Question: As an entrepreneur, how are you finding time/budget for travel this summer? (name one tip)
1. Make for a Happy Homecoming
“This summer, I’ve gone to Denver, L.A., Nevada, Orlando and Montreal so far! The key is planning the week of your return in advance. Don’t take any meetings; instead, spend that first morning easing back into your flow. Catch up on your emails and assignments. If you have focused work time during the week of your return, you’ll be all caught up and won’t feel burned out.”
2. Set Up Passive Income Streams
“I’m going to St. Lucia on my honeymoon this July, which has been a great motivator to finally set up some automatic sales funnel systems for my company. This way, I’ll have a constant stream of people coming to my site (and hopefully, buying my product) while I’m away. I’m looking forward to kicking back with a tropical drink and knowing that my income hasn’t stalled while I’m in the Caribbean!”
3. Learn How to Work Remotely
“These days, you can do way more work remotely than you’re probably giving yourself credit for. Travel wherever you want, but simply set aside time each day to get down to work. Leverage tools for video conferencing and project management to make the idea of remote work more of a reality.”
4. Foresee Future Meetings
“I try to minimize the amount of trips I take by maximizing my use of a destination when I do travel. For instance, if I’m headed to New York City for a meeting that requires in-person interaction, I try to schedule several non-essential meetings with others. That in-person interaction leads to a stronger relationship and can keep me from needing to travel there again soon.”
5. Networking Off the Clock
“My work takes me to a lot of amazing places where I get to meet even more amazing people, so I’ll usually take an extra day or two once I’m there to enjoy the area on a personal level. It also helps if you have friends in your niche that are also attending the same events or meetings so you have people to hang out with after the deals are done.”
6. Vacations Make for True Productivity!
“As an entrepreneur, you will always have a never ending laundry list of things to accomplish. Don’t wait until the list is finished to take time off, but instead add vacation time to your to-do list. By doing so, you not only will recharge while you are away, but you will also have extra motivation to manage your other time well before you leave.”
7. Combine Work and Play
“Try to combine your getaway near where you to travel for business. Take advantage of being out of the office and extend your business trip into the weekend. This way, you’re only taking one trip away from the office, versus multiple.”
8. Make Travel a True Priority
“The biggest thing is planning for it. Everyone gets busy and can make any excuse they want, but if you don’t plan for it, it won’t happen. If you do, you will find the time and the budget. Make it a priority, just like your business.”
9. Don’t Let Your Ego Trip
“Just plan it. Don’t be so arrogant to believe that your team can’t be successful without you in the room. If that’s the case, you’re already screwed and just don’t know it yet. Delegating never killed anyone (that I know of). Get comfortable with it, or you’ll never take a trip again.”
10. Accept the Entrepreneurial Lifestyle
“If you’re traveling to a different city for a wedding, bachelor party, birthday, funeral, or other non-business reason, plan some business meetings while you’re there. Some people say you should never mix business and personal, but let’s face it — we’re entrepreneurs, and our businesses are our lives. Using this scheduling strategy will save the time and expense of having to plan a completely separate trip to accomplish the same ends.”
11. Mix Up Your Expectations
“I’m taking three types of trips this summer: travel where I work during the day and explore new locations on evenings/weekends, travel where I pare down my schedule to only the most essential remote activities, and travel where I completely unplug. By giving myself the freedom to vary my expectations, I’m able to see more locations and keep up on the business.”
12. Make a Day Trip of It
“There is plenty to explore in our own backyards. Take half-days on Fridays to give yourself a head start and to make you feel like you are getting a true break from work. With a little Googling, you can find hidden treasures within 1-3 hours drive time. Not only will you see more, but you will come back with more local knowledge to boast and more money savings in your bank account (if well-planned).”
13. Credit Card Rewards Points
“Take advantage of business rewards points credit cards and you’ll earn free travel in no time. We purchase all our job site materials and run as many expenses through the credit card as possible. These points can then be redeemed for free hotel stays and airplane fares.”
The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, the YEC recently launched #StartupLab, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses via live video chats, an expert content library and email lessons.
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