Advancements in technology and work culture has provided a ripe environment for people to work virtually. The dream of being able to travel and work from anywhere has become a reality for millions of people all over the world.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a remote telecommuter or freelancer, working virtually has never been easier to do than it is in this day in age. Here are something you can do to prepare for a life of adventure on the road.
IMAGE: PEXELS
1. Technology
The first thing is you have to have to right tech gear. That means you have to ditch your desktop for a powerful laptop. If you’re on the phone a lot, you also should get a VOIP service like Google Voice. Also, invest in a quality a headset with a mic so you can make calls from your laptop anywhere in the world that has WiFi.
Also, get the software you need to streamline the operations of your business. If you own an eCommerce platform, you can buy tons of apps and software that can allow you to go virtual.
Even if you sell physical products, you don’t need a physical location. You can get something like Magento Enterprise to bring all of your eCommerce functions into one platform. There are also many other alternatives to Magento Enterprise because many eCommerce entrepreneurs have decided to go virtual and the demand is there.
The world is catering to those who want to work virtually. That means, not only is it becoming more acceptable, companies are creating products, services, and software around that growing population.
2. Virtual Assistants
Next, get a virtual assistant. Find someone overseas who can schedule your meetings, do repeated mundane tasks and field your customer service requests.
If you currently own a business with office staff and you want to keep them, send them to work from home so you can launch out into the world. You can still connect with them over phone, email and teleconferencing platforms.
3. Outsource Everything
Instead of hiring and managing employees, consider using freelance contractors. They are easier to find, hire and fire than employees. They tend to be cheaper with higher quality as well.
If I hire a marketing team, they may be great at editing photo’s and creating logos, but they may not be great at copywriting or editing video. You can outsource to experts for each function that you need.
4. Become A Freelancer
Are you really good at what you do? Is it a skill set that’s in demand? Maybe freelancing is the right avenue for you. A recent study projected that half of all American workers will be freelancing by 2020. That’s a big chunk of the population with the freedom that comes with freelancing.
The business culture is shifting in that direction, which makes it easier for people to step out and become freelancers themselves.
If you’re an employee and your company won’t let you work from home, becoming a freelancer may be a good option. You’d simply do what you currently do, but do it for other companies that are willing to take on contractors.
In some cases, your current employer may want to hire you have as a freelancer. That’s not unusual for highly skilled workers.
If you’re a full-time graphic designer, why not leave and offer your current employer to be your first client? That way, they don’t lose the function without all of the liabilities and costs of having an employee.
Of course, the greatest benefit to being a freelancer is the freedom to work when and where you want. And because of our economy trending toward the use of freelancers, it’s becoming an easier option for those who want to take advantage of that.
5. Start An Online Business
It’s never been easier to start an online business. Many online entrepreneurs don’t even have employees or a team of virtual assistants. There are many online who simply build websites, do SEO, use affiliate marketing and create content, all on their own. And they make a full-time income purely online by themselves.
The great thing about this is you can do this from anywhere with a WiFi connection. There is an emerging group of online entrepreneurs who are even doing this living out of their vans or RV’s.
They simply create their content whether it’s blogging or making videos on the road. They turn their van or RV into little offices. Then they head to a coffee shop with free WiFi and upload their content.
There are so many options for those who want to work completely virtually. With the right gear, the right setup and the right opportunities, anyone can travel and live their dreams while working from anywhere in the world.
If you are interested in even more technology-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels, then we have a lot to choose from.
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