The Life of a Marketing Digital Nomad

By Meagan Hardcastle, Social Media Specialist, Open Sky Communications

Digital nomad – what does that word mean to you? Remote work is becoming increasingly popular and job titles, like digital nomad, are commonplace. My name is Meagan. You could call me a Marketing Digital Nomad. I like to say that I am pursuing work spaces of varying environments, that my coworkers change every day, and the dress code is adaptability. Am I a slacker? Never. Do I work a 40-hour work week? Most Always. Is my zip code constantly changing? At least once a month.

How does this influence my work? Well, let’s discuss it.

I have been working remotely for nearly two years, with the past eleven months of that remote work being spent in a different country around the world every month. Not only does this experience afford me the opportunity to travel, but it’s providing me a global perspective, navigating my work with a variety of cultures in my rear-view mirror. I have worked with international clients for a few years now, and the uniqueness and learning curve of each of those relationships has always intrigued me.

Managing international clients is one thing. Internationally managing clients is another.

Time management takes on a whole new meaning when working with clients across the globe. I have always considered myself an organized person and this experience over the past eleven months is only further proof of that. The traditional workday changes as well. I work when clients need me, but also operate in a window of availability to create a consistent time, across all time zones, when I will be available. Even if it’s three hours a day, I can respond to immediate needs and work within a 24-hour response time outside of that. I think it’s interesting as well that business is operated differently in every culture. And I am constantly amazed by the innovation that arises. The methods and processes in each country seem to make sense for that culture.

So, how do I integrate my own processes into the revolving door of cultures I experience?

In Prague, there was a café culture. Spending hours drinking coffee and eating baked goods, sitting cozy in the café to escape the cold. This culture came easily to me and I enjoyed nesting in my favorite cafes for the day. In my remote work back home in the States, I spent half my day in a café to break up the day. It was a process I had already integrated into my own culture. In Buenos Aires, the day starts a little later and an afternoon siesta is encouraged, I followed suit and worked until later into the evening. This required a bit of adapting, so as to keep up with the locals in the evening. Flexibility is key and adaptation becomes easier each time.

Have I tired of the nomadic lifestyle?

I work in a transcendent and constantly evolving industry. Things can change so quickly in the technology industry that it trained me to be adaptable and think on my feet. There is also a familiarity in the ambiguity. What I’m getting at is that if I didn’t have this stamina for adaptability, I would tire of the nomadic lifestyle. The short answer is no. I love being witness to different cultures and places and people. I am a routine person as well, so I use strategies to make each new place feel like home. When I arrive in a new city, I like to establish some sort of workout routine, find a café I can settle into on occasion to work or read, and brave the grocery store to get a few of the basics.

Trusting in the work of digital nomads can be intimidating.

There is a lot of value in meeting someone face-to-face. When hiring remote workers, you often lose that interaction. Of course, there is a video call here and there, but it can be intimidating to trust in someone you’ve never seen. I suppose in working with international clients, there are some I’ve never had the opportunity to meet in person. They trust in the company and consequently in me. Transitioning to a digital nomad lifestyle, I realized there is a whole community of people – coworkers and clients – who might never have met but are creating wonderful work. Digital nomads have a creative influence they won’t get in an office. And it may not be for everyone, but for many people working remotely, they notice more efficiency in how they work and when they work. Digital nomads are hustling. They are passionate about this lifestyle and there’s trust built in the client or company relationships they foster.

Freelancers know other freelancers.

Being a part of this digital nomad community has also introduced me to a variety of other skilled freelancers, prospering collaboration. There is a strong network of people, especially creatives that can be utilized for the clients’ benefits. Having relationships within this network and knowing the quality of their work, has led to increasingly creative and innovative projects. So while we have virtual relationships with our clients, we are able to collaborate 1:1 and hold each other accountable.

It’s a lifestyle change I didn’t expect to have, but it’s been a really rewarding experience. In particular, I joined a program of like-minded individuals, so a sense of community stills exists. This was something I found important in my digital nomad experience. I also work with other remote companies who are familiar with the processes of remote work. My name is Meagan. You can call me a Marketing Digital Nomad. You can also call me a hard worker, a traveler and a collaborator.