What does it really take to build a life abroad when your career, visa options, and personal circumstances don’t neatly fit the mold? In this episode, Ali Dubrow shares how she went from a U.S.-based reality TV career to designing a freedom-based life in France, with visa roadblocks, a big dog, and strong family ties.

Key Takeaways

• The “move first vs. build first” decision isn’t one-size-fits-all. Your energy, finances, and lifestyle constraints matter more than generic advice.
• Moving abroad before hitting $3-5K/month can sometimes be the faster, easier path, especially if your current environment is draining your time, money, or motivation.
• There are flexible “stepping stone” visa options and countries that let you live affordably while building your business.
• Building first makes sense if you have stability, time, and a strategic reason to wait; but it should come with a clear timeline, not an open-ended delay.

At the end of the day, the right path is the one that gets you moving - not the one that keeps you stuck “preparing” forever. Whether you decide to move first or build first, the goal is the same: create momentum and design a life that actually works for you.

Subscribe and Review
If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more visionaries who need these insights. 🎙

Want to join Freedom Life Experience?
Hop on a call with Katti No matter when you’re ready to start, we’ll help you find the right fit.

Links & Resources:

→ Ali’s Instagram

→ Ali’s Substack

→ Follow me on Instagram to see my travels in Andalucia with my family

→ Follow Move Abroad Coach on Facebook

Your move abroad just got a serious upgrade. The NEW Move Abroad Master Plan is an 6-lesson, self-paced course that helps you:

• Create your personalized move abroad plan
• Gain clarity without the overwhelm
• Take action immediately

Plus, when you complete 6 lessons, you get a free 40-minute Master Plan Success Session with my team — your roadmap to actually making it happen.

This is your chance to turn your move abroad dreams into a plan you can actually follow. Register Now!

Want to Hear More Episodes Like This? What to Listen to Next:

#142 Moving to a French Fairytale Town… With a 90-Pound German Shepherd: Carissa’s Story

#146 When You’re Home for the Holidays and No One Really Gets You

#138 I Moved to Spain to Slow Down… But My Old Workaholic Habits Came With Me

#155 What Staying in the US for One More Year Is Actually Costing You

Should you move abroad now and figure it out as you go, or stay put until your business is “ready”? If you’ve been stuck between building income and starting your life overseas, this conversation will help you cut through the noise and choose the path that actually works for your reality.

Key Takeaways:

• The “move first vs. build first” decision isn’t one-size-fits-all. Your energy, finances, and lifestyle constraints matter more than generic advice.
• Moving abroad before hitting $3–5K/month can sometimes be the faster, easier path, especially if your current environment is draining your time, money, or motivation.
• There are flexible “stepping stone” visa options and countries that let you live affordably while building your business.
• Building first makes sense if you have stability, time, and a strategic reason to wait; but it should come with a clear timeline, not an open-ended delay.
• No matter which path you choose, you need proof of concept: getting even $1 from a client shifts you from “idea” to “real business.”

At the end of the day, the right path is the one that gets you moving, not the one that keeps you stuck “preparing” forever. Whether you decide to move first or build first, the goal is the same: create momentum and design a life that actually works for you.

Subscribe and Review
If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more visionaries who need these insights. 🎙

Want to join Freedom Life Experience?
Hop on a call with Katti No matter when you’re ready to start, we’ll help you find the right fit.

Links & Resources:

→ My NEW Youtube Channel

→ Follow me on Instagram to see my travels in Andalucia with my family

→ Follow Move Abroad Coach on Facebook

Your move abroad just got a serious upgrade. The NEW Move Abroad Master Plan is an 8-lesson, self-paced course that helps you:

• Create your personalized move abroad plan
• Gain clarity without the overwhelm
• Take action immediately

Plus, when you complete the course, you get a free 20-minute Master Plan Success Session with my team — your roadmap to actually making it happen.

This is your chance to turn your move abroad dreams into a plan you can actually follow. Register Now!

Want to Hear More Episodes Like This? What to Listen to Next:

#136 How to Build a Business AND Move Abroad (Without Losing Your Mind)

#124 Corporate Culture, Burnout & the Brave Choice to Start Over with Coach Evan Monroe

#137 Entrepreneurs: Why the Hell Are You Still Running Your Business from the U.S.?

#155 What Staying in the US for One More Year Is Actually Costing You

What does it look like for a queer couple (with 2 kids and 3 pets) to move from Massachusetts to the Netherlands? What does it take to move abroad as a family in general?

Grover and Nova are offering an honest look at the decision-making process and the reality of starting over.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Life as a queer family in the Netherlands
• How their quality of life has changed after moving
• What drove them towards leaving the U.S.
• Why they chose the Netherlands (and why not Amsterdam)
• Their Stay or Go Workbook (and how to decide if leaving the U.S. is right for you)
• Cost of living: rent, healthcare, and taxes
• Finding housing as immigrants with pets
• The DAFT visa and building a business abroad
• Settling in: the stressful first weeks vs. long-term rewards

Starting over (or even choosing to do so) can be a process, and this is how that process led Grover and Nova to their dreamy new life in the Netherlands.

Subscribe and Review
If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more visionaries who need these insights. 🎙

Want to join Freedom Life Experience?
Hop on a call with Katti No matter when you’re ready to start, we’ll help you find the right fit.

Links & Resources:
→ Grover & Nova’s Workbook

→ DAFT Resource

→ Risk benefit Toolkit

→ Nova’s Instagram

→ Grover’s Instagram

→ My Freebie

→ Follow my Spain life on Instagram

→ Follow Move Abroad Coach on Facebook

Your move abroad just got a serious upgrade. The Move Abroad Master Plan is an 8-lesson, self-paced course that helps you:

• Create your personalized move abroad plan
• Gain clarity without the overwhelm
• Take action immediately

Plus, when you complete the course, you get a free 20-minute Master Plan Success Session with my team — your roadmap to actually making it happen.

This is your chance to turn your move abroad dreams into a plan you can actually follow. Register Now!

Want to Hear More Episodes Like This? What to Listen to Next:

#44 Fresh Off the Plane! Moving to the Netherlands (with a husband and two cats) featuring Monica Hay

#142 Moving to a French Fairytale Town… With a 90-Pound German Shepherd: Carissa’s Story

#99 Buying a Home for €30K?! Heather’s Story of Moving to Southern Spain

#155 What Staying in the US for One More Year Is Actually Costing You

The irony of the Freedom Life entrepreneur realizing that she hasn't truly unplugged in a decade.

I’m sharing the uncomfortable truth behind my work habits, and the experiment I’m about to run: three full weeks completely offline. No Slack, no email, no “quick check-ins.”

Key Takeaways

• I haven’t taken a fully unplugged vacation in 10 years (and didn’t realize how much that mattered)
• “Half-working, half-living” has been my default, and it’s the reason everything feels harder than it should
• Building a Freedom Life means actually living it, not recreating hustle culture in a new country
• True rest isn’t just time off: It’s mental disconnection from responsibility
• You deserve time off, even (and especially) if you work for yourself

This three-week break is my experiment in stepping fully away, and trusting that everything will be okay. Consider this your wake-up call: when was the last time you truly switched off? Not worked from a prettier location, but actually rested?

Subscribe and Review
If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more visionaries who need these insights. 🎙

Want to join Freedom Life Experience?
Hop on a call with Katti & we’ll help you find the right fit.

Links & Resources:

→ Follow me on Instagram to see my travels in Andalucia with my family

→ Follow Move Abroad Coach on Facebook

Recommended Books:

→ Clockwork: Design Your Business to Run Itself

→ Buy Back Your Time: Get Unstuck, Reclaim Your Freedom, and Build Your Empire

→ Who Not How: The Formula to Achieve Bigger Goals Through Accelerating Teamwork

→ Profit First: Transform Your Business From a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine

Your move abroad just got a serious upgrade. The Move Abroad Master Plan is an 8-lesson, self-paced course that helps you:

• Create your personalized move abroad plan
• Gain clarity without the overwhelm
• Take action immediately

Plus, when you complete the course, you get a free 20-minute Master Plan Success Session with my team — your roadmap to actually making it happen.

This is your chance to turn your move abroad dreams into a plan you can actually follow. Register Now!

Want to Hear More Episodes Like This? What to Listen to Next:

#138 I Moved to Spain to Slow Down… But My Old Workaholic Habits Came With Me

#147 The Biggest Lessons of 2025, and the Intentions I’m Setting for 2026

#145 Meet Your 2026 Self: The Version of You Who’s Already Living Abroad and Thriving in Business

My family spent two months traveling across Greece, Italy, and Spain - visiting 8 cities with a toddler - all to figure out where in the world we actually wanted to live next.

I’m breaking down the real experience of a scouting trip: how we chose destinations, what surprised us, the emotional rollercoaster of not finding “the one” right away, and how we ultimately made our decision.

If you’re trying to choose where to move abroad (and feeling overwhelmed), this episode will help you think about it in a much clearer, more grounded way.

What I cover:

• How we narrowed the world down using visas, lifestyle priorities, and real-life constraints
• Why doing “normal life” (not tourist activities) is the key to a successful scouting trip
• The emotional reality of not loving your first (or second… or third) destination
• Why some places felt amazing (hello, Chania) but didn’t work in real life
• The unexpected red flags we only noticed once we were there
• How we chose between Valencia, Málaga, and Chania (and what tipped the scales)
• The biggest lessons: what we did right, what we’d do differently, and whether or not you should do a scouting trip

You’re not just choosing a city; you’re choosing a lifestyle. And often, the “right” place isn’t the most beautiful or exciting, or even the one you expected to love the most… It’s the one that fits your everyday life the best.

Subscribe and Review
If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more visionaries who need these insights. 🎙

Want to join Freedom Life Experience?
Hop on a call with Katti No matter when you’re ready to start, we’ll help you find the right fit.

Links & Resources:
→ Scouting Trip Checklist

→ Evan’s YouTube

→ Follow my Spain life on Instagram

→ Follow Move Abroad Coach on Facebook

Your move abroad just got a serious upgrade. The Move Abroad Master Plan is an 8-lesson, self-paced course that helps you:

• Create your personalized move abroad plan
• Gain clarity without the overwhelm
• Take action immediately

Plus, when you complete the course, you get a free 20-minute Master Plan Success Session with my team — your roadmap to actually making it happen.

This is your chance to turn your move abroad dreams into a plan you can actually follow. Register Now!

Want to Hear More Episodes Like This? What to Listen to Next:

#105 Before We Move Abroad, We Need a Scouting Trip - Here’s How We’re Planning It (ft. My Husband Chris)

#102 I Used ChatGPT to Find My Next Country - Here’s How You Can Too!

#119 Valencia, Málaga, or Chania? We Made Our Choice (and We’re Spilling Everything)

Tad Hopp is joining us today! Tad is a sobriety coach for gay men, and he recently moved to Amsterdam on the DAFT visa. His story is about finally taking action after decades of waiting, getting on the same page as his husband, and building a new community abroad.

Tad and I are covering:

• Why he finally made the move (after ~30 years)
• His husband’s initial hesitancy and how he gradually came around, especially after seeing Tad take action
• The right timing: How the current political landscape and new access to resources played their roles
• Why the Netherlands DAFT visa was the best path
• How relationships can take time to align for big changes
• The move isn’t always smooth: pushing through the “what have I done?” phase
• Community and putting yourself out there is everything once you make it over

Big moves aren’t perfect. They're messy and uncertain, but waiting isn’t risk-free either. Tad’s advice: take the leap, figure it out as you go, and trust that it’ll all work out.

Subscribe and Review
If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more visionaries who need these insights. 🎙

Want to join Freedom Life Experience?
Hop on a call with Katti No matter when you’re ready to start, we’ll help you find the right fit.

Links & Resources:
→ Tad’s Live Event on April 11

→ Tad’s TikTok

→ Tad’s Instagram

→ Follow my Spain life on Instagram

→ Follow Move Abroad Coach on Facebook

Your move abroad just got a serious upgrade. The Move Abroad Master Plan is an 8-lesson, self-paced course that helps you:

• Create your personalized move abroad plan
• Gain clarity without the overwhelm
• Take action immediately

Plus, when you complete the course, you get a free 20-minute Master Plan Success Session with my team — your roadmap to actually making it happen.

This is your chance to turn your move abroad dreams into a plan you can actually follow. Register Now!

Want to Hear More Episodes Like This? What to Listen to Next:

#44 Fresh Off the Plane! Moving to the Netherlands (with a husband and two cats) featuring Monica Hay

#122 Afraid to Start? This Freedom Life Client Moved Abroad and Launched a Business Anyway — with Bryce Althouse

#136 How to Build a Business AND Move Abroad (Without Losing Your Mind)

I'm getting really personal in this one. After 13 years of living abroad, moving to Spain with my husband and daughter, and having multiple team members living in the same city... I still felt lonely. And I didn't know how to admit it.

In this completely unscripted episode, I share what it's actually been like coming back to Málaga after being gone for three months, diving straight into bootcamp mode, and realizing that my business manager Evan had built this entire social life while I was gone… and I was jealous.

I talk about the moment I finally admitted to Evan that I felt left out and lonely, and what happened when I did. Spoiler: he told me he felt lonely too, even with all those friends. And that conversation changed everything.

What I cover:

• Why loneliness can happen even when you move abroad with a partner or family
• The scary moment I asked Evan to introduce me to his friends (and why it felt so awkward)
• How I forced myself to reach out to three people I'd only met once or twice (and what happened)
• Why we hold ourselves back from being vulnerable about loneliness
• The difference between locals and other expats when it comes to building community
• How admitting "I have no friends" at a meetup actually helped me make friends
• My "big asks" practice and how asking for what you need (even socially) is worth the discomfort

The big lesson: Loneliness abroad isn't a sign you made the wrong choice. It's a sign you're human. And the solution isn't going back home, it's reaching out.

This episode is raw, honest, and probably the most vulnerable I've been on the podcast. If you've ever felt lonely (or you're worried you will when you move), this one's for you.

Subscribe and Review
If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more visionaries who need these insights. 🎙

Want to join Freedom Life Experience?
Hop on a call with Katti No matter when you’re ready to start, we’ll help you find the right fit.

Links & Resources:

→ Move Abroad Coach Programs

→ Follow my Spain life on Instagram

→ Follow Move Abroad Coach on Facebook

Your move abroad just got a serious upgrade. The Move Abroad Master Plan is an 8-lesson, self-paced course that helps you:

• Create your personalized move abroad plan
• Gain clarity without the overwhelm
• Take action immediately

Plus, when you complete the course, you get a free 20-minute Master Plan Success Session with my team — your roadmap to actually making it happen.

This is your chance to turn your move abroad dreams into a plan you can actually follow. Register Now!

Want to Hear More Episodes Like This? What to Listen to Next:

#101 Enneagram & Moving Abroad: How Personality Shapes the Experience with Coach Lee Milligan (mentioned in the episode)

#132 Moving Abroad Alone, With a Partner, or With Kids: Which Is Actually Harder?

#140 Three Months In… Are We Still Loving Málaga?

#49 How to Make Friends and Meet People Abroad

Kalie from Expats Everywhere is back on the podcast to talk all things Portugal. Since her last appearance, she’s launched Slate & Key, a white-glove relocation service helping people move to Portugal.

In this episode, we talk:

• Why Portugal is such a popular destination for Americans
• Portugal vs. Spain
• The Portuguese digital nomad visa and why it can be complicated
• How to not lose your mind in the process of applying
• Kalie’s experiences living in Portugal
• Housing, taxes, and healthcare abroad
• How long the relocation process usually takes

From navigating visas to understanding healthcare, we break down the real logistics of making the move, and how having the right support can make a big difference.

Subscribe and Review
If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more visionaries who need these insights. 🎙

Want to join Freedom Life Experience?
Hop on a call with Katti No matter when you’re ready to start, we’ll help you find the right fit.

Links & Resources:

→ Slate and Key

→ Free Portugal Webinar

→ Follow my Spain life on Instagram

→ Follow Move Abroad Coach on Facebook

Connect with Expats Everywhere:

→ ExpatsEverywhere YouTube

→ ExpatsEverywhere Instagram

Your move abroad just got a serious upgrade. The Move Abroad Master Plan is an 8-lesson, self-paced course that helps you:

• Create your personalized move abroad plan
• Gain clarity without the overwhelm
• Take action immediately

Plus, when you complete the course, you get a free 20-minute Master Plan Success Session with my team — your roadmap to actually making it happen.

This is your chance to turn your move abroad dreams into a plan you can actually follow. Register Now!

Want to Hear More Episodes Like This? What to Listen to Next:

#38 Country Spotlight: Moving to Portugal with Josh and Kalie from Expats Everywhere

#71 Which Visa Do You Need? Breaking Down Your Options

#73 Navigating the Visa Maze: The Inside Scoop on Digital Nomad Visas with Tim Marting

#87 We’re Moving! Here’s Why We’re Leaving Tbilisi and What Comes Next