Getting banned from Amazon, eBay, Shopify, and every other major marketplace wasn’t just a business setback—it was a complete wake-up call that forced me to confront the unsustainable patterns that had defined my entrepreneurial journey. As a former dropshipper and digital nomad who chased quick wins across e-commerce, NFTs, and digital marketing, I learned the hard way that violating platform policies and prioritizing short-term gains over long-term sustainability leads to inevitable failure. This is the story of how losing everything taught me to build a business that actually matters.
The Costly Mistakes That Led to My Downfall
Policy violations were my biggest blindspot as an entrepreneur seeking rapid growth. Like many dropshippers, I thought I could bend marketplace rules to maximize profits—using misleading product descriptions, manipulating reviews, and creating multiple accounts to circumvent restrictions. Amazon banned me for review manipulation after I paid for fake testimonials. eBay suspended my account for dropshipping violations when I couldn’t fulfill orders on time. Shopify terminated my store for promoting products that violated their acceptable use policy. Each ban felt like a surprise, but looking back, I was systematically ignoring the terms of service that keep these platforms trustworthy.
The pursuit of quick wins across multiple ventures created a house of cards that eventually collapsed. While managing my e-commerce operations, I simultaneously dove into NFT trading during the 2021 boom, thinking I could leverage my marketing skills for easy profits. I also started managing OnlyFans accounts for content creators, attracted by the high commission potential. This scattered approach meant I never developed deep expertise in any single area. When the NFT market crashed and my marketplace accounts got banned, I had no stable foundation to fall back on. My ADHD made it worse—I was constantly chasing the next shiny opportunity instead of building sustainable systems.
Alcohol became my coping mechanism as business failures mounted and stress overwhelmed my decision-making ability. Each account suspension felt like a personal attack, and I started drinking heavily to numb the anxiety of constantly rebuilding from scratch. The combination of financial pressure, social isolation as a digital nomad, and the addictive nature of social media validation created a perfect storm for burnout. I was spending 12-hour days trying to recover banned accounts, create new stores, and manage multiple income streams while my mental health deteriorated. The alcohol made everything worse—poor judgment led to more policy violations, which led to more bans, which led to more drinking.
Financial mismanagement during periods of success set me up for catastrophic failure when the income stopped. During my peak months, I was generating $15,000-20,000 in revenue, but I was living paycheck to paycheck despite the high numbers. Instead of saving or investing in legitimate business infrastructure, I was funding a lifestyle of expensive co-working spaces, frequent flights, and luxury accommodations across Asia. When the marketplace bans hit simultaneously, I had no emergency fund and significant monthly expenses. Credit card debt piled up as I tried to maintain my lifestyle while rebuilding, ultimately leading to bankruptcy when I couldn’t service the debt or generate replacement income fast enough.
How Bankruptcy Forced Me to Rethink Everything
Filing for bankruptcy was the moment I realized that sustainable business success requires following rules, not breaking them. The legal process of documenting every failed venture, every banned account, and every poor financial decision forced me to confront patterns I’d been ignoring for years. My bankruptcy attorney helped me understand that marketplaces have strict policies because they’re protecting millions of users—not because they want to stifle entrepreneurs. This perspective shift was crucial: instead of viewing platform rules as obstacles to overcome, I started seeing them as guidelines for building trustworthy, long-term businesses. The entrepreneurs who succeed on these platforms long-term are those who work within the system, not against it.
Sobriety became non-negotiable when I realized alcohol was clouding every business decision I made. After five months sober, I can clearly see how drinking affected my judgment during critical moments—from choosing which products to sell to how I responded to customer complaints. Alcohol made me impulsive and reactive, leading to the policy violations that got me banned in the first place. Getting sober wasn’t just about personal health; it was about developing the clear thinking necessary for sustainable business success. I now help other entrepreneurs understand this connection between sobriety and business performance, because the correlation is stronger than most people realize.
The coaching path emerged when I realized my most meaningful work had always involved helping others develop their potential. During my lowest point post-bankruptcy, I remembered how fulfilled I felt coaching youth soccer before my entrepreneurial journey began. That sense of purpose—seeing someone else succeed because of guidance I provided—was completely missing from dropshipping and NFT trading. I started informally mentoring other entrepreneurs struggling with similar issues: ADHD management, social media addiction, and the temptation to chase quick wins over sustainable growth. These conversations energized me in a way that profit-focused ventures never did, revealing that my next business needed to be purpose-driven, not just profit-driven.
Building systems and focusing on one income stream became my new approach after years of scattered efforts. Instead of trying to manage multiple ventures simultaneously, I committed to developing one sustainable coaching business. I’m currently generating around $1,000 per month through small coaching engagements while building the systems necessary for scalable growth. This means investing in proper CRM software, developing structured coaching programs, and creating content that genuinely helps my target audience rather than just driving sales. The goal is to have robust systems in place before I return to Asia, ensuring I can serve clients effectively regardless of time zones or location.
Building a Sustainable Business After Rock Bottom
My coaching business targets entrepreneurs who struggle with the same issues that derailed my previous ventures. Specifically, I work with business owners who need help managing ADHD in entrepreneurial settings, breaking free from social media addiction that hurts productivity, and understanding how sobriety can improve business decision-making. These aren’t typical business coaching topics, but they’re critical foundational issues that many entrepreneurs face but rarely address directly. My unique value proposition comes from having experienced these challenges firsthand while building and losing multiple businesses. I can provide practical strategies because I’ve lived through the consequences of ignoring these issues.
The systems I’m building prioritize client outcomes over rapid scaling, ensuring sustainable growth for both my business and my clients. Instead of trying to onboard as many clients as possible, I’m developing comprehensive programs that create measurable improvements in my clients’ businesses and personal lives. This includes structured assessments for ADHD management strategies, accountability systems for social media usage, and milestone tracking for entrepreneurs choosing sobriety. I’m also investing in proper business infrastructure—legal contracts, professional insurance, and financial tracking systems—that I completely ignored during my e-commerce days. These upfront investments slow initial growth but create the foundation for long-term success.
My content strategy focuses on providing genuine value rather than just driving sales, building trust with potential clients over time. I create content that directly addresses the questions entrepreneurs ask about managing ADHD symptoms while running a business, maintaining sobriety in high-stress entrepreneurial environments, and breaking social media addiction without losing marketing effectiveness. This content serves as both marketing and pre-coaching education, ensuring that potential clients understand my approach before we work together. The goal is to build a reputation as someone who provides practical, actionable advice rather than generic motivational content.
The plan to return to Asia represents a test of whether I’ve truly built a location-independent business that serves others rather than just funding my lifestyle. Unlike my previous ventures, which were designed primarily to support my digital nomad lifestyle, this coaching business exists to solve specific problems for my clients. The ability to work from Asia is a benefit, not the primary purpose. I’m preparing by establishing clear communication protocols, scheduling systems that work across time zones, and backup plans for reliable internet connectivity. This preparation contrasts sharply with my previous approach of assuming everything would work out without proper planning. The difference reflects my fundamental shift from lifestyle-first to purpose-first entrepreneurship.
The journey from marketplace bans to bankruptcy to building a purpose-driven coaching business taught me that sustainable entrepreneurship requires playing by the rules, maintaining clear judgment, and prioritizing client value over personal lifestyle goals. For entrepreneurs struggling with ADHD, social media addiction, or substance use issues, addressing these foundational challenges isn’t separate from business success—it’s prerequisite to it. My experience proves that rock bottom can become a solid foundation for building something meaningful, but only if you’re willing to fundamentally change your approach to business and life. The quick wins that initially attracted me to entrepreneurship were ultimately obstacles to the sustainable success I’m now building one client at a time.
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