I Quit My 9-5 And Built Businesses With AI

A little bit of backstory...

When I started writing online four years ago, I never imagined it would become my main source of income. For over a decade, I worked as a software engineer, settling into the routine of a corporate job—waking up early, preparing for my 9–5 shift, and enjoying the comfort of a steady paycheck.

But the thought of making rich people even richer? That was never my cup of tea.

The plan was to scale my side businesses to ramen profitability while working as a full-time developer. Once I hit a revenue milestone I was happy with, I’d quit my job and focus entirely on my personal projects.

Fast forward to a month ago—I finally made the hard decision. I left my corporate job to pursue a career as a freelance writer and solopreneur.

Today, everything I need to run my businesses fits in a single backpack. A laptop, a phone, and a power bank—packed neatly and ready to go wherever I am.

The gadgets I use

I’ve always been a Windows user, especially during the six years I worked for a popular laptop brand in Japan. However, battery life has always been a challenge. So, when Apple released the MacBook with the M3 chip capable of lasting an entire day on a single charge, I decided to make the switch.

I’m not here to promote Apple products, but I do highly recommend them if you’re considering the digital nomad lifestyle.

For the same reason, I use my iPhone 14 Pro as a mobile data hotspot when working outside because coffeeshops in the Philippines rarely offer free Wi-Fi.

However, using my phone as a hotspot drains its battery quickly, lasting only about 5–6 hours. That’s why I also have with me a 10,000 mAh Hamaken power bank to keep me going throughout the day.

I don’t bring a power adapter. Most coffeeshops in the area where I live either lack power outlets or have very limited ones, and I don’t like competing for the few available sockets.

I also carry a pair of reliable earphones. They’re essential during meetings to ensure I can hear clearly, especially in noisy environments. And when the coffeeshop’s playlist starts to get unbearable, they double as my go-to for playing my favorite music.

That’s pretty much what’s inside my backpack.

I’ve learned that carrying only what you need helps you stay focused and mobile, especially when you’re constantly on the move. The lighter your load, the freer your mind to focus on your work.

If you’re considering a nomad lifestyle, don’t hold back when it comes to investing in expensive gadgets. Speed and reliability are crucial when your work depends on them.

A fast laptop or a dependable phone isn’t just a convenience—it's the backbone of your productivity.

What I actually do

There’s a risk in saying all these, but let me share the details of my side businesses.

Here are five ways I make money online:

• Writing on Medium: I’ve been writing on the platform since 2021 and am earning through Medium’s Partner Program.
• Web applications: Of all the web apps I launched this year, Flux Labs AI is the sole product that’s generating an income.
• Freelance writing: This is currently generating the biggest chunk in my revenue. Helping startups promote their products and services on my platforms.
• Newsletter: I started doing Substack five months ago and have so far gained almost 5K subscribers. The monthly revenue is pretty good too.
• Blog site: I built and launched my own blog site at the beginning of this year. It got accepted for Google AdSense a week later and has since been generating decent monthly revenue.

What amazes me most is that all these income streams can be managed from a single device.

My requirements are minimal.

The truth is, even wifi isn’t a hard requirement. I draft articles, emails, and content offline. When I get a connection, everything syncs. I’ve written on planes, trains, buses, and in some of the most random coffee shops you can imagine.

Sometimes, I don’t even have to take out my laptop to work. I do business negotiations on my phone, and I write article drafts on my phone. It’s not always ideal, but if my laptop were to crash, I wouldn’t be out of options.

The power of minimalism

The more I grew, the less I needed.

It’s ironic because, as a kid, I dreamt of working for a big company with a fancy office. Ten years into my career, I realized that none of that mattered. I didn’t need a luxurious office or a massive team.

What I needed was simplicity.

• A laptop.
• A phone.
• A powerbank.
• A job that pays well and I enjoy doing.

That’s it.

The less I focused on having things, the more I focused on creating value. And that’s what changed everything.

Minimalism isn’t about deprivation — it’s about prioritization.

It’s a reminder that you don’t need more to achieve more. What matters is how effectively you use what you already have.

Starting small

When you’re starting out, it’s important to remember that overnight success is a myth.

Heck, it took me four years of consistent effort and countless failures to build the businesses I now run with just a phone and a laptop.

If you’re thinking of doing something similar, take it slow. Build your side hustle while keeping your regular job, and don’t make the leap until you’ve established a steady, reliable income stream.

My journey started back in 2022 when I launched my first Medium publication. It was small, humble, and, to be honest, not great at first. But I kept showing up. Writing helped me find my voice, understand what resonated with readers, and, most importantly, grow my confidence.

Once I gained some traction on Medium, I decided to start my own blog. This was a whole new world for me. Setting it up, learning SEO, figuring out how to drive traffic — it was overwhelming at times. There were moments when I questioned whether I was in over my head. But I approached it the same way I approached writing: one step at a time. Over weeks and months, I figured it out. Slowly but surely, the traffic came, and my blog started generating income.

And then came my Substack newsletter. It started with just a few subscribers. The strategy was pretty basic, I cross-posted some of my paywalled articles on Medium to Substack. Today, it’s grown into a community of thousands of readers who genuinely care about what I share.

As my platforms grew, so did the opportunities outside of writing.

My skills as a developer and my growing interest in creating cool apps and solving real-world problems with AI led to the creation and launch of some products. Leveraging my audience from Medium, Substack, and my blog, I was able to get the word out about the apps quickly. The synergy between these platforms amplified my reach and helped me turn my apps into a revenue-generating product in merely weeks.

A little bit of advice:

• Your first attempt won’t be great, but keep showing up.
• Don’t rush to quit your day job. Use your current job as a safety net while you build. The freedom to experiment without financial pressure is invaluable.
• Leverage what you already have. Start with the tools and skills you possess. Use them to gain momentum.
• Treat everything like a stepping stone. Every new subscriber, a blog post, or an app feature, takes you closer to your bigger goals.

The most important lesson I’ve learned is that everything works together. Each platform, each project, each tiny effort contributes to the bigger picture.

Writing helped me build an audience.

My audience helped me promote my apps.

My apps brought in revenue, which gave me the freedom to create more. It’s a cycle of growth, and it all starts with that first step.

Your journey won’t look exactly like mine, and that’s okay. But if you start small, stay consistent, and take it one step at a time, you’ll be amazed at what you can build.

Change in my lifestyle

Quitting my 9-to-5 job changed everything. For the first time in years, I feel like I own my days.

I wake up without an alarm. Most mornings, I savor my coffee, read a book, or enjoy amenities in my building that I’d neglected for months.

Work doesn’t feel like work anymore. I can start when I want and stop when I’ve had enough.

Deadlines are no longer looming stressors. I’ve even started taking midday walks to clear my mind, something I never thought I’d have time for before.

I’ve been less anxious about work and less stressed out about deadlines. My family is happy too because I could take vacations more often and be with them on special occasions.

And perhaps the biggest improvement I’ve noticed is in my mental health. I’m calmer, more present, and genuinely happier. Living this way reminds me of an important lesson: Work should serve your life — not the other way around.

Most people don’t see it yet

Here’s the ugly truth: most people don’t realize how drastically the world is changing. They’re still following the old programming.

• Go to school.
• Get into debt for a degree.
• Climb the corporate ladder.
• Retire.

It’s not that these things don’t have value—they do. But they were designed for a different era. The world has moved on, but many are still training for jobs that might not exist in the next decade.

I remember asking my previous employer what it would take to get promoted. They asked me to study various programming languages and pass certification exams.

Fuck that mindset. Are they not aware of what’s happening in the tech space?

We’re in the middle of a massive shift. The internet and AI are creating opportunities that didn’t exist a few years ago, and the rate of change is unimaginable.

No one is coming to tell you.

If you’re waiting for the news to announce this shift, you’re too late.

If you’re reading about it on LinkedIn, you’re too late.

By the time these ideas become mainstream, the early opportunities are already gone. The best time to act was yesterday. The second-best time is today.

No one is coming to hand you a map. You have to see the trends for yourself.

For me, discovering these opportunities wasn’t something I could do sitting in my bedroom in Makati. It took curiosity, effort, and a willingness to step out of my comfort zone. I had to immerse myself in the tech space, follow the right people, and stay ahead of the curve.

Final Thoughts

I never imagined my entire business would one day fit in a backpack.

But here I am—running a publication, a website, and a newsletter from anywhere in the world. The tools I use are simple. The opportunities I’ve found are life-changing.

There’s risk in staying in a corporate job, and there’s risk in leaving too. But for me, the leap was worth it. It’s only been a month since I left my day job, and I can honestly say I’m happier, more fulfilled, and finally living with a purpose.

Right now, my focus is on scaling my businesses, gaining more clients, and creating even more profitable web apps.

That said, I don’t encourage you to follow exactly what I’ve done—this path isn’t for everyone. But if you’re not happy with where you are, why not explore some of the opportunities I’ve discovered? You might find something that sparks your passion.

In life, the biggest rewards often come from the boldest decisions. It’s not always easy to step into the unknown, but sometimes that’s exactly where your greatest potential lies.

Get out there. Learn. Fail. Try again.

The future is waiting for you.

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