A few years ago, I thought freedom was something you worked your way up to. You put in the hours, climbed the ladder, saved a little, maybe changed jobs once or twice and eventually, you'd earn the right to slow down and enjoy life.
But that never happened. The ladder kept stretching. The workdays got longer. And the feeling of being stuck? That just became the default.
I wasn’t in a bad place. I was just… always tired. Not just physically, but mentally like I was constantly one deadline, one late payment, or one missed opportunity away from falling behind. Life had structure, but not a lot of meaning.
That’s when I started looking at alternatives. Not big, dramatic moves just quiet possibilities.
Where It Actually Started
I didn’t grow up dreaming of being a business owner. I didn’t even think it was for people like me.
But something changed when I saw ordinary people (people with kids, day jobs, student loans) starting small online businesses on the side. Not to become millionaires, but to buy back their time. To stop living paycheck to paycheck. To have something that was theirs.
I started reading more. I watched people share their stories about freelancing, selling on Shopee, doing affiliate marketing, building online stores. I wasn’t even convinced I’d do it myself but the idea kept showing up.
What really pushed me was how practical it felt. I wasn’t looking to launch a startup. I just wanted to find a system that didn’t require inventory or shipping things from my home. I needed something lean, manageable, and beginner-friendly.
That’s how I found dropshipping.
Starting Small and Scrappy
I didn’t overthink it. I opened a free trial account on Shopify. I listed one product, a reusable household item, I thought people would actually use. I connected it to a supplier. I set up a very basic store.
I was awkward. The product photos weren’t great. My FAQ page had typos. I didn’t have a marketing budget. I just a Facebook post and a prayer.
And then one night, my phone buzzed. It was my first sale. I didn’t jump or scream. I just sat there for a minute and stared at it.
Someone I didn’t know had bought something from me. It wasn’t a windfall, but it was the most validating ₱899 I’ve ever earned.
From there, I kept tweaking and learning. I used a local guide that made the whole process less intimidating especially the parts about shipping, handling payments through GCash or Maya, and optimizing for platforms like Shopee and Lazada.
It was messy at first. But I kept going.
The Reality Behind the Scenes
People love to romanticize online businesses. You’ve probably seen the TikToks of someone working from a beach or casually saying, “I made six figures in my sleep.”
That wasn’t me.
I was working after my day job, trying to understand logistics cutoffs. I was Googling things like “how to deal with customer returns” at 1 AM. I dealt with unresponsive suppliers and courier delays. There were weeks with zero orders and moments I thought about quitting.
But it’s funny how momentum works. Once you’ve seen even a little proof that your effort can turn into something real it’s hard to go back.
What Actually Changed
People assume the biggest benefit of having an online business is money. And yes, the extra income helped. I used it to pay down debt, cover small emergencies, and even fund a short trip, something I hadn’t been able to afford in years.
But the real shift wasn’t financial. It was mental.
I stopped feeling trapped by my schedule. I didn’t have to ask for permission to take a Monday morning slow. I no longer dreaded opening my banking app. I had something I built even if it was small.
There was a sense of control I hadn’t felt in a long time.
And that control spilled over into other parts of my life. I started cooking again, because I finally had the energy. I was more present during conversations, less preoccupied with unpaid bills. I started seeing possibilities instead of just problems.
That’s what I mean when I say “free.” Not free from work but free from the feeling that I had no choice.
E-Commerce in the Philippines Is Evolving
This didn’t happen in a vacuum. The shift in the local digital landscape made this possible.
In 2024, over 73 million Filipinos shopped online.¹ That number is still growing, and platforms like TikTok Shop, Lazada, and Shopee are continuously optimizing the seller experience. The e-commerce market is projected to reach over ₱350 billion in value by 2025.²
The infrastructure is there. Payment systems like Maya, GCash, and PayMongo have made transactions seamless. Local logistics players like J&T Express and LBC cover nationwide delivery, even to rural areas.
In other words: this is no longer just for tech people or entrepreneurs. It’s for anyone with an internet connection and the willingness to try.
For Anyone Sitting on the Fence
You don’t need to be extraordinary to start. I wasn’t. I didn’t even have a clear plan when I began. I just had a willingness to experiment.
That’s what I’d say to anyone reading this and thinking, “I don’t know enough.” None of us do when we start.
You can keep your day job. You can go slow. You can build at your own pace. This isn’t a race. It’s just a different way of thinking about income and ownership.
And if you’re like I was (stuck, burnt out, and unsure of what else is out there) then maybe that’s your sign to just start looking. Not to quit everything, but to test the waters. There’s a lot of middle ground between “employee” and “CEO,” and you get to define it.
Defining Success for Yourself
I didn’t build a massive brand. I don’t have a team. My setup is still simple.
But I’m proud of it.
Because now, I know I can make money without sitting in traffic for two hours. I know I can create systems that earn while I’m off my laptop. I know how to build, launch, and fix things. These are skills I didn’t have before.
I still work hard. But I don’t feel stuck anymore.
And that’s what I mean when I say it wasn’t about getting rich. It was about getting free.
References
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Statista (2024). Philippine eCommerce Revenue & Online Users Report.
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SellersCommerce (2025). Global eCommerce Growth Forecast.