My Name is Ahsan. I belong to Shikarpur Pakistan. As a young boy, my mother used to watch cooking shows on TV, I used to give her company and watch the shows.
From a very young age, even in pre-Kinder Garder class, I started helping my mother in the kitchen and learned cooking. I began to like it and starting cooking on my own.
I and my mother starting showing more interest in the cooking shows. My mother learned how to bake cakes. As a young kid, I used to eat more than cook but I was passionate about cooking cakes with her. I tried many times but did not succeed. In an attempt to learn fast, improve my skills, I started watching late-night cooking shows. When my dad would come home from work, only then I used to shut the TV off.
Cooking – My First Love:
I was so obsessed with cooking and baking that I learned how to bake tasty cakes quickly. Such was the burning desire that one day while commuting to a place in our car, I saw a CHEF on the road and pleaded with my father to stop the car so I could talk to him. My father did not pay attention to my request because he did not like my cooking obsession. I was in class 3 *3rd Grade* when I first spoke to my father about my love for cooking. He did not like it a bit and tried to talk to me about a better choice as a hobby than cooking.
As TABOO as it sounds, cooking is for females; you’ve got to pick a better habit, was the summary of our discussion.
My love for cooking did not stop. To be honest it grew further because whenever I used to watch CHEF on TV, the burning desire to be a successful cook simply ignited higher. I wanted to become one of the best in my field, acknowledged for my fine work just like the CHEF’s in TV is.
The passion to get recognized started with a YouTube channel:
I decided to create a YouTube channel. On my channel, I created videos teaching “How to make tasty cooking”. To my hard luck, my mother got her hands on my mobile. She informed my father about the YouTube channel. Dad, naturally not aligned with my obsession for cooking, deleted my YouTube video. I was very sad.
Being sad is something, wearing sadness to kill your obsession kills you, deep inside before it exhibits its true color outside. I loved cooking and there was no second thought about quitting the hobby. A hobby that would orchestrate new avenues for success in the future.
I created another YouTube video. I did not inform my mother, fearing she will get angry at me and inform dad and I may lose the second video too. This time around, sadly – mom figured out. She got to know because I cooked again late at night *dust of cake flour on floor* in the kitchen resulted in me being caught off guard. To stop the matter from being brought to the notice of my father, I cried and tried to convince my mother about my love for cooking and baking. My mother agreed and allowed the video to stay on YouTube. The video gained over 1000 views and fetched me few subscribers too. I will leave the YouTube story to some other time. Let’s move forward for now.
Desire to make money online:
My father brought a new Smart TV. If you are familiar with Smart TV, it has internet too. As my phone was broken, I started using the internet on TV. I came across a website that offered typing jobs. The aim was to buy an OVEN to pursue my cooking desire. I tried my luck but in vain.
I gave up on data entry work. Most of the jobs were fake anyway and were waste of time. I came across videos teaching freelancing on YouTube. I created an account on Upwork. To my hard luck, my 1st three accounts got suspended (Pun intended). I did not have any skill and to make money from the marketplace was an off-beat. To no surprise, I was shown the exit door every time I tried to make a comeback on the portal.
When I got promoted to Grade 4, my father bought a PC. I started playing games of cooking and baking. Around this time, I created my 1st Fiverr account. I understood the importance of learning a skill as my attempt to succeed on Upwork was a disaster. I started learning Graphic designing. I worked hard in learning this skill. I came across the channel of famous YouTuber “Tamoor Pardasi“. I found his content not only inspirational but it also initiated a fire inside me. For the very second time in my life, I was convinced and determined to do something. I wanted to make my parents proud.
Learning skills:
Initially, as a graphic designer, I did not succeed. With persistence and hard work, sometimes sleeping on my desk as I was too tired to get off my chair, the goal was to make things happen. Whenever I thought about quitting, I would ask my self “why did you start in the first place”?. The answer sufficed my inspirational kick to raise the heads of my parents with pride.
Success on Fiverr:
Alongside graphic designing, I learned Shopify dropshipping, e-commerce store designing and development. I got my first order on Fiverr. Luckily my GIG got ranked for this service and all of a sudden, I am a blue-eyed freelancer who has a good influx of projects from clients all over the world.
I achieved Level two and I was only 14 years old. Within 6 months, getting promoted to Level two was a dream come true.
Conclusion:
My story is a story of a curious young man who has a desire to do something for himself and his parents. No, I am not rich but I am proud of where I am. I see light at the end of the tunnel. I see a path I can proudly walk on. I have also started my Freelance Academy where I personally teach students, some elder to me. I am sharing my experience and trying to make a difference in their lives.
Success does not come to you overnight. It is a reward of unlimited struggle, hard work, joys, and sorrows but most importantly, success is all about believing in yourself.
You only lose when you lose a battle with yourself. As long as you keep a burning desire ignited inside, the outer you would march on.
A little word about my cooking KICK, well — maybe next time 😉
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