We see the pictures, beautiful beaches, laptop lifestyle, amazing sunsets and what seems like time abundance to enjoy the finer things in in life. So is this what’s it’s really like? In this piece I will be sharing my own experience, 100% truth as to how I see it, do it and feel about it. If you are a travelling entrepreneur, you may have a different opinion or experience so this is not a generalisation but one person’s unique experience. I’d love to hear though in the comments what you do or how you have perfected this.
Three years ago, it was time to pack my bags and start spreading my footprint beyond my home city of Melbourne. I had built a big network and was know in my home city so I set some dates and arranged some workshops to be run in Sydney and Brisbane. I had a time amount of people that I knew lived there and had followed me via social media so I invited them first to my events in the hope they will be the first to experience what I did live. I already had clients in different states around Australia that I coached but had never met them in real life.
I am a big offline – get to meet you and get to know you type of person. I very quickly realised the importance of becoming known offline before my online following would grow and that meeting someone face to face fast tracked that know, like and trust process ten fold.
So I started – my first trips had around 8 people in the Sydney event and 6 in Brisbane. I did them and came home empty handed. No sales but great relationships and my first interstate experience. Over the following 12 months a went again a few more times. Once I did 4 cities in 8 days and 7 events that I spoke at. I was 12 weeks pregnant with my 3rd child (the worst and most tiring time) and once again after meeting over 120 people overall didn’t convert a single sale.
I could have given up right then and there. Luckily my moto in business has never been to look for instant results or a quick fix and what I say to myself is: The relationships that I build and start today eventuate into sales 6-12 months down the track. And that they did. Six months after that trip I converted over 100K from the people I met on that crazy tour.
I want to share some of the pro’s and con’s on travel for business that I have found… Let’s do the con’s first as I do like to finish on a positive note:
- Packing sucks – all I seem to be doing nowadays is pack and unpack. And don’t even get me started in the weight limits and trying to control that as a woman J I also run events so I get to pack and unpack even when I am at home.
- I miss my family – I have 3 children (7, almost 5 and 16 month old) and an amazing husband – Skype is great but not as great as giving them all a big hug and kiss every morning.
- On business trips there usually is not much relaxing. We take pretty photos as the perception we want to put out there is that this lifestyle is so glam. Don’t get me wrong, being able to take off 3.5 months a year for holidays while the business still ticks over is amazing but the business trips alone are usually packed with meetings, activities, speaking events and hustling.
- Being out or routine! Last year I put on 5kgs due to so much travel and as soon as I would be in routine, off I went on another trip and stuffed up my eating and exercise routine. Early December last year I hired a PT and committed to her for a year. She trains me twice a week even when away on Skype and I do 2 more workouts on my own. I also make mindful choices in eating and am back to my ideal weight and a rocking body – because I choose to not only look great but feel great and have tons of energy.
Now lets look at the Pro’s:
- I love waiting at airports and flight time. I use this time to be really focussed and get work done that I don’t get to do in distracted mode with phone, internet and children distractions. Especially on a flight I do my bookkeeping, blog writing (like now), power point presentations (which I hate) and expanding and actioning new ideas. In the waiting lounges I get to catch up on emails, online stuff and social media. I am so productive on my business trips away as I don’t have my family around me so I get 10 time more stuff done so when I return home I can focus and spend more time with them knowing all else is organised.
- I am able to expand my network far and wide. When people meet me face to face the connection is then stronger online and when I return to those cities time and time again I have people that help out with event promotion, crewing and social catch ups. I now have 2-3 people in each city that are almost like family – my auntie Linda Chaousis in Adelaide, my sis Francesca Moi, super nanny Elaing Squiers in Perth and my amazing client and now leader of my UBS Sydney group Samantha Chambers.
- Regular travel allows for the relationships to continue to be nurtured and those that missed out on my visit can come again in a few months time when I return. I have a routine now when I go to which places and my brand is known really well all over Australia. I have a bigger market to tap into and my authors come from far and wide. I also have one from New Zealand. People appreciate me making the effort to come and meet them, add value and build trust before taking the leap into knowing my Ultimate 48 Hour Author retreats are a right fit for them.
- I find collaborative partners and pick up more opportunities every time I go. I do my best to block up lots of speaking gigs, my own events, meetings so that the trip is packed with action. The more you do, the closer you are to bigger results. Each time I go, I am open to being asked to be a speaker at a future event and then I plan more stuff around that date. Massive things happen when you are in PROXIMITY. As they say Proximity is Power!
- I get to miss my family which makes the time together when I return that much more special. They get to miss me to and I get the best hugs, attention and love when I return from everyone. I realise time and time again how blessed I am and also how fortunate we are that we work as a team and experience our ideal life.
- I get me time, adult time, thinking time! As a busy mumpreneur, these business trips are full on work, but I do get to experience for a few days or sometimes a week or two what it’s like to just think of yourself and do stuff for yourself in the spare moments you get. I don’t get that much at home. I get my time and then ready for re-engage with the busy life of a mum.
So there you go, business in the air is totally worth it. I embrace it, love it and I know all is taken care of at home. I get to contribute to my family and lifestyle with what I do and my husband does it with what he does. WIN WIN! No one slacks off, everyone does what needs to be done even if we don’t feel like it.
Lets last of all talk about holiday time with some business infused within. So far I have spoken of 100% business trips. As I said we take 3.5 months off a year to really re-energise and slow down so we can keep going for another round. Normally we take a month off after our May retreat (mid May to mid June) where we would go overseas somewhere warmer (Last year was Europe, this year Thailand, next year will be the US). Then we take almost 2 months off over the summer break. After our late November retreat to late Jan when kids go back to school we are mostly home for a month doing fun Xmas stuff and homely upkeep projects and in Jan we go on a road trip in Australia (anywhere up to 12 hours drive from Melbourne). We take many long weekends away throughout the year for 3-4 night as we like to call the Mini Holidays.
So what happens during these 3.5 months off. Is it really full switch off? Not really – I couldn’t think of anything more boring. My personally pattern is an Achiever so I like to feel as though I have achieved something every day. Doesn’t have to be just business related, but personally related too. So here is my list of things that happen in any random order on our holiday time off:
- Be a sloth (watch brain numbing reality TV and go from couch to pool or beach and just zone out)
- Go on Social Media sometimes a few times a day sometimes I disappear for a week because I choose to have switch off time from electronics.
- Run a webinar or two for my community to stay in touch and add more value and make some fun sales from the beach. We run a famous traditional webinar after Xmas but before New Years now 5 years in a row and we get the biggest turnout and most sales than any other webinar we do throughout the year.
- Go shopping, do lots of shopping!
- Eat out a lot and put on a couple of kilo’s due to overindulging.
- Exercise every single day – this is what I did last summer break.
- Create a new program or write a new book. I like an hour of power in the day when the kids are sleeping. Not all the time but as I get closer to resuming business activities (like in the last week on a break).
- Plan my calendar, flights, venues for the next 6 months in time I am not distracted by the usual daily business activities, clients and phone calls. Once all that is locked in, I go into action mode and execution. No more planning just go go go and do do do.
- Have more sex because I am rested and in the mood. Holidays do that to you.
- Play and have dates with each of my kids. They love Mama Juddy time, Mama Mika time and Mama Xara time!
- Get my hands dirty and become a handywoman around the house. It’s so relaxing to paint, fix things up and tidy when on holidays. Gives me a great feeling of achievement at the end of the day.
- Read trashy magazines and do crosswords
- Have lots of beach time, massages if possible and happy hour!
On Holidays the decision on what I do goes with this question: What do I feel like doing now? And this can be business or pleasure related choice.
During Business time the decision on what I do goes with this question: What must I do know that will get me closer to serving more people and sales?
So there you go, I love and choose how I spend my time. I also get really frustrated towards the end and crave returning to my business routine, having some time away from the children and serving my clients. If you enjoyed this or have opinion to share comment on this blog post, tell me I am crazy or whatever, say something, don’t just be a Stalker. :)
Love Nat x
P.S. Connect with me on my next Webinar being hosted this coming Monday 11th of April at 8pm Melbourne, Australia time. I am away for two weeks on an intense business trip in Queensland. The webinar is on How to Focus, Plan and Execute - Your 90 Day Business Blueprint to Triple Your Clients. Click the title and Register Now!
