The Expat Money Show - With Mikkel Thorup

After the fall of Maduro in Venezuela, the next question on the mind of many is, “Is Cuba next?”  In today’s episode, I’m joined by Mailyn Salabarria, a Cuban refugee who left the island as an adult to rebuild her life in the United States. Mailyn and I discuss what the upheaval in Venezuela could mean for Cuba, how the regime maintains power, and what it would take to rebuild a post-Communist Cub...

The annual gathering of global elites at the World Economic Forum in Davos is usually an easy skip. It typically features a parade of bureaucrats and technocrats, both elected and unelected, proudly touting their plans for “managing the world.” But this year, there were a couple of particularly interesting speeches from two world leaders who stand in stark opposition to one another.  In today’s ep...

Trump has once again brought the subject of the U.S. acquiring Greenland to the forefront and is being louder than ever about its necessity. What once seemed like a joke of a headline is now being seriously entertained as a potential political reality.  In today’s episode, my co-host Marc Clair and I break down Trump’s push to acquire Greenland, what it signals about Europe's direction, and how it...

Colombia has spent decades being defined by headlines that no longer reflect reality, which shapes how most people see the country. But the moment you set foot there, you realize it is a completely different story. In today’s episode, my co-host Marc Clair and I recap our recent Colombia exploration and investment tour. We dive into what it is really like in the booming city of Medellín and the de...

For decades, Venezuela has been ravaged by socialism and the rule of strongmen like Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro. It is a country that has watched its most capable citizens flee for more than a decade. But after the shocking capture and arrest of Nicolás Maduro, as you can imagine, I’ve been getting questions left and right from the Expat Money community about the situation in Venezuela.  In tod...

Longtime listeners of this podcast know that I have been talking about Latin America as the last real bastion of freedom for years. And the recent political shift away from its socialist past is clear evidence of this.  In today’s episode, we take a look back at the highlights from the past year’s discussions of Latin America’s rising trend of freedom-oriented leaders like Javier Milei, Santiago P...

Most people plan for retirement. Some plan for their children. Almost no one plans for the next 100 years. In today’s episode, I’m joined by my colleague Marc Clair to discuss our recent Family Legacy Mastermind in St. Kitts. We dive into 100-year thinking, dynastic structures, and preparing heirs to receive wealth—plus a few recent travel stories along the way. Enjoy!   IN TODAY’S EPISODE Li...

The conventional path for young men is breaking down. College is more expensive than ever, jobs are disappearing faster than degrees can keep up, and an entire generation is being pushed into debt, confusion, and dependence before they’ve even had a chance to build real-world skills. More parents and young men are starting to ask a hard question: “ If this system is failing, what actually works?”...

Panama finally has an adult in the room. Under President José Raúl Mulino, the country is shifting away from drama-driven politics and toward competence, discipline, and steady governance. While much of the world sinks deeper into dysfunction, Panama is choosing a path grounded in seriousness and long-term stability. In today’s episode, I break down what Mulino’s leadership means for the country’s...

After 5 intense weeks of travel across Turkey, Central Asia, and Prague, I finally made it back to the Expat Money Studios in Panama to bring you a full debrief on the journey. From scouting new destinations to dealing with airline chaos at a level I’ve never seen before (and that’s saying a lot), this trip had a bit of everything. In this episode, I’m joined by my colleague Marc Clair as we break...

Doug Casey’s Crystal Ball has become an annual tradition here at the Expat Money Show…and for good reason. A best-selling author, founder of International Man, and one of the world’s most well-known international investors and libertarian philosophers, Doug has also become a close friend and mentor of mine over the years. In today’s episode, we dig into Doug’s insights into the geopolitical and ec...

What happens when a global crisis forces you to rethink everything? For Mark and Hazel, two long-time British expats, COVID wasn’t just an inconvenience. Living under some of the harshest restrictions imaginable in Australia opened their eyes to the truth about the direction of the Western world and led them to seek Plan-B options elsewhere. In today’s episode, my colleague Marc Clair sits down wi...

Many medical professionals think of freedom in terms of choosing their own hours or running a private practice. But true freedom goes far beyond that — it’s about protecting your wealth, your mobility, and your options when the system turns against you. The world is changing fast, and without an international Plan-B, even the most accomplished physicians can find themselves boxed in by taxes, regu...

What does it really take to turn your retirement dream into a real-life move abroad, especially when you’re still working, have roots at home, and aren’t quite ready to pack up everything just yet? That’s exactly the path Tanya and Carl have taken. From their home in Colorado, they’ve spent the past few years researching, investing, and building a retirement plan that stretches beyond borders.  In...

We all grow up being told to “follow the system.” Go to school. Get a job. Obey the rules. But what if the system itself is broken and designed to constrain you? In today’s episode, I sit down with Matt Nettleton of the Default Profitable Podcast to discuss how being labelled “learning disabled” as a kid pushed me to reject public education, to drop out of school as a teenager, and to build a mult...

What’s it really like to build a full international Plan-B while still living in your home country, especially when you’ve got a family to think about? One client of mine, Ryan, has done exactly that. While married with four kids, he’s methodically built offshore investments, is in the process of securing second residencies, and has positioned his family for long-term freedom and security… all bef...

With gold reaching new highs nearly every day, more people are looking for ways to protect what they’ve built. But real security goes beyond just holding metals; it means having a complete offshore strategy that keeps your assets safe, private, and under your control. In today’s episode, I share a recent presentation I gave for my friends at SWP on building a full “Plan-B Fortress” framework. We c...

I’ve been travelling the world for 25 years, and one thing I’ve learned is that freedom doesn’t just come from your passport; it comes from how you use it. Along the way, I’ve made every mistake imaginable—lost money, trusted the wrong people, and learned the hard way what real freedom actually costs.  In today’s episode, I sit down with Keith Borie to share my story of how I went from being a dys...

The assassination of American political activist Charlie Kirk has rocked the world and affected the hearts of many. While I didn't know much of Kirk's work myself before his tragic death, it quickly became clear to me how much influence he really had, especially over young people.  In today’s episode, I sit down with Natalie Danelishen and Remso Martinez, two colleagues who knew Kirk’s world intim...

What if the fastest-growing economy in the world was also one of the most underdeveloped? That’s the paradox of Guyana, a tiny, English-speaking nation tucked between Venezuela and Brazil. I spent several days on the ground for my very first trip to this country.  In this episode, I am joined by my co-host, Marc Clair, to unpack everything I learned about the country, from its interesting demograp...

What happens when you combine 20+ years of boots-on-the-ground experience, a country full of misunderstood opportunity, and a group of freedom-minded investors? You get the Colombia Expat Exploration and Investment Tour, where this November I’ll be guiding a group of 25+ freedom-seekers like yourself through this underrated and often misunderstood country.  In today’s episode, I reveal exactly why...

Over the past decade, Canada has rapidly slid from a respected nation to one that many people now see as a cautionary tale of the logical end of extreme progressivism taking over a political system. Meanwhile, things here in Latin America are moving in the opposite direction, as the region continues to shift towards embracing more pro-freedom and pro-business policies.  I sat down for a conversati...

Owning precious metals offshore is one of the cornerstones of any fully formed Plan-B. With governments constantly inflating currencies and manipulating markets, owning history’s most reliable form of currency is a no-brainer. But keeping metals buried in your backyard or even in a local bank vault carries enormous risks. This is where the necessity of offshore vaults comes into play.  In today’s...

Investing in real estate requires discernment, responsibility, and a strategic outlook, and that’s exactly how I approach every opportunity before bringing it to the Expat Money community. Today, we will dig further into the project I unveiled in Part 1, which presents an extremely unique opportunity in a country poised for a breakout, Paraguay.  In today’s episode, we pull back the curtain even f...

There aren’t many chances to get in early, move decisively, and plant a flag in a rising market before the crowd shows up—but this is one of them. After more than a year of groundwork, I’m ready to share a commercial real estate opportunity in Paraguay that could become a cornerstone for expats looking to build offshore income and long-term stability. In today’s episode, I’m joined by my trusted p...