Nathan Wrigley’s Jukebox Podcast talks with Charly Leetham, a WordPress professional who built a nearly two-decade career supporting small businesses while living and working from a converted camper van. Charly combines practical tech skills, a flexible mindset, and satellite internet to deliver remote website support and general tech help across Australia.
Early interest and career path
Charly’s tech curiosity started young — amateur radio at 13, then an associate diploma in electronic engineering at 16. Her career moved through lab technician work, field service, pre-sales, sales and customer service management. After running a retail franchise that didn’t succeed, she pivoted in 2007 into helping people with their technology as WordPress emerged. She learned PHP, theme and plugin work, troubleshooting and site maintenance, and has supported websites and small business tech ever since.
Choosing a mobile life
The shift to a mobile, van-based lifestyle came from a wish for flexibility and the practical realities of housing and family life. Remote tools like video calls, remote desktop solutions and reliable internet made it possible to work from anywhere. Preferring freedom over renting or owning a fixed home, Charly converted a commercial van into living and working space, with electrical work done by her son and a Starlink setup to ensure connectivity in many regional locations.
How she travels and lives
Charly usually prefers to base herself in one spot for a couple of weeks: it reduces the constant pack-and-pack routine and becomes a hub for local exploration. She sometimes house-sits, spends time with family (including traveling with her elderly father), and mixes local experiences with client work. Social interaction is chosen rather than constant: when she wants company she visits cafes, pubs or local venues, and she maintains an active online network.
Benefits of the van-life approach
– Seasonal mobility: follow better weather and avoid less hospitable seasons.
– More family time: travel enables deeper, more frequent time with relatives.
– Work-location freedom: choose inspiring places to work rather than a fixed office.
– Flexibility to balance client commitments with exploration and short-term stays.
Trade-offs and practical limits
– Limited space: Charly’s work area is compact and needs stowing after hours.
– Minimal possessions: storage constraints force careful buying and prioritisation. Her rule: don’t buy something unless you’ve needed that function four times.
– No bulk shopping or large equipment: adapt to local supplies and travel-friendly gear.
– Social trade-offs: reduced daily in-person interaction suits some personalities but not everyone’s.
Technology and hardware
Charly’s setup is chosen for reliability and mobility: a powerful laptop (she uses an MSI gaming laptop for extra cooling and processing), an external monitor (a 21-inch mounted display in the van), keyboard, mouse, webcam and quality microphone. Power comes from van electrical systems, portable power stations or car battery setups to keep devices and router running.
Connectivity is central. In regional Australia mobile and fixed broadband can be unreliable; Starlink satellite internet provides a consistent option in many areas. Charly notes differences in Starlink hardware — newer units are lighter and easier to deploy. Ground mounts and auto-alignment make setup straightforward, and smaller ‘Mini’ units cater to backpackers and very light setups.
Work style and client relationships
Charly positions herself as the translator between business owners and technology. She focuses on business outcomes, explains technical matters in plain English, and helps manage or mediate between hosts, plugin vendors and other suppliers.
Key practices that support her mobile work:
– Async-friendly workflows: most communication is asynchronous or scheduled, with clients understanding response windows and how to book deeper work time.
– Clear expectations and trust: early agreements about response times and priorities reduce misunderstandings.
– Client fit and boundaries: she parts ways with clients who aren’t a good fit and refers work when another provider would serve the client better.
– Simple, honest communication: plain English beats salesy pitches and builds referrals.
Typical services include website builds, plugin troubleshooting, remote tech support and vendor mediation. Clients mostly come via word-of-mouth, supplemented by a growing online presence and direct outreach.
Business lessons and values
Charly emphasises practical lessons learned over the years:
– Technology is a tool; profit comes from using it effectively, not from the tools alone.
– Avoid buying shiny new technology unless it solves a repeatable problem.
– Build relationships on trust, clear expectations and honest recommendations.
– Be pragmatic: if a client needs a different provider or approach, say so and refer them.
Where to find her
Charly is grateful for the life and work she’s built. For contact and bookings, her hub is askcharlyleetham.com/connect-me where you can book a free 30-minute breakthrough session and find links to her profiles on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, Rumble and Odyssey. She also hosts a short podcast, Making Tech Easy for Small Business Owners.
Takeaway
Charly’s story shows how a WordPress- and tech-focused career can enable significant lifestyle freedom when paired with the right tools, clear client expectations and deliberate personal choices. With thoughtful systems, reliable connectivity and a client-friendly approach, remote website support can be a sustainable, location-independent way to work.