IAM862- Digital Nomad Runs His Own Network of Websites

Intro  00:02

Do you want to learn effective ways to build relationships, generate sales and grow your business from successful entrepreneurs, startups and CEOs without listening to a long, long, long interview? If so, you've come to the right place, Gresham Harkless values your time and is ready to share with you precisely the information you're in search of. This is I am CEO podcast.

Gresham Harkless  00:29

Hello, hello, hello, this is Gresh from the I am CEO podcast and I have a very special guest on the show today of yo in barreling of y barreling calm yo en it's awesome to have you on show. Hello, Gresh

Yoann Bierling  00:40

Thanks for having me. It's great. And I'm very excited to talk with you and your audience.

Gresham Harkless  00:47

Yeah, absolutely. I'm super excited to have you on the show too as you contribute to our site. So happy to put a voice and a face to the name as well too if you're watching on video. And before we jumped in, I want to read a little bit more about you and so you hear about all the awesome things that he's doing. In French born and six plus years digital nomad, actually in Warsaw yo yo and runs his own network of websites inspiring others dreams. His experience includes a year long solo World Tour 55 countries 650 plus flights after 10 years managing international er p projects and cosmetics, fashion and load logistics. Joanne, are you ready to speak to the imcl? community? Yes. Do you have no choice now? So before we we kicked everything off, I liked it. Well, I like to kick everything off in here a little bit more on your story. I know I touched on it a little bit. Can you take us through your SEO story, as I like to call on what led you get started with all the awesome things you're working on?

Yoann Bierling  01:41

Exactly. So I used to be an international consultant and a project manager in yuppie yuppie means enterprise resource planning. So doing a business optimization and process streamlining in multinationals. At that time I was I was talking actually often to look for information on the internet. And sometimes I couldn't just I just couldn't find what I was looking for. It was taking days, I was always like somebody should have put this information on the internet. And then when I once I found it, I was like, Well, I know it, I'm probably one of the few that knows it. So I should, I should actually start doing it. So that's how I first started. We were kind of professional blog. And yeah, but a little more than two years ago, I thought I reached the top of my consulting career. I didn't see my next step in this nice career, and I'm starting full time on helping others with their own internal international issues. And that's

Gresham Harkless  02:48

nice. The rest is history. Absolutely love that. It's so funny. Um, a lot of times you hear that from a lot of entrepreneurial stories, where they're like, Oh, I wish there was X, Y, and Z. And then it's like, it's kind of in the face and say, well, you have to create it. If you want it to be to exist, you have to do that. It sounds like he had that experience as well.

Yoann Bierling  03:06

Exactly. Well, those are the beginning. I started when I reached actually this point in my career where I was feeling like I have to, to change something like I was already being an expert in what I am. And I was not feeling like I was learning anymore. And I didn't see my next step there. I thought why not? trade trade full time to? To do it my own way.

Gresham Harkless  03:33

Yeah, absolutely. I love that. And I'm sure a lot of people that are listening to that as well too. If you if you feel like you've reached a ceiling or you feel kind of frustrating feel like you're not learning more go start a business and try to create what doesn't create. That's a lifelong process of learning and growing and getting better. So I love that you do that. And you help so many others people, other people do that as well, too. So I wanted to drill down a little bit deeper. I know I touched a little bit on your network of websites. Can you take us through a little bit more on what exactly they are and how exactly they serve the clients you work with?

Yoann Bierling  04:02

Yeah, of course. So my, my initial website was actually the beginning. 10 years ago, I opened it as my online CV when I was looking for a job. Then when I was on the job, I turned it into a professional blog. And, and from there, it became like mine, my main website as I was traveling a lot as an international international consultant. I also started another blog, kind of travel blog, where I was sharing my pictures I have you know, these 1000s of pictures from everywhere in the world. I was like now just hanging in my my phone, why not try to do something with them. So I started on the side, kind of travel blog. And, and yes, every time I wanted to write about the new subject, I was like, why don't why not open a website and see how it goes. Yeah, it's a lot of trial and error, but that's what we start.

Gresham Harkless  04:58

Yeah, any be surprised, and people that maybe haven't done that, or listening to this, like how much you learned cuz I feel like every time and I definitely sure you can probably attest to this, once you do the first one, that's usually the hardest one and the next one you take that experience that you have, even if it didn't work out how we wanted it to, and you can use it for the next one, and then you start to build that experience from there.

Yoann Bierling  05:18

Exactly. So actually, when you start a website, you don't really know what will work, you know what you want to do. But what you want to do isn't always what finds its own audience and works the way you want it to work.

Gresham Harkless  05:34

Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. So I wanted to ask you now for what I call your secret sauce. So this could be for yourself personally or your your business. But what do you feel kind of sets you apart and makes you unique?

Yoann Bierling  05:46

Well, for sure translation. So I personally speak five languages and all my, my websites are translated in several languages. And that's for sure, very important. That's what I wanted, also at the beginning to to bring as much possible information and value to as many people as possible. And not everybody speaks English, or not everybody else speaks another language. And I'm trying to get the information delivered to as many people as possible. To find the right balance between what I want to do what is useful, what works and completion is a very important musician in general.

Gresham Harkless  06:29

Yeah, it's a that's a huge thing. And it's so funny, because I think a lot of times we forget about that aspect of communication, how important that is. And the only way to do that with as many people as possible is really using learning languages. And I've always heard, I don't know if you've heard this as well, too, that a lot of times, people that know more than one languages, let alone five, like yourself, really have a different perspective and allows them to be even better. Sometimes entrepreneurs, because you are able to kind of think outside of the box, because you've learned different languages, you've mastered all of these different ways to kind of communicate, so that only helps you in as a business as a foundation.

Yoann Bierling  07:04

What I mean, cannot really talk about it, but for sure. I see often people, but not focusing on one language, they also focus on one market, and they sometimes miss opportunities, but not so complicated to reach, actually. But it takes a it takes a little bit of effort for sure.

Gresham Harkless  07:27

Yeah, absolutely. You have to be able to kind of be aware and be accessible, of course, be able to communicate which the language allows.

Yoann Bierling  07:35

Well, actually, that's also what I noticed during my career. Even when I was working on projects, and talking in English and everything, what really opened the doors and what made me actually a, I guess a good project manager was that when I was going to these international meetings with everyone I could kind of you know, pick up a few sentences of the private conversations, you know, the languages, and that's when, you know, I could jump in and help people but would not even ask the question in English, discussing it.

Gresham Harkless  08:12

I definitely appreciate that. So I wanted to switch gears a little bit. And I wanted to ask you for what I call a SEO hack. So this might be an app or book or a habit that you have, but what's something that makes you more effective and efficient

Yoann Bierling  08:25

when you actually read and listen to other people's experience and integration and on the subject. So in my case, it is mostly SEO, Search Engine Optimization. For example, last year, I actually started my year on wall two in New York by joining a conference at Google New York for publishers. It was organized by my advertisement agency, which is a Google certified partner, and they they produce a lot of very good content on a on the subject that matters to me. And, and by the way, also, networking is important. For example, joining me Stephen King in New York, it was a great way to meet other people in the industry, like, co responsible of ESPN, some of our websites that successful website creators and and many people especially, like, although no, no, but we are all working from home, it's getting harder and harder to actually network to meet new people to create connections. And that's still very important. And that's on one side. It's like with the current situation, we had the opportunity to join a lot of online events but would have been otherwise on the physical events and not even share the internet. We were able to, to join them to listen more, but it's much harder to two network. Online conferences.

Gresham Harkless  09:54

Yeah, you're absolutely right. And that's something that's still it's kind of in the New Age, kind of like a newborn where you You're trying to get those and develop those connections. And those relationships as you as you touched on as well, too, it's beautiful that we all we have the opportunity, again, to kind of go literally anywhere in the world via zoom, or all these other kind of video conference systems, but there still is kind of some opportunity, I guess, you can say, to really deepen those connections. So it's great to hear that you've been able to do that. And, you know, being able to kind of, of course, you know, go to conferences, pre COVID, allow that opportunity to really deepen and create those connections and learn more about SEO and all those aspects.

Yoann Bierling  10:31

Exactly. So but it is still very important to, to, to read and to watch videos or to keep connected with with the changes and check what happens what other people are doing.

Gresham Harkless  10:45

Yeah, absolutely, especially in SEO. Guys, so I wanted to ask you now for what I call a CEO nugget. And this could be like a word of wisdom or a piece of advice, it might be something you would tell a client or if you happen to a time machine, you might tell your younger business self.

Yoann Bierling  11:04

Stop to stop procrastinating and because like everything I'm doing now I get the idea much before, before I actually started doing something. And if I had started earlier, it doesn't have to be a lot like instead of watching a movie on the weekend, write a business plan. But start early don't wait.

Gresham Harkless  11:27

Yeah, that's, that's powerful. And it's so funny, because I love how you added in that part two about, it doesn't have to be like take over the world on day one. It could be just, you know, not watching the movie doing the business plan. I think so many times, when we have this idea, we see like the whole entire mountain of what we want to accomplish not seeing each of the different steps each of the seeds, we have to plan so that it becomes that and that's really what makes the mountain it's not an overnight thing that happens where you progress. And you're all the way at the top of the mountain on day two or three.

Yoann Bierling  11:56

Exactly. Looking about Montana, it's the same like for example for for fitness, instead of saying I cannot go to the gym, I don't have time. I'm not well, in front of your TV, you can just do a five push ups a day doesn't take a lot of time. It's the same for any business idea you you can do a little bit, even while doing something else. But you have to start.

Gresham Harkless  12:19

Yeah, yeah, exactly, you have to get started. And that's the key to to be able to kind of take those actions because there's so many people that have those ideas have that vision, and they don't take any action. And I think that's a very good nugget, because it's a sign that you love and are really in your spot about doing what you're doing in your zone of genius. And the only thing you would change is doing it even sooner. So I think that's a really good sign.

Yoann Bierling  12:41

Because again, still finding excuses. Of course, there is always a good reason to not do it. But yeah,

Gresham Harkless  12:46

there's a reason not to do everything, as I say. So now I wanted to ask you for my absolute favorite question, which is the definition of what it means to be a CEO. And we're hoping out different critical CEOs on the show. So Yon, what does being a CEO mean to you

Yoann Bierling  13:00

inspire? It's as simple as that. Being a CEO is inspiring and helping over reaching at least a part of what you did rich, like, teaching of helping a well, but nobody reached any point alone. Yeah, I mean, you even if you go there alone, you will learn something before you didn't can download somehow, at some point of time somebody helped you, and be the one that helped somebody? Yes. Which is a moment.

Gresham Harkless  13:38

Yeah. Yeah. And it's so huge. And I'm glad you you know, you spoke to that because I think so many times, like we talked about with your with your hack, you we don't realize that there's so much information out there. And even if you're self made, and you did it by yourself, so to speak, if you can't see me, I'm doing air quotes. The reality is that, you know, you might have listened to a video you might have, you know, had a conversation with somebody you might have read a book, all those opportunities are ways that you can inspire other people and get inspired ourselves and we often can, you know, look back at those things. So I love that definition in that perspective, because it speaks to that and speaks to the many ways by which we can be inspired and how we have the power within us to do that just for so many others as well.

Yoann Bierling  14:21

Yep, exactly. And that's what I like to do like to help other people to learn to see them growing as much as possible. But everybody can can do that can can help a little bit and you'll always learn from the more you give the more you get.

Gresham Harkless  14:39

Yeah, absolutely

Yoann Bierling  14:41

tough to explain but you have to do to fill it with

Gresham Harkless  14:45

Yeah, he get it like a lot of times people don't realize the biggest the best gift in the world is actually giving because you get to see somebody really you know, learn you get to see him inspire you get to see them live their dreams as you do so well. And really when you get that opportunity to give it's it's great Because it comes back, as you said, Sometimes a lot bigger than what we give out. So it's so important to kind of lead with giving in so many different ways. And then you'll start to see the kind of the fruits of all that giving.

Yoann Bierling  15:11

Exactly. Oh, yeah. For me, the most important about being a CEO.

Gresham Harkless  15:19

Yeah, absolutely love that perspective. Yeah, awesome. Awesome. Oh, I appreciate that definition. I appreciate your time even more, what I wanted to do is pass you the mic, so to speak, just to see if there's anything additional, you want to let our readers and listeners know and of course, how best they can get ahold of you, and find out about all the awesome things that you're working on.

Yoann Bierling  15:38

Show Yep, so I create a website's content online courses. And if any of your listeners need help in that way they can contact me. I am sure that you will add my contact information at the end if they want to do more to get to get closer and happy to help them reach their target audience.

Gresham Harkless  16:03

Awesome, awesome. So I definitely appreciate that y'all and we will have the links and information in the show notes as well too so that everybody can follow up with you and see all the awesome things that you're working on. I And let's not forget to you do speak five languages. So if you speak any of those languages as well, so definitely reach out to us. Well, I truly appreciate you again, my friend and I hope you have a phenomenal rest of the day.

Outro  16:22

Thank you for listening to the IMC o podcast powered by Blue 16 Media Tune in next time and visit us at I am CEO, CEO, I am CEO is not just a phrase, it's a community. Be sure to follow us on social media and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play and everywhere you listen to podcasts, subscribe and leave us a five star rating grab CEO gear@www.sceeto.co This has been the mF CEO podcast with Gresham Harkless. Thank you for listening