Richart Ruddie

Richart Ruddie

Richart Ruddie is an internet entrepreneur and philanthropist. Ruddie grew up in Owings Mills aNorth West suburb of Baltimore, Maryland. He attended Florida Atlantic University majoring in Economics and post FAU he took online classes at Stanford University. After college, he worked at a boutique hedge fund in South Florida but during an internship, he worked on building a startup from the ground up and learned the valuable search engine optimization and search engine marketing skills that would later be the core to his future success. While working during the day at the hedge fund he spent his weekends building his first website and growing its presence. Within the first 9 months, he parlayed a $500 investment into a company grossing over $90,000 a month. Since then Ruddie has helped consult, start, and invest in numerous online and offline ventures and has proudly donated over $100,000 to numerous non-profits and charities over the last 8 years.

What is your hobby?

Traveling

How did you get started with this hobby?

In October of 2011, I was asked to do work for a client in Las Vegas. I needed to be there in October and back in 3 weeks. Instead of going back and forth between Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Nevada I decided to try traveling between California and Nevada while still working. It worked out so well networking with clients and working on the road that I continued to do it and have naturally adapted the nomadic lifestyle that I’m accustomed to today.

My first trip to Israel in 2010 inspired me to travel more but I was stuck in the 7:30 – 19:00 working hours and only had 2 weeks off a year and wasn’t able to explore the world until my eyes were opened in October of 2011.

Tell us what you love about your hobby.

Seeing the world is truly amazing. What is even better is learning about other cultures and being able to appreciate and respect their ways while trying that culture or countries foods.

What types of things/equipment have you spent money on for your hobby?

I would say that I fly but I’m really just a passenger on a plane while the pilot flies. Having helpful apps such as VoiceTra, JetSmarter, Mobile Pass, Trip Advisor, WhatsApp and Telegram travel groups, and Lonely Planet are some of the most helpful tools of the trade for me.

What are some of your favorite places to shop for your hobby?

The best thing about traveling is it’s all about acquiring experiences, not material goods. As long as I have my phone to take photos and to handle any relevant work calls that I need to be on and my laptop I’m covered.

Are there any good books for beginners?

So I only get a chance to read when I fly. That’s the only time I get to disconnect from the world. I read over a dozen books every year. My favorite book is How To Win Friends and Influence People. Another book that is a lot more somber but really strikes a chord is Man’s Search For Meaning. I could go on and on with book recommendations. If you saw a photo of my bookshelf you’d be impressed.

How has your hobby changed your life?

It’s given me great cultural references and respect for others around the world. I understand and see how people live from the poorest places in the earth that I’ve been to as well as some of the wealthiest places in the world that I’ve seen. I appreciate seeing both places and like being able to have a conversation with almost anybody and being able to tell them about places that I’ve been to or seen in their own country.

What advice do you have for others starting out with this hobby?

Just go. People all the time tell me that they wish they had my lifestyle and they always wanted to go see XYZ city. I tell them just get on the plane and go. Even if its only for a long weekend you will be glad that you did it and you won’t have regrets for not getting to see a special place before it’s too late.