Michael, aka Zimamedia on Fiverr, is a digital nomad who specializes in analyzing, reporting, and building narratives around data to help people unlock insights from the information they collect.
Michael created his Fiverr account, left for three years, then came back. Now he’s running a successful Fiverr business and teaming up with his wife as joint Fiverr sellers! Here is Michael’s story.
The last time we talked, my wife and I were moving to Barcelona because of a relationship made on Fiverr. Since then, I lost my full-time job, managed to blitz my way to a Top Rated Seller status, and launched a company exclusively on Fiverr with my business partner. Looking back at it all now, we were preparing our whole lives for the gig economy as “two drifters off to see the world.”
Moving from Chicago to Barcelona was a bit of a culture shock at first. Full disclosure, there were times I would deliver an order, sip an espresso, and go downstairs to visit the beach to take it all in. We spent a year traveling up and down the coast of Catalonia, slowly adapting to the pace of life. If you’re considering the remote life, I can assure that with the right amount of patience, preparation, and determination, it is absolutely possible.
I first learned the art of patience back in 2014 during my first gig. I knew the key to becoming a successful entrepreneur was growing a successful portfolio. My biggest mistake at the time was believing that I was at a different level of expertise. It wasn’t until I stepped back and assessed my own skill level that I realized, like all things, I needed to put in the effort and slowly build my business.
I still had a lot to learn, but it was the perfect opportunity to explore and apply my new skills and ideas to my daily career, while slowly growing my side business. After three years, the slow and steady approach really paid when I lost my job.
At first, I’ll admit, it was a very somber moment, but I quickly realized that my true passion was in my side gig. All those late nights spent delivering orders, answering messages, and reinvesting into myself had finally paid off.
If there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s being prepared always pays off. Fiverr is the ultimate platform to test and explore ideas. I fell in love with data science, SEO, and advertising because I started to offer buyers my professional services, too.
The secret to being successful is expanding or improving existing skills so that you’re able to do what you love while delivering the best quality work to customers from all over the world. When I lost my job, with the help of my wife, we went through a major rebranding.
We updated all my services and defined a new mission for my business. When I reached my personal goal in March, I was also promoted to a Top Rated Seller. In July, I reached 1,000 completed orders on Fiverr. All of the processes I have put in place to sustain growth, track performance, and align with my services took off like a rocket.
My Fiverr Gigs are a business, and we recently expanded into advertising leveraging our data services with my business partner Damien. This gives us the opportunity to use our data consulting experience to enhance the success of our advertising clients. The introduction of Pro and expansion of tools continues to grow and expand our business.
The newest addition to our business includes an app that expands the features of Google Data Studio. Tyfoon was developed to help offer our advertising clients navigate a user-friendly dashboard and create an exciting new service we are going to launch to the world exclusively on Fiverr.
At first, the reaction to reading about digital nomads was hard to wrap my mind around. Thanks to my own passion, the support of my wife, and the support of the Fiverr community, I have expanded an enterprise based in three countries, and it all started with one Gig.
How have you used Fiverr (as either a buyer or a seller) to become a digital nomad? Tell us in the comments below!
