5 Qualities Expats and Entrepreneurs Have in Common

Being an expat and a small business owner go hand in hand, because as a foreigner in Costa Rica (and many other countries) you cannot legally work, but you CAN legally start a business, or work for yourself online. But like us, many of our expat friends and clients are serial entrepreneurs because they love it. It takes certain qualities and personal motivations for someone to choose to move to a foreign country, and many of those qualities overlap with those of an entrepreneur or small business owner. Both ventures are certainly not the easy route to take in life. Maybe you’re considering one or both, and wondering if you have what it takes. Well we think we’ve nailed down the top 5 qualities.

So what is it that makes a person want to leave everything that is safe and familiar in exchange for the challenges and uncertainties of starting a business and moving to a new country? Here’s what we think, and our personal perspective on each quality.

1. You are endlessly idealistic

You HAVE to be quite the dreamer to want to start your own business or live abroad. Most people have goals that create a safety net around them, like a steady full-time job, buying a house, or staying close to family and friends. So if your goal is to buy a one-way ticket to a country where you don’t know anyone and can’t legally work for someone else– the dream must be STRONG. If you’re an entrepreneur, often you are starting a business to solve a problem or do something better than the competition. It’s your idealism that motivates you to stick with your goal despite the challenges. As an expat or immigrant, you may believe strongly that the culture and way of life in another country is healthier or more enjoyable, or alternatively, you may be so strongly against the politics or lifestyle in your own country that you feel you need to leave. Either way, your stance is firm and you are chasing the dream of a better life because it is so personally meaningful to you.

For us, we both came to Costa Rica (separately) because we felt very strongly that life in the U.S. was unhealthy and unbalanced. We actually bonded over sharing a strong drive to create a life that was slower, more focused on art, nature and relationships than material wealth and status. We also felt that working for someone else was stifling and unrewarding, and believed that we could start our own business that would allow us to have more freedom. Doesn’t get more idealistic than that. But we’ve slowly been turning it into a reality!

2. You are bored without a challenge

If you’re the type of person who hates repetition and predictability, and loves solving new problems and wearing many hats– you will be an excellent entrepreneur or expat. Both roles require a nimble mindset, where new challenges arise daily and instead of feeling defeated by them, you feel inspired. Problem solvers are bored in a predictable office job setting, where the routine numbs your inspiration and doesn’t engage your constantly scheming mind. Expats are faced with daily challenges from learning a new language to building a new network of friends. Entrepreneurs are challenged by having to understand all facets of their new business from financing to marketing to team management, and make important decisions in all areas.

We admit that there are times when the challenges become overwhelming, but when the alternative is a monotonous trap, working for someone else’s benefit– we’ll step up to the plate! Plus we are natural problem-solvers, and love that feeling of accomplishment when you finally get something right or figure out something new. Being expats AND entrepreneurs means we are doing that on the daily, whether it’s troubleshooting something during a website build, or looking up a new Spanish word we don’t know how to say yet.

3. You have uncompromising independence

A strong-willed, independent person wants to do things on their own terms and isn’t waiting around for anyone to do it with them. They are confident enough in themselves and with their decision making skills to forge ahead solo in life to accomplish their goals. You probably don’t do well with following orders from above, and may even be a little annoyed with team projects or group decision making. You also need to be a very independent person to willingly put yourself in scenarios that can be isolating at times. Even if you are traveling or moving with a partner, you’re still leaving all the comforts and familiarities of home, and there are times when you will feel pretty lonely and out of place in another country. As an entrepreneur, you can have those same feelings without a team and an office community to support you, and many entrepreneurs report feelings of loneliness and isolation. But some personality types are more fit to be solo than others, and deal with these scenarios well, and being your own boss is the ultimate independence. You can make your own schedule, work at your own pace, set your own goals, and hold only yourself accountable for your business’ performance.

We both have always been very independent types, and have a natural inclination to do the opposite of what the crowds are doing. That’s even what causes conflict for us in our personal and business relationships–the fact that we are both so strong-willed.  Even before starting our own business we were both freelancer types. Not because we had problems with commitment, but because it was difficult to commit to something that wasn’t your own. Living in Costa Rica, we have both gone through moments of loneliness or feeling out of place here, but we are also the type to have small groups of close friends rather than large networks of acquaintances. We are also pretty introverted and value alone time to think and create, so being isolated in a remote part of the world as a foreigner actually feels pretty nice.

4. You have passionate perseverance

Making a decision to live abroad or start a business are not things you can achieve overnight, or give up on too long before you fail. They’re long-term, challenging decisions that you really need grit to achieve. Sticking with it, keeping your eye on the goal, and staying positive are essential qualities for expats and entrepreneurs. This quality is kind of the combination of our first two on the list, because it’s usually your idealism that fuels you to keep overcoming these challenges. But the ability to persevere during challenges that you may not be able to solve so easily, is what will keep your dreams alive in the long run.

There have been many times when each of us has felt like throwing in the towel, wondering why we chose such a difficult path. We wished that we could be happy with the cookie cutter lifestyle that so many others follow and seem content with. But we always come back to building the life we feel passionate about here in Costa Rica: running our design agency, making art, living in a peaceful environment and being close to nature. Those things are what we are passionate about and the motivation to stick to our goals even in the most defeated moments, again and again.

5. You have a love for learning

This point really goes along with the previous, because that passion and perseverance are really complemented by a love to learn. If you didn’t love absorbing new information, understanding new concepts and acquiring new skills, you probably wouldn’t be driven to keep overcoming challenges and getting closer to your dreams. As an expat you have to research visa and residency requirements, the country’s laws and policies, possibly learn a new language, about a new culture, your new neighborhood, and how to get things done there. For entrepreneurs, learning new skills and staying current on trends goes without saying.  You’ll also need to learn new things as the world changes and technology develops, and constantly be on top of how that effects your business. If you get exhausted or frustrated with learning new skills and absorbing concepts, expat life or entrepreneurship is not for you.

Part of the reason for coming to Central America was to continue learning Spanish for me (Laura), and I also taught myself the web coding skills I needed to work in the tech industry and then start our business. Trever has taken it upon himself to learn more about car and boat mechanics, free diving, fishing, photography and plenty more skills since living in Costa Rica. We love learning new things and staying challenged because it feels great when you have achieved a level of mastery, even at a basic level. We definitely believe that the more well-rounded you are, the more you open yourself up to adventures, opportunities and options in life. And the knowledge and experience you gain from being an expat or an entrepreneur are the true rewards in the end.

If you’re interested in moving to Costa Rica and/or starting a small business here, follow us for tips, join one of our expat exploration retreats, and of course, contact us for all your branding, website and marketing needs when you are ready to begin your new business here!