- Quick facts
- Total days on the road: 586
- Currently in: USA
- Miles Driven: 36821
- Countries Visited: 17
- Days Camping: 389
- Days Indoors: 202
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Making a Business Plan
{jcomments lock}There are a million ways to make a business plan and I can’t tell you which way is right. My opinion is: make a plan, any plan, and write it down. As Lea Woodward of Location Independent said so eloquently, “The important thing about writing a business plan is the process you go through to create it.” I agree wholeheartedly.
Mistakes to Avoid in a Location Independent Freelance Business
{jcomments lock}When you decide to uproot your laptop from the spot on your desk it’s been crusted to and live in a place, that well, just sucks less, there’s a few things you must never ever do. I really mean never. Ever. They will get you booted off the team. Sometimes immediately, other times in a slow painful way that will eventually see the end of your location independent freelance career.
Managing Time Zone Differences with Clients
{jcomments lock}One or two hours difference? Not a problem. Other side of the world? Problem. Most people say the best resolution is to adjust your working day to match theirs. Get up earlier or work later. I say phooey. Work when you want, just follow a few simple tips to keep your clients at ease.
Getting Paid from Clients while Traveling Internationally
{jcomments lock}The most critical part of a freelance career is putting money in the bank. A working professional without a permanent address will find that this is often more difficult than it should be.
For simplicity sake, I assume that you have established a freelance business in a certain location (the US in my case) and that your bank and your clients are all in the same place.
I also assume that you have an ATM card, so getting money out of the bank isn’t an issue. The problem that needs solving is how to get your clients’ payments into your bank.
How to Tell your Clients you are becoming Location Independent
{jcomments lock}We're not contemplating whether you should or shouldn't tell your clients you are traveling. You should. The question is how.
As a freelancer, I’m sure you’ve come to recognize that every client is different. Some of them are a lot different and some are down right loony. However, they do pay your bills and they all deserve to be told if major changes are happening in your business.
More Articles...
Subcategories
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Online Tools
Online Tools
As internet services continue to grow, online tools are becoming a great asset for location independent professionals. Here you'll find information about the various software tools we use while working and traveling. From managing documents and sharing files to ensuring your precious work stays safe while you're far from home.
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Managing a Business
Managing a Business
The life of a digital nomad presents unique challenges. Whether you are a freelancer, telecommuter, or an entrepreneur, working and traveling forces you to change how your business is managed. You have to maintain the books, pay taxes, write checks, pay bills, collect money and find customers, all without a permanent address. Below you’ll find our advice for dealing with these issues, and articles about how to balance work and a location independent lifestyle.
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Freelancing
Freelancing
This section addresses how to transform an existing freelance business into one that can be done remotely from around the world. How do you manage clients, get paid, work with time zone differences and not get fired when you are potentially thousands of miles away?
The Life Remotely team consists of a graphic designer, web developer and a software developer. We have such a huge variety of clients that we’re confident this advice will apply most all freelancers.
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Getting Started
Getting Started
Becoming a full-time digital nomad is a daunting task, there is much to consider and plenty of mistakes to be made. You should be willing to accept a few risks and plan for flexibility. Getting started as a location independent professional is not much different than starting a long-term travel adventure. Your goal is to combine and simplify many aspects of your life and to plan for the additional burden of working remotely while you travel.
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Cruise Ships
Cruise Ships
What is it like to live and work aboard a cruise ship? This question we have heard over and over again. In this category we hope to demystify some of these questions.
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The Lifestyle
The Lifestyle
Want to know what being a digital nomad is really like? In this section we delve into the nitty-gritty details of day-to-day life. Learn how both your work and travel habits will change. As well as logistical details like how to schedule work, maintain a work/life balance and what challenges to expect.
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Telecommuting
Telecommuting
The rise of the internet age has allowed many professionals to work remotely. Telecommuting continues to be a growing trend for a variety of careers. If you spend your day on the phone and behind a monitor, chances are your job can just as easily be done from home, or while traveling.
The articles in this section outline the types of jobs that can be done remotely, and provide helpful resources for professionals who wish to transition their jobs to telecommuting positions. We’ll also give you some advice for being a successful telecommuter and what you can do to keep your boss happy with your new lifestyle.
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Staying Connected
Staying Connected
Staying connected with your clients, friends and family is one of the most logistically challenging aspects of becoming a digital nomad. At the same time, you don’t want to be tethered to technology, whether you need to check emails, manage a project, upload files or just make a phone call. Here is some advice for maintaining your availability while keeping cost and stress to a minimum.