As your small business begins to grow, you may become faced with a challenge: traveling. As an avid traveler myself, both for business and pleasure, and an obsessive reader of tips/tricks, I’ve been able to accumulate a good bank of suggestions on the best and cheapest ways to travel.

If you’re new to the world of traveling, or just looking for a better way to do it on a budget, check out these suggestions.

1.    List the items you plan to bring, then cut it in half.

This is where you will (slowly) learn to battle over packing. Versatility is key, so pack clothing items that can be used for night and day (like button-up shirts.) Making a list of items you think you need is a good place to start, then eliminate the things you can definitely live without. Take two pairs of shoes, one for any business meetings, and another comfy pair for walking around. A handy little tip for shoes is filling them with small items like toiletries and socks so it eliminates empty air space in your suitcase.

2.    Plan for additional items and pack an extra fold up bag.

Once you’ve eliminated the items you can live without, don’t use that space! You might pick up something on your travels that you didn’t expect. Having an additional bag is handy for separating dirty laundry, lying on the ground to sit, or even wrapping breakable items.

3.    Keep calm and carry on (literally.)

If your trip is only 2-3 days, it’s completely doable to pack everything you need into a carry on (specifically a backpack). These days, carry on baggage can be quite large, so always double check sizes with the company you’re traveling with. Using a carry on eliminates the wait for checked baggage, the small chance of lost baggage, and gives you access to everything you brought.

4.    Take advantage of Wi-Fi.

If Smartphone’s are a businessperson’s best friend, then Wi-Fi becomes your loyal sidekick. The app Wi-Fi Finder locates the nearest free and paid Wi-Fi areas in over 650,000 locations, so you can check and send emails, research something, and post online virtually anywhere. (Side note: This is going to be even easier in San Francisco soon, thanks to Google’s recent $600K investment into making San Francisco parks Wi-Fi friendly.)

5.    Call your bank, credit card company, and cell phone provider beforehand.

It’s really important to give these company’s a heads up when you’re heading out of the country.  Your bank and credit cards providers should know so they don’t accidently cut your funds half way through your trip if their fraud departments detect a random transaction. Your cell phone company can also suggest plans and add-ons that could help you stay connected while you’re traveling.

6.    Take advantage of online check-ins.

This is something I recently discovered. Online check-ins allow you to print your boarding pass before even getting to the airport. This is especially handy when you have no checked bags, because you can head directly to your gate.

Last but not least, do not procrastinate bookings. It’s pretty rare nowadays that airlines, buses and train prices decrease the closer to the date, so you have a better chance of snagging a good deal if you do it well in advance. Now, good luck and happy travels!

© Zoe Begopoulos, DemGen Inc 2013

Summer officially arrived less than two weeks ago and for many small business owners feeling the time and cash crunch, a vacation is out of the question. For a season that provides relaxation for many, fun in the sun and long evenings spent with friends, the exact opposite can be true for those running their own business.

How can you get some time off for yourself this summer?

Think of smaller ways to celebrate the season, not all of which will involve getting away.

If you can afford it, a spa weekend is a quick and very relaxing getaway, but leave your electronic devices at home if at all possible! Another idea is a day or two at a resort area or rental cottage nearby. Having even one day to relax at the lake, take the canoe out in the early hours of the morning or spend a late evening around a fire can recharge your energy levels and make you feel better about getting back to work. If nature isn’t your thing, there are usually bed and breakfast inns not too far away where you can sign up for nearby agricultural tours or wine tastings. Whatever fits your interests, there is sure to be something within a fairly short distance that can give you a day’s reprieve from thinking about your business.

While others are spending their summer relaxing, start organizing a mini vacation for later in the year. Prices at most popular areas drop once school starts and September can be a beautiful month to take a week off. If you set everything up right, what is considered a very busy season for small businesses can flow smoothly with minimal input from you while you enjoy a peaceful few days gearing up for the fall and winter.

Not everyone enjoys the muggy, hot weather and if you are one of these and prefer the snow and cold then this is the time to get down to work and move ahead of the competition. Getting your finances in order and focusing on your business through the summer and working extra hard at what you love to do can be a vacation of sorts for some people. Set some end of year goals and use this opportunity to advance professionally. Apply for upcoming fall and winter courses that will help add value to your business, whether it be product or service based. Knowledge about anything that pertains to your business is always worthwhile and should be a continuing effort.

Hire a virtual assistant or team to take over any absolutely necessary tasks for a day or a week and spend each day as a tourist in your own city or town or those nearby. Most of us never take a close look at what our own area has to offer and are often amazed at what is available so close by. Sign up for a tour or one day bus trip; some tour companies even have one day mystery trips with unknown destinations! There are also walking trips, museums and art galleries if you live in or near a larger centre. Concerts and plays are particularly popular during the summer, many of them at outdoor locations. There are also fairs, festivals – the list goes on. Take advantage of your own locale and get out there and do something different.

Even if you aren’t taking a break from work, take some time out to reflect on the past year – your successes, your mistakes – and learn from them. Celebrate your successes and the wonderful summer weather in whichever way you choose, either solo or with friends and family. Don’t forget to take advantage of the early mornings and beautiful sunsets, they’ll be gone before you know it and another fall will be upon us!

© Chris Draper, DemGen Inc. 2013