In the
summer of 2020 Joana Glória saw an opportunity in the Digital
Nomads market to combine her understanding of Tourism with her love of
Networking. The IPBN sat down with the founder of the popular Lagos Digital Nomads platform to find
out more about what opportunities she sees in the market, how the pandemic
shaped her big idea, and what the future of work can be, and how companies can
jump on board.
“I launched the platform for Eat
At a Local’s in 2019 where tourists could sign up to have an authentic
Portuguese food experience at a local’s home. We were very lucky at the time
that the media really took to the idea and gave us some great coverage, which
really made a difference. It was a long year but by the end of it we had 100
hosts in Portugal (including the Azores and Madeira) and then, the pandemic
hit. All my money had been invested in the platform and my income was
zero, so I had to put the project on hold.”
Lucky for Joana, she had the full
support of her family who welcomed her into their home while she figured out
the next steps and waited out the pandemic one lockdown after another. “I moved
back in with my mother in Lagos, and had lots of support from my network
there,” she told the IPBN.
It wasn’t long after the pandemic
began releasing its grip on Portugal that one of Joana’s contacts suggested
that a lot of Digital Nomads were likely on their way to Portugal and that
Joana might be in a good position to help them find accommodations since she
was already very much tapped into that world through her previous project. She
said, “Between September and May is the low season in the Algarve, so this was
a huge opportunity.” Thanks to her efforts, we can now safely call this period
in the Algarve the medium season as so many Digital Nomads are coming to stay
for months at a time. “Some have stayed longer than three months and are
looking to invest in property so they can live here permanently,” she says.
Once Joana started receiving
commissions from placing incoming nomads, she arranged meet-up groups and grew
the business into what it is today: leading digital nomads to local businesses.
Some businesses are now reaching
out to Joana as she is building the platform out, but she told the IPBN that
her focus has been on a curated list of local businesses that she has targeted
specifically to ensure quality. “I’m expanding the listing categories as well
to include wellbeing, self-care and beauty, dentists, health services,
accounting, lawyers, real estate, banks, shops, and more and we are shifting to
an annual subscription-based advertising service to digital nomads.” She
recommended that anyone interested in joining the sales team should get in
touch and that there are currently some advertising spots available on the platform,
which are targeted to the proper nomad through data search algorithms. Joana
says, “The project currently covers Lagos, Vila do Bispo, and Aljezur, but ads
are open to businesses nationwide.”
Aside from building up the
platform into the masterpiece it is turning into, Joana is now promoting her
newest project-inside-a-project called “Workation” and is in the process of
contacting companies and startups to join the program.
We have accommodation, places for
them to work, good internet and food packages, experiences, and entertainment
activities that will allow them to know and enjoy what the Algarve can best
offer them. The idea is to allow digital nomads and/or traditional employees to
work while on vacation. Packages range from Work+Golf to Work+Surf to Work+Sail
and more and other packages can be tailor-made. Joana says, “Many people are
getting motivated to find their work/life balance, and companies can benefit
from this by establishing a better connection with their employees.” Sending an
employee off to a program like this will not only help employers retain talent,
but it will also attract new talent to a forward-thinking employee-centered
business. Aside from nomads, the project also offers packages for families with
a focus on relationship therapy while you work.
When the community re-starts in
September, digital nomads are working through the project to set up workshops
that will be free to IPBN members, so sign up for the newsletter and stay
in touch! If anyone in the network has any event ideas they would like to
share, Joana invites you to reach out. “Connecting people is my passion. My
three favorite words are welcoming, meeting, and connecting!”
And the IPBN couldn’t agree
more.