Becoming a freelancer
Before I continue, let me give you a one-minute introduction to how I became a freelancer.
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Depression, illness, avoiding prison.
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During my late 20s, I was able to build an online business with a seven-figure yearly revenue and a known niche brand. This was an exciting journey, and I’d continue growing my business. However…
Also, during my 20s, I was an active member of a Democratic movement in Russia. Full of faith that we can build a society where human rights will matter, and people will have a real vote, transparent tax spending, and a free press. I’m very thankful to the USAID programs, for making attempts to help the democratic movement in Russia and even inviting me and other democratic leaders to visit the US Congress and exchange experiences with the US’s most experienced politics.
Long story short – some of my friends got to jail for 10+ years. You could feel in the air that storm clouds were gathering. And I’ve decided to leave the country right after COVID-19.
It was a hard decision, especially because I had to abandon my company. I decided to leave the inventory and everything else to my employees so they could keep bringing food to their family’s tables. And you know what, they’re still running the company! Now, it gives me a good feeling that I was able to create something that can function without me and that it can serve people.
But at that time, the whole situation with life threats from the Russian police caused me a lot of stress, and I got into the hospital to have a stomach surgery. As soon as I got back on my feet, I started packing. I had a great paper book collection, but you can’t really travel with five boxes of books, do you? So, I ended up leaving the country with my laptop and small bag. Luckily, I had some of my money in crypto.
That’s how I became a nomad.
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From just a Nomad to a Digital Nomad.
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After almost three months of watching Start Trek in Tenerife, Spain, I started to feel that I wanted to do something. I was analyzing what was the most interesting occupation I had. Surprisingly, it was not my business but one of the non-profit organizations I’ve made before – Fablab.
Next question – where to open it? It’s a physical space. I decided to go to Thailand, as I’ve been there before and liked it. They also have one of the easiest ways for foreigners to stay for a long time with the Elite Visa program. And I hate bureaucracy.
Before opening anything, I needed to establish a stable income stream that could cover my rent and life expenses before I ran out of money. Becoming a freelancer seemed to me to be the most simple way to do this. And that’s how I landed on Upwork. I decided that I wanted to continue enjoying my life in Thailand without any stress, so I needed something chill.
And it wasn’t obvious what should I do as a freelancer. That’s why I prepared a list of questions that will help you to understand what services you can provide online. And you can complete it in under 20 minutes, so I’d suggest doing it right now.
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