Moving abroad to start a freelance career is a big step, but for Byron Emerson, it was the key to unlocking creative and professional freedom. Using the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT), he established himself as a freelancer while balancing a corporate role, personal art projects, and leading the DAFThub—a thriving online community for expats navigating the Dutch freelance landscape.
In this exclusive solopreneur portrait, Byron shares how he found the perfect mix between professional success and personal fulfillment. From managing multiple passions to fostering collaboration among American entrepreneurs abroad, his story is both inspiring and relatable.
Could you introduce yourself and let us know where you hail from?
"My name is Byron Emerson. I’m originally from Rockford, Illinois, USA (about 1 hour west of Chicago) and I’m currently based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. I’m an entrepreneurial Artist and International Business Management Consultant focused in the areas of aerospace and e-mobility."
You came to the Netherlands on a DAFT/HSM visa; what it was about the Netherlands that made you want to leave the US and UK behind.
"I’ve been interested in international business since 2012 when I spent 18 months in Montreal, Canada working for an aerospace company. This was my first time leaving the U.S. and my eyes were opened wide. I then had progressing opportunities in the UK and The Netherlands supporting that same aerospace company.
Living and working outside of America and connecting with people from all around the world while enjoying a more balanced work / life combination has always been a dream of mine and I’m grateful to have made it a reality.
Your current visa allows you to own and operate a side business as a ZZP'er on top of your traditional employment contract. Tell us a bit more about how this works and how you balance keeping both commitments afloat.
"The Highly Skilled Migrant visa (HSM) in the Netherlands comes with 5 years and also allows one to create a ZZP. Luckily for me, the e-mobility company I work for (EVBox) provides a lot of freedom in terms of work location and flexibility. This gives me space to take on personal art projects, manage the DAFThub Facebook Group, and “win-win-win” collaborations connecting organizations like Xolo with my audience and communities. Due to heavy work loads, it forces me to prioritize and only take on projects that truly fulfill me."
You’re the founder of the growing and highly successful DAFThub Facebook group. Tell us more.
"As I was preparing to relocate to the Netherlands in 2019 after spending a year back home in Rockford, Illinois, USA to be with family, I learned about the Dutch American Friendship Treaty (DAFT) visa. I connected with a few people who were on the visa at the time and quickly learned that information was scattered across the internet and there was no central space for people to learn from each other.
I created the DAFThub Facebook group to generate a space for current and prospective American entrepreneurs to connect, share lessons learned, and promote their individual businesses through collaboration. It started as a way for me to gain knowledge for myself, but as it has grown to 2,500+ members in the past 5 years, I’ve realized that it’s a truly special community. Especially when things can feel so divisive in America, it’s a warming feeling to sit back and watch Americans support one another internationally."
You’re currently at a very interesting place in your career, highly driven by potential and opportunity. Tell us about your process of figuring out what comes next and ensuring your own and others success in whatever this next chapter might be.
"This is a great question. I normally spend the beginning of each year in a warmer, more tropical climate to clear my head, focus on mental and physical health, and map out the year. I’m currently answering this question from the south of Thailand and in the process of developing my IKIGAI. Ikigai is a Japanese concept that means "a reason to live". It's a philosophy that encourages people to find their purpose and live a joyful life. I will soon fly back to Amsterdam with this completed and it will be my driving force for this next era in my life. It includes Music, Paint, DAFThub, Xolo, Family back home in the U.S., all while developing and shaping my personal brand."
Please share your experience with the Xolo platform.
"My experience with both the Xolo platform and team has been great. I can tell that the team members are given space to think outside the box and be creative, all while driving towards ambitious goals.
The platform is a one-stop-shop for all things solopreneurs need to operate their businesses. Although the dashboard is sleek and user friendly, it’s extremely encouraging knowing that actual qualified humans are working on our specific cases and are there to support us."
What one thing would you leave the reader with?
"ONE thing I would leave with the reader of this article is a reminder that “There’s only one way to find out.”
I find myself saying this more often lately. We’re all dreamers and sometimes the direction isn’t clear how we will go about actualizing those dreams, or maybe there’s fear and/or uncertainty, but there truly is only one way to find out. We may as well go for them with full intention and purpose and see what happens! :) "
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