Running A Business From The Road

Entrepreneurs and travelers share a lot of traits. They like adventure, accept risk, and want to see and do new things at every opportunity. They’re hard-charging, assertive people who don’t hold back.

Unfortunately, these two personalities have traditionally been very difficult to meld together into a successful lifestyle. There has always been a choice between the adventure of traveling and the stationary nature of running a business.

But that’s changing. Distance communication is growing every day, with more and more functionality being developed for cell phones. Specialized apps help you oversee everything from payroll to the thermostat, so today’s entrepreneur finds it easier than ever to get the best of both worlds. It really is possible now to travel extensively and still remain firmly in control of business operations in your absence.

But keeping the home fires burning while you satisfy your wanderlust still requires some planning. There isn’t always an app for your particular needs, so be sure to keep these areas in mind as you set your itinerary.

 

Maintaining A Base

 
While many businesses can be largely operated virtually, some of them still handle physical items frequently. There will be packages and mail no matter if you have a brick-and-mortar location or not, and if you’re going to be away for weeks or months, that can be a big problem. It’s not enough to use a post office box, because most companies can’t or won’t ship to one.

That’s where a virtual mailbox steps in. This service provides you with a physical place for things to be shipped, in addition to providing some helpful mail management. (Yes, that includes shredding your junk mail.) The monitoring service can alert you to pressing things that won’t come to you electronically, keeping you in perfect sync with the home base.

 

Traveling Wisely

 
It can be very easy to get caught up in the moment when you’re traveling. You’re in France and you hear about the Manchester benefit concert, and before you know it, you’ve flown across the English Channel, virtual tickets in hand.

It’s hard to pass on these golden opportunities, so it’s essential that you travel smart. It will keep you from running up interest charges, running into customs problems, and even running out of money. The distraction of solving these issues while you’re on the road can take away your time and resources for running the business.

 

Having Trusted Help

 
With all the preparations you make, there will still be some things that someone will need to act on in your absence. You may be unreachable because of coverage problems or simply due to airplane restrictions. Whatever the case, you must have a reliable person who can put out the fires, or at least contain them, until you can be reached.

This choice needs to be made long before the wheels go up or the tires hit the interstate. Whether it’s a trusted employee or an entrepreneur friend, someone needs to be available to handle things until you can make a final decision.

In the age of Cloud computing, expanding cell phone functionality and range, and greater broadband availability, it’s easier than ever to manage your business from other locations. But there remain a few things that you’ll need to be sure to address in order to be a wandering entrepreneur instead of a wandering ex-entrepreneur.