For over two decades, I've lived the expatriate journey that many of our readers dream about. As the founder of Expatra, I've successfully run a location-independent business while living across five countries: Germany, Cyprus, Ireland, the UK, and Dubai. My personal experience navigating the challenges and opportunities of international living forms the foundation of Expatra's mission: to provide trustworthy, practical guidance for those seeking a life abroad.
My Global Journey
Corporate Beginnings to Location Independence
Before embracing the expatriate lifestyle, I built a solid foundation in the corporate world. With a background in computer science, I worked as a consultant for major telecommunications companies, including British Telecom, Orange, and Vodafone Germany. I later consulted in investment banking with Dresdner Kleinwort Benson and Commerzbank.
During the dot-com era, I recognized that digital transformation was creating unprecedented opportunities for location independence. In 2003, I took the leap that would change my life—leaving the corporate world to launch what would eventually become Expatra, while simultaneously beginning my own international journey.
Germany (1997-2004): The First Steps
My expatriate adventure began in Germany, where I initially set myself up as a freelance IT consultant working in telecoms and banking. Following the rapid evolution of the internet, I started building websites in my spare time. In 2004, I launched the early version of Expatra (then called Shelter Offshore) while experiencing firsthand the challenges of establishing a business operation in a foreign country.
Germany really wasn't an entrepreneur-friendly country, especially if your grasp of German wasn't first-rate. Building a .com business seemed like a breeze compared to understanding German taxation and employment laws.
The German phase of my journey taught me invaluable lessons about the complexity of international finance, cross-border business operations, and the importance of cultural adaptation that continue to inform Expatra's guidance today.
Cyprus (2004-2011): Mediterranean Expansion
Drawn by both lifestyle opportunities and strategic business advantages, I relocated to Cyprus during a period of significant economic change in Europe.
At that point in time, it felt like German bureaucracy was doing everything it could to ensure my business failed while Cyprus was offering low taxation, a low cost of living, far less bureaucracy and over 300 days of sunshine per year.
The one thing I've never stopped appreciating about running a location-independent business is that I get to choose the climate I live in. Being able to escape cold, wet Northern European winters is one benefit that I will never grow tired of.
While in Cyprus, I navigated the global financial crisis as an expatriate business owner—an experience that highlighted the importance of building financial resilience when living internationally, a theme we emphasize throughout Expatra's content.
Ireland (2011-2013): Building Community
My relocation to Ireland coincided with Expatra's growth into a more comprehensive resource for expatriates worldwide.
I think I'm naturally drawn to island living, and the island of Ireland was one I didn't want to miss. Living in County Cork in South West Ireland was an incredible experience. We'd recently had our daughter and wanted to be nearer to our parents in the UK, but we still wanted a new experience and Ireland delivered in spades.
The Irish chapter of my journey particularly enhanced my understanding of how expatriates build community and establish social roots in new countries—insights that have deeply influenced our coverage of the social aspects of international relocation.
United Kingdom (2014-Present): Multi-Country Living
Returning to the UK brought both familiar comforts and new perspectives as I viewed my home country through the lens of my international experiences.
After nearly 20 years outside the UK, my perspective had changed. It was no longer about finding new countries with no thought of ever returning to realise that with some planning, it's possible to have the best of all worlds. Having a location independent income provides the opportunity to spend time back home when you want to but when you get the itch and decide it's time for a new adventure you can go, but you don't need to sell up completely you can keep a base in your home country. It really is a case of having your cake and eating it.
Being back in the UK was pivotal for Expatra's development as we refined our research methodology and editorial standards, establishing the foundation for the authoritative resource we've become today.
I continue to embrace the opportunities and navigate the complexities of expatriate life while maintaining a home in the UK.
Dubai: Global Crossroads
There's no fixed anchor now. When the days started to get shorter last winter, we boarded a plane and wintered in Dubai, relishing in the buzz of being in one of the world's most dynamic international hubs.
Dubai is such an easy place for expats to live in. We found an incredible apartment to let in Downtown Dubai, a stone's throw from the famous mall. I'm not a big fan of shopping, but it's a great place to send visitors when they come over and for us it's a fantastic place to run Expatra from. The DIFC (Dubai International Finance Centre) was a short distance away so we were minutes away from endless expertise in terms of finding seasoned expat professionals to discuss the ins and outs of running a business from Dubai.
It's hard to ignore the Middle East's growing role as a hub for international business, not just huge conglomerates but startups and other entrepreneurial ventures that can benefit from being in locations that give them access to the global marketplace.
Dubai's position as a crossroads between East and West provides a unique vantage point for observing global mobility trends and connecting with expatriates from diverse backgrounds and circumstances.
What I've Learned Along the Way
My two decades of location-independent living have yielded insights that go beyond what you'll find in typical expatriate guides:
The Real Challenges Are Often Unexpected
While visa requirements and tax implications dominate mainstream discussions about expatriate life, I've found that the most significant challenges often involve subtler aspects:
- Maintaining meaningful connections across time zones and cultures
- Adapting business operations to different regulatory environments
- Navigating healthcare systems during unexpected situations
- Establishing banking relationships that support international mobility
- Building a portable professional network that transcends location
Always remember that having the technology, framework and strategy to run a location-independent business is only half of the story. Building up valuable connections and friendships that transcend borders and locations is the real secret to successful global mobility. When your clients know that regardless of where you are, they will receive the same quality of service and care that they would receive if you lived on the same street, then you've achieved authentic global mobility.
Success Requires Both Planning and Adaptability
My experience has taught me that successful international living requires a seemingly contradictory balance:
- Thorough research and preparation are essential
- Yet equally important is the flexibility to adapt when reality differs from expectations
- Documentation and systems create necessary stability
- While cultural openness and resilience enable integration
I should also add that when you do drop the ball, you need the ability to adapt at the speed of light. When I discovered that the dream house I'd rented in County Cork in West Ireland, the one with the incredible office with views as far as the eye could see, had no internet!! No mobile phone signal, and the city of Cork is a 1-hour drive, stuck behind just about every agricultural vehicle you could think of.
The Rewards Extend Beyond Lifestyle
While the lifestyle benefits of international living are real and significant, I've discovered deeper rewards:
- Expanded perspective that enhances both personal and professional decision-making
- Cross-cultural competence that opens doors to opportunities worldwide
- Resilience built through navigating diverse challenges
- Global networks that create unexpected opportunities
- A broad range of experiences that continues to yield insights years later
Different cultures solve the same problems in different ways. If there's one thing I've taken from working and living in different countries, it's to adopt a broader perspective and listen to alternative ideas, often they come with solutions that you would never have conceived.
My Approach to Helping Others
Expatra was born from my own experience searching for reliable information during my early international transitions. I found that most resources fell into two problematic categories:
- Overly promotional content from businesses with financial interests in specific locations
- Superficial guidance that glossed over the practical complexities of international transitions
I created Expatra to fill this gap, with a commitment to:
- Practical reality over aspirational fantasy - We address the challenges alongside the benefits
- Research-backed information - We verify everything through our rigorous methodology
- Independence from commercial interests - Our recommendations are never influenced by partnerships
- Accessibility without oversimplification - We make complex information understandable without diluting important nuances
The guiding question for all Expatra content remains: "Would this have genuinely helped me during my own international moves?"
Beyond Expatra
When I'm not guiding others through the expatriate journey, I'm actively engaged in:
Trying to make my guitar sound like the ones my guitar heroes play. It's not happened yet, but you never know if I keep on practising, maybe one day it will happen.
Connect With Me
I believe that sharing knowledge and experiences makes all of us more successful in our international journeys. I welcome connections with:
- Fellow expatriates with insights to share
- Individuals considering their first international move
- Location-independent professionals seeking to optimize their global mobility
- Experts in international taxation, immigration, and other specialized fields
- Journalists covering global mobility trends
You can reach me at andy@expatra.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.
"The greatest reward of my expatriate journey has been the opportunity to help others navigate their own international transitions with confidence and clarity. Every email from a reader who's successfully relocated using our guidance reinforces my commitment to making global mobility accessible to all who seek it."