100. The 3 Step Process to Life Design w/ Jess from the Fioneers

How do you design a life you don’t want to retire from? Jess is one half of the awesome Fioneers platform which started in 2018 with her husband Corey and their aim is to help answer that exact question. On this episode we discuss the step-by-step framework on how to design your life so you can enjoy it before getting to FI. 

They coined the term Slow FI and popularised Coast FI. Since starting their blog, they’ve taken sabbaticals, reached Coast FI, quit work to focus on passion projects, renovated a camper van to experiment with van life and they also relocated from to the city to the mountains to be closer to nature. 

What I love about what they’ve done is they’ve gradually designed a life they absolutely love while still on their journey to FI.

Things you’ll learn:

• Jess’ FI progress and overall financial strategy (Coast FI journey)
• Why she hasn’t been tracking her progress to FI
• Why Life Design is important for someone on the path to FI
• Lessons from early retirees who wished they took a slower path
• Her ‘Design a Life You Love’ life design programme
• Her life design process (the 3 step framework)

• How she used the life design process to create her life now
• How life design can be used for other life areas and not just work
• Life design student case studies and examples of transitions
• The barriers holding people back on taking leaps 
• The power of experiments to reduce fears
• Her Slow FI Retreats and what’s involved
• How ‘Aha!’ moments come when off the grid and outside of normal routine
• The experience she’s trying to curate for people on retreats
• The importance of finding your tribe on the FI journey
• How the FI journey is better as a ‘team sport’ than a ‘solo sport’
• Importance of getting inspiration from other unconventional stories
• Potential Fioneers book in the future

Quick-fire round questions at the end:

1. Something she wished they done 10 years ago
2. Her daily habits that helped them in life
3. Her most important lesson in life
4. Her book recommendations
5. 1-2 small things listeners can do this week to get started 

The Fioneers (Links):

• Blog: https://thefioneers.com/ 
• Design a Life You Love Programme: https://thefioneers.com/waitlist/ 
• Slow FI Retreats: https://thefioneers.com/slow-fi-retreats-2026/ 
• Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Fioneers 

Freedom Before FI Links:

• Free Guides: Download the free ‘Freedom Ideas’ Cheat Sheet and the free ‘Find Your Purpose’ worksheet at: https://freedombeforefi.com/free-guides/
• Website: Check out our resources and services at www.freedombeforefi.com
• Email: If you want to connect, send me a note at [email protected]
• Instagram: or send a DM at Instagram Link 
• Linktree (all links): https://linktr.ee/freedombeforefi 

Related Episodes:

• Ep. 88: Test Driving Retirement by Slow Travel (w/ Not Your Ordinary Plan) Link
• Ep. 77: The 5 Tools For Designing Your Life (If You’re Feeling Stuck) - Link
• Ep. 74: Crafting Your Best Life Now Before FI w/ Justin Peters of the FI Minded Podcast - Link

Listen to FBF on Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/freedom-before-fi-life-design-purpose-sabbaticals-coast/id1740083285

Listen to FBF on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/0XxPgEeuGayTqaEwUE19mk?si=cc8639ad8c28474e

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice