What I Do

You know how when you meet a new person, one of the first things they ask is “So, what do you do?”

That’s not an easy question for me.

I used to have a simple answer: “I’m a teacher.” How convenient to have one-word answers that everybody understands!

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Then I went into my state job and became a “Licensing Specialist,” which required a little explanation, but I could do it in a sentence. “I inspect and license child care facilities such as day care centers, family child care homes, and preschools.”

These days, my default answer is “I’m a writer.” This always prompts the question, “So what do you write?”

The truth is, I’m a writer, and kind of lots of other miscellaneous things. A website designer of sorts. Kind of a virtual assistant sometimes. A bit of an internet marketer.  A traveler.  In short, a digital nomad.

I write and edit books, blogs, newsletters, case studies, website copy, bios and product descriptions, both for myself and my own products and for clients and their products. I create, design, or update websites and digital products (such as courses, ebooks, videos, etc).

The work I do is mostly behind the scenes, but in some form or another it reaches tens of thousands of people each month.

The fun thing about all the stuff I do is that it’s location independent. Not only that, but all my projects revolve around travel, location independent businesses and lifestyles, and personal development in some form or another. I love these topics!

Aside from LilyAnnFouts.com, this personal blog/author headquarters where I promote my books (Stella the Starling, Live Like a Local in Loja, and Seven Years Running) and share tidbits from my life, a few of my other current or recent projects are:

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TravelBeyondExcuse.com

A website owned, designed and managed by me in which I focus on travel for teachers, but is relevant to almost anybody with a modest budget and/or restricted to a school year schedule, such as families with kids.

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TeachESL.online

A brand new website for my sister’s business which shows people how to start and succeed in a career teaching English as a Second Language via the internet. (I’m running the business/marketing/tech side of things, while Rose, my sister, creates the content.)

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The Sweet Ass Journal to Develop Your Happiness Muscle in 100 Days

This is an awesome personal development resource created by my friend and client, Heath Armstrong. I edited this, so was one of the first people to see it, and it has been really cool to watch it come together. I’ve incorporated this journal into my daily practice and I love it!

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TheParadisePack.com

An exciting once-a-year bundle sale compiled by my friends and clients, Jason and Trav, especially for people interested in travel, business, and location independence. I put together the contributor and product sections on the site this year and will be helping with customer support. Last year I also helped write and edit the free guide about how various people make money via location independent businesses (you can get the free guide HERE). My sister’s ebook, Teach ESL Online, and Heath’s Sweet Ass Journal are both in the Paradise Pack this year!*

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LocationIndie.com

A membership community (also founded by Jason and Trav) for people who are location independent (or want to become LI). I write the weekly newsletters for both members and non-members, help manage the forums, compile and design members-only content for the site, schedule and set up online events, etc.

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ExtraPackOfPeanuts.com

A website and podcast by my friends/clients, Trav and Heather, for people who want to travel more and spend less. I compile the content and links for the weekly newsletters and do other miscellaneous stuff on occasion.

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This, in addition to writing and marketing my own books, keeping up with new business, tech, and travel info that is relevant to me/my audience/my clients, keeping the house in order, shopping, prepping, and cooking relatively healthy meals each day, attempting to stay in shape, moving to a new state or country every few months, and involvement in other activities such as Toastmasters, volunteer work, and documenting the earthbag house building project, keeps me quite busy.

Now when people ask, “So, what do you do?” I guess I will just send them here and save myself the long explanation! Haha!

While I absolutely love all the projects I’m involved in—some of which I will continue to be involved in just because I love them so much—I’d like to reach the point someday where I could make a living from my own books. Truthfully, my two books currently on the market are a labor of love which never have and never will make much money because they are written for very small and specific audiences. I expect my future books (which I will write for wider audiences and market more extensively) will do better!

So that, my friends, is what I do!

*P.S. If you’re interested in the awesome Paradise Pack and decide to order it via our link (CLICK HERE), Rose (my sister) and I will earn a commission for the referral. We both really appreciate your support for the hard work we do, and we’re planning out some special bonuses for the folks who buy using our link!  It’ll be on sale May 30 – June 5, 2017, then gone forever.  Next year the products will be different!