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How to become a digital nomad in 2025

ByBoomEditor

‘Digital nomad’ continues to trend… so how can you join Club Wifi this year?

It’s a lifestyle choice that’s catching on, as more people want the freedom to work from anywhere and to become a ‘digital nomad’.

In fact, research from Flexjobs reveals that 65% of professionals prefer a fully remote work environment and 57% would look for a new job if they couldn’t continue to work remotely. 

Working from various tropical locations sounds ideal, and if it appeals to you, here are some ways to get started. 

How to become a digital nomad. Laptop on table with sunglasses notepad and iced coffee view of london

Option One: Find remote work

If your job requires you to be in the office full time, you first need to find a remote role.

But it is hugely competitive, so it’s vital to be proactive and organised in your search. 

Start your search

  • Google for remote jobs by adjusting the search filters. Employers often interview as and when they receive applications, so search for those jobs posted in the last three to seven days to get your resume in front of the hiring manager early 
  • Contact recruiters directly and let them know you are looking for remote-only positions. Search specifically for recruiters who specialise in remote recruitment or hiring for a niche, such as virtual assistants
  • Attend networking events. Most hires are made through industry contacts    
Multicolour plastic palm trees in the street with office buildings behind them
Don’t settle for plastic palm trees. Become a digital nomad

Career change?

Some jobs such as nurses or construction workers will always need to be on the ground.

However, most other jobs really can be done remotely, especially those in the tech industry which is adapting to online working the fastest.

Here are some of the roles that are easiest to find for aspiring digital nomads:  

  • Software developers
  • IT consultants 
  • Recruitment and HR consultants 
  • Content marketers   
  • Website and graphic design
  • Marketing and communications 
  • Customer service 
  • Compliance and legal professionals  
  • Sales managers 
  • Accountants and bookkeepers 
  • PAs, EAs, and Virtual Assistants

Negotiate working remotely

If you like your existing job and you ideally don’t want to leave, try negotiating with your manager.

Most companies care about their employees and their happiness. Plus, it can be difficult and costly to find good workers, so employers may be flexible to accommodate the employees who they value highly.  

Explain to them why you want to work remotely. Explain the benefits that it will bring to both you and them. For example, time out from a distracting and noisy office will make you more engaged and productive. Or less time and money spent on travel to the office will improve your wellbeing.  

Go freelance

If that’s not possible, you could go out there on your own.

There are many excellent websites for freelancers including Fiverr and Upwork which businesses use to outsource work. You can advertise services from graphic design to marketing and coding and set your own hourly rate and work hours. 

Or, leverage your network and reach out to connections. See if any of them are looking for temporary freelancers. Share a portfolio of your best work.

If you do a good job, what starts as a temporary gig may get renewed, quickly giving you a rota of returning clients.

The opportunities are endless.   

Option two: Start an online business

Going one step further – now may be the time to start your own online business. In your existing field or a new one.

When starting a business, many have the mindset that the end goal needs to be multinational expansion and brand fame.

But running a profitable, small business will suffice for many.

Though, you still need a good idea and a competitive advantage to make it viable.

It’s never easy.

In fact, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and written up by Fundera, 70% of small business owners fail in their 10th year of business.

But despite these risks – with so much online and digitized, now really is the best time to try to earn income on your own terms.

weekly schedule with days of the week and to do in red letters and pen with red top

When starting an online business…

Find an idea that excites you 

Is it related to your existing experience? Or have you always wanted to do something else?

Maybe you’re a lawyer.

So, you could set up an online law firm. But you’ve always had a passion for art. So you could also sell your masterpieces online. Anything is possible. But pursuing the idea that is most meaningful to you will give you the drive to succeed.  

Create a business plan

It doesn’t have to be perfect and it will evolve as your business grows, but give this step a lot of thought. Define your mission statement. How will you market your business? Who will your target buyers be? What will your branding look like?

Digital marketing guru Hubspot is a great resource for new businesses and offers free business plan templates.    

Research your competitors 

If your idea is a good one, chances are someone else will already be doing it. But there’s nothing wrong with competition and it means your niche is in demand. 

So run a competitor audit. What are they doing well? What could you do better? What are their best-selling products? Buy something from them to test their delivery system. What’s their ‘brand personality’?

Weave these considerations into your own unique business plan. 

Build a website 

There are many options when selecting a website builder, but it can get overwhelming, so research which option best suits your needs and price point. 

One option we love is Wix, which has an easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface meaning it allows anyone to build a professional, personalised website quickly. 

WordPress is a website builder and content management system (CMS). It can be more difficult to get started with for those with limited design experience. But, once you’ve figured it out, it’s a sophisticated platform that can grow with your business.

Find reliable suppliers    

Find the most reliable manufacturers or service providers with the best rates. This part can be a headache later on if customer orders are disrupted due to sourcing problems.

Research your suppliers and scour their online reviews.

Order samples or set up free trials to test their quality and see how reliable their customer service channels are if you need to get in touch. 

group of people watching on laptop

Work smarter  

There are many productivity tools that can help when starting a new online business.

For instance, Canva has great free and paid options for a range of design and logo services. ConvertKit is a powerful email marketing tool that helps businesses manage their customer database.

Hubspot is a CRM system that helps businesses manage customer experience and digital marketing.     

Keep customers loyal  

Loyal customers and good reviews are everything for new businesses in any industry. Figure out how you are going to attract and retain consumers. For instance, could you offer a discount, or throw in a freebie for your first 10 customers?  

Sell, sell, sell! 

Remember, these points above are suggestions and only a fraction of what it takes when it comes to how to become a digital nomad and/or to build a business.

It will involve many long hours, but for those who succeed, it could be life-changing. 

The information on this page is not professional, business or lifestyle advice and is for entertainment purposes only. 

We are not responsible for content on third-party links. Additional views expressed in this article are solely that of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of any other associated party.