A digital nomad founder has the unique opportunity to run their business from anywhere in the world while exploring new cultures, delicious cuisines, and beautiful views.
While there are challenges with balancing entrepreneurship and traveling, these four nomadic founders have found a way to leverage their location independence to work in their favor.
Top Tools and Tactics for Productivity on the Road
Today’s successful nomad founders rely on plenty of tools and strategies to stay productive and connected while traveling. Here are some essentials:
Communication Platforms
Ensuring that your business uses a clear and effective communication platform to easily reach members of your team regardless of location is crucial for maintaining productivity and seamless collaboration.
Choose a platform that meets your business’ needs, whether that be for instant messaging, video conferencing, or project management tools. Platforms such as Slack, Zoom, Google Drive, and WhatsApp are some popular options for your convenience.
Connectivity Solutions
While on the go, having high-speed internet and good-quality reception are not guaranteed, which is why it is important to always be prepared. Annalee cautions, “ALWAYS have a backup plan for your backup plan when it comes to your connectivity whether that be the workspace, Wi-Fi, cell service, VPN, etc.
What can go wrong will go wrong eventually and you will find yourself having to scramble to find a suitable place to take a meeting.” Making sure that you have a go-to reliable VPN, portable Wi-Fi device and local SIM card can mitigate connectivity challenges.
Project Management
Having a clear plan of your role as the founder of your business and delegating tasks to your team can save you the stress of a lengthy to-do list and make sure that you have the time to enjoy the location that you are in. Using tools to manage time zone differences and online co-working spaces can help keep your business running smoothly and efficiently.
Consistency
When you as a leader are moving locations and time zones it can be difficult for your team, clients, or vendors to keep up with your whereabouts and timezone. To avoid confusion and allow for consistency, create a set schedule that you are committed to no matter where you are in the world so the people that need to reach you know when you will be available. Just because you choose to be nomadic does not mean that everyone you work with needs to continuously adapt to your schedule. Consistency is key for your direct reports to continue progressing and on the path to success.
Build a Network of Nomads
To network with other nomad entrepreneurs, programs such as Remote Year, Noma Collective, Nomad Escape, and Nomad Girls are a great starting point to share tips and experiences on how best to manage your business. Being a Nomad Founder presents a unique set of challenges not everyone will understand and can feel lonely at times. Finding a network of likeminded individuals to share tips and tricks with will ease the loneliness and help you avoid making some big mistakes along the way.
Balancing Work and Travel: Practical Tips for Aspiring Digital Nomads
The ability to balance work and travel requires being able to adapt to quickly changing environments as well as the needs of your business. Here are some hot tips for aspiring digital nomads:
Set Boundaries
When trying to find a balance, setting clear boundaries for your expectations of time, productivity and tasks is key. Being a nomad founder requires a greater level of discipline and understanding of your strengths and weaknesses. Creating a routine for yourself that can be followed no matter where you are in the world is essential to your success. Annalee shares from her experience that, “you must create a routine and schedule that you can stick to.
Share what hours of the day you commit to being available and do your best not to change this.” By setting these boundaries with yourself and your team, you can manage to grow your business while also having the time to enjoy your travels. “I have made it clear to my team that I will always be available from 8am-1pm Pacific time so when they are planning their day/wee/month they know when they can get ahold of me and I do not become the bottleneck hindering their progress.” Annalee Hagood-Earl
Choose Travel Destinations Wisely
Depending on your business needs, not every location may be conducive to your success. Considering time zones that align with your schedule and boundaries when choosing destinations can ensure seamless transitions.
Your environment within your location will also impact your level of productivity and looking for locations with co-working spaces and reliable internet can make a significant difference.
Avoiding Burnout
Following a routine, setting clear boundaries and outsourcing tasks are all key to ensuring your experience as a digital nomad becomes a lifestyle. While traveling can have unforeseen obstacles, having a plan on how to handle challenges can help you to adapt.
Annalee shares that, “You are human and there will be complications with travel logistics or Wi-Fi so keep your calendar up to date and transparent with your travel plans, so your team knows if they are catching you hot off a flight or right before bed. Being open to struggles without burdening your team will let them see you are fallible and doing your best which is all that you should and can expect from them as well. It gives you an opportunity to model great communication.”
Being open and honest about not only your business’s needs but your own as well will help to balance work and travel.
Profiles of Successful Nomad Founders
1. Jeff Maggioncalda – Coursera
Jeff Maggioncalda’s success with Coursera exemplifies how to scale a global business while embracing location independence. His strategy of utilizing a remote-friendly company culture and prioritizing asynchronous communication has shown that a business can boom no matter where you or your team are.
2. Sophia Amoruso – Founder of Girlboss, Business Class, and Trustfund VC
Sophia Amoruso has only recently become a nomad founder, showing that it is never too late to take on the challenge of running multiple successful businesses while traveling the world and living the life that you have dreamed of. She has a wide range of businesses spanning from media to venture capital and everything in between. Her adapting business strategies prove that you can have it all.
3. Michelle Maree – Nomad Escape
Michelle Maree’s business Nomad Escape is a program designed to support digital nomads in building connections and thriving professionally while on the road. Her business is a testament to the power of creating a community and supporting one another through navigating the challenges and benefits of a nomadic lifestyle. For anyone looking to connect with like-minded entrepreneurs who embrace the travel life, this is a great place to start!
4. Annalee Hagood Earl – Bash Creative
Annalee Hagood Earl provides complete transparency into her success as a nomad founder and how she manages to run her business while living in different countries. Annalee credits her business success with the inspiration she gets from traveling and experiencing different cultures, and business practices, and growing her network globally. As the owner of a global event production company doing business across many continents her experience and now a global network enables her team members to provide more authentic experiences to their clients.
Take inspiration from our network of Founders and become a part of a supportive and welcoming community by joining Follow the Founder. You can also find us on Instagram @followthefounder.
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