Escape the Clock-Punch: How to Build a Remote Business

Imagine running a business where your office is anywhere with an internet connection, your team spans the globe, and your potential clients are limitless. A remote business unlocks unparalleled freedom and flexibility, allowing you to work from the beach, a bustling city, or the comfort of your own home. 

With cutting-edge technology at your fingertips and a diverse, dynamic workforce, you’re equipped to innovate and thrive in a rapidly changing world. But the path towards building a successful remote business can be riddled with potholes and unforeseen roadblocks.

In this guide we interview a proclaimed ‘Remote Renegade’, Josiah Lipsmeyer, founder of Plasthetix Marketing Agency and Position Results. As we discuss his journey, he spills the beans on how he built a thriving remote business specializing in serving plastic surgeons. 

From a Beginner to a Pioneer: The Journey of Building a Specialized Remote Agency

Josiah, you’ve achieved remarkable success with a unique niche. How’d you go from zero to digital marketing agency hero, specifically for plastic surgeons?

“Zero!? Man, you’re already hurting my feelings. To bore you to death or tears, I’ll spare you the painful details. You know that saying, ‘If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life?’ It’s total BS. You’ll love what you do when you love the reward. I saw a gap in the market, wanted the reward (freedom), and went for it. I knew I wouldn’t start out being the best, but I could be if I wanted to be. I also knew that with some hard work, the reward would make me happy and help me live my dream life. I reached out to anyone I knew and finally found someone to hire me. Turned out, it was a plastic surgeon, and I never turned back… well maybe like 2 or 3 times, but that’s it” (he laughs).

Let’s talk about your journey. What sparked your interest in digital marketing, and how did you get the ball rolling on your specialized agency?

“I always wanted to be able to build predictability in my business and predictability in others’ businesses. It was probably my biggest pain point and curiosity in life at the time. I figured the best way this could be done was by generating leads, turning them into money, and repeating. That’s when I started my first SEO agency Position Results. I first decided on social media on my own – failed miserably. I’m just not bubbly enough for social media, and Ai writing didn’t exist back in 2015. Then, I started doing SEO in 2016, and I loved it. SEO turned into websites, websites turned into Google Ads, and now we do it all – a full done-for-you, build-your-practice-from-the-ground-up type thing”

Okay, so you built a successful remote business. Is it all rainbows and sunshine? Did you ever have moments where you questioned your decision or wanted to go back to your old job?

“Definitely not all rainbows and sunshine, but there are a lot more rainbows once the ball starts moving. Imposter syndrome still creeps its ugly head in sometimes though, and I’ve been doing this 10 years! I remember when I got started. I was broke for years. I was living off my savings, and my girlfriend at the time would say “You should quit and go back to your old job”. Well, look at me now! (he laughs).

You just have to remind yourself of who you are and why no one else can beat you. Lie to yourself if you have to. Fear is a strong motivator. Use it. As Napoleon Dynamite as this sounds, ‘believe in yourself’ and F anyone that doesn’t. Wow, I sound angry…. You know what, can we just cut this whole segment?” (He laughs)

The Remote Life with a Specialized Focus

Being an entrepreneur with such a specialized niche sounds challenging. How do you stay on top of industry trends and keep your marketing strategies cutting-edge?

“You have to have a team. Otherwise, your freedom job becomes a job-job. There is a joke that goes something like ‘I quit my 40-hour-a-week job so I can work 80 hours a week for myself’. This is 1000% true if you don’t have a team, and it can still be true depending on the kind of person you are. A plastic surgery marketing agency has to listen to their clients. They will give you excellent information if you’ll just listen. This is one thing that sets me apart from massive corporations. Keep up to date on SEO, but realize the core of SEO remains the same. Be able to do everything in your agency if you have to, but hire people better than you. Read. Study. When you read about something new in social media, SEO, Google Ads or whatever – bounce that information off the person you hired to run this department. This will also help you judge how well they do their job.”

How does working remotely benefit your agency, especially when dealing with plastic surgeons who might have specific needs?

“We’re not entirely remote, but I work remotely a lot. I like to travel. We have an office in Baton Rouge. Some positions are hired out remotely, though. My agency has the freedom to hire remote workers, which allows us to attract top talent, regardless of location – something you might not find concentrated in a single physical office. My main roles are in-house. They miss me when I’m gone, though. They’re just sad, sad people when I don’t stop by their cubicle and ask them about those TPS reports at least once a week. It’s really weird that the joke never gets old to them. Maybe it has something to do with me being their boss….”

Let’s talk about staying productive without the water cooler chats and office manager nagging. What are your secret weapons?

“Having a clear vision and goals keeps me motivated, even when I’m away and the only coworker I have is the occasional curious house plant. To be honest, if I can’t focus or have any kind of mindbog – I go on a jog. Nothing clears my mind like jogging. I’ll even pray when I jog. Thats actually when I came up with the name Plasthetix!”

Living the Location-Independent Dream (with a Side of Reality)

Okay, work-life balance is key. How do you manage to get things done while still exploring the world (or at least not feeling like a hermit)?

“You’d be surprised how much you get done if you set a 4-hour deadline instead of an 8-hour deadline. Early mornings for emails and project deep dives, afternoons for exploring local restaurants, beaches, or mountains – that kind of thing. It’s not always sunshine and rainbows. Sometimes you have to hustle to meet deadlines, even if the view from your ‘office’ is distractingly beautiful. At the end of the day, I just know if I don’t perform, I won’t get what I want. I’ll work all day and all night if I need to. It’s not really a problem, nor an option for me. I will have to be a hermit sometimes. Existential balance doesn’t exist.”

Living Life on Your Own Terms

What are the biggest misconceptions people have about working remotely?

“Working in your pajamas. Yes, I will occasionally hop on a Skype call with clients with a button-up shirt on and underwear while drinking a beer at 8 in the morning, but you know what? At least I brushed my teeth…usually. But in all seriousness, probably that it’s easy. You’ve got to be very disciplined. Sometimes you don’t get lunch. Sometimes it’s 15 hours days. Sometimes you feel like your clients’ ::redacted::. You still gotta work. You don’t get to have an ego. “

Favorite Place to Visit?

“Playa Del Carmen Mexico – sans the food poison. I’m a beach bum.”

You have a dog and a cat; how do you travel with a pet?

“Nacho is my rescue dog, and Whiskey is my stray cat. I had to increase my retainers to pay for expensive dog and cat sitters. If my clients are reading this, I’m sorry.”

We know you’re busy so we’ll wrap this up with one final question for our readers. Do you have advice for aspiring entrepreneurs who crave a location-independent, travel-filled life?

“Sure, I have a few. 

1. Failed agency owners sell courses on how to build an agency. The majority of them, anyway. Learn how to do this. Don’t become of them. 

2. Find out what you want and why you want it. Come up with ideas on how to get it.

3. Use your network. 

4. Talk to any business owner and find their pain point, want, or need. Ask them if you can fix it for free for 2-3 months (if you don’t know how to fix it yet) and figure out how to fix it. Fix their problem. On months 3-4, start charging them. Now, reward yourself.

5. You 100% will get down on yourself. Just don’t stay down. Channel something or do something to get you back up.

6. If you are disciplined, and a hard worker – you got this. People think it’s ready, aim, fire. Ready, aim, fire. It’s more like Ready? fire, fire, fire, fire. You’re gonna miss. Just keep firing. You’ll hit something.

Ready to ditch the cubicle and build your dream business from anywhere in the world? 

Remember, it takes hard work, dedication, and a dash of Josiah’s playful confidence, but with the right approach, the freedom and rewards of remote work can be truly life-changing. And hey, who knows? Maybe we will contact you for our next interview!