January 29, 2013

Take your business on the road

Scoutie Girl - Tooling Around: Business on the road

First, a disclaimer. As much as I’m a workaholic sometimes, I’m a firm believer that when you’re on holiday you should be doing just that: holidaying.

I’ve just returned from an amazing five weeks travelling overseas without working, except for blogging my travel photos. Bliss!

With that out of the way, there are times when you will have to work while you’re away from the office or studio. You’ll want to fire off your line sheet straight to that shop owner at the trade show or arrange dinner with your fellow conference-goers. Sometimes life will throw a curveball and a family emergency will have you a thousand miles away from your desk, but still with your regular workload to deal with. Or perhaps you actually want to go all-out and embrace location-independent working.

Whatever your reasons, you’ll need a bit of preparation before you leave the office, including a few well-chosen tools.

Note: This post will assume you have a laptop or tablet, plus a smartphone. I’ve tried to be as device- and platform-neutral as possible. You should also read the previous post about holiday-proofing your business, as this post picks up where that left off.

In the clouds

Working remotely no longer means dialling into some expensive server back at head office. With cloud computing it’s never been easier or cheaper for business people (no matter how small the venture) to access files on the go.

Dropbox

Dropbox is a fantastic tool for storing your work and sharing large files. I particularly loved it on our trip for backing up our (many!) photos every evening using the hotel’s wifi. To have the storage space I need I have the premium version at $10/month but the peace of mind that our precious memories were safe was priceless.

Google Drive

Now that Google Docs has changed to Drive and can be used for all kinds of files (not just the in-built Docs formats), its potential rivals Dropbox. Its advantage has always been the functionality for collaborations, so if you work with colleagues and other collaborators I’d opt for Drive over Dropbox. Existing Google users will also appreciate the integration with other apps.

Basecamp

While my own business doesn’t use Basecamp, I have experienced it on the client end and I was super impressed with how it stores all the necessary information for project management. There’s no switching between your email here, your project calendar there and your file storage somewhere else, everything is contained in the one online home. If you’re in a service-based industry, especially if you work alongside virtual assistants/employees, I would highly recommend looking into it.

Expensify

Don’t come home with pocketfuls of scrunched up receipts and transport tickets that you’ll then have to sort through to lodge your expense claims. Instead, sign up for Expensify and take photo records of your receipts. It can even pull data straight from your bank account and integrate with Google Apps and Evernote.

Last Pass

Of course, to access of these tools you’ll need to remember your passwords! Sign up for Last Pass and you’ll never be caught out.

Go offline

As awesome as cloud working is, it does require the internet which can be problematic when on planes, in remote locations, outdoors or places like conference centres. Many apps now have an ‘offline’ mode for those times when we can’t be connected. Even if you have data on your device, if your fees are high (particularly if you’re on global roaming) it pays to stay offline unless necessary.

Gmail

Catch up on emails and access info from your archives using Gmail Offline. You never know, you might just find you love the interruption-free productivity that you start working offline even when you do have internet access! To install it, open your Gmail and go to Settings > Offline.

Evernote

If you’ve installed Evernote on your laptop, you’ll have all of your data stored locally, however if you’re relying on a mobile device you normally need an internet connection to access it. That is, unless you activate offline notebooks. You’ll be able to access to your itinerary, conference timetable and reading material no matter how shoddy (or non-existent) the network connection is. It’s supported on most devices but I believe there are some limitations with the free version. Here is a great article to walk you through it.

Instagram

While you can’t publish your Instagram images without a network connection, you can set it to airplane mode. You can still take your photo as usual and instead of posting it online it will add it to the photo album on your phone so you’ll have it handy when you then want to add it your Facebook or blog.

Maps

You can ditch the bulky paper maps because you can now access maps offline! While you can’t use it as a GPS to direct you, you can use it to navigate yourself as you would with a regular map. Be sure to save the relevant maps beforehand while you still have a connection, so that they are pre-cached to your phone. Save the location of your hotel, conference, sights, train station and meetings. Note that they only save within a 10 mile radius, so they’re perfect for your business trips and inner-city sightseeing. There’s Google Maps offline for Android and Apple Maps offline for the iPhone.

Keep on bloggin’

If blogging is a big part of your business (or if it is your business), you likely want to maintain the momentum even while you’re away from home. Here’s what was in my on-the-road blogging arsenal:

WordPress

I closed my studio while I was away, but I still wanted to check in with my blog readers and share my travel diary. While the limited functionality and different workflow of the WordPress app compared to the desktop version did take some getting used to, ultimately it did the job. Use one of the various mobile app versions instead of the browser version and you’ll be able to work on your drafts and publish them when you have connection again.

Camera connector

To transfer photos from my DSLR to my iPad for backing up and blogging, I used a camera connector. Simply plug in your regular camera cable and the other end fits into the iPad plug.

Filterstorm Pro

I used Filterstorm Pro for some serious photo editing while travelling. At $15 it’s pricey for an app, but the amazing advanced functions and bulk exporting tipped me over (the regular version still has very impressive capabilities but without the premium price tag). With one click you can export your photos to your backup Dropbox or share on social media, so you can make the most of your travel time instead of sorting out your photos. If you’re after something a bit simpler, try Photoshop Express, Photoshop Touch or Picasa.

Google Calendar

Set up your editorial schedule using Google Calendar so you can access it anywhere.

Stay in touch

Personally, I find one of the best things about going away is being unconnected for a while. It helps you fully experience the moment and have a clear head without the constant noise of news and social media. That said, you’ll still be wanting to contact family and (if you’re travelling for work) colleagues, peers and clients.

Skype

Phone calls are great but there’s nothing like seeing your loved ones when you’re calling home. Particularly great if you have little ones who may not be able to communicate well over the phone. Install the Skype app on your tablet or phone for free communication. Alternatives are Hangouts (for Google users) and Facetime (for i-device users).

TravelSim

If you can’t get away without having a phone while you’re overseas, check the global roaming fees on your plan. If they’re exorbitant, you’ll want to look into an international SIM card such as TravelSim. You can use your own handset and while they do give you a new number, you can set up a diversion so people can still use your regular number. Best of all, it’s prepaid so you won’t get any nasty surprises when you return! It looks like it’s aimed at Australian travellers so folks located elsewhere will want to check out local alternatives.

Twitter

I was trying to avoid using my email while overseas, so when I needed to contact industry friends to arrange a meetup or ask for local recommendations, I used Twitter. I didn’t have internet access on my phone, but it’s not too hard to find cafes and public hotspots while you’re out and about.

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I hope that’s made your next trip a bit more productive and enjoyable!
Share with us in the comments what your must-have on-the-go business essentials are.
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January 17, 2013

Cobblestone Travels: Embracing Freedom

I’ve been home from my whirlwind of an adventure for a little over a week, and I’m still walking around intoxicated by what surrounds me and trying to be sure to take it all in. I needed that trip more than I had known, and it has reeled me back in to the true version of myself — the happy content girl that lives within me, that I hadn’t seen in quite some time. But she’s back, and plans to take 2013 by storm!

So where in the world did I go? I started in Amsterdam, wandered over to Brussels, spent Christmas in Lille, went to Luxembourg, got to my last stop in Cologne, where plans changed and I ended up also going to Frankfurt and Heidelberg, before making it back to Amsterdam to fly home.

It was a quick sixteen days, but it’s not so much about the places I went, but the people and interactions I had while there.

In Brussels, I spent the end of the world with an Australian girl who had been traveling for 20 months. When she got low on money she worked at a pub in London, took care of dogs in Austria, gardened in Ireland, or worked at a hostel in Spain. She was full of stories and spirit, and I feel so very fortunate that our paths crossed and I got to wander around Brussels with her for a day.

When I arrived at my hostel in Cologne, I met a group of people that I spent the evening with and who were continuing on to Frankfurt and Heidelberg. They had originally had eight people in their group, but one had dropped out last minute, so they suggested I tag along. Now, typically I’m a planner, but sometimes I like to just wing it. So I decided to fly by the seat of my pants, and hopped trains with these strangers, and had this three day whirlwind romance with a boy I’m probably not going to forget any time soon.

I had decided before I left for this trip that I needed a word for 2013, something to serve as a reminder throughout the year. So as I traveled I kept this in mind, trying to think of a word that seemed to fit. And one day as I was walking down the street, looking down at the cobblestone beneath my feet, I realized cobblestone was my word. I have always loved cobblestone streets, how they’re uneven and imperfect in various places and how that makes them all the more perfect.

This whole trip reminded me of how happy the little things make me, reminded me of what really matters, and how I need to embrace what makes me happy.

Cobblestone. It will remind me to be open to opportunity, and let my path lead me where it may.

It will remind me that things are what I make them, so even though I’m home and back to day to day life, it will remind me that I can create adventure at home as well.

If  you have ever thought about doing solo travel, or if it has never even crossed your mind, I urge you to just consider it. Sure, it’s not for everyone, but the opportunity for growth and discovery that it allows is incredible. Some days are quieter than others, some days you’ve made friends you spend the day with, but you get to shape each day and it makes you just feel so free.

Tell me, what makes you feel free?

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September 19, 2012

Viennese Coffee – A Love Story

Melange – photo by Amanda Gynther

This is a guest post from Amanda Gynther.

Vienna, the beautiful city of dreams, sits on the border of Western and Eastern Europe, at the heart of the European continent. It is a gorgeous city of gardens and parks. Its earliest roots lie in Celtic and Roman settlements, which gave way to medieval and baroque architecture. There is also Bohemian flavor that pops up here and there as it sits right beside Bohemia and once encompassed it as part of the Ottoman Empire.

The city of Vienna is small compared to many of the large cities in the USA. Many of the oldest shops go unmarked, on the second floor of large old stone buildings designed to give a nod to the city’s earliest Roman roots. As a foreigner, you will never be able find these shops without the help of someone who knows where they are because their mother showed them and because their mother was shown by her own mother. The buildings are very old by American standards, many of them several hundred years old. The one I am sitting in is more than 250 years old, which, though not new by Austrian standards, is also not particularly old either. The buildings are artfully decorated with motifs that call to mind ancient Roman settlements and legends. In more recent years, spray paint has become a favorite of the Viennese people, who continue to leave their marks on their own beautiful architecture.

The people of Vienna are quick to laugh and enjoy a relaxed pace of life. They go to work a few hours a day and take long vacations every year, as is standard in Europe. They value good music, the arts, and tradition very highly, which is what inspires me to write this post.

You see, right now in Vienna, there is a bit of a hullabaloo going on related to one of their most cherished traditions: coffee culture, and in particular Melange, a special Viennese coffee that is hard to come by outside of Vienna.

Melange is half espresso, part milk, and part milk foam, so that milk makes up half the cup and the espresso makes up the other half. On top, the foamed milk sits most beautifully. Often, it is garnished with a small amount of shaved chocolate or cinnamon. Melange is served usually in a small white tea cup with a handle that sits on a small saucer with two very plain cookies on the side, next to a small shot glass of water, on a metallic silver tray. The hullabaloo at the moment is about how some of the cafes have decided to begin charging a tiny sum of money for the water that is part of the Melange tradition of Austrian café culture. The people are quite enraged. They have taken this custom for granted and enjoyed it for generations, and no one spoke of an added charge for anything.

At present, this is the leading café issue of our day. Which is interesting, because it used to be that many great thinkers, writers, poets and philosophers, musicians and actors gathered at these cafes to discuss all manner of things. At some cafes you can still find labels by the tables as to which famous person sat at which table over the course of the last three hundred years. Would you like to sit at Freud’s favorite table, or would you prefer sitting where some other famous author once used to sit to talk about big things while sipping his Melange and free water?

Vienna has this spectacular tradition and café culture because it was through them that coffee was introduced to the rest of Western Europe, back when Austria was part of the Ottoman Empire. The love affair with coffee in the Ottoman Empire became banned during the 17th century, some time after its introduction to Europe, because coffee was fuel for big thinkers; it gave them a reason to gather, discuss, and think creatively. This, of course, meant that it had to be shut down.

Coffee culture was viewed by the ruling elite of the time as a catalyst for rebellion.

Today, so it remains in Vienna: The people sit in their beautiful café houses, which in the summer spill right out onto the sidewalk, eating their cookies and drinking the water they now have to pay for, remembering the time only several weeks ago when the water was free. As they drink their coffee, they write letters to their editor on their laptops, using the free internet access that is part of the more modern café culture, to complain about the new fad of charging for water. Still rebelling, with coffee as a catalyst. This is just the tradition of Vienna. If it were not the cost of water they were concerned with, it would only be something else, I think.

This is the nature of the café culture of Vienna. It breeds thoughtful, creative, humanist culture that takes the form of rebellion.

It is amazing to sit in these beautifully painted cafes, full of murals that were sometimes painted by the leading artists of the day, hundreds of years ago, enjoying a cup of Melange, knowing nothing has changed the traditions of this city for hundreds of years – not even a bombing that leveled the city. Vienna never wavered. They know who they are. They are the people who are going to enjoy their traditions without added fees for water, because these traditions belong to all of the people of Vienna, not just to the cafes.

I find myself falling in love with this country and city very slowly. If I don’t get out of here soon, I may find myself so taken with the culture, the compassionate, kind people, and the coffee, that I may not be able to leave. Already, Viennese Melange has made its way into our home and into our hearts, as have the Austrian people.

Would you like to experience the coffee tradition of Vienna? I share information on how to make Melange, the drink of rebels, thinkers, and artists, on my website.

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Amanda Gynther began traveling in her early teens to see what existed beyond her own backyard. Today, she continues her travels with her husband and keeps a blog to track the adventure. You can find her on twitter, on Facebook, and on Etsy. Amanda is a lover of good food, good music, international good times, crafty things, art, and good company.

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July 23, 2012

Art Around the World: The Sami of Finland

This is a guest post from Amanda Gynther.

Finland is called the Land of Lakes. I call it my light at the end of the world, specifically the northern end. Finland is a land of extreme temperatures, typically extreme cold. It has long winters where the sun becomes scarce and is not visible at all in the north. In the summer, it appears to be 5 p.m. nearly all day as the sun never goes down. The Finns enjoy a beautiful summer time, rarely too hot, but warm and pleasant. The forests become green and full of wildflowers, and the air is pure and crisp. The birds sing, and there is an uplifted mood to be felt everywhere, from every person.

Personally, I have trouble distinguishing the difference between art and innovation and technology. For me, they are one and the same thing.

Humans have been creating since the beginning of time. We see it in the fossil record. It is written in bones and in the beautiful pieces of pottery, carved stone Venus figurines, and all the other artfully made and decorated items which humans once used to help them through their days. Today, Finland leads the world in innovation and technology, making them one of the most creative peoples on earth.

I have driven to the mouth of the ocean where the road ends, where you are so far north that you can drive no farther. And, if you were to continue to travel through the ocean, you would only end up at the North Pole. In the far north there live a people who have received little documentation. They do some of the most exquisite tribal art in the world. They are known as the Sami people.

Finns are a reticent people, and as Finns the Sami speak little, choosing instead to express themselves through their innovative technologies and arts. You can find them in northern Sweden, Finland, and Norway. They are the indigenous people of Scandinavia, a large stretch of land to the north that half the world can’t even locate on the map.

Like the native population in North America, the Sami create a wonderment of art and have their own distinct language and culture.

Perhaps my favorite kind of art which they make is the Sami drum, a shamanic instrument which they use to make their joiks, a form of chanting or singing. For the Sami people, every thing in the universe has its own joik. The local shaman gives a unique joik like a name to everything from the rocks, to the trees, to each animal, and to every human being. Though each individual joik may sound like one thing one day and something completely different the next, it is always the same joik. Please don’t ask me how that works; I was not trained as a Sami shaman, so I really can not explain their magic in full. The Sami beat their drums and they chant. It sounds very similar to the chants of Native Americans, extremely similar actually. It is beautiful.

The drums are generally made from reindeer hide that has been stretched over a wooden base in the shape of an egg. This is interesting as Finland has a very ancient national epic poem called the Kalevala. According to this beautiful written text, an egg broke and the entirety of all that exists spilled out. Most people know nothing of the great epic poem of Finland, but they do know Tolkien’s Lord of The Rings. Tolkien borrowed from and based his most famous works on Finland’s epic and most ancient and beautiful poem.

The Sami use horns from the reindeer often, as a tool to beat upon their egg-shaped reindeer hide drums. But their drums speak on more than just the single level that we are used to associating with percussion instruments, the level of sound. Upon their drums, the Sami paint stick figure symbols in ochre, reindeer blood, ink, or any number of substances. They draw a story onto their instruments. As a musician, I find it touching because many of these stories, if you could read them, deal with gods such as Ukko the god of thunder and many other similar gods of the Sami and the ancient Finns. They draw these symbols lovingly onto the hides of the reindeer they have raised, and which they farm and eventually kill, and consume and utilize to the fullest.

I have been fortunate to sit in the cold night watching the northern lights play in the sky while several of these magical drums were beaten at the same time. In such moments in the darkness, as you look at the sky and hear the call of the drums, you hear the gods and the wild that remains in all living things. You feel a light inside yourself being turned on as the sound and the stories on the drums call to your heart and soul. They spirit you off on a journey through the forest of your own internal workings.

The Sami people make many things, not just beautiful drums, but also gorgeous wool hoods and jewelry. They have even turned knife-making into an incredible art form. I have been so fortunate to experience Sami art. And, I am so happy to be able to carry some back home with me so that I might share the light at the end of the world with everyone who may never have the opportunity to see it.

I have been to many places, and I am not done traveling just yet. So come with me on my nomadic voyage around the globe. And please, see that art is everywhere and every culture makes it. It is the thing that most unites humanity. We as a species stood and walked upright, allowing us to utilize our hands in a wide range of ways to make beautiful art. It is this alone, perhaps, that makes us one race, a human race. So come with me and discover what others are making elsewhere in the world. I would love to have you along for the ride.

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Amanda Gynther began traveling in her early teens to see what existed beyond her own backyard. Today, she continues her travels with her husband and keeps a blog to track the adventure. You can find her on twitter, on Facebook, and on Etsy. Amanda is a lover of good food, good music, international good times, crafty things, art, and good company.

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July 10, 2012

little things link love: vintage suitcases

Vintage Luggage photo by geishaboy500 - click image to view more

It’s officially summer travel season and that means the suitcases come out and all of our belongings get crammed into them. I’ll be honest and say that I have a passion for vintage luggage. Our modern stuff is just too black, too shiny, and too mundane. Give me a pea green leather suitcase any day! Besides, I’m sure the airport luggage guys would enjoy seeing a bit more variety during their day. Don’t you?

With the temperatures rising, get ready to travel in style this summer because vintage luggage is back and everyone is hoping to scoop up another piece for their collection.

Here are some fun links for my fellow vintage luggage lovers:

  • Louis Vuitton just came out with the most incredible, interactive website called The Art of Packing. Part game, part advertisement for their largest of bags, this site is definitely something to check out, if only to kill a few minutes and pack pretty things you don’t own.
  • In the market for some vintage luggage? You’ll definitely want to check out the Vintage Seekers’ Luxury Luggage guide to learn how to spot a rare piece and discover just how much is too much to pay for a vintage Prada.
  • If you already own a lot of vintage luggage but don’t know how to restore it properly, Go Nomad has a great article on Travel Chic: How to Refurbish Vintage Luggage. From how to get rid of funky smells to repainting your case, you’ll find everything you need to know here.
  • If you’re like me and enjoy a good upcycle, you’ll really get a kick out of these re-purposed cat beds by Atomic Attic. Whose cat doesn’t enjoy snuggling in their freshly packed suitcase?
  • My boyfriend was in the Navy and thus possesses insane folding skills (a dry cleaning lady in Scotland actually tried to hire him). If you want that same knowledge, e-How shared some tips on How to Fold Clothes in the Military.

How many pieces of vintage luggage do you own?

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