Words by Oscar Waterworth (guest blogger) Digital Nomads are bending the unwritten rules of building a startup. They travel the world but are never on your typical vacation. Some have even managed to build several consecutive startups while on the road. This is no easy task. Although digital nomads are location-independent, they heavily rely on virtual assistants and other useful tools. Take a peek inside the workings of the nomadic mind and see if this lifestyle is as easily attainable as it is tempting.

A Lifestyle Choice

Although there are no rules when it comes to building a startup (other than legal matters, of course), not many people know about the alternatives. There are some creative young entrepreneurs though, from all parts of the world, who have devised a way to break the monotony of having to be stuck in one room for the duration of the whole startup development. They are called digital nomads and their office is anywhere under the sky, provided they have Wi-fi.

Why do they do it?

Some individuals want to explore the world right after their studies. This can get expensive, so they use their skills to earn money online. It is possible to become influential in your field and could even help you to come up with a new business idea while on the road. There are many ways to get started, but you may see the best results in the fields of web design, photography, copywriting and programming. Others decided that they do not want to be tied to one place because it hurts their creativity and productivity. Being tied to a computer the whole day can be a bit depressing and unrewarding. Some entrepreneurs decide to try and change environments, which ultimately helps them get their creative juices flowing. There are those that just leave everything behind and go head-to-head with life itself. They risk everything as they venture into the unknown. These bold entrepreneurs prove that using your intellect, technology and motivation can ultimately result in the fulfillment of your dreams.

A Story of a Digital Nomad

The digital nomad success stories are flooding the internet as we “speak”. Some of them are very inspirational and provide valuable insight into these semi-virtual worlds.

Pieter Levels: 12 Startups in 12 Months

In an article written for Tech in Asia, Pieter Levels states that he did not find working from home neither practical nor pleasurable, to say the least. He decided to take action and move away from the monotonous work environment which had already begun to take a toll on him. Levels went on an exchange student program in South Korea. Although it felt like he was on alien land, it was easier for him to work there than it was at home. After some exploration, he met like minded people; from millionaires working remotely, to aspiring digital nomads that get by with just hundreds of dollars per month. This inspired him to do something amazing. As some of Pieter’s projects grew, others were being intentionally neglected. This is a common problem among highly creative people and perfectionists alike. To avoid getting stuck, Levels decided to go on a startup spree and create, launch and market a startup every month for the next 12 months. Some of the startups Pieter Levels launched: Play My Inbox is an app that lets users stream music from their email clients. Go Fucking do it is a goal setting site. Tubelytics is a a real time analytics dashboard SaaS for major media brands. Geeks on a Plane offers resources related to startups, business and technology for people with special invites. GifBook lets you buy flip books from animated GIFs. Nomad List shows you the best cities to live and work.

Virtual Dexterity

We should praise the internet for this wonderful technological invention. It gave us the possibility to do all of our work from one place, on one device, not having to be tied to a specific location. Digital nomads are heavily dependant on various cloud apps and online resources. If you are interested in the nomadic lifestyle, some of these might be useful to you too: Apps Trello - According to many, this app is essential for staying properly organized. Shopify - This service is popular for providing ecommerce solutions. 4Shared -  4Shared is an awesome cloud storage app and an extremely useful tool (check out 4Shared reviews) EveryTimeZone - A great solution for keeping track of time. This is essential if you have to be in contact with international partners or co-workers. XE Currency - The app lets you track conversion rates of the country you are in. Websites Agoda - A great site for finding and booking accommodation. HostelWorld - Used mostly for hostels and family vacations. Nomad List - Information about the best locations for a digital nomad. TravelFish - Humorous reviews of hotels, locations and transportation. These kinds of lists could go on and on, but above is just something to get you started. If you still think this kind of a lifestyle is all fun and games, think again. It is full of blood, sweat and tears. I do not want to divert you from trying, but you need to know exactly what you will be getting yourself into, if you decide to become a digital nomad. It is a challenge like no other, and it will probably mean that you have to put in much more hard work compared to sitting in a comfortable chair in an office. I hope that you now know a bit more about this new trend among young entrepreneurs and that, if you decide to become one, you will make it as a king of the digital nomads. We'll be exploring the theme of Connect, Collaborate, Inspire at the Student Enterprise Conference 2016. Find out more here.