Work, Wealth, and Travel Podcast: Discussing Remote Work and Immigration Experiences with Emily Bron

Learn from lifestyle consultant Emily Bron as she provides expert guidance on navigating immigration and relocation in Latin America. Discover the key factors to consider, popular destinations, and valuable insights for a successful transition. 

TIMESTAMPS: 

00:00 Introduction and Guest Background
00:38 Exploring Different Countries and Cultures
03:06 Transition to Entrepreneurship and Travel Business
03:48 Adapting to the Pandemic and Shifting Business Focus
04:49 Understanding the Market and Client Needs
05:22 Personal Relocation Experiences and Insights
08:45 Exploring Mexico as a Popular Destination
17:31 Investment and Financial Considerations in Relocation
22:47 Final Thoughts and Advice for Potential Relocators
28:08 Conclusion and Contact Information

Emily: When people are sure that they would relocate, I’m not advising to buy property immediately, take your time, start from the correct kind of place, have option of several others and live at least for several months.

Nicole: Emily, welcome to the work, wealth and travel podcast. I am so excited to have you on today before. We dive into all things remote work, travel, entrepreneurship, share a little bit about your story, your journey, and what that has looked like for you, where you started and how you got to where you are today.

Emily: Thank you very much. First of all, for inviting me. And it’s a pleasure for me to be this as a Canadian, is understanding that we actually open to provide services. To people from other countries, I really appreciate, you know, to see and work with Canadians. Speaking about me, I was born in former Soviet Union, the country which does not exist anymore.

And now if we will define it, I was born in what is now Republic of Moldova. I lived in what is now Republic of Ukraine. Sometime in what is now Mm. Russia. It was one country at the times. It’s why people coming from this piece of land sharing the same language, even different mentality. I left the country when it was still Soviet Union.

My first immigration kind of beyond Iron Curtain, it was in a time was to Israel. So I lived in the Middle East for the time and it was. Immigration, and I can tell comparing with what’s going on now, it’s completely different from relocation, as we say today, I can see the big difference. You know, no internet.

It provided me some unique understanding and experience of challenges people have along the road. So my second immigration was to Canada, where I’m living in. Almost 27 years right now in every country. I lived starting from Moldova. I’ve had I changed my professional direction. It happens this way. So I changed my profession many times starting from zero.

The same has happened in Canada. So it’s my experience, actually technical background, but I was working as a consultant for years. And at some point I realized that unfortunately, Canada probably will be not my last country of living because I was thinking about, about retirement, you know, at certain stage of life, people starting to think, okay, so where I would retire and taking into account Canadian climate and cost of living and some other consideration.

I started to look for myself, and being avid traveler, and I like travel, and I believe I know how to travel all my life, I started to travel. So it started, by the way, from Costa Rica, Guatemala, Europe, but I started to learn more about Latin America. And after some time, I realized that it’s not only my issues, but apparently other people looking for retirement places as well.

I mean, North American, American and Canadians, we share the same kind of ideas and interests. And actually it’s prompt me to open the first, it was travel company. I became, it was my kind of side hustle in 2018 and I was really interested in medical tourism. And I created several tours, like designed several tours under the program for retirement places in Mexico.

So at this point I started to discover Mexico. Other than kind of all inclusive, I’m not taking into account, you know, all this experience, really how people are living. I always had interest in local culture to understand, you know, people. So starting from pandemic. Travel was actually not possible and I realized in Canadian lockdowns without work and with a lot of time to digest what’s going on around that people will be relocating.

And I was thinking how I can actually help people utilizing my experience with travel. My personal multi immigrational experience, my travel experience and my connections, because at this point I’ve had already connections established in Latin America, in Europe, because I was offering lifestyle discovery tours, my connection with real estate developers, brokers, specifically in Mexico with immigration professionals in different countries.

And after I get to this model, like. international lifestyle consulting with understanding that there are already several companies in the market, but many people specifically in North America don’t have personal immigration experience. And they are basing their decisions About really serious steps, specifically after 50 years old, and it’s my target auditory, like people, you know, 45, 50, after 50, like every life stage, we have different priorities in life and even different requirements.

And I relocated being 27, being 37. And by the way, I’m relocating now, I’m walking my talk. Obviously I cannot relocate to all countries I know about, just to several. And I selected for myself, Mexico. But I know about immigration processes in many countries and I’m following news. Many countries, it’s only Europe and Latin America.

It’s what I specified for myself, being solopreneur, because first of all, my opinions for North Americans, like Asia, I’m following the news, but it’s very hard to adjust. And my kind of specialty to prepare people for relocation and to help them to define the best. Countries that matching their particular situation, because what I noticed is that people often selecting the country actually making serious decision and starting some process, you know, on emotional base, maybe because, you know, friend or neighbor was relocating to Costa Rica.

It doesn’t mean that it will be good for you. And I like Costa Rica. I like Costa Rica, but I understand and I know about different areas, infrastructure, about medical system from my medical tourism research and, and all this, and people without experience, not considering many factors, which are specifically important when you’re after 50, and you’re actually uprooting your life in many cases, and starting your life in a completely new country, right?

Thank you. Which you think that you knew because you maybe spend some time in all-inclusive or even travel, but it’s completely different experience and I believe that by helping people to find even in the same country, different areas, different climate, actually, why I like Mexico, because it’s so huge, so big, and it’s.

Person can find, you know, completely different lifestyle based on what they need, but sometimes they don’t know. I mean, in particular, I might not consider other important lifestyle factors, which actually include budget. People sometimes have not realistic expectation what they can do on their budget.

Personally, when, you know, character, mentality, matching mentality of this or other place, like age group, health condition, where you need to be, what you need to consider, because in my personal experience, and observing many immigrants, and I’m still living, And I’m still considering myself immigrant, even though I’m Canadian.

One of the biggest mistakes people do often, I mean, when they’re relocating, they selecting not correct place. Well, they might change after then, but first experience, it’s very important. And people, you don’t know what you don’t know. And obviously, I cannot predict all possible outcomes, but I believe I can explain or warn people about something that they can avoid by selecting correct place to start their new life journey.

I love that. Thank you so much for sharing all of that. It’s interesting what you do and how you are helping a similar demographic to you. So I want to chat about Mexico. What are some of the factors that you look for when a client comes to you and you’re assessing the best destination for them? And why is Mexico such a popular destination?

Nicole: What does it have that a lot of clients are specifically looking for? 

Emily: Uh, yes, and it’s actually, uh, why I selected Mexico, uh, as my main destination country. Uh, I’ve had before, uh, even on my website, Costa Rica, Belize, Panama, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Bulgaria, and Greece. But I decided to be more specific about Mexico because I am relocating to Mexico.

I’m traveling every year to Mexico and I’m traveling myself as a single woman, taking every time several different states. I’m using public transportation. I’m trying on myself, you know, different transportation options, but I do research. I don’t do it blindly. I know. Actually, I have a course about Mexico from my travel times, and I can tell you that Mexico is changing a lot.

So, why Mexico? First of all, it’s a huge country with different climate zone, with different areas, cost of living, which is different in different areas, with different cultural specifics, because, for example, I noticed people from Quebec and Ontario mostly know about Riviera Maya, because, you know, mostly destination coming to this area.

So they think that all Mexico, it’s like Maya. Absolutely not. Mexico is, you know, there are more than 100 different national group and even ingenious people, they so different and it bring different cultural taste of the different states. I’m speaking now about Mexican states. So I am taking course like I’m learning about history.

I’m learning about culture. It’s what interesting to me, like as a person, but I believe yeah. It’s helped me to understand better the local mentality. And after some time, actually communicating with people from Latin America, like, I already know the difference with all respect for different personality types.

It’s interesting to me. But with all this, I understand the different people have different personality, different requirements, and they don’t have time to do research as I do, and you know, connection. The second point, Mexico ticking all boxes from this kind of requirement list. That’s why Mexico is so popular.

It’s good for digital nomads. And Mexico, like Playa del Carmen, and after that Mexico City, and Tulum, it’s kind of no name in digital nomad world. Mexico very good known as remote work. Which I define divide between just digital nomad and the remote work professionals, because many people from Canada and United States relocated specifically for Mexico and continue to work for their companies, you know, up north.

So. This category, and I would say remote workers with families, it’s what I’m following as well, because remote workers with families have actually more requirements. Specifically, you need home, you need school for the children, so it’s not a single digital nomad who would be okay living in co living place.

And by traveling in different states, I know about difference in climate, and I can tell even from my experience. It’s a beginning. When I knew only about Riviera Maya, actually I even purchased property in Del Carmen because I was thinking about, I am visiting Playa Del Carmen every year, so I know people there, because I was considering it as a good place for me to be in the future.

But after traveling and discovering other places and realizing the climate of Vieira Maia, it’s not what I need for my health. Like, it’s nice to spend months or two during the winter, but it’s a completely different story when you live all the time. And now as a Mexican resident, even temporarily living in Canada, I think, like, why do I need all these tourists?

Why do I need to spend time on all this? It’s not what I need. And it’s helped me to understand what is good for digital nomads. I know in what state, what kind of industry is prevalent, where people can find work, because it’s not all for remote work. Some people are relocating when they can find work in automation industry and aviation industry.

So, and speaking about climate, speaking about where’s the good hospitals and all this consideration. It’s what Mexico is offering, but again, you need to know what is good for you. And it’s very hard from the beginning. I made kind of my mistakes, I would say, which I learned. And it’s what I can share with the people.

And I’m Following the news specifically about Mexico and about Latin America from political point of view from economical, you know, and expats group actually daily. So I’m trying to be on on top of what’s going on because I noticed that people started to relocate from country to country, but it’s a different question.

Nicole: Yeah, thank you for sharing all of that. Mexico. It’s so diverse. I know I mentioned to you off air. I’m here now. My partner is Mexican. So it’s really interesting to be very ingrained in the culture on just a day to day. I’m never around foreigners here. And it’s a very different experience to actually live here and be ingrained in the culture.

Versus traveling like you mentioned and going to Playa del Carmen, which I also cannot stand that heat. I will not be there if I don’t have to be there, but there are so many diverse landscapes and places to live. Right now I’m in Mexico City and then we will be in Morelia shortly. So not too far from Mexico City and we’ll continue to travel Mexico because you’re right.

There is so much to see here. North, central, south, within all of that, there are countless cities, beautiful little, what do they call them? Candy cities? I think they’re called? Something along that line. Yes. 

Emily: Special nomination. And even between cities, they have different groups. Like for myself, what I like Querétaro, but for myself and people who are kind of sensitive to the climate and looking for the, I would say more cultural.

background, meaning local cultural and even culture in a big sense, like for me, Querétaro is good. I like Guanajuato and Ollenda, but it’s not for me, but it’s good from Querétaro to go to visit, you know, for some cultural events. It’s very important for me. So Querétaro are ticking all boxes at the same time. I have the interest to Guadalajara and I know what’s going on in Sorry, Puerto Vallarta and In addition, Mexico is known as a biggest sport for Americans and Canadians, actually expat in the world, and amount of expat community in every city, small and big, and actually difference between expat communities and specifics.

It’s what I’m trying to consider as well. So there’s a lot of dynamics and speaking about economy. What I can share, first of all, people not always realize that Mexico, it’s part of North America, Mexico, it’s not Latin or Central America. So many, even immigration process to Mexico is simple for us, Americans and Canadians, comparing to immigration.

to Panama and even Uruguay. You probably have your own observation about the process. But it’s a lot of familiar stores and a lot of familiar already, you know, the same stores, the same, um, like services, which actually now in Mexico, it’s what make people at the beginning. It’s easier to adjust and Mexicans, I found very like family oriented and very friendly people and they looking to help and understand.

So all of these making relocation specifically for people after 50 and 60 easier comparing with other countries, which are good as well. 

Nicole: There’s so much opportunity here, and it is straightforward to migrate into Mexico, depending on the country that you come from. But I want to chat about what the finances look like and also investment.

So this doesn’t have to be specific to Mexico, but I am curious your opinion when working with clients. What does that look like in terms of. Baby boomers who are wanting to start thinking about retirement or wanting to retire elsewhere in life and elsewhere in the world in different countries. And they’re wanting to potentially make investments in different countries.

They’re wanting to bring over some of, of course, their finances. Do you see that often with the clients that you work with and what are some of the prevalent countries for some of those investments that they can have later in life? 

Emily: Many people should understand the why before doing anything. And again, it’s the beginning.

I was the same. I was thinking about investment during the COVID. I realized that I need, I would like to relocate. So it’s different consideration and what is working for investment, but not work for. In case when a person or family say retirees looking for a location. So my actual approach and advice, I have special questionnaire and trying to analyze each particular situation.

That’s why I’m speaking about one to one consultation at the beginning. To start from specifying the place and time because, you know, sometimes all this process take years for people, you know, till they came to the decision. I would say. Relocation and sales process, it might take several years and circumstances might change along the way, like immigration rules changing or some health situation.

Even when people are sure that they would relocate, I’m not advising to buy property immediately. What I’m saying and what many people are doing, take your time, start from the correct kind of place, have option of several others, and Live at least for several months in, in some of them to feel that it’s really yours.

The climate is good for you. If you’re comfortable and you need time to find property in every place, don’t jump immediately because it’s very easy to buy. in Mexico, but not so easy to sell it. And I know it from personal experience. It’s more expensive to sell than to buy. So kind of avoid only if you know for sure.

And some people really, they want to invest and I respect it as well. They know I want it to be on the seashore. Okay. You need to know about Fedecamisa process and this and this, and I can connect you directly. If you’re sure that it’s I know he will change his mind in power and how, you know, several years, but you know, it’s decision looks like correct now and maybe, and maybe it would be right.

So Mexico, like the construction is booming, prices actually is going up, but I found that the real estate market. It’s different in different states, not only market rules. I was surprised to discover how they different. I mean, how real estate of working in Querétaro versus Riviera Maya is completely different market.

Even rental market is different, so to find rental market, it’s a, you know, so, again, people should be clear about budget, about the, you know, situation, if it’s kind of as many Canadians and Americans trying for part time, it’s okay. I’m speaking about part time. Try this place. Spend winter. But please remember that the summer you will have different feelings from this place, but, you know, different situation, somebody want to buy immediately for different reason, somebody need to sell place back home, or maybe even not to sell it at all.

Okay, there are option of accommodation as well. It’s not about Mexico. It’s my approach. kind of in Panama, because there is a lot of different areas, different climate, small country. The same in Costa Rica. Don’t make kind of engagement for long time before you sure that you get this place correct and it’s matching your Personal plans, budget, and health.

Nicole: Yeah, I love that from the lifestyle approach. We also help our clients with the real estate aspect of things in Latin America and of course other countries as well. And it’s interesting to hear your perspective of it because it’s so different. You are on the lifestyle perspective, whereas for us it’s more for the citizenship, for PR investments, for those purposes.

But I love that you have the more relaxed take of Go experience it. See what it’s like. This is really going to be your home destination, not just a piece of the portfolio, which of course, if that’s going to be somewhere where you’re living long term, that’s extremely important. So this has been a really interesting conversation.

Is there any last words that you want to touch on anything that we haven’t touched on again? It doesn’t need to be Mexico specific, but whether it be to. Building your business to the finances behind relocating and what that can look like, anything like that to wrap up. 

Emily: I think from a client perspective or potential client who just considering and thinking there are crucial factors to consider first of all, and it’s really important determining your why.

Which will help you later on when there are periods of downfall and, you know, people after honeymoon get to the different period to remember your why, why you did it and not to compare your new life with your life back home. I know it would be, but try to remember your why and don’t compare because you relocated in order to get different experience.

So. Get it as a, as a, as a package kind of good and bad. And I believe that selecting the right country in region in the country, which aligns with your personal circumstances, budget, age, uh, professional, you know, direction. Even lifestyle preferences, it’s, uh, it’s very important to understand it in advance.

Obviously, I’m speaking about how to prepare to this new life chapter from legal, taxation, and immigration point of view. I’m not legal or immigration professional. I can connect with people who would help with the process, but to be prepared to know what should should be done and say for Mexico. It’s pretty simple.

You can start. You don’t need lawyer. Actually, you can start in your country in every country. You can save a lot of money, which is not case. For example, for Panama or any other countries. And by the way, speaking about golden visa, when requirements, you know, to get this kind of quick, you know, uh, way of getting citizenship or residency by buying property.

Obviously, here there is a property’s requirements, and it’s another option for people to have. a plan B while they’re living and working still in their country. Every situation is different and the people are not considering very often that they need to be familiar with a certain culture. And I’m not speaking about language.

Language is a must. I mean, to start learning in advance, but. Need to be considered with mentality of local people, I don’t know, read books, good books, watch movies, and actually mental and mindset preparation for the new life, really helping with adjustment after them, like more realistic expectation. And by the way, I am ready to help people after relocation.

So I am the first steps of the relocation. Because the hard part sometimes happens when people are relocating. And they, you know, settle accommodation and kind of immigration questions. The question is what to do next. How to build your life in a new place when your language is still not very good. I mean local language.

And let me open and I know I’m speaking several languages, but I fully understand that my Spanish probably will not be perfect, never in my life, just because of, you know, age framework, I would say, but what to do next, how to prepare. Speaking about entrepreneurship, what can you do in order to prepare yourself, maybe to start some business that you can take online business, if it’s possible with yourself, or maybe other business, which will work for you, you know, when you are away, that’s why actually I’m following news about remote work trends and digital nomads, movements, immigration changes, Um, because it’s all in dynamic now, I’m open to specific research if people need it, because every situation different, some disease, some problems, need specific hospital, connect with specific doctors in specific area.

It’s all important. I mean, being in Mexico, now we’re speaking about Mexico or being on Portugal and Spain and another country who can help along the road, because, you know, there are many people need to be involved in the whole relocation, we would say, door to door process. Yes, from the beginning till the end, many people of different professional backgrounds should be involved.

Nicole: Yeah, I completely agree. And I think what you touch on, Just very briefly within that was about the cultural differences. And it’s interesting when you spend long term time in one place and you realize how completely, not only the language, but the culture, the traditional culture of here in Mexico versus a very individualist mindset, where I come from in Canada, in America, where a lot of the expats here in Mexico are from.

And so really spending time on the ground is the only way that you’re going to see what those differences. Look like, and there are many, I mean, I could speak to so many in the last three years with my relationship with my partner. The first year was very interesting. I’m meeting his family, the cultural differences, and then his cultural differences in my culture as well.

When meeting family, when coming to Canada, I think anybody planning. Any sort of relocation understands how there’s going to be an element of the cultural differences that comes into play and are hopefully very open to it. So Emily, thank you for sharing everything you’ve shared today. Where can people find you online?

Emily: I have website, emilybron.com, kind of simple taking my first and last name together. I’m pretty active on LinkedIn. Started to work more on Facebook and soon I’m planning. It’s kind, kind of my new project and initiative. I will launch my new podcasting channel like I have already something, but it’ll be on the different level.

And actually what I am interested in. Want to offer to other people a real life story from the real people of the world. It’s what I’m saying. Stories of expats from Mexico, from different cultures. I can speak about my experience, but obviously every person has his own unique experience, and I believe recent experience can help other people.

to get some valuable feedback or to understand what’s going on, even not to take on himself. And it would be interviews with professionals who would help because I’m ready to share information. Actually, I would like to share information. I would like people to be prepared. To understand the challenges, but positive sides of the new life, new opportunities for some, you know, business oriented people, new climate, or maybe best relaxation experienced because of climate and being more outside.

So it’s my vision and I am more concentrated among people, 50. But with all this, with understanding that Mexico actually attract many digital nomads and remote workers, I would invite people from this category to share their life experience as well. It’s actually what I did before, but now it will be on a different scale.

Nicole: Awesome. Thank you so much for being here, Emily. I appreciate your time. 

Emily: Thank you very much for what you are doing. And I hope we, we will find a lot of overlaps. And I will. Always looking to help people from different perspective.

There are many reasons people choose to make the move to the destination of their dreams. Remote workers can work from anywhere with an internet connection. Today, virtually every part of the world is online.

Once just the lifestyle of digital nomads, the pandemic has led millions of people. Many are choosing to move to a foreign location. Retirees, too, discover how their nest egg can go farther when living in a location that offers a better quality of life while reducing expenses. At International Lifestyle Consultants, we have scoured the world to uncover the best foreign destinations to call home.

Perhaps you dream of a pastoral life in the quaint European countrysides of Italy or Portugal. On the shores of the Black Sea, you can find luxury accommodations at a fraction of what you would pay in the United States and Canada. Enjoy a leisurely lifestyle of Caribbean or Pacific trade winds found in the beachside communities of Mexico, Central and South America.

Choose from the many charming colonial towns located in the same region.

Discover areas with quality access to dental and health care that have attracted many foreign travelers on a budget. We make choosing to live in your dream destination a reality. We have curated migratory, cultural, and investment opportunities that you will not find elsewhere. We know firsthand how to help you create your step by step relocation plan.

You’ll begin your journey by filling out our Know Yourself questionnaire. We can also arrange discovery tours. So you can experience the culture up close and personal prior to making your move. You don’t have to dream of living in an exotic location. Contact us today and make that dream a reality.

Nicole Vilaca

Global Citizen Strategist 💡 Residency & Citizenship Expert 🌍 LatAm & European Residencies, Caribbean Citizenship, Global Diversification 📈 CEO & Founder at Work, Wealth & Travel

Work, Wealth & Travel offers personalized solutions which meet the needs of our globally diverse clients. Whether living a global citizen or digital nomad lifestyle, we ensure you have a varied portfolio of residencies and citizenships, which lead to tax optimization, investments across various markets, and life-long security.

Lifestyle Consulting: Navigating Immigration and Relocation in Latin America