You’re dreaming of running an online business, a coaching practice you can manage from anywhere, packaging up your product or service, or living off ebook sales. I’m sorry to tell you it’s not as easy as we want to believe.

Sorry. But I just had to tell you. It’s not easy creating a business that can be run from anywhere. There is a clear and straight forward path to building a local business. (Especially if you’re able to build with referral based local clientele.)  Online business is more challenging. First, people are completely inundated with information these days. And, there is a belief that you can find anything you want or need for free online (and it’s probably true). But you could also seriously waste years of your time researching, sampling, going off track, wondering if you need to talk to your doctor about possibly having Adult ADHD, and then feeling like a failure, because you can’t seem to get it right.

Let’s be honest with each other. It might sound romantic to just pack everything up and work from the road, but if you’re going to be on the brink of starving, or need to call your parents to borrow money, how much freedom do you think you’ll feel? It’s time to make a plan. You can do it!

It’s not EASY! It is do-able.

Here’s 7 steps you can take this week to reach your Portable Business Dream.

1. Focus on your WHY– watch the video I posted a few months ago by Simon Sinek (but please don’t go off on a tangent. come back and finish reading this post). Ask yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing. 15-30 minutes of checking in with your intuition without overanalyzing should be enough.
2. De-Clutter (Remove Distractions) – Which computer / device do you use the most? Spend 15-30 minute clean up programs you’re not using (remove them from the quick start menu, or from your desktop view).
3. Cut it out! (Streamline) – Are you duplicating any of your work? Are you using hootsuite, twitter, buffer, and 5 other platforms to communicate with potential clients? And are any of those methods actually bringing in potential clients? Spend 15-30 minutes deciding which tools you’ll use for the next 30 days to better focus on bringing in quality leads.
4. Pick on thing– one thing that you can do really well for the next week. I’m not asking you to give up on everything else you’re working on. But this week, focus on one of your projects until it’s done & you’ve offered it to your potential clients (p.s. the one thing you focus on should NOT be designing your website, even if you’re a website designer)
5. Your 10 Faves– Grab a pen and paper or a blank document on your computer and for 10 minutes brainstorm the names of people you already know who might need your services.  Don’t over think it – you can come back and edit later.
6. Get in touch with people you already know– and let them know what you’re doing. Ask them for referrals to people who might need your product or service (this is “old school”, but it can be done online – it’s pretty easy for your friends to do a quick FB intro between you and someone you should know)
7. Take it for a Test Drive – think outside the box to discover ways you can test drive your idea of being in business away from your current office environment. Offer to housesit for someone who’s going away for a week & try working from there. Plan a trip to see a friend, in another town or country. Work while she’s at her day job, keeping the same hours she does and do fun things together on her weekend.  Make a checklist of things you forgot to bring with you, and improve on it for next time. Live Life!

If you’re multi-talented, please don’t create this new project/business for yourself because you know it’s needed & you’re good at it. There’s more to life satisfaction. The pleasure will wear off in a very short time span. Ask yourself a few simple questions first. Or better yet, read my Faerie Tale Princess story about money and entrepreneurship. Learn from her mistakes & live the life you’ve been dreaming of this year.