Digital Nomads: Eseandre Otomiewor built a $100,000 business. Then started over in the US

Somewhere in Eseandre Otomiewor's memory is a what-if scenario that still haunts him. A client on Fiverr offered to pay him in Bitcoin instead of cash, and he declined, opting for dollars instead. This wasn't an isolated incident; other clients proposed the same arrangement, and he turned each of them down. "I think my story should be about the man who should have been a billionaire and accepted Bitcoin," he joked to TechCabal, chuckling at his own expense. "In hindsight, maybe I would have a lot of money by now. But you know, we're still good. When you're where you are right now, it's easy to look backbut it's never easy." This regret is a pivotal moment in understanding Otomiewor's trajectory, a man who has spent the past decade making bold bets on himself.

Otomiewor's biggest regret is also evidence of his willingness to take risks. He has a history of underpricing his work as a freelance writer to build a reputation, walking away from a company he built from a single tweet, and leaving a comfortable life in Lagos, Nigeria, for the United States (US). These decisions, often uncomfortable and uncertain, have paid off more often than not. Today, Otomiewor is far removed from his early days as a freelancer, having secured a fully funded scholarship to pursue a dual master's degree in the US.

Otomiewor's career had crossed borders long before he did. From Nigeria, he built a client base spanning China and the US without ever setting foot in either country. This was made possible by his degree in international studies, which gave him a "much broader perspective to life, creating, and writing." His foundation in international studies helped him build a freelance writing career that afforded him a comfortable life in Lagos, Nigeria, before eventually taking him abroad.

Otomiewor graduated from Delta State University in Abraka, southern Nigeria, in 2014 with a degree in international studies. Although international studies wasn't his first choice, it gave him a solid foundation for his future endeavors. His first job after university was at WuraTV, a US-based streaming platform owned by a Nigerian entrepreneur that distributed Nigerian and African content to audiences in the diaspora. Otomiewor recalls that the company saw itself as the leading competitor to New York-based BET at the time.

Today, Otomiewor is building the next chapter of his career in the US. His journey is evidence of the power of taking risks and embracing uncertainty. As a writer, I am drawn to his story because it highlights the complexities of navigating multiple identities and career paths. Otomiewor's story is a reminder that sometimes, the most significant regrets can also be the catalysts for growth.

As I reflect on Otomiewor's journey, I am struck by the idea that sometimes, it's the decisions we make that define us, even if they don't yield the outcomes we expect. Otomiewor's story is a reminder that the path to success is rarely linear, and that it's the uncomfortable bets we make on ourselves that can ultimately lead to our greatest triumphs.

• Eseandre Otomiewor graduated from Delta State University in Abraka, southern Nigeria, in 2014 with a degree in international studies.
• He built a client base spanning China and the US as a freelance writer without ever setting foot in either country.
• Otomiewor secured a fully funded scholarship to pursue a dual master's degree in the US in 2025.
• He worked at WuraTV, a US-based streaming platform owned by a Nigerian entrepreneur, after graduating from university.