Why You Need a Flag Theory Mindset (Even If You’re Not a Crypto Bro)
See how Flag Theory can help you design a more flexible life. We also look at a tropical island nomad visa, upcoming group trips, and a unique co-living option for women 50+ testing the expat waters.
Welcome to Midlife Nomads—your weekly hit of smart tools, real talk, and bold ideas for building a location-independent life through remote work, travel, and business.
You’ve probably heard the phrase “diversify your portfolio.” Well, what if you could diversify your life from where you live and earn to where your business is registered and where your assets are held?
That’s the idea behind Flag Theory, a framework developed in the 1960s that’s gained traction again—and not just with crypto traders or perpetual travelers, but with pragmatic midlife entrepreneurs looking for more control, security, and freedom.
At its core, Flag Theory is about not putting all your eggs in one geopolitical basket. That doesn’t mean ditching your passport and sailing into the sunset. It means strategically planting “flags” across countries to optimize your lifestyle, taxes, privacy, and legal protections.
The original version had three flags: get a second passport, base your business offshore, and live in a tax-friendly country. These days, it’s expanded… think digital residency, international real estate, offshore banking, and even encrypted cloud storage as a virtual flag.
Is this about dodging taxes? No. It’s about intentionally designing a more resilient, flexible life; one that’s less exposed to political instability, economic shifts, or bureaucratic overreach in any one place.
A few years ago, I moved my business from Canada to Estonia through its e-Residency program. It’s not a tax dodge (I still pay taxes there and in my home tax residency country), but it is a streamlined, tech-enabled way to run a compliant business within the EU from anywhere. That’s a flag.
And it makes a huge difference when your goal is location independence with less red tape.
Flag Theory isn’t for everyone, but a flag mindset might be. If you're building a life untethered from traditional employment or geography, this framework helps you ask the right questions:
Where do I want to live?
Where should I earn?
Where do I want my business to be?
How do I protect my assets?
The goal isn’t to escape the system. It’s to design one that works for you.
In the spirit of exploring what’s possible, here are a few intriguing things that have been floating through my circles lately:
Mauritius is clearing nomad visa approvals in just 48 hours
Mauritius offers a Digital Nomad Visa—officially called the Premium Visa—that lets remote workers live and work from the island for up to a year, with the option to renew. To qualify, you'll need to show a minimum monthly income of $1,500, be employed by a foreign company or run your own business serving clients outside Mauritius, and have international health insurance.
The entire application process is done online and usually wraps up in just 48 hours. There’s no government fee, and your foreign-earned income isn’t taxed locally—but be aware that staying more than 183 days in a year could make you a tax resident, which may trigger tax on income you remit into the country.
Their nomad visa is available to citizens of 114 countries and offers a compelling chance to combine remote work with a laid-back, tropical lifestyle. It’s not for everyone, though; despite being relatively safe, Mauritius get low marks for LGTBQ+ friendliness and poor quality hospitals on Nomads.com.
What’s up at Noma Collective
I’m traveling with Noma Collective a few times this year, and they’ve announced some intriguing new trips recently. One is the ‘People’s Choice’ trip to Croatia, where community members chose the destination, trip length, and vibe through a voting process.
You can take $150 off your first Noma trip with my code: MIDLIFENOMADS150.
La Joie Homebase offers an intriguing option for older women
La Joie is a boutique co-living retreat in Provence, France, designed specifically for women over 50 who want to test the waters of expat or nomad life in a supportive, like-minded community.
Founded by two Finnish women who’ve relocated to the south of France, La Joie also offers a subscription-based virtual community for women navigating life transitions and considering relocation.
While it’s pricier than many co-living options, it offers a curated, gentle landing for women looking to ease into long-term travel or international living.
👋 See you next week!
Miranda
P.S. In case you’re just getting started here, these are among my most popular guides for those building a more location-independent lifestyle: