It’s no surprise that plenty of people are interested in the digital nomad lifestyle. If you’re tired of commuting to an office, working for someone else, and paying increasingly high rent prices, the idea of moving to an exotic location and working on your own terms is tempting.
But before you book that plane ticket, you need to make sure that you’ll be able to bring in a consistent income while working abroad. Resources from Go Beyond Clients can help you get your freelance consulting business off the ground! Plus, these tips will show you how to do everything from choosing the right destinations to creating a realistic budget for your travels.
Choose a DBA Name
Perhaps you already have a business under your own name, but you wouldn’t be able to transform this company into a remote operation. But now that you’re starting a remote consulting business, you’ll need a new name. You can form your new business entity under a “DBA” name, also known as a “Doing Business As” name, with the help of inexpensive online tools and forms. This gives you the ability to start offering new products or services under an alternate name.
Find Your First Clients
Once you’ve registered for the appropriate DBA name, you’ll be ready to start looking for your very first consulting clients! You’ll need to set up a website providing evidence of your expertise in a particular industry. You can also include which specific consulting services you offer.
To land your first clients, you’ll probably need to do some networking. Get in touch with your social circle as well as your former colleagues and professional contacts, and let them know that you’re taking on independent consulting clients. You never know who they might refer you to! You can also cold-pitch your services to businesses that you’re familiar with.
Decide on Destinations
You’ve found a few clients, and you’re starting to bring in more money working exclusively online. Now, you’re ready to start planning your big move abroad. But you’re stuck on the big question: where should you go first? And if you’re planning on spending a few months to several years abroad, what other destinations should you include on your itinerary?
When you’re choosing destinations for your digital nomad journey, you’ll need to consider a few factors, like the cost of living, local activities that suit your lifestyle, Wi-Fi availability, networking opportunities, and even the climate you would prefer. If you’re interested in a few destinations with a wide range of living costs, Ollie and the Captain recommends spending longer periods of time in affordable cities and keeping your trips to expensive areas brief.
Budget for Your Travels
Now that you’ve worked out your preferred destinations, you can start creating an accurate budget for your travels and making larger contributions to your savings to cover your initial costs. While the overall costs of your trip will depend on a large number of factors, Earth Trekkers states that if you’re traveling the world for a year, you can expect to spend anywhere from $20,000 to $30,000. Naturally, the ongoing income from your business will cover most of these costs, but you’ll still need to save for initial expenses like your plane ticket and first rental.
Find Tech-Friendly Rentals
As a digital nomad, you don’t want to stay in just any rental. Instead, you’ll need to specifically seek out tech-friendly accommodations with fast Wi-Fi speeds. Before putting any money towards a particular rental, check out reviews to see what other guests had to say about the Wi-Fi speed. You can also message the host with your questions about the rental’s Wi-Fi.
Client Communications
Chances are, you’ll be on the other side of the world from some of your consulting clients. This can make it hard to work out deadlines and schedule meetings. You’ll need to keep track of your client’s individual time zones and confirm meeting times with them to ensure that you’re both on the same page. It never hurts to seek out scheduling and project management apps specifically designed for business owners who work with clients across time zones!
Start Networking
Finally, you don’t have to sacrifice networking just because you’re hitting the road. If you prioritize networking while traveling, you’ll be able to keep growing your business throughout your journey! You might want to consider joining a co-working space, going to local networking events, or joining social media groups for digital nomads and expats in your area.
The digital nomad lifestyle can be extremely fulfilling. However, showing up in a new destination and expecting that everything will work out is not a viable plan for your remote career. But with these tips, you’ll be able to hit the ground running after you step off the plane.
About the Author
Lance Cody-Valdez is a location-independent entrepreneur and the Founder of Free Lance Now, where he writes about the digital nomad lifestyle.
Photo Credit: Austin Distel on Unsplash
