Episode 562 , The “Automated Life” Secret That Allows Me To Grow My Business While On Holiday
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🔥Show notes: Discover The Secret To Living Life On Your Own Terms (Even If You Feel Trapped By Obligations) 🔥
Are you tired of living a life dictated by the expectations of others?
One fresh AI automation every day. Copy, paste, profit. The membership that turns Claude into your employee.
Join for $9 →Do you feel trapped by societal norms and obligations that don't align with your true desires?
In this eye-opening podcast episode, you'll discover the key to breaking free from the chains of external expectations and living a life that truly fulfills you.
Some Topics We Discuss Include:
, The surprising reason why automating your life goes way beyond just business (and how it can lead to unparalleled happiness) [01:18]
, The crucial difference between an external and internal locus of control (and why understanding this concept is essential for living life on your own terms) [02:33]
, The eye-opening exercise that will reveal the true extent of how much your life is dictated by the expectations of others (brace yourself for a shocking realization) [05:26]
, The insidious way fashion and dating norms can control your life (and how to break free from their grip) [08:15]
, The controversial truth about having kids and owning a home (and why you shouldn't feel ashamed for not wanting these things) [11:42]
, And much more.
| Business Function | Manual Approach | Automated Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Social Media | Post daily, respond to every comment | Schedule 30 days ahead, AI handles DMs |
| Email Marketing | Write and send manually each week | Evergreen sequences triggered by behavior |
| Lead Generation | Cold outreach, networking events | SEO + lead magnets + automated follow-up |
| Customer Support | Answer every email personally | FAQ bots, knowledge base, AI-assisted triage |
| Content Creation | Write every blog post and video script | Repurpose one piece into 10 formats automatically |
Word Of Wisdom:
The easiest thing you can do in this life, guys, is being yourself. Nobody can do this. You are the best person who can do this. [11:42]
Is Your Business Automation Working For You?
1. Could your business run for 2 weeks without you touching anything?
If no: You do not have a business. You have a job you created for yourself. Start by automating your most repetitive daily task this week.
2. Do you still manually post to social media every day?
If yes: Batch-create 30 days of content in one sitting, then schedule it. Martin manages 17+ Pinterest accounts and 12 Instagram accounts without daily manual work.
3. Are your email sequences running on autopilot with behavior-based triggers?
If no: Set up at least a 5-email welcome sequence this week. It works 24/7 while you sleep, travel, or take holidays.
4. Do you have systems documentation so someone else could run your business?
If no: Record a Loom video of your top 3 daily tasks. That is your first SOP. Systemize before you scale.
5. Have you taken a real vacation (no laptop, no emails) in the last 12 months?
If no: Your business is a trap, not freedom. The whole point of entrepreneurship is building something bigger than your daily effort.
Action Steps You Can Take Right Now:
1. Evaluate the percentage of things you do during your day by passion or interest versus obligations. Be honest with yourself and identify areas where you can make changes. [05:26]
2. Assess the percentage of things you do because of someone else's expectations versus what you truly want. Make a conscious effort to prioritize your own desires. [06:47]
3. Reflect on societal norms and expectations (e.g., fashion, dating, lifestyle) and determine which ones align with your authentic self. Let go of those that don't serve you. [08:15]
A Few Ways I Can Help You When You Are Ready:
✅ Need Help With YOUR Business? Don't Know Where To Start? Take My #1 Course: https://martinebongue.com/ulslite/
👉 Want Martin to personally audit your business FOR FREE and give you a detailed action plan? https://martinebongue.com/freeaudit
🚀 Want to work with me 1-ON-1? Watch this short 12 min video on how it works: https://martinebongue.com/workwithme
📙 Want a FREE COPY of my entrepreneur playbook? The 7 Secrets Of The Wealthiest 1% (no opt-in required): https://martinebongue.com/7secrets
🤝 Connect with me on other platforms:
, Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-ebongue/
, Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realmartinebongue
, Telegram: https://t.me/passiveincomeguy
, Twitter X: https://twitter.com/mebongue
🎙️ Listen to my podcast:
, Apple Podcast: https://martinebongue.com/itunesfm
, Spotify: https://martinebongue.com/spotify
, Youtube Podcast: https://martinebongue.com/youtubecast
You can watch this episode in full on youtube here:
👉https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCwkJ1puh18
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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/freedom-by-choice/support
If Your Business Stops When You Do, You Own A Job, Not A Business
For years my business only grew when I was at the desk pushing it, which meant every holiday was really unpaid time off from my own boss. The change came when I built systems that keep working while I do not. Now the business can grow on a week I never open the laptop, because the parts that drive it run without me. That is the whole point of automation, not doing more, but building things that keep going when you stop.
So move the repeatable work out of your hands and into systems that run on their own, then your time off stops costing you momentum. A business should outlive your attention span. I break down the exact setup that lets mine grow while I travel on the Freedom by Choice podcast and in my Diary of a Virtual CEO newsletter. For the data, HubSpot research has benchmarks on what automation frees up, and Zapier shows how to build the workflows that run without you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I automate my business so it runs while I travel?
Start with the three pillars: automated content (schedule 30+ days ahead), automated sales (email sequences + landing pages), and automated fulfillment (digital products or trained team). Martin grows his businesses while on holiday because every revenue-generating activity has a system behind it. No system, no freedom.
What tools do I need to automate a one-person business?
At minimum: a scheduling tool (Buffer or Blotato for social), an email platform with automation (ConvertKit or similar), and a workflow builder (Make.com or n8n). Martin uses 50+ tools, most purchased as lifetime deals, to run multiple businesses with minimal daily input.
How long does it take to fully automate a small business?
The core systems take 30-60 days to set up properly. You will not automate everything overnight, but you can automate your biggest time sink in week one. Most solopreneurs can reclaim 10-15 hours per week within the first month. Full automation is a 90-day project if you commit to one system per week.
Is it possible to automate without being technical?
Yes. Modern no-code tools like Make.com, Zapier, and n8n have visual drag-and-drop builders. Martin is not a developer and has built 1,500+ automation workflows. If you can follow a recipe, you can build an automation. Start with templates, then customize as you learn.
Will my customers notice the difference between automated and personal communication?
Done right, they will not. Well-crafted automated emails outperform manually sent ones because they arrive at the perfect moment. The key is writing in your natural voice and personalizing with merge fields. Martin's automated sequences have better open rates than his manual sends ever did.
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About the Author
Martin Ebongue is the founder of martinebongue.com, an online business and lifestyle design blog focused on helping aspiring entrepreneurs build location-independent businesses. Since 2014, he has been creating and scaling online ventures across multiple niches, from digital products and affiliate marketing to SaaS and content platforms, while traveling the world. He shares the real-world strategies, tools, and systems that work, with a particular focus on AI-powered automation for solopreneurs. Follow him on YouTube, X (Twitter), and Instagram.
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Resources I lean on for the automated life
If you want the long-form version of the systems behind this episode, I keep writing about them in my LinkedIn newsletter, The Diary of a Virtual CEO , every edition is a piece of how I run multiple businesses without a team.
For the actual no-code wiring, the Zapier blog is still the most practical handbook on the planet for solopreneurs stitching tools together.
And on the business strategy behind buying time, Harvard Business Review consistently shows that the founders who scale without burning out are the ones who design the work out of their day, not the ones who out-grind everyone.
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