Starting Out on Fiverr
Q: Luke, when did you first get involved with Fiverr?
Luke: Technically, about eight years ago—I was just helping a friend manage his Fiverr messages. But things did not work out there. You were actually the one who pushed me to give Fiverr a real shot, back when we were in Russia in 2021. I started my own account, and the first few months went well until I got a 4-star review, which kind of threw me off. I stopped for a while… then picked it up again last year in Belgrade.
Q: What happened after you restarted?
Luke: From August to November, it was great. I reached Level 2 Seller, which was a big milestone for me. Then I got a mediocre review—nothing terrible, but enough to drop me back to Level 1. And last month, I dropped again to Level 0.
Riding the Ups and Downs
Q: That sounds frustrating. Are you still getting orders?
Luke: Surprisingly, yes. Last month, I still made $1,000 on Fiverr—even on Level 0 with no promoted gigs. My best week ever was $3.5K, just before I lost my promoted status.
Q: Why not launch a UGC gig? You are a native English speaker from the UK.
Luke: I actually did one as my first Fiverr order—it was $500. But I have been hesitant to go all-in. Part of it is that I want to be selective. I do not want to be the face of products I do not believe in. Especially if I go into politics someday, I do not want old videos resurfacing of me promoting some crypto scam or questionable supplement.
The Travel Lifestyle
Q: You have visited over 80 countries now. Where did that passion come from?
Luke: I used to watch Top Gear with my dad. Those road trips and adventures they filmed just fascinated me. I always dreamed of seeing the world like that. Fiverr gives me the freedom to travel while I work—I just need decent internet to deliver videos.
Q: What are the most memorable countries you have visited?
Luke: Russia was definitely one of the best—I ended up staying for three months instead of three weeks. Afghanistan was eye-opening too, even though I visited in winter and had the coldest shower of my life. It is hard to pick just one place. Every country teaches you something different.
Mental Growth Through Struggles
Q: Has all this travel changed your perspective on life?
Luke: Massively. A few years ago, I hit rock bottom. I was broke, homeless for a few nights, just walking around cities until morning. But those experiences teach you what really matters. You stop caring about being judged. You realize how little you actually need—and how much freedom matters.
Direct Clients and Building a Business
Q: You recently started getting direct clients too, right?
Luke: Yeah. In December, I launched a video editing subscription service—mainly short-form content like reels. One client found me through email and reached out at 1:00 a.m. Vietnam time. I took the call outside with mosquitoes buzzing around me, and they are still with me today.
Q: How are you finding more clients now?
Luke: Some cold email outreach and a lot of referrals. I am up to seven private clients now. It is not stable, but I work hard, stay up till 4:00 or 5:00 a.m. if needed, and meet all deadlines. Clients come back when you deliver well.
Plans for Personal Brand
Q: What are your plans for Instagram and YouTube?
Luke: I want to build my personal brand—travel content, business lessons, maybe even motivation. I posted 24 travel reels in February and started seeing results. But then I went to Turkmenistan and lost internet for a while… and just never got back to it. I need to be consistent.
Q: What is holding you back from posting?
Luke: Overthinking. I get so many ideas that I end up doing nothing. I confuse myself. I know I need to just start and figure it out along the way. That is what I am working on now.
Advice to Aspiring Creators
Q: What would you say to someone who wants to live with more freedom like you?
Luke: Start by connecting with people. Almost every opportunity I have had came from conversations—not from job boards. And do not wait until you are ready. Just start. My first real job came after 120 rejections. You need to take big steps, be willing to move, and be open to change. And if you have a skill, build on it for a few years. That experience will always give you leverage later.
Q: What does the future look like for you now?
Luke: Keep growing the client side, keep traveling, and finally launch my own content regularly. I do not know what country I will be in next month—but I do know I will be editing videos and building something meaningful wherever I am.
Where to find Luke
Thanks for reading this edition. If Luke’s story resonated with you, drop a comment or share it with someone.
See you soon,
Vasily
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