Imagine waking up in a five-star hotel at $80 a night, making a quick $400 in half a day by diligently balancing, prepping, and finalizing, and then going to see the Taj. You return to the hotel for a sunset swim sporting a large Indian gold chain to keep the haters guessing. Then you enjoy the inclusive buffet of exquisite local foods and almost any other dish you can imagine. This is just a random day from my last year as a remote accountant. What does your remote accounting dream day look like?

Work independently, anywhere, with accounting. Take a moment to dream of the benefits of being your own boss, or working more on your own terms with an employer. The freedom to work anywhere can bring extremely rewarding flexibility and happiness to your life. Working for yourself, especially in the early years, is not without challenges, but the end result is well worth the initial effort.

For many, the joys of remote work and independence are all about the things you don’t deal with on a regular basis: hours-long commutes, cubicle fever, coworker fatigue, fixed schedules, etc. With more time and working space, less emotional drain, and a flexible schedule, life is better. Given the power to  shape your own time, you’ll be able to spend more of it working on what you’re passionate about. Family? Church? Art? Horticulture? Long drives? Little home projects? The list is endless.

As a self-employed accountant, I have met only 50% or so of my clients, even though most live in San Francisco like me. Admittedly, accounting is not the highest paying job, but it is highly stable and, if you are abroad, even $50 an hour profit adds up nicely. I love San Francisco, but I need to make $10,000 revenue a month there to survive. If I make $2,000 a month in India, I can thrive.

Remote work and independence, if valued over other things, can be yours in the great land of accountancy. Understand what you want out of the profession, set your goals, and you may then achieve them with enough perseverance.

Learn what career coaching can do for you. Accounting Play is here to assist you in your education and career. It's not easy to be an independent and successful accountant. It will take more time and effort than you imagine. However, if that is what you want, it is more than achievable with enough drive and dedication. So what's your goal? Flexibility? Money? Something else? Post your questions, career background, or other thoughts in the comments to see if we can route you in the right direction to independence.