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Meet Irene Lidia Wang, the co-founder of the digital nomad publication Freaking Nomads. Welcome to “How I Escaped.” This Discovery Sessions interview series probes inspiring individuals who successfully ditched the rat race to inspire readers just like you. 

 

Where are you from or where do you feel local to?

Irene Lidia Wang: I was born and raised in Italy, but right after finishing secondary school, I moved to the UK where I spent nearly a decade. London became my home during my 20s. I got to know the city intimately, made lifelong friends, and felt more connected there than in Italy. However, I left London some time ago, and each time I return, it feels different. Now, I see the world as my home, and my sense of belonging has evolved to be more “global.”

 

How did you escape the rat race? Tell us the backstory of your former profession.

ILW: I worked as a UX/UI and Product Designer for startups in London. While it wasn’t the traditional corporate grind, the startup environment was dynamic, with each day bringing new challenges and requiring me to wear many hats. However, being tied to one location didn’t feel natural to me. I craved a balance between a dynamic work life and an equally dynamic personal life. So, during the pandemic, I decided to go freelance and embrace the digital nomad lifestyle, allowing me to travel the world while working.

 

 

What advice would you give someone looking to become an online business owner? 

ILW: Today, I’m the co-founder of Freaking Nomads, an online publication and community for digital nomads, offering guides, tips, inspiration, and resources to help people live and work from anywhere in the world, and also Remote Nomad Jobs, a curated job board showcasing only 100% fully remote jobs across the globe for those looking to travel and work as digital nomads.

 

My advice to anyone looking to become an online business owner or entrepreneur is to start by identifying the challenges you personally face in your life. It’s tempting to focus on immediate returns, but the most sustainable projects are born from solving real problems. Begin with something you’re passionate about, especially a challenge you’ve experienced yourself. For me, it was the difficulties I encountered as a digital nomad, which are plenty. When you start from a genuine need, you’re more likely to create something people will actually use.

 

What does a typical day in the life look like for you (if you have one)? 

ILW: My typical day varies depending on where I’m currently based. Right now, I’m on Boa Vista in Cape Verde, a chill and very small island off the coast of Western Africa. I usually start my day with a morning visit to the beach, then begin work around 9 a.m., continuing until lunchtime. I get back to work in the afternoon, wrapping up around 4 or 5 p.m. Evenings here are very cool, with local events like live music or beach parties—there aren’t many tourists (it’s currently low season), so it’s a great way to connect with the community and wind down the day.

 

What’s the biggest challenge of being an online business owner? 

ILW: Patience. It can be tough to keep going when results aren’t immediate or when things don’t go as planned. It’s easy to become short-sighted and focus too much on the present instead of the bigger picture. Building products or a brand is hard work that takes years, so it’s a huge lesson in consistency (which I was crap at) and staying humble.

 

What’s the biggest reward of being an online business owner? 

ILW: Patience. I’m learning that patience truly is a virtue of the strong, not just professionally but personally as well. Traveling full-time means things often don’t go as planned, but I’ve recently started embracing things as they are, without building up expectations. This mindset has brought a sense of calm and resilience that I consider one of the biggest rewards of this lifestyle and in life in general.

 

 

What does freedom mean to you? When do you feel freest?

ILW: A few months ago, I would have said that freedom meant location independence—being able to travel wherever and whenever I wanted while sustaining myself financially. That was my original motivation for becoming a digital nomad. Today, freedom means so much more. It’s about unlearning certain beliefs that were ingrained in me from living a “traditional life,” things I once thought were a given. For example, I used to believe that a stable routine was essential for productivity and well-being. However, through my travels, I’ve learned that flexibility and adapting to new environments can be just as fulfilling (and necessary), if not more so. This shift in perspective has made me realize that true freedom is as much about mindset as it is about physical location.

 

What advice would you give to someone wanting to become location-independent, work online, and maximize their freedom?

ILW: Do it. Whether it’s for a week or a lifetime, it’s an incredible experience that opens the door to immense personal growth and unforgettable memories. You can always take a temporary or permanent pause if needed—there’s nothing to be afraid of or ashamed of. There’s this idea that quitting something is a bad thing, but it is really not, because you might still learn from it and take it with you forever. The freedom and opportunities you’ll discover are worth every step of the journey.

 

 

What do you wish you did differently (in work or life)? 

ILW: I wish I had learned how to code a website sooner (lol).