4 Tips for Running a Business as a Digital Nomad
The digital nomad lifestyle is on the rise. According to a 2019 report by MBO Partners, some 7.3 million Americans recently identified themselves as “remote workers who travel,” compared to just 4.8 million in the previous year.
This leaves little doubt that more people are looking into ways to work while moving from place to place. But not all of these people are simply “workers.” Some are entrepreneurs as well, like me.
We tend to have a certain type of work involved when we imagine digital nomads. Most commonly, we think of freelance contributors, who can open up their laptops anywhere they get internet access, contribute some work, and then be on their way. And this may indeed be the most typical sort of work done by people we’d describe as digital nomads. But there are also plenty of people looking to travel the world while running their own businesses.
Naturally, those businesses can vary. The idea that most readily comes to mind is running a travel website or a photography company that travel can play an active role in. But there are plenty of other types of primarily online businesses people can start and run while traveling also. It just takes a little bit of planning and know-how.
To that point, and for anyone who may be torn between entrepreneurial pursuits and world travel, here are some tips for how to run a business as a digital nomad.
1. Make Your Website or Social Media Page Special
In Forbes’ case for small business websites, the first two points made stand out as particularly important for a traveling entrepreneur. They are that first impressions count, and window shopping isn’t what it used to be.
These are points well worth considering for any small business owner. But when you’re maintaining your own company as a digital nomad, your website is your first impression, and window shopping isn’t even an option!
Without any in-person contact or brick-and-mortar store, your business will depend on its website (or your main social media page). So your first priority should be to make sure that site or profile is an appealing, welcoming place, and one that intrigues visitors, stands out against competitors, and makes it easy to patronize your business.
A great aspect of having a website or social media platform dedicated to your business is that you can share your work (like a portfolio), add client testimonials, and include your contact information.
2. Be Honest About Your Travels
The last thing you want to do as a traveling business owner is to give the false impression that you’re available back at home, or that you’re in one place managing your business. If you leave a potential customer with the impression that you have regular hours, or that your business has a physical location, you risk coming across as unreliable or dishonest.
This doesn’t mean you have to plaster the fact that you’re a digital nomad all over your website, rather, it just means that you should always be straightforward and open in your communications.
If you’re working on a sale, a partnership, or any other arrangement involving business with others, be clear that you may be traveling or that you may have different hours than the people you’re dealing with.
This way you avoid giving the wrong impression — and people may actually be all the more appreciative when you get things done in an efficient manner!
3. Register Your Business At Home
Contrary to what some may believe, registering a business in your place of residence doesn’t actually mean that you have to have a physical location for said business. And beyond that, it can be necessary in some cases.
In a look at setting up new LLCs by ZenBusiness, it’s pointed out that some of the steps involved with the official requirements include establishing an agent to deal with legal matters and applying for the proper tax status of an employer.
The latter may not always come into play if you don’t have partners or employers, but you can still start to see why it can be best to make things official. Your business will be better prepared to handle any legal matters that might arise, and will also have a more appropriate tax status. (Plus, you may save yourself some of the tax headaches that can come with simply being a self-employed nomadic freelancer!)
While I personally am not an accountant or a lawyer and not giving financial or legal advice here, I definitely recommend getting in touch with an accountant and/or lawyer for all of this type of stuff! It’s far easier to have a qualified professional give you advice than trying to navigate your way through Google.
4. Treat It Like Work
This final tip may be the most obvious, but it’s also the most important: treat your business like work!
A prior list of ‘7 Top Tips for Working Remotely’ basically got this same point across, arguing for sticking to a schedule, getting dressed to start the day, clearing a workspace, planning each day, and so on.
As a digital nomad, even if you’re in charge of your own business, it can be tempting to instead be in and out — handing business needs when you must, but otherwise enjoying your time abroad.
And that’s actually fine, so long as those needs are still prioritized and structured. Treat your business like the work and the real job it is, and you’ll be better positioned to succeed even as you travel the globe.
Follow these tips and you’ll be well on your way to running a successful business on the go! And I’d love to know: what are your tips for traveling and working on the road?
