What does it take to become a Digital Nomad?

or the 10 Things I've learned in my 4 years of Nomading.

I get asked this question a lot. Mostly it’s when I’m sitting in a bar and have terminal or Sublime Text open on my machine and a fellow bar-goer asks me what I’m working on. 99% of the time I usually say, “Nothing really. Just hanging out”, but when that isn’t enough I explain how I go from place to place and work online, and this is what work looked like.

If I had to guesstimate I’d say that 70% of my daily workload is dedicated to answering emails, either from clients or collaborators. So I follow up with, “I check a lot of emails.” The rest is split between doing or looking for work, but that really isn’t worth mentioning.

The usual reaction I get from my new single-serve friend is that of mild amusement, usually mixed with a dash of incredulity.

People like me go from town to town with our packs in tow carrying our livelihood through desert and sea. Our laptops and phones are our link to our friends and loved ones, but also to our next meal and bed. The majority of the people that cross my path haven’t met a lot of people in my position. They don’t ‘get’ how I don’t have a home, or how I can 'live’ without a steady paycheck.

I’m not claiming to have the perfect formula or set of skills that makes me a great nomad. Hell, I sometimes feel a bit overwhelmed and struggle to find confidence in my abilities to produce quality work, or at least someone who is willing to pay for what I believe is quality work.

Here are just some of the lessons I’ve learned from traveling and coding for the past year and change. I’m hoping this could help some of you who are looking to begin your own journey. Keep in mind this is in no way an exhaustive list, nor will this be your experience, but it’s what I’ve come to know.

Comfort Zone, what’s that?

There’s been countless times where I’ve stayed in 10 person dorms and have had the privacy that comes with such a situation, which is to say none. You’re sharing bathrooms and common areas for an extended period of time. You might be showering while someone is shitting their bowels out because they thought Moctezuma’s Revenge was just a joke. It might not be ideal, but that’s half the fun of traveling. Getting to know people you wouldn’t normally meet. Hey Jeff, how about a courtesy flush, bro? Be Comfortable with Being Alone.

On the previous points flipside you’ll find solitude, which is what I enjoy the most about nomading. I like being alone, which is why I mostly solo travel. There are times where you end up in a new city and you might be the only one staying in your hostel. I know if I endure too many days in a crowded place I’ll go crazy so I end up getting a hotel room or an Airbnb to cope and unwind. If you’re traveling by land then you’ll feel this way a lot while you’re stuck on buses and vans going from point A to point B. You Will Lose Clients.

“The day you first sign a client is the day you start losing them.”

— Don Draper

There are 2 types of clients out there, the ones who have you on a monthly retainer, and those one off projects. The former is my preferred type since I usually have an exclusivity contract with them that lasts a year. When I end up losing one of these clients it isn’t pretty since it affects my projected bottom line.

Now, whatever reason they give can either be something completely fabricated or something you did to cause this professional breakup. Just keep in mind that everyone loses clients. Learn from it and move on. As Wu-Tang says, ‘you need to diversify yo bonds, nigga.’ Or in this case clients. Be Prepared for the Worst.

Your laptop and phone are the most likely candidates for theft. Passport and packs can be stolen from your dorm. You can find yourself in jail because you thought it’d be a good idea to punch a horse. Be smart, no matter how safe of a city you think you’re in you can never anticipate bad luck finding you. All of these things can be mitigated so you’re not totally SOL.

- Get insured, not only yourself but your possessions.

- Try not carrying any important documentation on you.

- Keep a copy of your passport on you, and leave the rest back at wherever you’re staying under lock and key.

- Claim self-defense and get the Seabiscuit jailed.

- Your phone or laptop get wet? Time to act fast. The times rice has saved my electronics is unbelievable. You’re Competing with the World.

There are only a finite number of jobs you can apply for, and each of those jobs are being bid on by people who are either better than you or work for far less. What have you done to create a steady supply of income and work? In order to overcome some of your shortfalls you need to learn how to emphasize your strengths without lying to your potential new client, which brings me to my next point. Market and Network Yourself.

That age old saying, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know” rings true for mostly every job I’ve ever had. Prior to roaming the Mexican countryside I used to work at a fairly large agency where I made contacts not only within the agency, but the clients I worked with — whether I liked them on a personal or professional level was irrelevant so long as they knew me and were content with my work. Hopefully you’ve done your fair share of work at brick and mortar shops where you can fall back on these old contacts. If not, then pray that your referral game is strong. Put In the Work.

Don’t expect multi-thousand dollar jobs to just magically appear. If you’re not putting in the work every day then you’ll always be falling short.

Search every job board you know of, and go post bids. Follow up with previous clients and ask if you can help with anything they might need. I like to dedicate 15% of my free time to finding new work. Whether it be online or offline there’s always new work out there. Don’t Be Afraid to say “No”.

A large reason we do what we do is because it affords us more freedom than our professional counterparts who walk into an office every day. “The customer is always right” is not always true, and most of the time if they just have an idea and don’t know how that idea should develop into an actual product then it’s your job to reign in their expectations and tell them what is possible within the agreed upon timeframe and budget. You never want to find yourself disappointing your client to the point where you won’t be getting paid, because if that happens then you might not be eating. Learn to Charge.

I do a lot of work with international companies that need to be invoiced and then after 30–90 days I receive payment. Those are the best because your client / accounts person isn’t directly involved in getting you paid. Whoever is in charge of payments automatically puts your invoice through and you get paid automagically. It’s awesome. Unfortunately not all clients are multinationals. Some of them are your Mom and Pop shops. Learn to be tactful in how you ask for payment, and if after some time you don’t receive it then learn to take recourse or become more ‘aggressive’. There are many ways you can guarantee payment so read up. Enjoy Yourself.

There’s a reason you chose this life. You wanted to experience more of the world around you. Be sure to take time to appreciate your surroundings and the company you’re with.

In closing, this life isn’t for everyone, but it sure is rewarding when you find yourself on a remote beach drinking a cold beer on a Tuesday afternoon.

Currently Listening to: Celia Cruz — La Vida Es Un Carnaval