How to Create a Portable Office

Mike Gast, vice president of communications at Kampgrounds of America, Inc. (KOA), says five years ago well under 20% of customers traveled with a laptop. Now, more than 50% do. Most of KOA's campgrounds have free Wi-Fi.

Gast says there's a "subculture of people in transportable jobs" such as nursing, construction and seasonal service or hospitality workers who move a lot. "And because of the cost of housing, they stay in the campground," he says.

Zbar says it's all about personal work style when it comes to adapting to a mobile office.

"This concept is going to be alien. Don't think, 'Hop in the car Monday, and launch my business Monday.' No, you're not -- not if you're going to be successful. You want to start by getting comfortable." he says.

The best way to do that is get used to working from home before attempting a working trip. Then branch out to coffee shops, libraries and parks. For Zbar, who has worked from home since 1989, there's less of a learning curve. For others, it's seeing if your work style is adaptable to a non-office atmosphere.

Family Members as Co-Pilots

Zbar acknowledges for some families working on a vacation is something akin to roadtrip sacrilege -- groans can be audible and tension palpable when an entrepreneur packs a briefcase. That's why he told his family -- as well as his clients -- "It's not a working weekend."

And he's sure to rely on family for support so working from the road doesn't start to feel like a drag. His family members are veteran GPS-users and even help determine must-see sights along the route.

His family doesn't seem to mind the mobile office concept.

"I think it's great," Robbie Zbar says. "It allows us as a family to take vacations without the interruption of incoming income. As long as we are doing more vacationing than him working, we are all good."

Robbie's family took a six-week road trip each summer, operating hockey rinks in Canada remotely.

"If they could make it happen back then, anyone can now," Jeff says. "The world is open for exploration. The true lesson learned here is that people will discover what they're capable of if they just give it a shot."