The Virtual Business Lifestyle Top 10 Travel Tips for Entrepreneurs!

Location: Home Office – Reading Time: 7mins

For the entrepreneur, traveling for both business and pleasure can be combined if you do your homework well. As someone that travels very regularly, combining the two, I have to say that I make it look pretty easy nowadays – however, it wasn’t always that way (check out the above photo which was taken in the middle of Hong Kong airport as SARS swept the island!), and I have certainly picked up a few tips along the way. Some by other travelers, some by making my own mistakes!

A lot of snags, inconveniences and complications can arise while you’re on a trip so you have to give careful thought and plan your much deserved vacation (with a little business thrown in!) as much as you can. Where and how long will you stay? What do you need to bring? Do you have an adequate budget for the entire trip? How can you do the things that you need to do without spending too much? Do you have any contingency plans in case problems arise? Asking yourself these questions and more is a good way to start.

Maybe you have a better idea on how to make the most of your trips while taking care of business. Grab a pen and paper and let’s start brainstorming. Map out your journey and make it an unforgettable one. Here are my personal top ten tips for the traveling entrepreneur:

Plan. Identify your travel destinations and print out a map of the places that you will visit. Now look for a cheap place to stay. It should have easy access to public transportation. Is it a walking distance to your frequent destinations? Daily expenses on taxi and shuttle fees will eat up a huge chunk of your budget.

Airlines. Fly on economy using a single airline (unless you can TRULY afford a more expensive ticket). If you are the type who gets a lot of work done while flying, ask if some seats have a laptop power outlet – if not, consider an upgrade to business class so you can focus on doing your work up in the air.

Accommodation. Choose a hotel that is comfortable, clean and cheap. If you will be staying for a longer period, an apartment is a good alternative. That way, you will still stay productive while saving a lot of money.

Netbook. A cheaper version of laptops, netbooks are fast gaining popularity. They are designed for lightweight use such as computing, surfing the Internet and running web-based applications. Netbooks are ultra-portable and extremely lightweight, which makes it an ideal companion for the traveling entrepreneur. Having a netbook means that you can connect to the internet instantly while you’re on the go. I use a HP Mini on my travels.

Internet access. Always stay connected by having internet access wherever you are. Your netbook should be paired with high-speed internet connection offered by wireless broadband service providers – get a list of wifi spots in the places you’ll be staying prior to your travel, so you’re not rushing around trying to find them when you get there!

Smartphone. It is a must for traveling entrepreneurs to bring a smart phone such as a Blackberry, which are now equipped with Wi-Fi, 3G, GPS and many more features you thought only computers have. With smart phones, it is possible for you to meet your business needs while you’re away by giving you reliable communication capabilities, access to information from the Web, and even do social networking. If you still haven’t got one yet and you are planning to replace your old cell phone, make it a smart phone.

Food. Instead of eating in fast food restaurants, look for places that offer cheap, but healthy food. Stay healthy without overshooting your budget, and make sure you take your multivitamins. I personally take GNC’s MegaMen, and have done for years and years!

Fitness. Counter the stressful effects of flying, traveling and taking care of your business needs by making sure that exercise and workout part of your daily activities – there’s a ton of mobile exercise products you can get nowadays to stick in your suitcase, so you really have no excuse. I travel with an Exercise Ball for light 10min workouts on the road. No – Seriously, I do!!!

Booking. You can save a lot of money traveling with some practical tips on booking your flights. Get online and book your flights as early as possible so you can choose the cheapest seats available. Avoid traveling on dates that are considered peak season. Check out the best deal online by comparing the rates offered by the different travel agencies.

Awesome Assistance. Make sure you have the best personal assistant, or virtual assistant you can afford. There is absolutely no way in the world I could do everything I do when I travel (including the set-up of the trips themselves) without the fantastic support I get from my PA, Stephanie. She is a God-send, plain and simple. You can see how I work with Stephanie when I’m traveling in the video on this post in regards to Mobility for the Entrepreneur.

Now, I’d like to hear your ideas. As you are all either a) aspiring to live the virtual lifestyle we discuss here on the site, or b) actually doing it already – I’d love to see what you guys can add into the mix on this important subject.

Over to you…!