1London
2Build
3Outreach
4Chiang Mai
Phase 1 — London exit
Now → mid April 2026 · ~4 weeks
Don't try to reinvent yourself yet. Keep it simple: finish the course, keep submitting, leave London with momentum not regrets.
Output targets
Static ad sets submitted (3 variations each)
8
by move-out
VSL video sets submitted (3 variations each)
4
by move-out
Brands submitted for
3+
different niches
Course completed
100
% done
Milestones
Finish the EcomTalent course completely
No more skipping sections or half-watching videos. Every module done before you leave London.
Skill
Submit to at least 3 of the 5 brands
Don't just stay in your comfort zone with FunPunch. Cover at least 3 different brands before you move.
Output
Get first media buyer feedback
Your cousin's opinion is not media buyer feedback. Get a response from someone testing your ads in the wild.
Skill
Give flat notice formally
In writing. Confirmed date. No ambiguity about when you're leaving and when the deposit clock starts.
Business
You already have 3 campaigns in. You are not starting from zero — you're starting from behind the pace. 4 weeks goes fast in London. Treat every free morning like it's the last one.
Phase 2 — Mom's house: build
Mid April → mid May 2026 · ~4 weeks
This is the most important phase of the entire plan. No rent, no commute, no London drain. You have one job: build something worth showing.
Output targets
Total static sets submitted across all brands
20+
cumulative
Total VSL sets submitted across all brands
10+
cumulative
All 5 active brands covered
5
brands
Media buyer feedback pieces documented
3+
responses
Milestones
Cover all 5 brands with at least 2 submissions each
Depth over breadth per brand. Study what's already working for each brand before submitting anything new.
Output
Lock in FunPunch reference formally
Sit down with your cousin. Agree exactly what's on the CV — title, dates, scope. Get it in writing if possible.
Business
Build a clean portfolio page
Simple one-pager. Your best 6-8 pieces, brief context on each, FunPunch featured. No fluff. Someone should be able to assess you in 60 seconds.
Business
Document and study every piece of feedback
Keep a running document. What worked, what didn't, what the media buyer said. This is your real education — treat it like gold.
Skill
Update CV and LinkedIn
Creative Strategist / Video Editor. FunPunch listed. EcomTalent community noted. Clean, professional, no gaps unexplained.
Business
Establish daily non-negotiable streak
14 consecutive days hitting every non-negotiable. Gym, water, no morning social media, daily ad study. Prove to yourself the routine works before outreach begins.
Skill
By end of phase 2 you should have enough to start real conversations. If you don't have the portfolio page live and FunPunch locked in by mid May, you're not ready to outreach — and you'll know it.
Phase 3 — Mom's house: outreach
Mid May → end of June 2026 · ~6 weeks
Creation doesn't stop — but now outreach runs in parallel. The goal is at least one retainer before you board the plane. Not a maybe. A signed deal.
Outreach targets
EcomTalent job board applications sent
Every
relevant post
Upwork profile live and actively bidding
Week 1
of this phase
Cold outreach to e-com brands per week
5+
per week
Retainer signed before departure
1
minimum
Milestones
Upwork profile live — first proposals sent
Profile complete with portfolio link, FunPunch reference, and a tight one-paragraph pitch. First 5 proposals sent within 48hrs of going live.
Business
First job board application sent
Apply to every relevant EcomTalent posting the moment it goes up. Don't deliberate — apply, then refine your pitch over time.
Business
First client conversation
A reply, a call, any real two-way exchange with a potential client. This is the proof your pitch is working. If it's not happening by week 3, rewrite the pitch.
Business
First retainer signed
Even at the lower end — $1,500/month changes everything. It means Chiang Mai is a working trip, not just a spending trip. This is the most important milestone in the entire plan.
Income
Flights booked
Book the flight by end of May. Don't leave it open-ended — a booked flight makes everything real and creates urgency around the retainer deadline.
Business
Chiang Mai accommodation confirmed
First month at minimum booked and paid. Don't arrive without a place to sleep — the stress will kill your first week's output.
Business
Rejection is part of this phase. You will apply and hear nothing. You will pitch and get turned down. That is not failure — that is the process. Failure is stopping. Keep applying, keep creating, keep refining the pitch. Six weeks is enough time to land one client if you're consistent.
Phase 4 — Chiang Mai
July 2026 onwards · 3 months
You should not be arriving here to figure things out. You arrive with money saved, at least one client, and a portfolio. This is where you scale what's already working.
Targets on arrival
Savings in the bank
£4,500
minimum
Active retainer clients
1+
signed
Portfolio page live with real work
Live
before you land
Goals for the 3 months
01
Scale to 2-3 retainer clients. One is survival. Two is stability. Three is the start of something real. Use the time zone advantage — UK and US brands often need someone working different hours.
02
Keep submitting bounties. Even with retainer work, bounties keep your portfolio fresh and your eye sharp. A winning ad at scale could still change your financial situation significantly.
03
Document everything. The wins, the losing ads, the feedback, the process. This becomes the content of your portfolio and the proof of your expertise when you pitch the next client.
04
Do not treat this like a holiday with a laptop. You have 3 months to prove this is a real career. The routine from mom's house travels with you — gym, water, daily ad study, no social media in the morning.
05
By month 3 you should know whether you're staying longer, moving to another base, or coming home with a freelance career that works anywhere. That decision should be made from results, not hope.
Chiang Mai is not the reward. It's the next level of the same work. The people who waste it are the ones who arrive thinking the hard part is over. It isn't — it's just starting in a cheaper city with better weather.