Are you fortunate enough to already be Freelancing As a Digital Nomad?
Maybe you already work anywhere you like and anytime you like?
If so then you are very lucky, and congratulations on building a great micro business model where you can work with (hopefully) more time freedom and balance.
And if you work remotely, whilst travelling around the world then good for you, as it takes alot of perseverance, patience and focus to be in that situation and to make it work.
You will know how hard it is to carve out a sustainable business and role, and you will have already likely ploughed plenty of time and money into your venture.
As you may know – there are ups and downs, obstacles and challenges
And many uncertainties that can test anyone, but as long as you have the right critical tools and resources required to be able to run and operate a micro business that is growing sufficiently and successful, you are on the right track.
Whilst this is a hard road you also believe it is worth the hard labor to be able to do your thing, on your terms, rather than work for others.
I will show you how to form your ideas and plan in this post.
Have you got the grind?
All business models no matter the size require the correct input, grind, tools for the job, and the consistency, and it is no different when Freelancing As a Digital Nomad.
To thrive in your role it could mean you require a reliable and rugged laptop and iphone, web hosting and excellent automated communication software tools.
Alongside everything I have mentioned, there are specific and critical components that are essential to working on your own, so I will break down what is needed in a moment.
At the very least you must also be very driven, very disciplined and extremely focused to be effective every day.
Meaning you are maximising output, through using time effectively whilst ensuring the most important tasks are being completed every day.
It might mean outsourcing to others to help you, or operating with a small team.
A good chunk of your work might be achieved using mobile devices, so this needs to be sufficient for the job.
So are you cut out for it?
Hiring or outsourcing in your weaker areas is advised as it is very easy to burn out.
Perhaps you are not yet lucky enough to be in this position, so I will give you some tips, and share with you some important factors for starting out and growing your micro business in the right way.
The key with this is doing all you can to avoid your dream becoming your nightmare.
If you are not yet in business, what could you see yourself doing? And how will you be paid?
Freelancing As a Digital Nomad could be in a variety of areas these days including working as a programmer, designer, writer or teacher to name a few.
Generally speaking – you will get paid through paypal or a digital wallet, or through bank transfers.
Working with freelance contracts could be common for you, so have a look at a freelance template here:
What do you like to do for work? Are you better in a team, on your own, outdoors, indoors, mentally or more physically?
Are you best suited to a kind of work? What might be the ideal or ultimate style of work?
Could you use your core skills? Are you naturally good at something or gifted at something?
Might contracting suit you? Can you manage yourself and your work load in this type of setting?
Working either as a freelancer or contractor is certainly possible, and it’s an increasing choice for many.
Contracting often means you are working remotely for companies which means working expected work hours and where you are happy with an employee based salary situation.
Fany Freelancing?
Now, if you are more interested in the freelance option then you will work on projects and bill your client rather than do set hours with a salary.
Not sure about this?
Perhaps it is worth thinking about what type of business could most excite you every day?
Maybe you don’t wish to work with others per se, so you might operate an e-store or be an affiliate marketer.
Or if you like working with others you could own/operate your own consulting business, or perhaps train others in specific fields?
Tip: One great way to be paid these days every month is through the subscription model, such as with dating sites.
I’m guessing that you are familiar wiih this model?
Photo by Per Lööv on Unsplash
Heard of The Subscription Model?
Do you pay for Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney?
Retail companies, Dating sites or anything that requires you setting up payment details to pay someone monthly?
All very common, and this means you already use a subscription model.
Commonly today people will pay subscriptions for many things, as it spreads the cost of course, but you might also craft a subscription site whereby others pay you monthly or quarterly for your products or services.
Have you considered that?
NOTE: The platform Patreon is commonly used now to create subscription payments in a variety of expert areas.
Could you share your expert knowledge and experience on Patreon for revenue?
You or another could build you a membership site/s, if you are tech savvy, or you simply outsource it.
This is also dependent on your own finances, abilities and time.
There are various companies and platforms you can use to craft a site, but you will also need to manage it.
Become An Affiliate
Earning revenue as an affiliate for other companies and businesses is also a great idea if you A) have a business where you can feature affiliate products or B) wish to just do affiliate marketing as a stand alone business.
Affiliate marketing means you will be paid a percentage or commission from an advert or link that you have placed somewhere relating to a product or service you have either recommended or shared as a advert like a banner.
Commissions can vary greatly in affiliate marketing and in order to be proficient at affiliate marketing you will need to master many parts of this area, so that you don’t just throw your hard earned money at advertising your affiliate links, only to lose it.
No business is guaranteed, but you knew that right?
That’s why it’s a GOOD idea testing what you do is vital, meaning having a total understanding of your plan, your data, your numbers and so on.
Including measuring all your branding, advertising, promotion and marketing.
You cannot ignore any area or you will eventually burn out, fail and have nothing to show for it.
The ‘get rich quick’ idea is never a good one! That’s a BAD idea!
Taking the time from the ground up to build a solid foundation is the best way.
And there are always pressures, both expected and unexpceted that you will have to face.
Whilst there are many ways you may be able to earn today, it is certainly important to focus.
Consistency and focus will make you DIFFERENT to most that just haven’t got that stayng power, and that’s the real power.
Creativity In Business
Today many people are becoming more and more creative in what they do, how they do it and why, but this can also lead to trying a million things half heartedly.
So my advice is 1) don’t go chasing every single shiny object, and 2) Ensure you maintain that focus on one area and master this before moving on.
Yes you can be original creatively, and I recommend self-expression of course, but you have to first learn to become master of your core craft.
And I will give you an example: Should you choose to teach in some way, you will need to first train in that area, study your craft and research the area in order to become a competent professional of your craft. And from there you can build a brand and reputation to grow your clientbase, and even create multiple income streams from the core business.
Half heartedly attempting all ways to earn within that craft/subject is likely to lead to burnout.
The Reality For Most
I have seen so many energetic and passionate types fail over and over, as they would simply keep trying stuff half heartedly, even though I would advise them or mentor them to stay focused on one thing.
Many people do not treat self-management or operating in a solo role seriously enough, and some don’t treat it as a proper business, so they never move past the starting line.
This is without doubt the most common way to fail.
That’s why you must be sure you can put the time and effort into something you have a real passion for, by asking yourself – What area/s could I work in day in day out, and why that area?
There must be a real fire in your belly – as temporary excitement and motivation doesn’t last.
Think of it this way: would you rather be grinding and stressed in something you love or something you hate?
Get clear on that answer!
Now, do you need some ideas?
How about giving tutorials?
What could be your particular niche?
Remember Patreon?
It might be that you share hair and make up tutorials, health and fitness, holistic training and tips, pet related advice, Pilates, foreign languages, or something else, but whatever you choose to do, you have to make it engaging and interesting enough to help others effectively.
Working online could mean managing others marketing and branding campaigns, PR, managing social media accounts, designing brand logos, building websites, managing business accounting, or even working for certain companies as a freelancer in a variety of areas.
You may even create e-books and self-publish.
If you decide to create self-help e-books for example you will need to be professional, educational, clear on your message and thorough in your work.
This could lead to you creating online courses from your books.
You cannot simply throw stuff out there that is of low value and then hope to create revenue.
Note: Whatever you choose, consider how you will strategically and ethically align your goals with a core demand to aim to become the monopoly in this area.
Be a role model for the future good of mindful business.
What does that ‘really’ mean?
Don’t be greedy, be open and honest, give a ton of value, take pride in your art/craft, communicate effectively, be of value in your community, keep learning but stay humble, earn your right to be in business.
With that said; let’s now look a bit deeper into some areas.
Begin your journey Freelancing As a Digital Nomad
Look at and consider these questions:
What can you do very well? What have you always wanted to do? What are you experienced at doing? What could be your primary passion? What do others say you are naturally gifted at?
Get down some ideas now, and start to explore these in greater depth.
And when I say get down ideas, I don’t mean a quick 5 minutes!
This could be your ultimate purpose, role or passion that you are unveiling, so treat it seriously and explore each area deeply.
Otherwise you might spend the rest of your life looking back at ‘what you could have done differently’, so don’t waste time by gaming, listening to gossip on social media or doom scrolling.
Of course this is only two areas, but there are many more ‘in-demand’ areas.
TIP: Look at evergreen areas, meaning areas that won’t be here one minute and gone the next.
Once you are qualified you can work as a contractor for other people’s businesses around the world.
So if that’s an interest of yours then get the qualification and you can then start building your profile.
More of an empath?
It might be that a role or business supporting, mentoring or guiding others in some way could be for you.
Councelling for example can be conducted online using Zoom!
Personally I love helping others, and have found a great amount of satisfaction from seeing others grow and develop.
Is that your thing? If so, then can you imagine a purpose driven role helping others to develop themselves in something?
Here are some obvious areas where teaching is fairly common:
A foreign language teacher, teaching music, teaching yoga or wellbeing, teaching art or another craft, teaching cocktail or coffee creation, teaching pet care, cooking or baking, teaching mindset and leadership, teaching business or entrepreneurship.
A good laptop, a good mobile phone, a fast internet provider, a headset, a microphone, business registration, business insurance, a business bank account, a business and marketing plan, an accountant or your own software for accounting, and a good calender tool to help you plan your week are useful things to think about.
You should begin by making notes of the tools and resources you may need, to ensure you are ready to begin your journey into contracting or freelancing as a digital nomad with the right preparation.
If you decide to teach others then direct teaching is very powerful, but you could also make videos or content on various platforms to share your lessons and showcase your knowledge, skills and expertise.
This means perhaps creatinge short or long videos, or even courses.
Whilst you will need to either master social media or hire someone to manage it for you is up to you, but there are ways you can ‘use’ social media to earn.
Fancy being a TikToker or an Insta Star?
It’s not for me but i’m sure you have seen the influencer types out there.
Many influencers can earn great revenue doing promotion for others products.
There are also Vloggers, Facebook Reel creators and Instagram story creators – all of which can create a great income using these platforms.
It is possible to earn through using what is called ‘built-in programs’ through reward programs and through brand parterships.
Sharing Other’s brands
Meaning you can share others brands to earn when you share your own content.
Short videos are often the easiest way to do this.
You can also be paid per number of views on TikTok, and you must have many thousands of followers to be considered for this.
Through gaining a good following, you can then feature other business brands/products/services.
This way of earning can also work with YouTube through gaining views and subscribers to your videos.
Affiliate marketing isn’t just a simple way to earn commission through other people’s products, just like any other business model it takes time, patience, investment and consistency to see results.
Earning affiliate commissions is a common technique through using Youtube.
With Facebook you would need to join Meta’s Content program where you aim to get views to reels, but you can also earn on this platform from affiliate products.
This begins with creating a professional profile or a public page to monetize your content, reels, photos and videos.
Important: Study those ‘already successful’ vloggers, tiktokers, Insta stars, facebook content creators and YouTube creators to see how you can craft your own content.
You can monetize your passion, and earn through other people’s products, so take plenty of notes to see what other’s out there are doing.
After all – it isn’t rocket science to study others
Because they are already there for all to see!
Look at what others are doing every day and see how they do it.
See where you could craft your very own style to stand out.
Think about how you can be original and appealing in a specific sector.
Subscribe to other’s lists and look at their social media and products promotion links.
If you are not into that then perhaps an e-commerce store is more you?
Photo by Daria Mamont on Unsplash
Could you run and operate your own e-store?
This option means that you create your very own e-commerce store (online shop) using platform’s like Shopify or Woocommerce.
Whereby you can use the dropshipping method, whereby you make sales on your store, but you do not hold any stock at all.
Chosen companies in whichever country they are in will create the goods and send the product directly to your customer for you.
Meaning you don’t have to hoard tons of product in a warehouse.
It does mean though that you make just a percentage of the sale, which is usually less of a margin than if you held the product yourself.
In other words, you are not buying stuff in bulk that will be sent to you (Wholesale), to sell these products for a greater margin, you are selling other people’s products for a percentage of the sale wherever that product is made through your own website.
Are you a budding Dj like about 10 billion other people?
I jest slightly there, but it is extremely popular now.
Another option then could be DJing?
I’m sure you have seen many many people striving to be famous in this area these days.
Whilst I have DJed for over 25 years, I simply enjoy sharing personal mixes from my music collection, but others might also look at revenue streams.
They may teach DJing, Mix or Remix tracks, produce records and host events, all to create more revenue.
Others might share their music and mixes on Spotify, Bandcamp and YouTube for more revenue.
Sharing your favourite albums also attracts a great deal of attention.
Using short videos on instagram for example, or selling vinyl or cds from your collection is also possible.
Again, check out those already doing this on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
Are you clear on what type of person you are!
What does that mean anyway?
When I went to art college back in the 90’s I throught I was good at drawing and painting, so I went down that route.
But I was young, and as I grew older I found passions in other areas also. So it is difficult to know when you are young and without much life experience, but then some people just know what they want and why from a very young age.
What is your story?
I am certainly more of a creative, so I love art, nature, music, writing etc.
You may be more logical, so you might prefer a role or business reflecting tech, cyber security, or programming for example.
Some clever people are both right and left brained
Therefore it is important for you to consider ‘all aspects’ of who you are, and what your role and business could represent.
Through this examination you can ensure that you are on the right path.
Let’s say you are tech minded, could you then offer specific online services? Could you use AI effectively? Software Engineering skills? Did you study at Uni in a particular area but can’t find a job in that area?
Consider what you loved as a kid, and what your life and work experience looks like, whenyou think of what you might prefer to do every day.
Your greatest strengths may lie in what you have never done, or they may lie in what you already know.
What then can you do with what you know? We all have value to offer.
The key is to combine: 1) What is in demand and likely to be in demand for a good while and 2) What your skill/s area/s and experiences are and 3) what you could be passionate and excited about working in or with every day.
Within most areas of life there are ways to earn a living.
TIP: Don’t ever limit yourself, think expansively, but most importantly master one area at a time in order to focus on progress as you grow.
Why do I write?
Firstly I enjoy writing and sharing ideas, I also love helping others and always have, but I this blog also enables me to share my content, and to share others businesses that I am passionate about.
It is about giving to readers through sharing products or services that I use and recommend.
Become an authority in a specific niche or sector
Consider what I have spoken about, and look at your core expert or subject area and expand this to consider ways in which you can create revenue as a professional or expert.
Think of business development professionals, Neurodivergent support through experience, music creation and production, pet care, finance, sport, Cars, politics, and so on. There are many areas to consider.
Love baking cakes or cooking? Then you might make videos showing how this is done.
Do you love cocktails? You might create them on videos and share certain tools you use to add revenue streams.
Have you got tattoos or a love to tattoo others? Could you show your work or create mini-videos of your craft?
Passion for paint or drawing? Share your artwork and genius with others.
Creation and upcycling of furniture from old stuff? Many love re-purposing this these days.
What about clay or metal to create sculptures or items for the home?
Teaching a language? Many travel around the world whilst teaching a language.
Building websites and blogs your thing? Why not create others.
Number cruncher? Could you enjoy accounting? Help digital nomads with their numbers.
Designing online or offline? Maybe you could design logos, brands, or even interiors.
Creative writing? Writing can be a perfect role/career move as you can do it anywhere.
Conversationalist? Love chatting? Why not start a podcast? Speak, listen and interview others.
Pet lover? Could you create pet care and advice videos?
Fashionista that loves style? Why not start a style blog?
And there are many many more areas that could become a business model.
Plus – most subject areas above can also be expanded upon to earn more revenue in various ways.
For example, take the podcasting; You could interview others, write books about your podcats, teach others how to do it in online lessons, create a membership site for followers and subscribers, share your favorite podcasts and guests in another show, Create courses to earn commissions teaching podcasting. And even become an affilate for other companies in your niche market.
Good With Wood?
Let’s say you make cakes or are a carpenter, you may be thinking, so how do I monetise this?
Well, you can give presentations in how you bake, tipes, tricks and methods for baking, as well as decorating cakes, and people could hire you and your cooking skills to events.
Making stuff out of wood means you can also demonstrate how you do what you do, styles, techniques and processes you use through making short videos.
Craft a small e-book to give away and drive those giving you an email address to sign up for your videos. This might include courses you can create.
Just look around at what others are doing now, as it is likely that someone is already doing what you wish to do.
Be warned though; Don’t ever copy anyone, use your own unique angle and be authentic.
Contractors need to ensure they can create a great CV for prospective employers, and learn interview skills to ensure they are on their ‘A’ game before they proceed with applying for online jobs.
Photo by M. Cooper on Unsplash
Freelancing As a Digital Nomad and Freedom
What would be the benefits of this type or style of work?
Because it isn’t a walk in the park!
Some are obvious though; freedom to travel, less overheads, more flexibility and balance, and more peace when you don’t want to be around an office or team of people.
Any business is hard work, and not something you can just casually have a go at, if you want to make a living from it.
Put in the hours, design your role, design your brand, and know the business model in order to start right, be productive, be effective and be efficient every day.
Having laser focus on certain tasks, mastering your craft, putting in the time, plus having unwaivering commitment, drive, patience and passion.
Got that?
So be mindful of what is required of you, and the fact that there may be times where you earn less, or have to work 7 days a week, depending on workload and income.
Be prepared to go beyond what you have done in the past in a job you may have hated.
It is a business after all
Get out of your comfort zone, but also zone out of the constant noise of modern life in order to make it work.
Learn to manage your relationships with your phone, distractions and with people, and ensure you are on the ball.
Now here is an example of what a friend of mine is doing:
Perhaps you love fashion design and want to design your own line of casual or workwear from your laptop, but you wish to use recycled cloth, thus you will need to explore the best materials that are good quality, and also study who may be doing what you wish to do already.
Visiting fashion houses, and countries to source materials could be required, or learning to up-cycle, or use re-cycled material.
You may also re-use or re-purpose previously used material or clothes into bags, throws, cushions or new clothes.
What this also means is, you may not simply work all alone all the time, as it depends on what is needed from suppliers.
Be prepared to communicate effectively, build relationships around the globe, and to network.
Think about your impact
Impact you say?
Today, many businesses will aim to make areas of their business more conscious of their impact on others and the world.
Considering modern issues, progressive working, and the effects of what they do on their community and city.
Having a deep understanding of operation, how it is performed, and what impact is made on the resources used.
Note: We are becoming more conscious; Many buyers, customers, consumers today will no longer buy unethical products, so be warned and try to consider all parts of your business.
This Checklist is For Contractors and Freelancers:
Explore sectors and markets, and look around at what is out there already and see how you might fit into this space or market. If required carve out your own segment in the market.
Begin to define the key area you wish to work in, and if a new or un-tapped market look at the potential risks involved.
Start crafting your business plan and marketing plan. Get professional external help if required.
Look at total costs and expenses, allowing for more costs with a contingency backup.
Get clear on daily tasks and core fundamental marketing strategies to reduce costs and risks where possible.
Ensure your exit and back-up strategies are solid and house all steps required to implement what is needed to reduce risk and harm.
Look at your core role and find others (Maybe outsourced) that can perform other roles needed to support your operation.
Research all businesses similiar to yours, from brand styles, e-mail responders, colours and looks of websites, to content, customer service and words used. Including payment methods, marketing, advertising etc. Start to frame your unique brand and offer.
Consider courses in business and entrepreneurship to help you be your best.
Master key words, phrases, business terms and financial words you need to know. Educate yourself daily.
Keep your business model set up simple to avoid complexity and complication, both for you and others.
Ensure you have a business bank account (keep separate from personal account), set up specific insurance/s and business registration.
Never be afraid to ask more seasoned business owners and entrepreneurs important questions.
Aim to offer great value, and to understand your USP Unique Sales Proposition, which differentiates you from others. This will be included in your Plan.
Go over your numbers several times with your accountant, and be sure to keep business receipts, sales, invoices, costs and expenses separate from your personal life.
Download templates needed to craft the expenses and financial plan. Operational costs and Cash flow, tax etc.
Stay humble and work hard, never get cocky to think you know everything, as that can destroy businesses.
As a self employed freelancer or contractor you will need to define your business structure. For example, will you run a limited company, or would you prefer being a sole trader? Define this and register yourself.
What will your contracts look like? You need to craft a professional CV and client contract for your services. Within this you will need to define your terms, demonstrate project layout and decide upon payment rates and dates competitive to industry standards.
Know your income goal and all other goals. Without measuring your goals, progress and numbers you have no business whatsoever. Project ahead each financial quarter to be on top of your growth and revenue forecasts.
Whilst this may be just the beginning of your new venture, role or career, you should get down some solid tips and ideas, and hopefully then better understand what is required of you in order to make this a longterm success.
With that said, you will need to understand what tools you will need to be the best you can be.
Just like any job, role or business you need to work with the right kinds of tools and resources.
This means you can stay connected wherever you decide to go, and whilst there are various companies out there, this one stands out as a solid choice.
You can get unlimited Data and reliability wherever you go, as Holafly is now the most trusted travel eSIM.
2. My second recommendation is called Wallester. This is an amazing multi-currency platform to send and recieve money, exchange currencies and control spending for you and your team (if you wish to have one).
Photo by Pauline Bernard on Unsplash
3. I also love this company. Multiplier is a this very useful tool to pay independent contractors around the world. Check it out here Multiplier
4. Heard of A.I. powered CRM? This tool by Monday CRMwill assist you with increasing your revenue growth as a freelancer with a team.
5. If you wish to work in project Management a great workflow tool to help meet deadlines through automation and super charge teams is called Asana. And a great all-in-one tool for tasks and clients briefs is called Notion worth checking out. Trello is another tool that allows you to track multiple clients projects.
6. For finance I can highly recommend Wise which is perfect for freelancers that are travelling internationally. It enables you to hold multiple currencies and take payments at lower fees. This is a global tech company that builds the number 1 way to move money around the world. Millions of people and businesses have stopped using banks, PayPal and traditional providers, as Wise offers a cheaper, faster and easier solution.
7. Booking meetings? I like Calendly best. Why? because it takes out the complications of e-mails and enables meeting bookings directly and simply – with some powerful and effective features.
8. Another tool I can recommend is called Loom. We are in a world of fast moving business and this includes short video content. So with Loom you can create quick videos in order to share and present your work and concepts and to grab attention.
9. Are you considering starting a Shopify e-commerce business? Then this is a great resource to help you increase sales and productivity. Have you heard of Elite E-Commerce? This is a full service company for expansion of your e-commerce business model.
10. Are you a keen book or ebook writer? If you are looking to craft a micro business around your book ideas then a tool worth adding to your arsenal is called Lulu.com This is a complete solution in supporting your books and this includes creating physical copies of books. Create a free account here.
There are many great companies for those starting out
But these for me have the greatest benefits including; You can register your business with Tide for just £14.99 instead of the £100 Companies House fee.
A great starting point for sure, plus integrated accounting and a savings account in one place.
With Revolut you can use online and in-person payment options, Send, hold, and receive in multiple currencies and get both online and physical cards.
NOTE: Make sure you conduct your own research to find the best option for you, but these are the options I currently recommend.
I will add further tools/products/services that I recommend if I approve of them regarding Freelancing As a Digital Nomad, but in the meantime check out my current full list below.
Ensure that from the very beginning foundation of your business concept that you aim to ADD VALUE, as you are responsible and accountable for serving customers you care about, and your actions must be aligned this way in all that you do.
This means having solid integrity and good ethics.
Wishing you the very best in your work and travel endeavours, and Freelancing As a Digital Nomad!
And if you have any questions about this area of business and work then let me know and i’ll do my best to answer all questions.
P.s. If you haven’t started a plan yet you will need to start one, in order to gauge and measure your progress against, that’s if you are truly serious about Freelancing As a Digital Nomad.
Author, course creator and Small business blogger – Greg has been supporting Micro and Small Business clients from all backgrounds all over the globe for over 15 years. Developing ideas and passions into sustainable Business Models. Greg has a strong focus on supporting his local business community in Bristol UK also.
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