Building a Business While You’re Traveling the World
In the pre-pandemic times, traveling seems to be the norm for many people. We have vacation spots lined up on a piece of paper. We look forward to all the holidays when we can take time off at work. But that’s the majority of the people. Some genius souls can travel the world and not worry about their employment because they are running their own businesses.
Take Emily, a 35-year-old writer with a booming seafood delivery business in Manila, Philippines. She’s currently based in California but is also running a food delivery service in Manila. In the past three years, she traveled around South America, went back home for the holidays, stayed in California most of her time, and managed a business that delivers fresh seafood to her customers.
How can she do that? What makes it possible for someone like Emily to travel the world, be with her family when she wants to, and run a business? Oh, she’s also employed full-time, so there’s that.
Knowing What to Prioritize
Emily knows that her priority is not to get into debt. She knows that stopping her full-time work and not building her business will push her to stop pursuing her dreams of seeing the world. Her goal is to visit as many places as she can.
To do that, she would have to work twice as hard to manage her time and keep up with the many tasks she has to do on a daily basis. Is it exhausting? Yes. But it is also quite fulfilling. Emily knows that when it’s time for her to settle down, she will have no regrets because she lived her life the way she wanted to.
Managing Time
Running a business involves being present. Thankfully, technology made it possible for Emily to keep in touch with her clients and employees. She also has to outsource digital marketing services and other business operations because keeping a marketing team in-house just wouldn’t work for her.
Sure, she has to lose sleep many times. That’s one of the sacrifices of trying to balance travel and business. With time management, she’s able to keep up to date with what’s happening in her business.
It all comes down to organization and the willingness to sacrifice some small comfort. Is going to sleep at 10 pm your norm? Maybe because you have to talk to someone from a different time zone, you can adjust that to 11 pm? Although it is not ideal, it’s the right balance between traveling and managing your business.
Using the Right Technology
There is technology. Then, there is the right technology. Find the right project management system for your business. You don’t need to use the same tools that your competitors use. Look for a tool that allows you to collaborate with your employees and clients, share files and images, and track tasks and duties as they are fulfilled.
And don’t skimp on investing in these tools either. Most of the helpful features are for free, but some extra features can make your life easier only if you pay for the premium membership. If the software is worth it, don’t hesitate to spend on it. For example, securing your e-commerce platform with the right security tools is the most important investment for your business. Buying a premium membership in a stock photo provider is also a good investment.
Hire the Right People
You need the right people who believe in your vision and understand what you have to do personally. Sometimes, you will find employees who will question your setup. These might not be the right employees for you. Look for people who understand where you are coming from. You can offer the same benefits for them-they can travel as long as they keep in touch and finish their work.
It will also help if you have a friend or a family member who you trust to oversee some parts of the business back home. So, you don’t want to mix friendship with business? That’s okay, but you can ask them to visit the store (if you have one) from time to time just to keep yourself updated.
Juggling these two things-traveling and business-is not the easiest thing in the world. People who were able to do it successfully are admirable. But if you look at their stories, you will notice one pattern-a determination to make it work. And sometimes, that’s all there is to it. You have to stick to the plan and work hard to reach your goals.
