Are you planning to become a digital nomad or did you make the transition to remote working in the past year?

To really make it as a digital nomad or remote worker you need more than the right skills and qualifications. There are some intangible qualities that sets digital nomads apart from everyone else. These qualities are the combination of business acumen, experience and lateral thinking.

Success needs time to build and we all know that we are short of time, especially if we need to make the transition to remote working because our main employer or client prefers it.

Here at Digital Nomad Europe we have talked to successful digital nomads and have asked them to share their tips.

​Tips To Become a Successful Digital Nomad

• Establish strong relationships – building and nurturing good business relationships are the key to long term business success, as Nick Kyriakides said, because by growing your network you are accessing more opportunities to get referrals
• Always deliver an excellent service – as championed by Zbigniew Czarnecki; this may sound too simplistic at first glance but when you are a freelancer it’s what sets you apart from anyone else
• Consider using a coworking space – coworking offices can be a hub for collaboration, networking and business development, they bring people together (and digital nomads tend to work as solo entrepreneurs), see our interview with Pauline Roussel
• Don’t bring everything and the kitchen sink in your travels – Manny Pantoja recommends travelling light as you soon realise that you really don’t need much when living and working abroad
• Try to experience one place for at least a month – Sam Marks recommends spending four weeks in one location as a base, possibly using a coworking space, because it allows you to be more productive and be less stressed
• Know your monthly costs in advance – getting insider knowledge of a place is essential, says Nik Lashley, and finding out how much your monthly outgoings will be is vital; she also recommends having an exit strategy, because you may change your mind about a location and may need to leave it for a number of reasons
• Be prepared, organised and schedule time to rest – planning is not limited to travel itineraries but also applies to your life in general, because you need to allocate time for work, communicating with clients, ensuring your files are backed up and that you can switch off after work; these are what In Viaggio Col Tubo have learned along the way in their job as travel videographers
• Engage in forums and online groups – Clarice Lin recommends pushing yourself outside your comfort zone and connect with people, who are often more than happy to give you advice
• Don’t splash out on expensive equipment straight away – videographer Lee Explores suggests that it’s best to start small and build from there.