Charly Leetham turned a lifelong interest in electronics into a location-independent career supporting small businesses with WordPress and general tech. After learning electronics as a teenager and studying electronic engineering, she worked as a lab technician, field-service tech, and later in pre-sales, sales and customer service. In 2007 she began helping people directly with their tech needs; WordPress was new then, and she taught herself PHP, themes, plugins and troubleshooting. Nearly two decades on she runs a remote service focused on translating technical options into plain English and keeping small business systems running.
How she lives and works
Charly lives and works from a fitted camper van while traveling around Australia. Her van was customised by family (with electrical work by her son), and she also takes house-sitting gigs occasionally. She’ll spend extended periods at chosen hubs—often weeks—then explore nearby regions within roughly 100 km. This lifestyle grew from a mix of practical concerns (housing affordability) and a desire for flexibility she valued as a parent and worker.
Benefits she cites
– Freedom to move and follow seasonal climates (for example, migrating north in winter).
– More quality time with family—she travels with her father and prioritises shared experiences.
– Flexibility to work in beautiful locations and support local small businesses.
– The ability to choose where to be day-to-day and be available when family needs arise.
Challenges of van-based working
– Very limited living and workspace; her desk area is compact (about a metre by a metre).
– Daily packing and stowing of equipment—there’s no separate office to close the door on.
– Minimal possessions and no bulk buying; she uses a strict buying rule (“needed it four times” before keeping an item).
– Occasional loneliness or reduced daily, casual social contact; she offsets this by spending time in local cafes, pubs and online communities.
Tech stack and connectivity
Charly’s setup is compact but deliberate: an MSI gaming-style laptop for processing power and cooling, an external microphone and webcam, a 21″ external monitor mounted in the van, plus keyboard and mouse. The critical enabler is reliable internet: she migrated from mobile data to Starlink satellite internet, upgrading from v2 to v3. Starlink gives more consistent and often faster speeds than many regional landlines, but requires a clear view of the sky (no obstructing trees/buildings) and power for the dish and router. Ground mounts are simple and no precise manual alignment is needed. There’s also a Starlink Mini option for ultra-portable use. Power is an ongoing consideration: many nomads use portable power stations or vehicle battery setups to run Starlink and peripherals.
What she offers and how she works
Charly’s business helps small businesses manage technology without jargon. Typical services include:
– Translating technical choices into plain English and advising on practical options.
– Reviewing existing systems and recommending integrations or better-fit solutions.
– Building, troubleshooting and maintaining WordPress sites, diagnosing plugin conflicts and coordinating fixes with plugin authors.
– Mediating between vendors and clients when responsibilities overlap.
Her approach emphasises asking what the client needs to achieve—the inputs, outputs and business goals—rather than pushing specific technology for its own sake. She reminds clients that technology only helps the business if it’s used to drive income or improve operations, not as a standalone solution.
Client relationships and workflow
Charly runs a largely asynchronous, trust-based practice. She sets clear expectations about how and when to communicate: how to book time and what response windows to expect. Clients understand she’ll respond when she has capacity, and that trust lets her stay flexible while remaining reliable. She’s comfortable ending client relationships that aren’t a fit and will recommend other providers when appropriate. Most of her work still comes through word of mouth, though she is gradually doing more marketing as she scales.
Reflections and suitability
Charly is clear that her lifestyle takes work and sacrifice. It suits people who are comfortable with minimal possessions, limited daily social contact, and an adaptable routine. She highlights the opportunities it offers families who choose nomadic schooling or travel together, but cautions it isn’t right for everyone. She’s grateful for the life she’s built and mindful of the effort behind it.
Where to find her
Her contact page is askcharlyleetham.com/connect-me, where visitors can find links to social profiles and book a free 30-minute breakthrough session. She’s active on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, Rumble and Odyssey, and hosts the podcast Making Tech Easy for Small Business Owners—short episodes aimed at simplifying tech.
Summary
Charly’s journey shows how a background in electronics and field service, combined with self-taught WordPress skills, can enable a flexible, travel-focused lifestyle. Key enablers are reliable portable internet (Starlink), a compact but capable tech kit, disciplined belongings and routines, clear client expectations, and a focus on solving business problems rather than selling technology. Her story is a practical example of how to balance remote work, mobility and family life while running a small technical services business.