the myth of location independence

One of the great promises of the new age of digital entrepreneurs is that you can run your business from anywhere. Location independence is the mantra of the day!

It’s even a selling point for Etsy. Because Etsy allows you to connect with buyers from across the globe, it doesn’t matter where you live.

But the reality doesn’t live up to the hype.

Sure, there are businesses that can be run from anywhere. And with enough force of mind, you can probably make yours work as well. But for every business, particularly in our industry, there is an ideal place to run your business. A place that makes everything a little easier.

Case in point. I recently hired a publicist. She is based in both New York and LA. Not because she can live anywhere. But because she understands that being in these two places is the best for her business.

And the ideal location is different for every business. The Gatski’s would have a hard time running their business in the middle of Manhattan.  (Where would they find all those tractors?) And you can’t deny that a fashion business probably has a better chance of success in New York or LA than out on a farm.

The most important thing is that your business doesn’t feel a discord with your location. If it does, you’ll always be fighting. It’s the difference in swimming through cement versus water. Sure, if you work hard enough, you’ll get through the cement. But swimming through water is so much more efficient.

So many of us are content to run our businesses from where ever we are, because we can.

But stop and ask yourself, does where I live make running my business easier or harder?

If the answer is harder, it might be time to consider a move.