Exodus Playbook
Exodus — Playbook
Last updated: 2026-04-01
This is the living action plan for Exodus. Every action must cite at least one principle and state its connection to the move or to revenue via case studies.
Important: Timeline accelerated. Target: Ninghai, China by ~Sep 1, 2026. April is prove-it month for DocProof/Automator growth. House sale, visa, green card all running in parallel.
Review Log
| Date | Type | Key Decisions | Next Review |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-31 | Initial build | Playbook created. Move is aspirational — depends on DocProof/Automator revenue. | 2026-04-30 |
| 2026-04-01 | Major update | Destination locked: Ninghai (Yun’s parents). Timeline accelerated to Sep 2026 arrival. W2 exit trigger lowered to “positive growth” not $5K MRR. House sale added. Visa/green card constraints identified. | 2026-04-15 |
The Plays
Play 1: Prove Growth & Exit W2 (April–May 2026)
Path: Launch DocProof + Automator quietly → show positive growth → give notice at iSoftStone → go loud → maximize growth before departure Milestone: Positive revenue traction from DocProof/Automator. Notice given at iSoftStone. Status: Active — April is the critical month.
Play 2: House Sale & Financial Optimization (April–July 2026)
Path: Prep house → list → sell → close → optimize taxes → park proceeds in interest-bearing vehicle Milestone: House sold, proceeds generating passive income, tax exposure minimized. Status: Active — needs to start immediately.
Play 3: Visa & Green Card (April–June 2026)
Path: File Yun’s re-entry permit → confirm Adam’s visa validity → plan for renewal if staying past Sep 28 Milestone: Yun’s re-entry permit filed. Adam’s visa situation resolved for 6-12 month stay. Status: Active — re-entry permit must be filed before departure.
Play 4: Pack, Ship & Depart (July–August 2026)
Path: Sort possessions → ship essentials → set up virtual mailbox → close out US logistics → fly to Ninghai Milestone: Family arrived in Ninghai before school year starts. Status: Deferred until June. Planning can start now.
Play 5: Build Move Automations (Ongoing)
Path: Identify repetitive move tasks → automate them → document as case studies Milestone: 3+ automation case studies documented for The Automator portfolio. Status: Active (builds naturally as move planning progresses).
Actions by Time Horizon
Immediate (April 2026 — Critical Month)
| # | Action | Play | Connection | Principles | Owner | Status | Added | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Launch DocProof and Automator quietly — show positive growth | 1 | W2 exit trigger. Must prove viability this month. | E1 | Adam | Not started | 2026-04-01 | 2026-04-30 |
| 2 | Research house sale process — find real estate agent, get market comps, understand timeline. See plans/house-sale-plan.md | 2 | House must sell before departure. Need to start now for Jul close. | E1, E4 | Both | Not started | 2026-04-01 | 2026-04-15 |
| 3 | Research tax optimization for house sale — Section 121 exclusion, capital gains, CPA consult | 2 | Could save $50K+ in taxes. Must understand rules before listing. | E1 | Adam | Not started | 2026-04-01 | 2026-04-15 |
| 4 | File Yun’s re-entry permit (I-131) — must be filed BEFORE departure to maintain green card | 3 | Non-negotiable. Without this, green card at risk if abroad >1 year. | E4, S2 | Yun + Adam | Not started | 2026-04-01 | 2026-04-30 |
| 5 | Research Adam’s China visa renewal/extension options — current visa expires Sep 28, 2026 | 3 | If staying 6-12 months, need visa that covers the full stay. | E4, S2 | Adam | Not started | 2026-04-01 | 2026-04-30 |
| 6 | Find Chinese school year start date for Ninghai area — confirm Sep 1 assumption | 4 | Anchors the entire workback timeline. | E4 | Yun | Not started | 2026-04-01 | 2026-04-07 |
| 7 | Calculate financial runway — house sale estimate, interest income, business revenue, burn rate in Ninghai | 2 | Need hard numbers. Cost of living in Ninghai is very low — quantify the advantage. | E1 | Adam + Yun | Not started | 2026-04-01 | 2026-04-15 |
| 8 | Research safe interest-bearing vehicles for house sale proceeds — HYSA, T-bills, I-bonds, CD ladder | 2 | House proceeds are a major income source. Need best risk-free return. | E1 | Adam | Not started | 2026-04-01 | 2026-04-15 |
| 8b | Evaluate WA business registration — keep, re-domicile (WY/DE), or restructure? Factor in B&O tax, nexus, registered agent | 2 | Operating from China changes the calculus. WA B&O hits gross receipts. Son in Bothell can be registered agent. | E1, S2 | Adam | Not started | 2026-04-01 | 2026-04-30 |
| 8c | Audit bank accounts — which to keep, which work internationally, do we need Wise/Schwab? | 2 | Must be able to access and move money from China. Some banks flag foreign logins. | E1, S2 | Adam | Not started | 2026-04-01 | 2026-04-30 |
Near-Term (May–June 2026)
| # | Action | Play | Connection | Principles | Owner | Status | Added | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Give notice at iSoftStone (once growth is proven) | 1 | Exit the W2. Frees up full-time for business + move prep. | E1 | Adam | Not started | 2026-04-01 | 2026-05-31 |
| 10 | Go loud — public launch, maximize growth while still in US | 1 | Leverage US presence for networking, events, content before leaving. | S1, E2 | Adam | Not started | 2026-04-01 | 2026-05-15 |
| 11 | List and sell the house | 2 | Must close by July to have proceeds before departure. | E1, E4 | Both | Not started | 2026-04-01 | 2026-07-15 |
| 12 | Set up international banking — accessing US funds from China | 2 | Money must flow. Research Wise, Schwab international, etc. | S2 | Adam | Not started | 2026-04-01 | 2026-06-30 |
| 13 | Set up virtual mailbox — US address for banking, green card, legal | 4 | Need a US address while abroad. | S2 | Adam | Not started | 2026-04-01 | 2026-06-30 |
| 14 | Research US expat tax implications — CPA consult | 2 | Legal requirement for US citizens earning abroad. | E1, S2 | Adam | Not started | 2026-04-01 | 2026-06-15 |
| 15 | Build moving checklist automation with reminders and dependencies | 5 | Case study: “Automated our international relocation checklist.” | E3, S1, E2 | Adam | Not started | 2026-04-01 | 2026-05-31 |
| 16 | Yun begins travel YouTube channel research and setup | 5 | Case study: “How we used AI to launch a YouTube channel.” | S1, E2 | Yun | Not started | 2026-04-01 | 2026-06-30 |
Pre-Departure (July–August 2026)
| # | Action | Play | Connection | Principles | Owner | Status | Added | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | Inventory and sort possessions — keep/store/sell/ship | 4 | Can’t ship everything. Be ruthless. | E4 | Yun + Adam | Not started | 2026-04-01 | 2026-07-31 |
| 18 | Ship essentials to Ninghai | 4 | Long shipping times to China — start early. | E4 | Yun | Not started | 2026-04-01 | 2026-07-15 |
| 19 | Phone/communication setup — VPN, US number, WeChat | 4 | Must maintain US connectivity from China. | S2 | Adam | Not started | 2026-04-01 | 2026-08-15 |
| 20 | Close on house sale, park proceeds | 2 | Final financial step before departure. | E1 | Both | Not started | 2026-04-01 | 2026-08-15 |
| 21 | Fly to Ninghai — arrive before school year starts | 4 | The move itself. | — | Both | Not started | 2026-04-01 | 2026-08-25 |
Completed Actions
| # | Action | Play | Completed | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | — | — | Nothing completed yet. |
Change Log
| Date | What Changed | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-31 | Playbook created with 3 plays and 11 actions. | Strategic conversation — the move is both life goal and business asset. |
| 2026-04-01 | Major overhaul: destination locked (Ninghai), timeline accelerated (Sep 2026), 5 plays and 21 actions, house sale + tax + visa + green card workstreams added. | Discussion: Yun’s parents in Ninghai removes housing blocker. W2 exit trigger lowered. April is prove-it month. |