FBP 053: Leaving OFW Life to Become a Freelancer with Allan Donato of Payoneer

In this episode, our guest is also an OFW like our previous guest in Episode 49, Anne Quintos the author of Abroad Me book.

However, this time our guest is already a former OFW who has discovered freelancing to escape his engineering job in Saudi Arabia to come home after just 2 years. He is none other than Allan Donato – a freelancer, startup entrepreneur and the new brand ambassador of an international money transfer company dedicated to freelancers, Payoneer.

You will definitely love this interview and admire Allan’s perseverance, courage and dedication to his family. Imagine, working two jobs, as an engineer for a Saudi Arabian company during the day and as a freelancer at night!

Well, his hard work has paid off and he is now back home in the Philippines to pay it forward by providing jobs to his neighbors in Bulacan and by assisting fellow freelancers with their payment needs as the brand ambassador of Payoneer.

You will also hear from Allan why you need to open a Payoneer account and how to start accepting payments from your clients and use the money instantly with your Payoneer card.

Lastly, learn how to earn $25 by signing up at Payoneer.com and earn additional income just by referring your friends to open an account at Payoneer.

Meanwhile, here are the takeaways from the show.

Takeaways From This Episode

Why 2015 is an exciting year in the Philippines for Payoneer.
Why Allan decided to leave his BPO job and his family to work in Saudi Arabia.
How a medical condition in the family led him to freelancing.
The difficulty of working full-time as an OFW and part-time as a freelancer.
How Allan’s successful freelancing led him to leave his job in Saudi and come back home.
How Allan is paying it forward to other freelancers in his hometown of Bulacan.
How job competition, especially in Saudi Arabia, has leveled the playing field for Filipino OFWs and lowered the salary offers.
Why becoming an OFW is not as lucrative anymore.
Why Allan succeeded in oDesk over other freelance marketplaces.
Why Allan used Payoneer for receiving payments as a freelancer.
The advantages of having a Payoneer account for freelancers.
How Allan got involved with Payoneer.
How PayPal is different from Payoneer.
How to open a Payoneer account and receive your Payoneer credit card.
Why is having a US Bank Account under Payoneer useful for a freelancer?
How Marv takes advantage of Payoneer’s US Payment Service.
How freelancers can earn with Payoneer’s Refer-a-Friend program.
Sign up now and Earn $25! Click here for using Freelance Blend’s referral link or click the image below.

Links and Resources

Click here for pictures from the First Payoneer Forum

Allan Donato of Payoneer and Marv de Leon of Freelance Blend.

Quotes

“That’s a big risk, I know, but it was well calculated. Good thing naman that risk paid off.”

“Until now, I’m still a freelancer… and now I even have an opportunity to give jobs to others.”

“When you are already up there, you reach out to others who are in need of help. Ibaba mo yung kamay mo. Try mong i-angat yung ibang mga kasamahan mo.”

How can Payoneer enhance your payment acceptance experience as a freelancer? Please share your stories in the comment box below.

Are you struggling to get clients because they’ve never heard of you or your business?

Do you wish to stand out from your competitors and be considered the expert or influencer in your industry?

The answer? You need to build a powerful and irresistible Personal Brand.

How? By signing up for Freelance Blend and Freelance Pro’s newest learning event, Personal Branding Workshop for Freelancers and Entrepreneurs.

This new and improved 2-session workshop powered by Manila Workshops and sponsored by Payoneer will help you grasp the basics of creating a personal brand, learn how to promote and grow a powerful personal brand that everyone is talking about, attract more customers like bees to honey, and become the go-to expert in your industry.

Register NOW before we close the registration. SAVE P700 when you bring a friend!

Sign up today at www.manilaworkshops.com/personalbranding