A 20-year-old from Bihar has drawn attention on Reddit after sharing his unconventional journey from a financially struggling childhood to earning thousands of dollars a month through freelancing and Web3-related work. Posting on the r/Indian_flex subreddit under the username u/Acceptable-Breath-92, the young freelancer said he grew up in a lower-middle-class family and was raised by his mother after his parents separated when he was five.
His journey into digital work began at 14, when he started teaching himself design and editing skills online. However, his early freelance career came to an abrupt end when PUBG was banned in India. The uncertainty continued through his Class 12 years.
"I knew I had to do something. So I started learning random stuff online and started an Instagram page. I edited and designed graphics for eSports (PUBG) teams in 2020 when I was 14. Also made some really great connections with online people. After a few months PUBG got banned and everyone I was working with stopped due to it. So did I. I also went into depression and started isolating myself from everyone. This went on till 12th grade (2024). I couldn't decide if I should get back to freelancing or continue with studies," he wrote.
Unsure whether to return to freelancing or pursue higher education, he eventually received an opportunity from an old contact who was launching a Web3 marketing agency in Noida. He decided to take the risk and opted out of pursuing a college degree. Instead, he moved to Noida and joined the agency for a monthly salary of Rs 15,000, with food and accommodation provided by the company.
"From a lower middle-class family to earning 5 lakhs per month – a crazy journey," an X user wrote while sharing a screenshot of his Reddit post.
See the post here:
from a lower middle class family to earning 5 lakhs per month
— Asmit (@coolcoder56) September 7, 2026
crazy journey 🫡 pic.twitter.com/EvIYVXSmSM
The experience, however, was difficult.
"While in Noida, I lived in an empty room with no furniture and just a mattress and my trolley. It did get better after 3 months—I got a few furnitures—but I constantly hated myself for doing a job with no future. Got into weed and alcohol (at 18). After 5 months of working there, I decided to come back to Bihar during Dussehra time and never go back," he explained.
The next few months were again marked by depression and isolation, but he eventually began looking for ways to rebuild his career. He started offering brand and logo design services for free to a niche technology community. At that stage, he was earning around $200-$300 a month.
Another contact from his Web3 network later approached him with a $200 monthly retainer for social media graphics. Although that arrangement ended after the contact lost his job, the two eventually decided to work together and find more clients in the Web3 space.
His previous experience at the marketing agency had also given him a deeper understanding of the industry, which helped him transition from simply providing design services to taking on more Web3-focused work.
"Everything started to make sense. In FY 25-26 I made 12L roughly, started with $200, and went to $2,000/month. This financial year I've been doing 4k/month consistently, and last month I hit my biggest month ($6.5k)," he added.
He claims his earnings have increased further in the current financial year, averaging around $4,000 a month. Last month, he said he recorded his highest monthly income yet at approximately $6,500.
"I saved up emergency funds, got a MacBook Pro (always dreamt of this), and retired my mom!! And get her gold every few months, also saving up to get a land/flat as we always lived in rented home," he said.
Despite the financial success, the 20-year-old acknowledged that his journey has come with personal sacrifices. He said he still struggles with isolation, has very few friends and has never had a girlfriend in real life. Reflecting on his experience, he contrasted his circumstances with people around him whom he believes use drugs and alcohol while blaming their situation.
"This isn't probably flex but more of my story; I hope this inspires someone to chase their dreams as well," he concluded the post.
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