An exploration of ideas, lessons, hacks and opportunities to make you a more productive WP developer… and take your business on the road. Topic points: * Lessons learned whilst travelling the world as a remote WP developer. * Hard realities of what it’s like to be a digital nomad, and what you need to do to make it profitable * Australian specific tax implications and opportunities * Acknowledge maintenance is required, and turn it into a product you sell to your clients (eg: ManageWP, InfiniteWP) * Develop using ‘reusable function’ methodologies in your business (eg: starter themes, child themes, frameworks). Look at baking your own framework, but always use others. * Look for opportunities to streamline your development (eg: CSS compilers, FTP sync, placing WP in a subdirectory). * Become a hosting reseller to increase your passive income and be a one point call for your clients. This will save you time dealing with site builds. * Identify opportunities to buy developer licenses and sell access to these as part of your maintenance. * The benefits of stepping out of your comfort zone, and learning from other developers – especially non-WP focused ones.  Presented by Simon Foxe at WordCamp Sydney 2018

1. Digital Nomad
Development
Simon Foxe

2. I am a
Digital Nomad

3. The world is your office
Australia
New Zealand
Malaysia
Vietnam
Cambodia
Thailand
China
Indonesia
Nepal
Sri Lanka
USA
(21 / 50 states)
Canada
Argentina
Chile
Peru
Iceland
England
Scotland
Wales
Sweden
Denmark
Portugal
Spain
France
Germany
Austria
Switzerland
Hungary
Italy
Croatia
Serbia
Czech Republic
Bulgaria
Morocco
Antarctica UAE

4. Digital Nomad
=
Location
Independent

5. What city is on
your list?

6. Why be a
Digital Nomad?

7. “A journey is best measured in
friends, rather than miles.”
– TIM CAHILL
(the author, not the soccer player)

8. We have an
opportunity
Thank you WordPress!

9. 1975—Our Parents
Flight AU to USA: $2,000
Sydney House: $40,000
Yearly Salary: $11,000
2018—Us
Flight AU to USA: ~$1,700
Sydney House: $1,120,000*
Yearly Salary: $80,000**
The affordability of housing vs travel
has flipped in a generation
* Sydney median house price, July 2018
** Avg yearly salary, May 2017

10. Global internet is
fast!
www.speedtest.net/global-index

11. Recognise your privilege.
Use it responsibly.

12. How to
travel AND work

13. Start slowly and ramp up.
Attend a conference!

14. Find a balance
between work and play
For example:
• At least 1 week per location
• Minimal travel between locations

15. Solo travel
• Flexibility
• Character building
• Organising travel
is lost time
• Can be cheaper
Organised travel
• Fixed locations
• Transport, accommodation
& workspace provided
• Community
• Employer friendly
• Higher cost
Method of travel

16. Organised travel: Remote Year
• ~50% split male / female
• Age range: ~20 to ~65,
majority: ~30
• Guaranteed minimum
bandwidth 50Mbit/s
54%
28%
18%
Fulltime
Freelancer
Entrepreneur
• 12 or 4 month programs
• Different city every month
• For digital nomads,
not tourists!

17. Organised travel: Remote Year
remoteyear.com/programs-costs

18. Show me the money
(how to pay for it)

19. Remote job boards
• remotive.io
• remoteok.io
• remote.co
• flexjobs.com
• weworkremotely.com
Write a proposal
Try first by
working from home
Fulltime employees
can work Remotely!

20. Time is our most
precious resource.
An efficiency gain can be
as valuable as a pay rise.

21. • Try all frameworks,
master one!
• Always use child themes
• Alternative: starter themes
(eg: Underscores, Bones)
• Build your own
framework?
Building Themes

22. Provide a consistent
user experience

23. • Curate ‘favorite plugins’
on wordpress.org
• Browse & install
your favourites
• Alternative: WP Favs
for lists and bulk install
wpfavs.com
Plugin management
https://codex.wordpress.org/Managing_Plugins#Installing_Favorite_Plugins

24. • Use CSS Compilers:
SASS / LESS
• Streamline compilation,
minification & uploading
• Local development
when travelling
• PortableApps
on Cloud Sync
Coding Efficiencies

25. Install WordPress
in a subdirectory
for flexibility
codex.wordpress.org/Giving_WordPress_Its_Own_Directory

26. Export WordPress settings,
page builder templates etc.
Create a library.

27. Income Streams
with WordPress

28. • Resell hosting and
domain registration
• Give clients one point of contact
• Benefit from efficiencies
• Account creation
• Password resets
• cPanel skeleton directories
• DNS hosting with Cloudflare
• Ensure invoice payment
WordPress Hosting

29. Every website with a database
and login form
needs maintenance!

30. • Backup first,
store offsite
• Update responsibly,
to a schedule
• Premium plugin licenses
(developer / lifetime)
• Security monitoring
• Incidental time for fixes
WordPress Maintenance

31. Bulk site management
eg: InfiniteWP / ManageWP / iThemes Sync
• Update in batch mode
by site, plugin or theme
• Client reporting
• Highlight
vulnerabilities
WordPress Maintenance

32. InfiniteWP v3.0
WordPress Maintenance

33. When things go wrong
(hint: they will)

34. • Cloud backup vs cloud sync
• Encryption on
laptops and mobiles
• 2FA (Two Factor
Authentication)
• Password management
• Lastpass Emergency Access
Plan for theft, injury and
equipment failure

35. It’s not for everyone,
but anyone can do it

36. Where will you work from next?

37. Where will you work from next?

38. Simon Foxe
simon@codeflow.com.au
Thank you
Questions?