By now, a digital nomad has become more than a quaint challenge that only the extremely brave can dare to do. Over the years, more and more women who love to travel but rarely get the chance have been choosing this to help them live out their dreams, and we’re slowly beginning to understand just what is needed for someone to do it successfully. Aside from adaptability and the love of challenge, you need an open mind if you are to thrive in this kind of environment.
Are you interested in seeing the world and running a successful business at the same time? Then becoming a digital nomad is just right for you, and all you need is a few tips to get you started. If you’re eager to find out what they are, simply read on.
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Travel first
Before you think about starting a business as a digital nomad, you must first get used to this unique kind of lifestyle. After all, what if it ends up being something you don’t actually enjoy? To help you get into it, try to do some freelance work as you travel around for a while and see whether you have a hard time managing. You’ll come to understand how important it is to always have internet access, to have up-to-date, working gear, and to organize your own time without a boss or a manager pushing you to do it. Once you get a hang of it, you can keep building yourself a successful freelancing career, or you can start your own business.
Prepare for every trip
Every new trip requires certain preparation that will make it easier to stay on top of your obligations and smooth the whole process of settling in. To begin, always make sure your documents are completely up to date and that your laptop is in a great working condition. Research the place you want to go to, and get a SIM card that you can use there for all your business purposes. Depending on where you are, it’s entirely possible to order this in advance. Australians can order a Europe SIM card and have it delivered before they make the trip, and you’re likely to find the same option in most countries. This way you’ll be able to make calls as soon as you land to a new place and you’ll save yourself a lot of cash. As a woman, you should also take certain safety precautions to ensure a trouble-free experience.
Start your business at home
If you have an idea for a business, then you should know it’s totally possible to keep traveling and develop a successful startup. You’ll probably want to set up the whole process while you are at home so you can have it properly registered and finish all the legal paperwork and bureaucratic processes that are necessary. Your home should be your headquarters, and you should be ready to travel back in case something urgent pops up. Spend a few months getting in touch with the market and managing the details of your business, and then you can return to traveling.
Find a partner
A partner or a co-founder, especially the one who will stay at home while you travel, is a great safety net. While you are away making new opportunities and growing your business, they can be back at the HQ, dealing with things that require day-to-day in-person attention. Find someone you trust completely and who’s just as invested as you are at making it work.
Build up your finances
You should generally make a budget for everything, from food and accommodations to all your business necessities, and then stick to that budget. You should also consider saving up a large amount of cash before you start your first trip as a digital nomad. Not that you need that much to get going, but you’ll appreciate having extra cash on hand when the time comes to form your startup company, especially if you can’t find any investors for your product just yet.
Adjust your lifestyle to your business
Traveling away to a country where you know you’ll struggle to find a good internet connection might not be prudent when you need to focus on communicating with your clients every day. Once you start your business, you need to find ways to be present so you could help it grow, and aim your trips in a way that will help you find new partners and learn about new opportunities.
Ladies, you can have your cake and eat it, too. There’s no reason to let go of your dream of traveling the world if you want to be a successful businesswoman, so if you’re ready for a new challenge that will transform your life, become a digital nomad and you won’t regret it.
Marie Nieves is a lifestyle blogger who loves unusual trips, gadgets and creative ideas. On her travels she likes to read poetry and prose and surf the Internet. Her favourite writer is Tracy Chevalier and she always carries one of her books in her bag. She is an avid lover of photography and a regular author at She Roams Solo and Writer Zone. You can find Marie on Facebook or follow her on Twitter and Pinterest.
