Dear Dan: Taking time off from my business has always been hard. I worry that things will fall apart. Any ideas? — Hoping to Vacation
Dear Hoping:
Here are four tactics and technologies that can help any business owner achieve guiltless getaways:
1) Get a “smart” phone. Dave Nowick, who runs the La Habra Tennis Center in Orange County, Calif, says his life as a business owner changed last January when he bought an iPhone. He saw some young tennis players with iPhones, and decided to give it a try. Now his high-intensity life that includes running large junior tennis tournaments has been greatly simplified. “I used to carry a laptop when I traveled to keep track of everything,” says Nowick. “But now all I need is the iPhone.” He answers e-mail, keeps track of clients and gets directions via MapQuest on the fly.
2) Run your finances online. More than any other single thing, the ability to manage the financial side of your business from anywhere is a key to guiltless getaways. But the days of being tied to desktop software or (ugh!) paper ledgers are gone. These days, Web-based applications are the way to go.
QuickBooks, for example, the most popular financial software for small business, isn’t just PC-based. There’s also an online version, called QuickBooks Online, that’s a handy way to keep track of your finances anywhere, anytime – especially while traveling. McGlynn uses it to create and send professional-looking invoices by e-mail and easily track his cash flow. You can check on customer activity, track expenses and share your books in real-time, all without sending files of any kind back-and-forth. Visit oe.quickbooks.com.
3) Manage with mobile broadband. Laptop computers with wireless adapters keep you connected wherever you go. McGlynn tracks his entire business via Web connections at stores, cafes and airports. For more control, subscribe to mobile broadband through your cell phone carrier to get online anywhere there’s coverage – just like with your cell phone.
4) Outsource anything you can. Outsourcing is ideal for business owners who want to get more time away. Hire a virtual or local assistant to help with administrative tasks. You might also consider working with other business owners to cover for each other when traveling. Locate a virtual assistant through the International Association of Virtual Office Assistants. Visit www.iavoa.com. •
Daniel Kehrer can be reached at
editor@business.com.
