Hi, I'm Piya.

I created this website for you, and for me.

I probably don’t need to go into detail about all the stuff that happened in 2020. I’m sure you were there for it. And you probably came to some similar conclusions:

You can't rely on one source of income anymore.

Maybe you lost your job. Or maybe you were one of the lucky ones, and kept yours, but then you had to keep working while it seemed like the world was falling apart around you. Maybe you looked up and realized, even as you sat behind your computer, that this was a pretty strange way to spend your life.

I couldn’t agree more. I’m here to break you out of the soul-sucking, life-deadening, humans-didn’t-evolve-from-apes-to-sit-behind-a-computer lifetime that, for some reason (capitalism), we’ve all been shunted into.

Sorry, does that sound kind of angry? I’m not angry — I’m opting out. You should too.

Here, I’ll be exploring how to start freelancing with tips, business advice, in-depth interviews, ideas, and goals to shoot for, in addition to a little bit of philosophy and inspiration. It takes courage and a mighty will to alter the course of your life — but I think you can do it, and I’m here to do it with you!

Why is it called The Secret Freshman? What is a "secret freshman"?

The Secret Freshman is someone who might already have had a career. Maybe they spent 40 hours a week (or more), doing work that held no meaning or resonance for them. Perhaps they are in a relationship that is no longer enriching their life, or they realized that they always wanted to go to Belize, and didn’t see any way to get there in the next 5 years. And so, they take the first steps to move towards freedom.

But then they quickly find that:

There are so many things to learn, and so many things to unlearn, too. Is it too late? Are they too old?

You are not too old! But, you might fool some people. In this way, you are the Secret Freshman: the newbie who kind of looks like an oldbie.

Don’t think too hard about it, honestly. And remember what Penelope Cruz said in Vanilla Sky:

Every passing minute is another chance to turn it all around.

Quick Facts

Email: hello@piyawillwerth.com
My personal website: https://piya.party
Where I'm from: Los Angeles, California
Where I am now: Chicago, Illinois
Where I'll go next: Not sure yet! I've always wanted to live outside the US, though.