Inside the 'co-working retreats' where digital nomads travel the world to work and party

Melia Robinson

2017-03-13T15:01:00Z

More Americans are working remotely than ever before. With a little help from a new tourism startup, some of these digital nomads are waking up in private villas in Bali, snacking on fruits from the local market, and bathing in outdoor showers before starting the workday.

Unsettled, founded in 2016, curates 30-day co-working retreats around the world for entrepreneurs, freelancers, and people transitioning between careers. The company promises a productive work environment set in paradise, where participants can break from their routine, find new perspectives, and form authentic professional relationships.

We spoke with Michael Youngblood, a serial entrepreneur and cofounder of Unsettled, on why co-working travel experiences offer something that traditional co-working spaces can't.

A "co-working retreat" sounds like a vacation made by millennials for millennials — like the grown-up version of study abroad. But that's not the intention, Youngblood says.

Unsettled was built on the belief that the best experiences are the ones you are a full participant in. "You have to collaborate, you have to create. You have to connect with people. You have to contribute," Youngblood says.

He says these "Four C's" — which he co-opted from an old professor — help people become more fulfilled in all aspects of life, from spirituality to professional development.

In 2013, Youngblood was living in Washington, DC, running his own creative agency. "My biggest and only client was MIT, so I was doing work for them. But I had never stepped foot on the campus before," Youngblood says. He started to feel isolated without an office to work in.

Around that time, he put feelers out through social media to see if any friends wanted to take an extended trip where they would work and adventure on the weekends in Bali, an Indonesian island known for its forested volcanic mountains, beaches, and coral reefs. He expected five or six friends to join in. Instead, 42 friends and friends of friends agreed to go.

It was an "ah ha" moment for Youngblood. "I wasn't making money off it, but at the same time, I was like, '$82,000 in revenue for an idea I came up with two weeks ago?'"

Youngblood abandoned his other ventures and joined forces with his cofounder, Jonathan Kalan, a freelance photographer. They launched Unsettled in 2016.

The calm after the storm 😍 . . . . Shout out to @vanweloveyou for the 📸#viewfromtheoffice #beunsettled #workfromanywhere #embracetheunknown #rooftop #workandtravel #serene #nottooshabby #travel #lifeishard #not #nomad #lifeisgood #nofilter #nomadlife #traveltheworld #colombia #medellin

A post shared by Unsettled (@beunsettled) on Feb 22, 2017 at 3:15am PSTFeb 22, 2017 at 3:15am PST

The company has hosted four trips since October, in places as varied as Buenos Aires, Barcelona, and Medellín, the capital of Colombia's mountainous Antioquia province.

Each retreat caps at about 30 participants and has been filled to or near capacity.

Participants pay $1,400 to $2,100, depending on the destination and length of the trip. The price includes a private room, a communal workspace, internet, workshops, and day trips.

Just another day working in paradise... ❤️️ + ☕ in #Medellin #Colombia . . . #beunsettled #workfromanywhere #digitalnomad #community #todaysoffice #coffeeshop #nomadlife #remotework #travel #locationindependent #travelgram #traveldiary #traveljunkie #globetrotter #passionpassport #workandtravel

A post shared by Unsettled (@beunsettled) on Feb 19, 2017 at 3:00pm PSTFeb 19, 2017 at 3:00pm PST

Youngblood and Kalan interview every applicant and always ask, "How much are you working?" They don't want Unsettled to turn into spring break for slackers.

The retreat is structured in a way that allows participants to remain productive. Weekdays are typically work days. Unsettled partners with local co-working spaces in each country it visits and ensures participants have access to a desk and internet connection.

On the weekends, participants check out the iconic rice paddies of Bali or the nightlife of Buenos Aires. Day trip attendance is not required, but most people go, Youngblood says.

Meanwhile in Bali.... "It is my first time in Asia, I take it slow...However, sometimes I speed it up to 9..78 m/s2! On Sunday I jumped off the 6m cliff into the waterfall. Here comes the photo 'right after' :D " - Nata Kostenko ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ #beunsettled #exploringbali #getoutstayout #traveltheworld #traveldiaries #baliadventure #beautifuldestinations

A post shared by Unsettled (@beunsettled) on Nov 13, 2016 at 3:27am PSTNov 13, 2016 at 3:27am PST

The company is not profitable, thought it is ramping up the number of retreats. Youngblood says there are 18 to 20 trips in the works for 2017.

Their repeat business game is strong. Roughly 15% of participants have returned for a second retreat, and about 35% of their business comes from referrals.

Spent the weekend on a finca (small farm) learning about coffee production, experiencing Colombian life outside the city, meeting the family and of course, sipping the goods!! . . . . #coffee #finca #beunsettled #nomadlife #embracetheunknown #jardin #coffeeaddicts #farmlife #locationindependent #getoutside #greatconnection #nowifi #grouptravel #explore #weekendgetaway #grouplove #workfromanywhere #colombia

A post shared by Unsettled (@beunsettled) on Feb 20, 2017 at 12:54pm PSTFeb 20, 2017 at 12:54pm PST

Youngblood, who says he was the first in his family to get a US passport and travel the world, returns to Bali in March, where the daily grind doesn't feel quite so boring.

Take us back to el campo! Oh, wait... . . . . #thisweekend #embracetheunknown #countryside #elcampo #nature #beunsettled #nomadstyle #workandtravel #explore #workfromanywhere #exceptelcampo #nowifi #greatconnection #getoutside #locationindependent #nomadlife

A post shared by Unsettled (@beunsettled) on Feb 16, 2017 at 5:18am PSTFeb 16, 2017 at 5:18am PST

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