A few months ago, I switched hosting companies. I had been with DreamHost but decided it was time for a change after my site went offline for several hours (which I had discovered and reported). I disliked its upselling tactics and inconsistent customer support. Also, DreamHost appeared to care more about its website’s design than the performance of its servers. It’s worth noting that DreamHost—alongside Bluehost, HostGator, iPage, and OVH—were recently vulnerable to “simple account takeover hacks.” Given my experiences with DreamHost, I’m not surprised to learn of its vulnerabilities.

In my search for a new host, I chose SiteGround (SG). Its been around since 2004 and supports nearly two million domains. SG routinely ranks well in comparison articles and reviews.

Udemy is a popular e-learning destination for online courses. Millions of students access its large course catalog that is supported by thousands of instructors. Classes are available in 10+ categories including development, business, marketing, photography, design, test prep, and more. Many of its top-rated free and paid courses focus on web/app development, programming, software, and other tech courses.

Anyone can create courses, self-publish, and teach on Udemy. The self-publishing approach helps Udemy to attract new instructors. Having many instructors yields a lot of variety regarding pedagogy and subjects. On the other hand, Udemy’s open-door policy and low course standards attract a plethora of unqualified teachers who produce subpar content.

Upwork is one of the largest freelancer marketplaces, and companies of every size use it from one-person startups to major corporations. Businesses can quickly find and hire freelancers while freelancers can search for work and submit proposals. Upwork’s platform simplifies contracts, time tracking, invoicing, payment, and more. It offers three service tiers including, standard, pro, and enterprise. Upwork Pro, for instance, features personalized assistance to help employers find premium, pre-vetted talent.

Freelance projects are available in a range of categories including web and mobile development, marketing, sales, design, writing, virtual assistance, customer service, and more. Freelancers can do hourly and fixed-priced jobs and choose one of many methods to collect payments such as direct deposit, PayPal, wire transfer, and so on.

How you present yourself is critical in business. Clients and customers evaluate your website, business card, and everything in between. In my previous role as a financial advisor, I created a virtual office in which I paid to use a commercial address for my business. Mail handling came with the service, and I could rent a private room by the hour and on-demand to meet clients.

My needs as a digital nomad and online marketer are much different compared to my previous profession. For example, I don’t need mail handling services or a business address. However, I occasionally want to work outside of my home and interact with like-minded people in person (not only online). I recently spent an afternoon at a co-working space and the experience was excellent. I met a few ambitious individuals, and we had lunch together. It was a nice change of pace.