Hi, Can you please introduce yourself?
Hey, I'm Michelle Dale - Entrepreneur, digital nomad and work from anywhere mum. Founder of Virtual Miss Friday & Creator of 1nSourcing™️ - specialising in scalable online business operations services for solo entrepreneurs and small to medium businesses. I excel in team dynamics, with an overall focus on developing exceptional online training resources for freelancers and virtual assistants, everywhere... and I drive a metallic blue VW Beetle 😉
What’s your profession, what do you do?
I consult, train & coach people on how to create online service or product businesses and manage their operations, so they can work from anywhere.
What company do you work for? Are you a freelancer or Digital Nomad?
Virtual Miss Friday (my company)
How did you start with a remote work journey?
I left the UK in 2005 on a one way ticket to Egypt and decided I didn't want to go back, so I had to find a way to be able to make money and travel.
What do you think are the main benefits of working remotely?
Freedom of choice as to what you do, when you do it, who you do it for and where you do it. Plus, uncapped earning potential.
Do you think there are disadvantages or that you’re missing something by working remotely?
Sometimes it's hard to switch off or escape from work, but other than that no.
From what cities or countries have you worked since you have become remote? What are your favourite countries or cities to work from?
I've lived in a variety of places across Egypt, France, Spain, Italy and Greece, I've also travelled and worked short term from India, Bali and other places in and around Europe. All of the countries have their merits, but Egypt is the place I've settled as it's 365 days a year sunshine, which is a top priority for me :-)
From what type of places do you prefer to work? Home, co-working spaces, coffee shops, or others?
I segment my time between different places for different purposes. If I have task based on technical work I prefer to do this from my iMac at home, although if I need to be creative and write for example, I love to go out with the laptop and work from the beach or a cafe.
What places would you like to travel to while working remotely?
Thailand, Malaysia and Bora Bora are on my bucket list.
What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them? Share your remote productivity, communication, management, etc. tips based on your experience!
Technology and internet connections can be unpredictable, so having mobile internet, and apps such as Speedify have helped immensely. I also encourage remote workers to document and record all interactions with clients or coworkers to avoid miscommunications or misunderstandings, because it's always helpful to have evidence of what's been said or done online.
What tools do you use to improve productivity and manage work efficiently?
Podia, ActiveCollab, Zendesk, Zoom and Google Workspace are the tools I use almost daily to operate my business.
How do you manage your business and taxes as a remote working professional?
Having an offshore company, and using online banking and payment processors such as Stripe. Working with companies who specialise in offshore companies and tax filings abroad.
What advice would you give to people looking to work remotely?
Be self-disciplined, because it won't work unless you do, and just keep at it, even when times are tough, it's all worth it.
Would you like to share any interesting stories while you worked remotely? Please share if you can.
I've had 4 children in 4 different countries.
Some Photo's of Michelle Dale
Michelle's website: https://www.virtualmissfriday.com/
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