Do you ever dream of working remotely—from anywhere you want? There are many perks: No traffic on your way to work. Being able to live wherever in the world you want. A flexible schedule leading to better work-life balance.
When I first started freelancing 20+ years ago, it was quite a bit easier to find clients if you were in a position to meet with them in their office. But if the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that remote work is less like a pipe dream and more like a definite possibility.
Having said that, there are a few things you need to consider before you start.
The remote-work lifestyle doesn’t happen overnight.
If you’re looking for “location independence”—the ability to travel the world while working as a freelancer—it’s completely possible to do so, and make lots of money while you’re at it. But it will take work on your part to get yourself there.
Before you can be a traveling freelancer, you need to give yourself a solid foundation on which to build your career:
- Learn the ins and outs of the career field you’ve chosen.
- Establish yourself by gaining some experience, both in your field and as a freelancer.
- Create your portfolio, and start landing clients.
- Build your network. You’ll want a community of freelancers who can help answer questions that may come up and a solid base of clients who can refer you to other clients.
You have more access to remote work than ever.
Online businesses are at an all-time high. Which means more companies are ready to hire freelancers and remote workers who never step foot on their campus. Plus, you have access to several different ways to reach out to people from each company: LinkedIn, Google, Facebook, and Instagram.
Each month, 543,000 businesses are started. It’s hard to say how many of those operate completely online (read: their business model is remote-only), but it’s certainly a solid percentage.
You need to make sure you have the tools to work effectively and efficiently.
First and foremost, if you’re working remote, you’ll need a solid internet connection. That is obviously easier to obtain in some locations versus others.
If possible, you’ll want to check on Wi-Fi access before you get there. Members of our team have all been surprised (not in a good way!) when arriving in completely developed areas, only to not have a solid connection.
You’ll also want a back-up mobile Wi-Fi device (like this one from NETGEAR Mobile). Of course, that assumes you’re still getting a signal.
Consider what other tools of the trade you’ll need to get your job done. A deadline is a deadline, and if you want repeat client work (as we all do!), you need to make sure you have everything you need to get your work done.
Consider time zones (yours and your clients’).
You need to take in to timing if you’re planning to work remote in areas far from your clients (say, for example, from New Zealand for a month while all your clients are in the US).
If your goal is to travel during the day and work at night, you may pick a place that allows you to do that, while still having ability to take client calls when needed.
So, the answer is YES! You absolutely can achieve freelancing success without being tied to one place. At the same time, it will take a bit of work. But then again, making a great living at anything always requires you to put in the work!
The effort involved is precisely how you know this isn’t a pipe dream, or too good to be true. And the best news is, you don’t have to figure it out alone. You can get the exact steps to take so you thrive in your freelancing career!
So, here’s my question for you: If you were working entirely remotely, where would you work from? Let me know in the comments below!
Note: this post contains affiliate links.
Last Updated on July 1, 2023.
