my life story...

I went on a 2-hour podcast talking about EVERYTHING.

I lay out my whole life story - the failures, the embarrassments, the struggles, the joys & the teachings.

I didn’t hold anything back (which makes me a bit nervous tbh, many people who know me, never heard me say these things). 

But if I learned anything in the past years, it’s - truth can never be wrong.

Here’s what you can expect:

• How I went from failing English in school to earning my living with writing in English.

• How I went from isolation and heartbreak in Germany to freedom through travel, writing, and mentorship.

• I explain my 3 big resets: (Australia — my escape from Germany without speaking English, Ethiopia — opened me up for purpose and community, and the Netherlands — my psychedelic wake-up call).

• My blogging journey for 8–10 months with zero income (after buying a $1,300 course and a new laptop after mine was stolen)

• How I pivoted to X and Threads and sold my last valuable thing - a handpan - to hire a mentor

• How I did a massive free work campaign (even paid to promote other people’s posts), and on April 16, 2024, I closed almost $10k of ghostwriting retainers in a single day.

• How I burned out and shifted from ghostwriting to mentoring writers.

• How I built a community, doubled down on spirituality, BJJ, fitness, and offline time.

The themes that run through it all:

Seek discomfort, be honest in writing, earn credibility before teaching, optimize for freedom, serve first, and trust life.

So if you ever wanted to know me. If you ever wanted to know who Heythem really is and why & how he did what he did - this is the podcast to watch/listen to.

Here you go:

Here are the Timestamps:

[00:00–03:52] From Isolation to Global Connection — Haythem’s Early Struggles, Escaping to Australia, Overcoming Language Barriers & Finding Purpose

[03:53–15:28] Heartbreak & Transformation — Discovering a New Life in Ethiopia, Diving into Online Writing, and Breakthroughs in Blogging

[15:29–29:36] From Blogger to Ghostwriter — The Turning Point: Making $10K in One Day

[29:37–42:34] Reflecting on the Journey — Overcoming Doubts and Finding Mentorship

[42:35–55:21] The Value of Writing & Mentorship — Personal Growth, Success Stories & Finding Balance

[55:22–1:21:23] Embracing Freedom & Purpose — The Creator Economy, Writing Tips & Books That Changed Haythem’s Life

[1:21:24–1:35:24] The Power of Mentorship — Love, Service & Spirituality, and Changing Your Environment

[1:35:25–2:02:49] Fitness & Discipline — The Role of Athletics in Transformation, Closing Thoughts & Final Advice

With love,

Heythem