Execute better using Salesforce.com, Basecamp, and Quickbooks

I am on a free hotspot as I write this.

I had client meetings with others in Pasadena, Philly, Seattle, West LA, and Florida this week. All without driving anywhere past my nearest EZ Lube, Starbucks, or Coffee Shop.

You are feeling the pain of this economy and so am I. Even $50 a month saved can make a significant difference if used effectively.

I am in the business of helping make others successful so here is what I do to remain competitive as a small business owner and entrepreneur. I coach, train, and support others as they walk down this journey toward competitive advantage with technology.

Vons, EZ Lube, Hospitals, & Apple Stores: Unexpected Resources
Once you commit to mobilize your office, remaining connected on the go becomes a much higher priority. It used to be that this lifestyle required a cellular card for your computer that could run up to $100 or more per month.

Not so today where you can actually reduce costs by getting out of the office.

This is possible because most business needs some form of Internet access. Many businesses don’t utilize the bandwidth they pay for or want to provide an incentive to visiting customers who may have to wait for services such as EZ Lube. These businesses setup a wireless network that their customers – and you – can access easily with any portable computer with a wifi card. All macs and most other portables sold in the last three years have these built in.

So, once you know Internet access is available in the wild, the next step is find it when and where you need it on the go. Most computers will have utilities that automatically search for networks you can join. If you want to plan ahead or get more info, here are some tools I use that will get you started.

• The iPhone Jiwire Page is an iPhone formatted web page at http://iphone.jiwire.com that allows a quick lookup by address or area code. It has links to maps and contact information to help you check hours and locations via map. Just point Safari there and bookmark it or save it as a shortcut in your Applications screen.
• WiFinder.com is a great service that lets you type in an address or zip code and set a radius – say five miles – to search in. It provides an integrated Yahoo map and contact inforation for locations.
• Wi-fiHotspotList.com provides the usual data but allows you to limit results to a provider such as AT&T. It providies an integrated MapQuest map.
• YouCanWorkFromAnywhere.com provides a great list of additional resources so you can be prepared and realize the benefits of working from anywhere.

In addition to the free and paid wifi hotspots listed above, the FCC is considering creating nationwide wireless with a newly released band of spectrum.

Your comments are always welcome below and please let us know if you have found a tip that worked for you.

See you in Starbucks,

p.s.
That $50 could get you 60 mins of coaching to give you the confidence and skills to not just survive but thrive.