I wrote the original version of this post from the United Airlines lounge at Narita Airport near Tokyo. I was 20 hours into a 28-hour travel day, waiting for a connection to another Asian country. It was 2AM Dallas time and the middle of the afternoon in Japan.
Despite being on the other side of the planet, I was chatting with a friend via instant messenger and catching up on online course material. The technology made the distance irrelevant. That experience taught me lasting lessons about working on the road that still apply in 2026.
The Internet Makes Distance Irrelevant
One of the most powerful things about building an internet business is that your work travels with you. During that trip to Asia, I continued learning, creating content, and staying connected with my audience. My blog was serving readers in 132 countries while I was somewhere over the Pacific Ocean.
In 2026, this is even more true. Cloud-based tools, mobile hotspots, and airport Wi-Fi mean you can run your online business from virtually anywhere. But there is a trap here. Just because you can work from anywhere does not mean you should work from everywhere.
Travel Forces Strategic Thinking
Long travel days give you something rare in the life of a part-time entrepreneur: uninterrupted thinking time. No email notifications, no Slack messages, no temptation to tinker with your website. Just you and your thoughts for hours at a stretch.
During that flight to Tokyo, I spent time working through course material on internet lifestyle design. The big question I was wrestling with was simple but important: what do I actually want from this business?
I had started my online business thinking I would build armies of small niche websites for advertising revenue. But as I traveled and reflected, I realized that what I actually loved was helping other people succeed. That insight eventually led to the Late Night Internet Marketing podcast, which has been the centerpiece of my business for over fifteen years.
Practical Tips for Working While Traveling
If your day job or personal interests take you on the road, here is how to keep your side business moving:
- Batch content before you leave. Write blog posts, record podcast episodes, or create social media content in advance. Schedule everything to publish while you are away.
- Use travel time for consumption. Flights and layovers are perfect for podcasts, audiobooks, and online courses. Use passive time for learning so your active time at home can be spent creating.
- Set boundaries. Decide in advance when you will work and when you will be present. If you are traveling for your day job, focus on that job. If you are traveling for personal reasons, be present with the people you are with. Your side business will survive a few days on autopilot.
- Keep a notebook handy. Travel shakes loose new ideas. Capture them immediately in a notes app or physical notebook so you can act on them when you get home.
- Have systems that run without you. Automated email sequences, scheduled content, and digital products that deliver themselves. If your business stops completely when you are unavailable, that is a sign you need better systems.
The Bigger Lesson
That trip to Tokyo in 2008 forced me to think about what I really wanted to build. Not just how to make money online, but why. The answer, helping part-time entrepreneurs build businesses one night at a time, has guided every decision since.
Sometimes you need to get far from home to see your own business clearly. If travel is part of your life, use it. The change in perspective is worth more than any course or tool you could buy.
I have said this a few times…
It would be much better if the world operated around 36 hours rather than 24, it seems my body is wired that way. 😉
Enjoy Asia and take pics for the blog.
Sulu is still in LA, no need to go to Tokoyo…
Have fun while you work. I am constantly amazed (yes, slack jawed) at how technology has created a tiny world.
I’ll watch Garry and make sure he doesn’t break the internet while you are gone. I thought after his recent post about people stealing from him he was going to throw the internet across the room, but I guess he cooled off.
I read you because you give it straight. You promote products you believe in, not just ones that will make you money. You are also always willing to help people. So one thing you may consider is a Video training program. Personally, I find most of them to be too gimicky in their offering, but I believe you have a good loyal following that could get the word out and produce some good results. You could also consider offering consulting services, but that could be more time consuming than you want.
The method which I like the most is lots of good content with an occasional offer. If the offer is reasonable and it is in my budget, I purchase. I know it puts a little more risk on you, because you never know when people will purchase, but for those with low budgets it sure helps.
I also try to spread some link love around for those I enjoy. You, Garry, and Joe certainly qualify. Most of that has come from my personal time, not my work time, but I’m trying to do both. If you continue with the content/offer approach, just let people know that it really is a parternship. You can continue to offer great content as long as sales are coming in or link love is passed along.
I am being a good boy again.
Again? Does that mean there was a time in the past when you were a good boy?
No. But I am trying. 😉
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