I’m a remote work professional, this is what I do and this is my craft. When people ask me what I do my easy answer is I’m a “digital swiss army knife”, I help companies build, grow, and scale their remote teams.

I was fortunate enough to have joined the 1st Running Remote Conference in Bali last June 23 to 24, 2018. The registration fee is quite expensive (I’m speaking for myself), thankfully my wife is supportive and she actually encouraged me to join despite the steep price – plus hotel, food, and airfare.

It was a great conference and I plan to join the next one in 2019. Learned a ton and it helped build my confidence that I’m in the right direction in terms for running remote teams, here are my key takeaways:

1. Iron sharpens iron, it is great to learn best practices from other professionals and companies who have been successful at remote work – and their failings too, lots of it.
2. Networking and word of mouth, there is no replacement for in-person face-to-face meet ups. If you’re looking for remote work and you happen to be there, there is 75% to 90% chance of getting a job outright. If you’re exploring or thinking about hiring remote people you’ll get what you need to get started.
3. Bali is magical and enchanting – the reason why Bali is infamous.

Actually, I hustled my way to it. My budget was $1500 for a 2-day conference – but I believed I can cut it down by about 70%. Here’s how I did it:

1. I asked my client if I can go on leave for 4 days so I can join the conference – APPROVED
2. I informed my client that remote work is my craft and I’m going to join a conference that would enrich me as a person and as a professional – I’m going to personally fund the trip but if they want to subsidise part of it they are free to do so, if not, then I’m still good. I can afford since they’re paying me good money. Since they are great people, they subsidised $400.
3. My client advised me that I can TRY asking for a discount from the organisers. As my mentor once said “you will never get a chance to get what you want if you never ask”, and so I did. With an exchange deal where I have to do some work to spread the word and try to bring in more participants I was able to get 50% discount (I later knew that a friend was instrumental on me getting it), I only needed to pay $450.
4. For flights, the CDO to Manila leg. I used a free flight voucher from Cebu Pacific because I had a cancelled flight a month ago (thank you CebuPac, cancelled flights can be blessings in disguise). I was able to get a great deal at $200 round trip MNL-Bali. Then for the Manila leg, I was able to buy a $65 ticket with Philippine airlines.
5. Accommodation, I was able to accumulate some rewards with Agoda that I only needed to pay the hotel $25 for a four night stay
6. When I got there I realised that to enjoy Bali I had to rent a motorbike to get around, $35 for 4 days.
7. Food, I don’t scrimp on food, I spent $100 for 4 days.

Let’s do the math:

+$450 registration fee because I got 50% discount

-$400 client subsidised part of the cost for the trip

+$265 airfare for Cagayan de Oro – Manila – Bali  roundtrip

+$25 hotel

+$35 transpo/motorbike rent

+$100 food

Total = $475

I could not believe it!

If I paid $1500, it would still have been worth every penny. All the more that I was able to get a huge discount.

I was really passionate about joining, hustled, got a lot of help along the way, and I was able to go.