Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Aja McClanahan. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Aja, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

I think we can all agree that 2020 was the craziest year most of us have seen in a long time. The world as we knew it entered the Twilight Zone, and most of us were just trying to survive and make sense of things. For me, it was an even more difficult time because I was weathering a divorce while taking care of my elderly mother full-time. I also had full custody of my children and was facing a new reality as a single mom, in addition to securing our family’s safety from the abusive partner I was separated from. Suffice it to say that life was coming at me fast in all directions.

In the midst of it all, I decided to take a trip to the island of Puerto Rico with my children. I moved heaven and earth to find short-term care for my mom and scrape up the money so we could go on this much-needed vacation. At the time, it felt like a big (unnecessary) risk in the midst of lots of uncertainty.

Thankfully, we got to our location safely and ended up having a great time. While there, I had this feeling, I believe from God, that I was supposed to look at real estate there. To me, it seemed silly, seeing that I didn’t know the island well or even where to start.

As chance would have it, a friend of mine, a native of the island, phoned me while there and was so ecstatic about my trip she decided to join me! The next day, she flew in and took us around her favorite spots on the island, including one where a friend of hers owned property.

I liked the area enough that I started looking at listings. Long story short, I connected with a real estate agent for a showing, but due to COVID, there was a mandatory 48-hour wait time to see a property, and I was scheduled to leave before then. When I left, the agent did a video tour with me, and I liked the property, though I wasn’t sure how I’d pay for it, being out of work and on my own as a single mom.

By faith, I put an offer on the property, and it was accepted! Then came the work of trying to fund the transaction. I spoke to a relative who agreed to lend me half of the money I needed to buy the property. Before the end of the year was out, I had flown back to the island to close on my property!

For me, it was a huge risk because I wasn’t sure how I’d get all the money or stay afloat financially by sinking so much cash into purchasing a home. I was also leery about doing business in a foreign environment where a potential language barrier existed.

Fast forward to today, and our family has temporarily relocated to Puerto Rico due to my mom’s healthcare issues. The bonus is that my children can attend school there inexpensively, and I don’t have as much financial pressure since I don’t have a mortgage to worry about for my place there.

This was one of the craziest, scariest things I had ever done in my life, and now I’m a huge fan of moving around to make life easier. In fact, I’m getting a home built in the Dominican Republic, which is an extremely affordable Caribbean location. I also expect to explore and find more properties in the EU this summer.

Now, my goal is to help others create the life they want to live by relocating to places that cater to their needs—whether it’s for a lower cost of living, a better healthcare system or even an ideal climate.

Expanding your living options to include various locations can be good for your mental health, which can also affect your physical health. I took a big risk by moving to an unfamiliar, unknown place during a challenging time in my life, but I now realize my bravery will benefit others who seeking similar changes in their lives to have a better quality of life.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m a financial writer and real estate investor. I started financial writing as a blogger who wanted to share how she had paid off over $120,000 in debt with the world. Pretty soon, larger publications started noticing my writing work and asking me to write for them, too. As a result, I’ve written hundreds of articles on personal finance and have an extensive portfolio of work all around the web, helping people make financial decisions that will better their lives. Additionally, I’ve been called upon for speaking engagements to tell my story and give financial advice based on my personal experiences.

I’m also a licensed real estate agent with experience acquiring, renovating, and furnishing short-term rental properties. Now, I’m shifting my business to focus on international real estate.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I’d say that my writing and speaking business has definitely been based on my willingness to share my own personal journey with money. In fact, I gave a TedTalk in 2018, which caught the attention of a traditional book published and eventually landed me a book deal for How a Mother Should Talk About Money with Her Daughter. Many “influencers” like to focus on the rules and their successes, but it can be harder to talk about the faux pas and the mistakes. I believe that because I’ve always included that in my advice and stories, it’s allowed me to build trust with my audience. In other words, being transparent and authentic is a great way to connect with your tribe and build trust.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

I don’t have a business partner, but I can say that I’ve partnered with many other content creators in the personal finance space. Although it might seem counterintuitive to collaborate with people who should be your competitors, I can truly say this community has been a godsend.

I’ve made so many mutually beneficial connections through networking and attending industry events that I’ve been left speechless on many occasions. I’ve been featured in several colleagues’ books and podcasts, spoken at events, and received sponsorship and writing opportunities simply because my industry peers have vouched for me and mentioned my name behind closed doors.

The point is that you should not be afraid to connect with the competition because, sometimes, surprisingly, wonderful synergies can happen when you decide to work together.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.principlesofincrease.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/principlesofincrease/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajadileah/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/principlesofincreaseTV

Image Credits

Carl Ankrum (for the pics of my in pink and blue only)