 12 months? And what milestones will you pursue during each of the next 12 months?

You may find this plan to be fussy, having yet to determine your exact business model. And, that can be a part of it: Maybe you spend the first three

months in research, finding like-minded communities and mentors, and laying out your business and products.

Create Boundaries around your Freedom Priorities

A freedom mindset is only as good as your willingness to act on it. Your freedom based business will provide you with the freedom you desire because its structure celebrates and supports your freedom priorities.

To do that, you’ll first need to determine what is and isn’t part of that life: your freedom priorities.

For example, one of my biggest freedom priorities is location independence. It’s why I’ve set up my coaching business to support my desire for time and location freedom.

Meanwhile, I won’t be caught dead taking on a contract that requires me to be in one and the same place for longer than a week. A conference? Great. A retreat? Love it. A 6 month residence coaching contract? Pass. For $100K? Still pass.

This is why it’s so crucial to define exactly what freedom means to you. With that definition clear, you can set boundaries to protect your growing freedom.

Every day, how can you move to protect your freedom priorities 2% more? For example:

• If a freedom priority for you is time, you could minimize the window during which you take client calls even if that ‘inconveniences’ your clients. You’ll show up better if you honor your freedom priorities.
• If a freedom priority is location independence, you could start by working from local cafes once a week.

See, 2% of change made over the course of 50 days can change 100% of your life. There’s so much power in starting small.

Join a Freedom Community

When I first started on this entrepreneurial journey away from all convention and and towards freedom, the one thing that kept me sane, on track, growing, and somewhat fearless, was a community.

Over the years, I’ve been part of multiple masterminds, coaching communities, and I have run my own retreats, masterminds, and peer groups to both provide and get that support.

Yes, the path towards a freedom based lifestyle is often one of defiance. However, it doesn’t have to be a lonely one. There are many, many, defiant individuals out there who crave to be around like-minded people.

Joining a community can expedite your growth as a human, and as a result, your growth as a business owner.

If you like what you’re reading here, you might consider accepting my invitation to join Freedom Seekers Community.

How to start a freedom based business

Of course, there’s a big action-based and strategic piece to creating and growing a freedom based business. Without the mindset piece, all hope is gone.

As a freedom based business owner, you mustn’t make the mistake of only working on your mindset as a way of procrastinating on taking action. That would defeat the whole purpose.

There are plenty of business models that can help you attain freedom through entrepreneurship. So, I can’t provide you with a step-by-step guide for all of these (honestly, endless) models.

That said, there are actions all business owners should take that are often overlooked. It’s easy to jump straight into “imma build a YouTube or Instagram following“.

I beg you, there are steps you want to be taking before you do this.

Determine your Freedom Business Model

If you are still determining which business model suits you best, listen up. Rather than looking at other’s business models, think of your own personality and wishes first.

Ultimately, that’s what will determine your products, your clients, your marketing, and your income streams. And yes, unlike what many online marketers would have you know, there are many many paths to freedom.

• What is your experience? What do your friends come to you for advice on?
• How do you typically meet new people?
• Through which mediums do you enjoy consuming information or learning?
• What excites you the most about your life? How can a business elevate this?

At this stage, it’s a good idea to be mindful of balancing seeking inspiration on social media with looking within and listening to your own intuition.

Also, note that owning your own business allows you the freedom to pivot and adjust your business structure to your evolving needs. Having this business freedom is key to living a freedom based lifestyle.

Clarify your Expertise and your Unique Message

Your freedom based business may or may not rely on your expertise. If you are growing a service-based business or a coaching business, it will. However, if you’re growing a drop-shipping business, it may not.

It’s a good idea to examine which of your skills can be turned into a business while upholding your freedom priorities. In fact, I’d encourage you to start there. In my experience, the pursuit of freedom comes with an innate desire for impact.

Outside of your immediate expertise, your hobbies might draw you towards certain business models. Maybe you love writing – KDPs or blogging might be right for you…

Whichever expertise, hobbies, and skills of you find their way into your business, you’ll need to find a way to stand out. This is your unique message. Your ‘bold voice’, as one of my mentors calls it.

You’re seeking freedom – time to capitalize on that. The way to success in entrepreneurship goes right through your own opinions, and the willingness to share what’s on your mind:

• What are your opinions? 
• What’s your unique take on X, Y, and Z issues? 
• What gets you all worked up? And what solutions do you have in mind? 
• What are you passionate about beyond measure? 

It’s these questions that will help your product(s) stand out.

Build a Network (~ Grow and Audience)

So far, I’ve encouraged you to do a lot of work inside your mind and journals. Well, the final two things I’ll share with you will get you moving out and about.

It’s time to build a network. Building one is often crucial to getting desired jobs and promotions. It’s no different in business: a network of entrepreneurial colleagues will open mind and doors for you.

Even if you remain a solopreneur forever, you can’t do it alone. Besides, a community of colleagues and mentors will lift you up and supercharge your goals.

A few places where you can grow your network are:

• Facebook groups (by being an active and collaborative participant)
• Free webinars and masterminds with open chats
• Virtual and in-person conferences
• Curated communities such as Freedom Seekers Community and masterminds

Hire a Mentor

Ultimately, a big part of creating a freedom lifestyle is money and learning how to run and grow a business sustainably.

And you can certainly figure this out through YouTube and free Facebook groups and lots of wrong turns and setbacks.

Ultimately, I’ve never once heard of a successful business owner who is without a coach, mentor, and peer-group. It simply does not exist. Call it a freedom business coach.

And why wouldn’t you rely on the expertise and experience of a mentor? Doing so is a direct shortcut towards success.

Investing in a mentor or coach is also such a strong statement towards your business and your future:

It means you’re going all in. It means you’re committed to making a change. You’ve got skin in the game. You’re done dabbling, and ready to take directed, aligned, and intentional action.

Final Words

Building a freedom based business and life is one of the most rewarding pursuits I know of.

When you set out to create a lifestyle that is truly aligned with your innermost self, you’re in for an adventurous journey.

One that will take you away from the path society has ever-so-neatly laid out for us. And it will take you onto a path that will only just reveal itself once you’re on it.

You may find the pursuit of freedom insurmountable. I’m here to say: It is NOT.

Everything you need to get started is already within reach: you just need to decide to make freedom a priority and put pen to paper.

What is it you’ll do first, having read this article? Let me know in the comments.

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