In the past year, I’ve used many modes of transportation. While the opportunities to speak with pilots, bus drivers or train conductors are rare, Uber drivers are frequently open to conversation. Typically our talks are about our respective hometowns, what the city is like, tips about venues to see and me constantly checking the route to see if we’re going the right way. The best rides are when the conversation moves beyond the basics. More than just what jobs we have but why we do them. While it’s great to travel the world, it’s not a permanent vacation for me and I’m curious about what other people are doing to make ends meet. For most of the drivers that I meet, Uber isn’t their only job. In fact, it’s usually their side hustle.
My most recent encounter was with Alonzo, a driver in Charleston, SC. His story reminded me of my grandfather, who for many years in New York simultaneously worked at a hospital, drove a cab and had a dry cleaning business. Alonzo told me about his various gigs outside of Uber: a full time job at a local college, a fragrance business, a truck detailing service and selling on Amazon/Ebay. Once we discovered that Amazon selling was something that we had in common, we started sharing our respective experiences and swapping tips. I realized that I was missing some very profitable categories in retail arbitrage and he learned about the advantages of Fulfillment By Amazon (FBA).
I’m not only nomadic in my travels, I’m moving fluidly amongst my roles in pursuing business opportunities. At any given time, I am a mobile app developer or a market researcher or shopkeep. Getting comfortable with the frequent transitions has been helped by my experience in moving from country to country. The languages and customs change with each venue but in gaining confidence in my ability to navigate the world, I am more prepared to face the myriad challenges in making my new life work.
The Cocoa Nomad 