Entrepreneur Expat
On this podcast, we connect entrepreneurial expats and aspiring expats together to build a global community of adventurous entrepreneurs. Each week we bring you a new podcast where we share our expat adventures and highlight 6 and 7 figure expat entrepreneurs on how they run a business from anywhere in the world.
Entrepreneur Expat
How to Globally Diversify Your Income with Diana McLaughlin
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V I D E O S T O W A T C H N E X T :
Online Business Tips to Working and Traveling In Mexico: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zGH0voCyOc&list=PLh3xKhkMgH_IA6s3KvB_g9Cc9Ze1eji8j&index=2
Moving to Mexico: 10 Reasons Why We Chose to Live in Guadalajara https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dK23vD8_xjc&list=PLh3xKhkMgH_LAY7UV78YMgms-f2e1UcwN&index=23
Tips for Moving Overseas: Top 5 Remote Work Skills That Make Money: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFzjCrlNAL8&list=PLh3xKhkMgH_IA6s3KvB_g9Cc9Ze1eji8j
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Inquiries: community@entrepreneurexpat.com
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If you are interested in running an online business, so you can go anywhere in the world, you might be concerned about whether or not your particular business or your profession can be taken online. I'm talking about those of you in professional services like law or bookkeeping or accounting. Oftentimes, uh, you guys think you need to be stuck to your local market and your. Neighborhood or local city, and it's just not true. And our guest today on Entrepreneur Expat is going to prove that to you. Her name is Diana McLaughlin and she is currently in Northern Ireland as an American expat. She's known as the abundance bookkeeper, and she actually set up her life to earn income from three different countries with three different high value currencies. And she's gonna talk about why she set that up and how she set it up on. The interview today, we're also gonna be talking about, of course, how she ended up in Northern Ireland. Um, spoiler alert her husband. That's how a lot of us ended up in other countries, our husbands. And we're also going to be talking about what life is like in Northern Ireland. Some of the differences she's noticed between Northern Ireland and the United States. Uh, and she talks about a, a time where she had to transition from having a brick and mortar business in Northern Ireland and then transition online because the pandemic. Forced her to and how she would not have been able to do that as easily in the United States. But there were some things that Northern Ireland did that were able to make that transition a lot easier for her. So if you like this kind of content, make sure to subscribe and hit the notification bell. So you don't want me to say single video. We have coming out on this channel. We teach you how to make money online so you can go live anywhere in the world. We talk about being ex. Bats in Mexico. We interview ex-pats who make money all over the world, and for those of you who've been asking about relocation services in different countries, we're building a network of those as well that we will be interviewing. As well on this channel. So make sure to subscribe and hit that notification bell so you don't miss a single video. And if you're interested in having your own location, independent business, you gotta learn marketing and sales, right? And Diana is actually one of the students of our YouTube mastery workshop, so you'll be seeing a lot more of her on YouTube in the coming month. So she starts implementing what we taught her, and that's just one of the things. That we can teach you how to do in order to make money online. Both Justin and I have over 15 years of experience in digital marketing, and we're more than happy to help you or point you in the right direction. So if you're interested in working with us, you'd like to know what's available, go to entrepreneur expat.com/apply. And now without further ado, let's go talk to Diana.
Amanda Abella:Hey everyone. And welcome to another episode of entrepreneur expat in our expat story series, where we are highlighting expats all around the world and how they live in multiple countries and not just live in multiple countries, but how they make money while they are living in these multiple countries. I am here with Diana McLaughlin, who is in Northern Ireland, and we have so much to talk about today. We're going to talk about, well, a, how she ended up in Northern Ireland. Cause a lot of people are interested in Ireland these days. And also, um, how you've gone through so many pivots in your business and how Diana has really diversified herself, not just in terms of her income streams, but in the countries that she's making income from and how that has saved her behind a couple of times. So Diana, thank you so much for being here and talking about this fun, but sometimes rather complex issue that people tend to overcomplicate and simplifying it for people.
Diana McLaughlin:Thank you so much for having me. I'm really excited.
Amanda Abella:So, Diana, first of all, let people know, um, what you do now. Just so there's some context in terms of like, Okay, great, she's in Ireland, but I already know what they're thinking, which is the same thing they're always thinking, which is, Okay, but how do they make money? So, just, let's get that off the bat first.
Diana McLaughlin:Okay. Okay. So, um, I am known as the abundance bookkeeper. I am the owner of Artemis bookkeeping solution. So I have an online bookkeeping firm, um, that serves us clients, us based clients. I actually do work with a couple of expats who are, who have us based businesses. and I am also a musician. I'm a conductor. I conduct a choir in The Republic of Ireland, and I'm also a freelance voice teacher. And I teach in a school in Derry, Northern Ireland. And I teach a couple here in my home in Derry.
Amanda Abella:So, for people who don't have context, uh, in case they don't know. So, Ireland, uh, there's the Republic of Ireland, and then there's Northern Ireland. The Republic of Ireland is its own country, and then Northern Ireland is under the UK. Okay. Correct? So you're basically getting your money from the UK, Ireland, and the United States.
Diana McLaughlin:Correct.
Amanda Abella:Not bad! We got, we got,
Diana McLaughlin:Yeah.
Amanda Abella:we got euros, pounds, and dollars. I'm down. Okay.
Diana McLaughlin:Yeah.
Amanda Abella:It's a nice little setup you got there.
Diana McLaughlin:It is! I remember when I first moved here, all the different money was so confusing. I live five minutes from the border. I've always lived five minutes from the border on either side. And I remember, like, standing, like, trying to count pounds, and I didn't know what all the coins were, and just, like, handing it over to the little lady at the desk and going, Can you count my change? desperate, trying to learn Euro and Sterling at the same time. But I
Amanda Abella:Yeah, I can imagine. No, I can imagine. We were just in, uh, we were just in St. Martin, uh, on our honeymoon, and, um, in St. Martin they accept dollars and euros. So we were like, oh, wait a second, like, you could take both out of the ATM? Like, this is wild. So it, it caused a little confusion there, but we, we figured it all out. And then we had pesos in our wallet, like, cash from when we were in Mexico. So we were like, what are we doing? Um, okay, great. So we've established that. Now, before we get into this very interesting conversation about how to set yourself up to make money online and all the different ways that diversifying yourself has actually helped you a ton, In your finances, how did you end up in Northern Ireland? Because you were from the United States.
Diana McLaughlin:Yes. Um, I married a dairy man. He was a, he was over visiting, um, in Washington DC and I met him and that was just it. We were just, we were just together forever. It was like,
Amanda Abella:And how long
Diana McLaughlin:you.
Amanda Abella:Yeah, how long have you been in Northern Ireland?
Diana McLaughlin:I've been in, well, when I first moved here, I lived in the Republic. So we were down in the Republic for like the first eight years. And then we've been up here eight, nine, how long? years.
Amanda Abella:Okay.
Diana McLaughlin:been in Ireland, the island of Ireland for the last 15 years and I'm married for 15 years.
Amanda Abella:Cool! Oh, you got married, like, right
Diana McLaughlin:Yeah, we got married about a year after meeting each other
Amanda Abella:Yeah, that's about us, yeah.
Diana McLaughlin:to Ireland because it was like I was finishing up my master's degree in DC and we were like, we're kind of tired of DC now we've done this. Like, let's move to, let's go over there and like see what's happening over there
Amanda Abella:Yeah, that
Diana McLaughlin:So that was fun.
Amanda Abella:Oh, yeah. I mean, it's similar to us, right, where it's like, we moved to Mexico, but we basically got together within a year we were engaged, and less than a year later we were married. So, it's kind of one of those things, like, when you know you know. It's just one of those things, and when it clicks, it clicks, and when it works, it works. And, and it sounds like you were like me, because he's like, I'm not living in the United States. And I'm like, I'm down. Sounds like you were the same. I'm down.
Diana McLaughlin:I was like, I'm down for an adventure. Let's go. You know? Cause I was like, I'm over this. I've been here for, you know, seven years in DC and like DC is a transition city anyway. People
Amanda Abella:Yeah.
Diana McLaughlin:but like not a lot of people.
Amanda Abella:Yeah.
Diana McLaughlin:let's go. You know? And uh, three kids later. And we're still here.
Amanda Abella:I want to point something out to the men, uh, because sometimes we'll talk to a lot of men on our location independent consultations, which, by the way, book one below if you want to learn how to run a location independent business. But one thing that comes up consistently is that they've either had to break up with their girlfriends or their fiancés because they just refuse. To move to another country and so I just want to like give an example right here of two women whose husbands were like, we're fucking leaving and we were like, we're down. Let's go. Let's have an adventure. So we do exist. We are out here.
Diana McLaughlin:yeah.
Amanda Abella:There's a lot of us. Okay.
Diana McLaughlin:I mean, there was a little bit of a, Really? But then I thought, Hey, how bad could it be? You know, and he wasn't like, I need to stay here forever. He never put that limit on me. He said, if you really don't like it, we can come back. And that door was always open for me. I have to say, if I ever truly wanted to go home, I think he would have been like, Okay. You know, but I never did like I, I got here and like, I got started with my businesses. I fell in love with my students. I just, I love the people here and the weather is crap, but it is gorgeous. You know, so I just, my quality of life is different. My, I have more time. It's, it's a different lifestyle than living in the United States.
Amanda Abella:Let's talk about that because I was just in the United States. Granted, we were in Miami. So it's basically Latin America. And then we were in the Caribbean for a week. Uh, with like a very international crowd. So, a little bit different than maybe going to D. C. or, we were almost in L. A. and I was like, thank God we weren't. Um, and then, or like the middle of the country, it's, it's, it's different being in Miami and then, you know, you're in other countries for a week, cruising the Caribbean. But how has your quality of life improved since leaving the United States? Because I always find this to be a very fascinating conversation with other expats.
Diana McLaughlin:so many parts to this. Like I could talk about my health. I could talk about the food. could talk about
Amanda Abella:Talk about the food because we're back in Mexico. Let's talk about the food because I just did groceries this morning. And I saw our lady at the corner store and she goes, Oh, how was your vacation? Like, I'm just happy to be eating real food again. Like vacation was good, but I'm so happy to be eating eggs that tastes like eggs. And she started laughing. She was, yeah, your husband told me that yesterday that it's like, for whatever reason, the food in the U. S. doesn't taste like anything or it tastes like chemicals. I'm like, I don't know what it is. But we're very happy to be back in Mexico where the fruit is amazing, we know the vegetables are fresh, the meat tastes good, and the eggs taste like eggs.
Diana McLaughlin:well, um, generally I think the restrictions and everything around food is a lot more, you know, It's more, it's more strict here.
Amanda Abella:Yeah, here too.
Diana McLaughlin:over there it's a bit like, yeah, that'll do that you can mass produce it by putting that chemical in it. Go for it. You know? Um, I feel like too much of the US is food is about profit and about creating ma mass amounts to feed masses, amounts of people. And obviously Ireland is small. We have our own, we can make our own food. We could live on what we make here alone, but we export a lot, but. But we do, we do get a lot from Europe and I know exactly where my food comes from. When I pick up a vegetable or I grab like a, a box of grapes or something like that, like it'll say where it was grown. A lot of our foods grow in Spain, know, it's not far away. Like sometimes you are getting something in America that was grown like 3000 miles away from you. I'm like here, it's like, Oh yeah, it's just over in Spain. It just, it's more, we have more of our own produce and you know, it comes from the rest of Europe mostly.
Amanda Abella:Yeah.
Diana McLaughlin:mean, like, avocados is different, and a couple of things that, that come from elsewhere, but you know where your stuff is coming from. Um, the restrictions are tighter, and the food is just better. It tastes great. So when I go home and try to cook something, it tastes like crap to me, because I can't rely on the quality of the food to make it taste nice. I have to load it with spices, or, you know, something, or know, and it's just, I, I go, I blow up as soon as I get home. I like gain weight and I'm like, why, why is this happening?
Amanda Abella:Yep, we did.
Diana McLaughlin:Why
Amanda Abella:Yeah.
Diana McLaughlin:and everything? Why is everything chock full of things that's going to do this to me?
Amanda Abella:Yeah, we definitely gained weight while being in the U. S., but it was also, we were also indulging because it was the holidays. So it was both and, you know. Yeah.
Diana McLaughlin:Like, I'm not going to lie. Like I will go and have sushi like a couple of times a week because I'm home and I can get it.
Amanda Abella:Yeah, Asian food. Yes, Asian food. When we go home, we're like Asian food is one of the first things we go to because it's difficult to find that outside of Asia or the United States. So yeah, so that that's funny that you mentioned that because that's literally one of the first things we'll do is go find Asian food. Okay, interesting. So how else has your quality of life improved? You had this really fascinating story when you and I initially met that you so for context for the audience, you taught music. For many years in Ireland, you had private students and tutoring and all that kind of stuff, and then COVID happened, and you were not able to do that anymore, and then you transitioned into the online business. You had a really fascinating story on how, because you were living in Northern Ireland, that transition was a lot easier than it would have been perhaps in the United States. So can you,
Diana McLaughlin:Yeah.
Amanda Abella:can you speak to why? Because that was very interesting.
Diana McLaughlin:So, um, so obviously when I moved here, I started a music school and I, within a year, I was constantly booked up. I was very busy. Um, I taught loads. My quality of quality of life was actually kind of crap at that time because I was teaching every night, um, until like nine o'clock at night. And I wasn't really seeing my family. I wasn't seeing my younger kids, my young kids when they were little, because I used to teach all the time. And then right before COVID happened. In 2019, I decided, this is it. Well, I got pregnant, first of all, with my third child. Surprise! Because we weren't going to have a third child. Well, we weren't planning it. And I got pregnant, and I went, I'm not doing another one of these where, you know, I don't see this child. And I'm not making dinner and sitting with them. And, you know. Being with them in the evenings, so I was like I gotta find something else to do and like this is crazy But like I have a master's degree. I consider myself pretty smart person, and I'm pretty flexible I mean, I've lived in another country for this many years. I can figure out just about anything right
Amanda Abella:one of the good things about travel and living in other countries, if you become a very adaptable person. It's a superpower. Yeah.
Diana McLaughlin:I'm adaptable. I'm smart so I Looked up. What can I do from home? Like, you know, scam city. Like, it was so dodgy. And up came this, this course. Learn to bookkeep. And I was like, what's that? As a person that has had a business all my life, I didn't know the term was bookkeeping. how bad it was. I was like, I don't know anything about this. So, it came up and it was like, it was a brand new course. Not many people were in it yet. It was like, Oh, I'm getting somebody just starting out on this journey of teaching people bookkeeping. And I jumped in this course and I took this course and I started a damn business because the course taught me how to start a business. Like you can learn anything on the Internet, anything. There's
Amanda Abella:Yep.
Diana McLaughlin:and there's people who make those courses. So if you know something, make a course. You know, but, um, I jumped in this course, did this course. I thought, I need more, did another course. Okay. Now I feel pretty good about my skills. Um, I partnered up with CPAs in the U S who liked my work and were like, you're doing a great job. Um, here, here's some work for you. You know, I have people that I work with in the States that, that send me clients. And. At one point I decided to niche a very specific niche because I kind of found myself during COVID in that sort of spiritual awakening space and I was
Amanda Abella:Oh, huh. Yeah.
Diana McLaughlin:Yeah. I
Amanda Abella:I know.
Diana McLaughlin:and there's a lot of people doing that.
Amanda Abella:Yeah.
Diana McLaughlin:that is a lot of my clients are in that realm ish. Like I have a Like a yoga studio. I have people who are coaches, but I also have people that, you know, they have, um, they're like healing arts centers. They're, you know, sort of wellness people. So that that's kind of what I'm working with, but so how. So, like, went into the bookkeeping just head on and was like, this has to work. I don't want to teach anymore. I don't want to do this every night, at least not in the capacity that I'm doing it now. And then COVID hit and it was like, Oh my God, I'm so glad I took this course and have started getting clients. Because I wouldn't have had, I wouldn't have been able to teach. then, of course, because I was in Northern Ireland, I got furloughed from my own job, from my own self employment. They paid me, I think it was like 80 percent what I would have made, based on like an average of my last three years of employment. So I got furloughed like four times. They just sent me big, massive payments to my bank account. It kept us floating during COVID. Now, because my husband was essential AF, he worked the whole way through COVID. So it was just me at home with three children, a baby. You know, and because I was bookkeeping, got to do it on my own time. I would get on when the baby was napping, I would literally sit with a cushion with the baby on their feet and the baby doing the bookkeeping. And I thank God every day that I was like brave enough to go, um, I need to, I need to learn something, you know, and now like I'm pretty solid with my accounting, like I've done a good bit more studying and. You know, like the music side lends itself really well to the organizational side of bookkeeping. Bookkeeping is, me, it feels like a computer game.
Amanda Abella:Yeah.
Diana McLaughlin:really well in my brain and I enjoy the work. I enjoy helping people be organized. and it's been a really, like I had a six figure year last year for the first time as a business in a foreign country, like no, I didn't do any live in person marketing I did. I did a little bit of like reels on Instagram, but most of it comes from like my content that I put out on Facebook and just making relationships with people online, which is great.
Amanda Abella:Yeah. Congratulations. That's a huge feat when you get to your first six figures. That's huge. Um, same, same here. Six figure businesses, um, and you're doing it from another country. You could do it from literally anywhere. When we were on the cruise ship on our honeymoon, people were like, what do you do? I was telling you we met a lot of people from Northern Ireland. And they were like, what do you do? And, um, we would explain, like, oh, you know, we've been, you know, marketing and sales training and software for 15 years each. And they're like, oh, so you guys could literally just live wherever the fuck you want. And we're like, yeah, if we needed to work on this boat right now, like, we could. Granted, we set up a business in a way where we wouldn't have to work on the boat, but that's a whole other conversation. But the, the, the, um, The main thing is yeah, we set up our lives and how we make money in a way where it does not matter where we are We can do it We'll get to that but one of the things that you just said that I think is really important to point out is the The fact that you just said i'm really proud that you basically took a risk and a bet on yourself To learn a new skill that would have allowed you to make money From anywhere in the world. Because even though you were already in another country, you were doing a lot of physical, in person stuff. Uh, and then this allowed you to diversify even further. I mean, that's what allowed you to start getting American clients. Oh all the way over there over the pond So, um, I want to number one commend you for that because that's a scary thing to do as somebody who's taken a few risks In her business over the years. It's terrifying and number two It really is right, especially when you've been used to making money one way for so long and then you change it. Oh horrifying In the beginning, but it works itself out always
Diana McLaughlin:Yeah,
Amanda Abella:so I want to commend you for that number one and number two I really want to highlight that for the audience Where it's like you can take a bet on yourself, just like Diana did, just like I have, just like Justin's have, just like every single person that we've interviewed on this expat story series, that has been a common denominator, everybody had to take a bet on themselves first, in order to be able to make a income where they could literally go anywhere in the world. So I wanted to commend you for that. And do you have anything to add to that? Because there are a lot of people that we speak to who just They don't even know how it would even be possible to do something like that. Like they hear about online marketing, they hear about making money online. But, you know, maybe they're a nurse, or they're, uh, sometimes we'll talk to lawyers, although that you can move online pretty easily, depending on the type of law you do. Um, or they'll, they'll be something where they've been doing things in person for so long that their brains can't even, like, totally comprehend how they can do this, or they're afraid to take that risk on themselves. So what would you say to the person who's in that position? Where it's like, time to take a risk and learn something new, but we're scared, and we haven't pulled the trigger.
Diana McLaughlin:I think when you want something when you want something so badly to be different You have to know that the way you're doing it has to change the way you're, the way that you're making money has to change or you're not gonna get, doing the same thing over and over again is not gonna get you to the place that you want to get. You have to change. It's so hard and like I, you know, it was terrifying when I did it. I would say for the first maybe two years, my anxiety was absolutely shocking, like in that business because I was always like, I, I do be quite hard on myself. Like for somebody. You know, who is quite adaptable. I do be quite hard on myself, but I knew I was learning and I knew, you know, I also set myself up in such a way that had somebody to lean on. Um, be that like a mentor, I actually did have a couple of coaches during this time to help me with the social media marketing, like people who that is their, their whole stick was, you know, they're teaching you like how to market yourself, you know, on the internet and you have to learn that. And like, there's many, many entry points to like getting in that, like getting into having, An affordable way of learning, like, people offer all sorts of different ways to do that. Like, you can join, like, networking groups. You can join somebody's, like, group program to learn about marketing. That is actually where I started. I started in a group program that some coach was having where she taught us I method to, to, um, you know, getting clients on social media. Um, and then I found out very quickly what I didn't, didn't like from that. And I, I took what I wanted from that and I left what I didn't, you know?
Amanda Abella:Yep.
Diana McLaughlin:so I just did a lot of, uh, jumping into things like that, but I made a lot of friends in those groups and I stayed in touch with those people and they ended up hiring me and I ended up hiring them. another thing. Like when you get into the online business. When the online like community, like you will find people that will buy from you that you'll buy from and like, we, we sort of also help each other out. We sort of look after each other, recommend each other. You know,
Amanda Abella:Mmm.
Diana McLaughlin:will go. Oh, I know a great bookkeeper. Um, this girl here, like, she's exactly what you need. Like, you know. Because there's all kinds of, you know, Facebook groups and like, even forums, like, outside of Facebook, where, like, people can talk about you and you can go talk about what you do. Um, there's a lot of yakety yak, like, you have to talk about yourself a lot, you know, and be like, here's why working with me is different, and, you know, all those sorts of things, but, yeah, you really just, you know, takes a big giant leap of faith, but the other side is so worth it. You know, like I, I could not, if you had told me six years ago, like, or seven years ago before I did any of this, Diana, someday you're going to make six figures in a business that you're going to run. I would have been like, really? Yeah. Right. You know what I mean? Because I was living in this very, like, scarce, sort of, Here is the glass ceiling, I can only teach so many lessons a week, This is all the money that I'm ever gonna make.
Amanda Abella:Yeah.
Diana McLaughlin:I can hire other bookkeepers to help me, I can scale this business, I can get to a hundred K. Like, seven years ago, I would have been like, I did what? I mean, it's the same thing if you told me 17 years ago I was going to marry an Irishman and move to Ireland, I wouldn't have believed you either.
Amanda Abella:Yeah.
Diana McLaughlin:it's just, life is crazy, and sometimes if you just take the crazy road that feels the most insane, like, it's going to bring you to the most beautiful place on the other side.
Amanda Abella:That, that's a really good way of putting it. Life is crazy. Sometimes you just have to take the crazy road. Same when I came to Mexico. I initially was supposed to be here six weeks while we were figuring out Where we want to go, what we want to do, and I just didn't fucking go back. And, uh, our house sitter, who was house sitting for us, she's actually been on the YouTube channel, Heather Wilde, she was house sitting for us, who we met because she was an American moving to Mexico, and to your point, she was on Facebook asking for help, and somebody knew that I was in Mexico and tagged me in the post, right? And then Heather ended up on my YouTube channel and ended up house sitting for us. So, I mean, it, that's how it works. Like, it's very natural how these things happen. Uh, but anyway, it was the same thing. She had this crazy intuition. Actually, she just told us this, uh, yesterday. So, she was planning on either moving to Asheville, North Carolina, or, uh, East Earn, Tennessee. And buying up some land and going off grid. And she got this crazy, wild intuition that said, go to Mexico. You don't want to go to these places. Now, granted, when we interviewed her on the channel, all the stuff that happened in the hurricane Helene had not happened yet. So she still was trying to figure out why the fuck her intuition had told her go to Mexico. And it was very, very strong. She was here four days and decided not to go back. A few months later, the areas that she was looking into were decimated by a hurricane. So, to your point, sometimes you just get these really wild, crazy intuitions that don't make any logical sense, don't make any sense, don't make sense to anybody around you, but ends up saving you, or putting you exactly where you need to be, and we need to learn how to listen to those things.
Diana McLaughlin:you have to tune in like when I when I decided so hard like I'm gonna learn this bookkeeping thing. I'm not gonna when I come back off this maternity leave. I will not be going back to the studio every night of my life. And I just and I had I not done that in 2019. It was like, just before all the coven stuff right before I had the baby and all I decided to study this. It's like, oh my god, thank, lord. Like, you know, cause had I just stayed and was like, I'm not gonna learn this thing, I'm not gonna do anything, and just gave up on it, I wouldn't, I would have been out, I wouldn't have had any of this, none of it. And I would have been never seeing my child, I would have been leaving him with childcare all the time.
Amanda Abella:Yeah.
Diana McLaughlin:now I'm, I'm home every night with my kids and I'm making dinners. Like the first decade of our marriage, I joke all the time that he was like the cook and like he had, he was like daddy all the time. Like he did the homeworks, he did bedtime, he did the cooking. I was always teaching. it's like, oh, it's like a new life for me. It's like, Changed my life entirely. Like I actually get to participate in my family, you
Amanda Abella:That's one of the beautiful things about online business too is that it gives you, uh, the flexibility and the freedom to participate in family. I mean, we talk a lot about living in other countries in this channel, but there's so many other benefits. One of the main ones that we hear in the online spaces is exactly what you just said. Uh, both women and men who are like, yeah, now I have actual, like time to be with my kids. Cause I set up my life that way.
Diana McLaughlin:yes. And that is exactly, it was so intentional. Everything I did was so that I would have time for my kids and also as well. And this is like a total, like side note down like a tunnel, but my grandmother passed away in 2023, so the other year. And my mom was not doing well, taking care of her at the end. I got to leave Ireland. I left here and I went home to care for my grandmother for two months. I took my youngest child out of preschool and I was able to go home and care for my grandmother at the end of her life.
Amanda Abella:Yeah.
Diana McLaughlin:And I didn't have to worry about, like, leaving a job. Or telling anybody. I just was like, I'm going over. I'm gonna be working in the states for the next two months. You know, I told my clients, hey, we can have lots of meetings because I'll be in your time zone and you know, and yes, I did work through that. But my obviously my, my support system was well in place and they were like, holding it down, but I was able to keep going, you know, and I didn't have to pause anything. my husband stayed here with the other two kids, and then when she did pass, they came out, and then we had a lovely Christmas at home with the family, cause I can go back and forth as I please as well. So I can go home for a couple of months if I need to, you
Amanda Abella:Yeah.
Diana McLaughlin:should happen, if the worst should happen, you know, and your family needs you, you, you can go and your business is still with you.
Amanda Abella:So this is actually a really good segue, because I think you're, you're touching on points that a lot of people don't even necessarily think about. I mean, in our spaces, people talk about that all the time. Um, but outside of our spaces, people don't really see how that's even possible. But, uh, it's kind of like this idea of giving yourself options. Uh, and one of the things that we were talking about right before, uh, Um, we started recording was the fact that now, because you make, technically make money, not even technically, you actually make money from three different countries. Uh, how that, uh, Northern Ireland, which is a part of the UK, the United States, and, um, Republic of Ireland, little recap there for everybody, um, Then that's actually save your ass a couple of times already because you have that, uh, diversification and you also have diversification of location and I think, especially with all this stuff going on in, in every country is kind of crazy right now in a lot of ways because half the world went into elections last year and everything just seems a little nuts, particularly in the U. S. in Canada and in Western Europe right now. Things seem nuts
Diana McLaughlin:Yeah. It's a
Amanda Abella:for. It's a bit crazy right now with what's going on. Um, and we were just talking about how a lot of that stuff, um, when you, when you set up your life in a way where you are diversified, not just in where you're making your money, but also in where you are living, uh, because you diversified how you're making your money and it was online or investments or whatever. And now you can diversify where you're living. We were just talking about this, how like we log on to Facebook and everyone's panicking over like the TikTok ban in the United States and Trump being president and everyone losing their shit, and we're kind of like, yeah, we're just less affected. Like, we're just not losing our shit in the same way that everybody else is losing their shit. Because we set up our lives in a way where there's more diversification. So can you speak to that a little bit? Because I think that is so important. This is such an important, uh, concept that a lot of people don't realize that putting all your eggs in one basket, whether it's how you make your money, or where you, what country you're in, or what country you rely on, not such a good idea right now.
Diana McLaughlin:Yeah. I mean, I think, um, I think I learned this a couple of years ago. I heard somebody say like, you know, the whole never put your, all your eggs in one basket thing. And that's why I've always kept a really open mind about what I'm doing to make money. Um, there was a point in my life where, you know, I was kind of sad about my music career and I didn't want to be doing any music, but. You know, after a couple of years of being in the bookkeeping, I was like, okay, I'm ready to step back in and I'm ready to step back in a really big way. And I auditioned to be a conductor for a women's choir down in Letterkenny, Ireland. because I hadn't done a lot of conducting. I had done a bit, but like this American guy and he's an American as well. Crazy. His, his wife has a job in an American company down in Letterkenny. Um, hired me. Like, because he was like, you're just, you're perfect. You're like everything we need. Cause like, you're, you're extremely highly trained singer. I have a master's degree in vocal performance. So I'm an opera singer though. I have all that going on and he's like, you're just perfect for this organization. I got this job, like, you know, amazing. Um, and then I can still teach whenever, whenever I want to take students. know, so if something, if the worst should happen and the U S falls apart, all my clients lose their businesses and they can't hire me anymore. I gotta do is put an ad and say, taking piano students, I will be booked tomorrow.
Amanda Abella:Yeah.
Diana McLaughlin:they know who I am. I'm well known around here. Like I've, I've made a name for myself. I don't, not only do I work with that choir down there, but I also assist with a big choir up here in a school that's done very well in like, National competitions. people know me here and I could just, I could book up easily. So
Amanda Abella:the reverse is also true, right? Where you mentioned that something that Ireland kind of had like no government for like a little while there, there was no leadership. And it's like, okay, well, I'm good.
Diana McLaughlin:Yeah.
Amanda Abella:I've diversified how I make my money, because I have my U. S. money.
Diana McLaughlin:Yeah, because like the, the schools and dairy had their funding cut, and I was, I was told I had to get paid less and if I wanted to keep the job and I was like, all right, I'll take a pay cut. Like, I'll help the school, you know, it was fine. Um, so, yeah, I can really roll with the punches here. Like, I can really, in any given moment, I can change direction if I have to, and I'm ready to pivot. Um, even in the bookkeeping business, like, I could decide to change niche tomorrow. And big Ryan, I, you know, the niche that I chose to work with, I chose to work because I, I really love what those people are doing for people and how they're, you know, helping people with their mindset and helping people, helping people to, to create online businesses and create businesses that the support them and their families. So I just like very passionate about that. And they're usually lovely people. I just like cool people. So I was like, I want to work with cool people. So let's get these kinds of businesses, you know? Um, so yeah, no. It sounds, it actually, it sounds really big when I'm really actually talking about it. It's not something I really ever Super thought about until now. It's like, yeah, I'm all diversified. And it all just kind of happened from a place of love for my family and wanting to be able to be really in two places at one time, whenever I want to be, like, if I want to be in the States, then I need to be able to cut loose and go, actually it landed out of necessity, really. It was like, I have no choice but to make this business work because I will no longer accept that.
Amanda Abella:That's actually where the magic happens. So we were doing a coaching intensive with one of our business consulting clients yesterday and This is what a lot of people don't understand, speaking about mindset, right? A lot of people, uh, are always chasing money, and they're chasing money because of what it means to them, or woundedness around self worth, or, a lot of high achievers actually have, they're just like, using, they're just high achieving because of trauma.
Diana McLaughlin:Yeah. Oh yeah, for sure.
Amanda Abella:sure,
Diana McLaughlin:sure there's a little bit of that going on over here. I'm not going to lie.
Amanda Abella:All of us, all of us, right? All of us. Um, but what's interesting, um, is, And this is a cognition I had maybe in the last couple years when I was ready to get married. And, uh, cause I had like almost seven figure business, uh, I went through a situation where my father was very ill, almost lost his life twice while that was going on. It was a shit show. And I didn't realize up until, um, that moment, like, oh, you've been chasing money as a means of safety and security and achievement this whole time. But you haven't really, and you've been making good money, right? Haven't been keeping it, but you've been making good money. It wasn't keeping it cause of the trauma. Um, And I realized in that moment, whoa, you have to do a whole 180 on life here, because you've been putting money as like the number one thing, thinking that that would solve all the other problems, when in reality, you have to start with what you desire first, and then designing how you make your money around that. That changed everything. Changed everything and what you're telling me right is that that's pretty much what you did, right? It's like I'm putting my desires first and then the money is gonna sort itself out, but I'm going to You know, I put my desires first the solution showed up I took the required action for the solution and I took that risk on myself and then I got what I wanted Which is usually how this goes. The problem is that most people are hardwired for safety and security So then that's why they don't do it.
Diana McLaughlin:I mean, there is a whole side of like, I am not accepting this anymore.
Amanda Abella:Oh, there's also that. Yes.
Diana McLaughlin:that like you go, you know, the universe brings something in and you're like, hmm Do I want this can totally go. No, I don't want it it back and that sends a message, right? That's not what I'm accepting and then try again, you know And and it's just it's kind of trial and error a wee bit too like I was joking the other day the path to 100k is lined with non really bad fit clients because Like last year was tough. Like I had a lot of clients that were not great fits that That came and went and, you know, I made a hundred K yes, but like, I didn't have all the, it wasn't, it wasn't perfectly suited. Like not
Amanda Abella:Right.
Diana McLaughlin:was working with that I feel great about, but I decided this year that I'm going to be extremely picky. And it's again, it's that like following what you want to, to get to the, that really sweet spot. Cause like, I believe I can still make that kind of money, but have people that I'm like really excited to serve.
Amanda Abella:But see, that's the magic formula that I'm hearing from you. It's the fact that you have the belief in these things and that these things exist for you.
Diana McLaughlin:they
Amanda Abella:That's the magic.
Diana McLaughlin:course there is. Yeah. Yeah. I'm the abundance bookkeeper It's all here for me
Amanda Abella:Yeah.
Diana McLaughlin:totally believe that like I I hear that in my head sometimes when I'm out and about in Ireland and something Is really beautiful. I'm like this is all here for me. This is all it's for me right now,
Amanda Abella:But that's a really beautiful thing, because I think what happens sometimes, and we'll see it with our audience, is people feel like they don't have options. So they're like, I don't have options in the United States, so I want to leave. I don't have options for work, so I'm trying to figure this thing out. And it's not necessarily coming from an empowered place, um, of this, I desire to move to another country, or I desire to make money online, or I desire to shift my life in some way, A lot of times, uh, and I'm not saying it's all of you, right, but a lot of times it, it sounds more like people feeling like they don't have options.
Diana McLaughlin:Yeah.
Amanda Abella:what you're telling me is, and which is also what I believe, is there are always options.
Diana McLaughlin:Yeah. Yeah,
Amanda Abella:Always.
Diana McLaughlin:to believe you gotta believe You just gotta believe. Like, you gotta be like, yes, this, this does exist for me. Because you can get stuck in the like, wishing and hoping phase of something. But once you start taking that inspired action towards something, it just Like, for me, when I was like, I'm gonna be a bookkeeper, I'm gonna do this course, everything just started rolling.
Amanda Abella:Yep.
Diana McLaughlin:know, it's almost just like just getting it started. Just, just make a start, do something to move yourself, propel yourself in that direction, any forward motion. And it'll all, it will all just, it really does just fall into place when you believe entirely that it's there for you.
Amanda Abella:That is there for you. And that's, and it's interesting how, um, Going back to the intensive I was talking about with the client, like she was having these issues in her business and it was like over complicated. And then I was like, okay, take money off the table. What do you actually want? Because a lot of people will be like, I want money or even I need money. I'm like, take that shit off the table. What do you actually want? Money is a non issue. Then you're going to find out what people really want, right? Which is interesting. And then, in the case of this client, we were seeing how what she actually desired was she was ready to call in her husband, but she was avoiding the work that she had to do for that by overcomplicating her business. Right.
Diana McLaughlin:Not like that exact situation, but there are definitely some times where I'm like, I'm working to get away from something. My three kids. That was terrible. No, but like, I mean, I would. I would get in that sort of like, I'm avoiding something by doing all this work right now.
Amanda Abella:But the good thing is you're aware of it. Yeah, this particular person. Yeah,
Diana McLaughlin:Yeah.
Amanda Abella:particular person wasn't aware of the pattern She was playing right? I'm like, okay So if you just admit that you want the husband and then you start taking the steps to actually want the husband Then here's what we can do in the business and then it like totally oversimplified not oversimplified But it simplified what she was doing that wasn't working So now it's easier and it brings money and faster, but we have to start with the real desire first
Diana McLaughlin:Yeah.
Amanda Abella:In order to get there. And that's what a lot of people do not realize, because everybody starts with money first.
Diana McLaughlin:you can't do that. Like, that's why they always say, what's your why? Like, that's one of my favorite ones that everybody go, what is your why? And it's like, what? the why can't be, I just want this money. It has to be
Amanda Abella:Right, and I've also noticed
Diana McLaughlin:I went, yeah,
Amanda Abella:I'm now realizing that that's a horrible question. I'm now gonna ask people, what is your, what is your, what, take money off the table, what's your actual desire? Because if you go into the why, a lot of people are like, I wanna save, it get, yeah, people, I wanna save mankind. I'm like no no no, we're still like not really understanding here.
Diana McLaughlin:What do you want?
Amanda Abella:What do you actually want? What do you desire? And
Diana McLaughlin:Yeah.
Amanda Abella:a, that's a hard thing for people to, You To answer, especially, you know, in, well, everywhere all over the world, but we're both American, like, the American culture is like, what can you produce and how do you survive? So, most people are not even accustomed to asking themselves that question, and at the same time, you know, the whole American idea is you can have whatever you want. So it's an interesting thing. It's an interesting thing.
Diana McLaughlin:yeah, I don't know if I believe that anymore about America
Amanda Abella:About the country, yeah. I mean, about the country and the way it's being governed, probably not, but that's why I tell people, like, don't get attached to a country, right? Because America is an idea. And the idea of America is you can have whatever you want, no matter where you came from or what the circumstances were, it is here for you. That's the idea, right? Uh, which is unique in the world. That is the idea. Um,
Diana McLaughlin:Yeah
Amanda Abella:what's happening, uh, in reality. But then I go back to, well, we're all just extras in a big giant game of Risk while these governments do whatever they want, so. So, therefore, stop being attached.
Diana McLaughlin:like I'm not gonna be at the mercy of anybody's government. I keep telling I keep saying that over and over here I'm just like yeah, I have no government but uh, and not gonna not gonna let it Affect me like cuz I've got a got things to do Not
Amanda Abella:Exactly, right? Um, and when people, and when you're living among multiple countries, and you're making your money from different places, it's easier to detach. So let's be honest, because a lot of people in the comments have said, how do you detach from what's going on in the news in the United States or whatever country? And I'm like, I, it's not productive to what I'm trying to do, so I just don't pay that much attention to it. However Much easier to do that when you've diversified yourself among different countries, diversified how you make money, and have given set up your life in a way where you have given yourself options. Because if you have options, there's no need reason to get attached to anything.
Diana McLaughlin:exactly.
Amanda Abella:All right, well, tell the people where they can find you, and then I'm gonna end it with one question.
Diana McLaughlin:Okay. Um, well I have a website. It's, um, abundance bookkeeper.com. Um, I also have Facebook. I am the Abundance Bookkeeper as my business page, but I'm also Diana McLaughlin, so you'll find me. There's a big smiley face and this bright blonde hair. Um, and I'm on Instagram as well. I think I'm THE abundance bookkeeper on Instagram, but if you throw in abundance and bookkeeper, I will come up. Um, I'm even on LinkedIn, but I'm, eh, not so much. But I'm, someday I'm gonna be on YouTube. Ha! Ha
Amanda Abella:you're gonna do the YouTube workshop and we're getting you on YouTube. You're doing it for your birthday, right? That's what's gonna go on there.
Diana McLaughlin:Yeah,
Amanda Abella:gonna, it's gonna be a birthday present for yourself to do the YouTube workshop to start diversifying off of meta, but that's a whole other conversation happening in the business space right now that we don't have time to get into right now about also diversifying, uh, where your clients come from on. Social media. Um, so we'll make sure to put that out. If there are any expats here who are listening, who already have businesses, reach out to her, uh, cause it's one thing to understand bookkeeping. It's another thing to understand the expat life, uh, which is different than the non expat life, let's just put it that way and taxes and all the stuff that comes with that. When you are a U S expat. So it's helpful to have people who get it because it's a different situation. So make sure to reach out to her. And the last question I have for you is what is one final piece of advice you have for the ones who are aspiring expats? Cause we'll talk to a lot of people who haven't made that leap yet. They still got to figure some stuff out, namely how they're making money.
Diana McLaughlin:Okay. Um, I think it's, it's similar to something I said earlier, and it's just start making moves, like start moving in the direction of whatever it is that, that you, that you believe you can do. And, you know, I mean, you're all smart enough, you know, like, you really can learn anything on the Internet. Um, if there's something that you fancy, and you're like, I think I might like to try that. Just start, just start now. Like, get started. You won't regret, like, making a move in that direction, because, you know, if it's all meant to be, like, it, it all just, it will just come, it will go, as long as you are making the inspired action. And, to put in that effort, like, towards that goal. So, I think that's, yeah. Just start, just do the thing that you're, like, thinking about doing that's negative, that's, like, n n nagging you in your mind. Like, I think I could kinda, I think I could do that. Cause, like, I mean, I easily could've, like, Not bothered taking that course easily. I could have been like, Oh, that was one of them like little rabbit holes that I almost went down. But like, if
Amanda Abella:Or it's a scam. Yeah. Or it's a scam or it's never going to work for me or, yeah.
Diana McLaughlin:yeah. Like it totally felt like, I was like, is this real? And I was like, okay, there's not much financial risk. I'll just go. But like. You know, if there is something that is legitimate, like, I mean, check the legitimacy, um, and I did, I did check up on all this and, like, made sure that this was legit, like, that this is a real CPA who is teaching me this, and she was, and she is, um, so, yeah, check the legitimacy and just go for it, like, just, just get started, start doing something to move yourself in the direction that you want to go,
Amanda Abella:I think that's a beautiful place to end it, because that's, uh, there's someone in Dominican Republic who's an online marketer, and I'm translating right now, but she says something along the lines, everything that was big once started small.
Diana McLaughlin:Yeah.
Amanda Abella:You just have to start.
Diana McLaughlin:You just got to start. I had one client my first year in business
Amanda Abella:Yeah.
Diana McLaughlin:you know, while I was home with a baby and two other kids during COVID,
Amanda Abella:Yeah, but you're proof that, that when you take that risk on yourself, it all just works out. And you're also proof that, uh, when you, you create your life with intention, it works out. Um, and I think that's a big thing that we talk about on this channel too, is like, Having a life of intention, you know, lifestyle design, like, how do you actually want to live and design your life around that, because even though it may not look like you have the options to do that, especially with all the crazy shit going on with governments all over the world, it might look like that, but you do actually have options.
Diana McLaughlin:yeah, well, for sure. And don't don't listen to anybody who hasn't done it themselves. That's
Amanda Abella:A hundred percent. Yes,
Diana McLaughlin:to anyone who hasn't done it.
Amanda Abella:Yeah, we will hear that from people all the time. They're like, Oh yeah, I'm going to go talk to like my uncle or third cousin and get their advice on this. I'm like, well, did they do what you want to do? No. Then why are you fucking listening to them? That doesn't make any sense.
Diana McLaughlin:Exactly.
Amanda Abella:Zero cents. Take it from people who've actually done what it is that you want to do. And I could go off on a whole tangent on how, uh, family members and people who are not supportive, uh, are just trying to keep you safe, ultimately, at the end of the day. So, which is fine, right? But not exactly the people that you want to listen to when you're trying to make a big life change because they're going to want to keep you safe.
Diana McLaughlin:Yeah.
Amanda Abella:is, you know, Yeah, the well meaning ones, right? There's a small percentage that they just don't want to see you succeed. But the well meaning ones, which is most people, just are going to want to keep you safe. Not quite. Yeah.
Diana McLaughlin:when I got married, my parents were like, why are you moving? Like, you know, they really, I think they really were heartbroken. And we're actually like, they were like, there was a moment where we were thinking about just telling you we weren't going to allow you to go. It's like, mommy, I was 24 and I was a married woman, you know, but like, and all parents be a little bit scared. They do be like, you're talking about going to another country,
Amanda Abella:Right. Yeah.
Diana McLaughlin:you know, but yeah, if you want that thing. You just got to start.
Amanda Abella:You just gotta start, and you gotta believe you can have it. Well, thank you so much, Diana, for giving us your time today, and really sharing some real nuggets of wisdom that I don't think have come up at all on this channel yet. So thank you so much for sharing that, and really,
Diana McLaughlin:welcome.
Amanda Abella:this for people and really giving a lot of the people, um, just the example and also the hope, like, yes, it can be done. We can do this and you can have the kind of life that you want. You just have to take that step and build the momentum to actually get it.
Diana McLaughlin:That's it.
Amanda Abella:Alright everybody, we will catch you guys on the next one. If you like this, leave us a comment below. Subscribe, leave us a review. Y'all know the deal, just do all the things. And we will catch you all on the next one. Bye everybody!