Day: August 12, 2025

• In January 2019, Matt Lillywhite landed in Malaysia, hoping to become a full-time digital nomad.
• Living abroad was lonelier than he expected, and he struggled to manage his finances.
• Lillywhite now lives with his family in the UK, traveling less frequently and more intentionally.

On my first day in Kuala Lumpur, I posted the view from my apartment on my Instagram story and replied to messages from “jealous” friends.

Then, I put my phone down and realized I didn’t know a single person in the city.

I got bit by the travel bug during a working holiday in Australia in 2017, where I started dabbling in online writing.

When I got back to my home in the UK, I kept freelancing. With no office or set hours, I started to consider working abroad.

I thought being a digital nomad would offer unlimited freedom and the ability to make friends in other countries. But my expectations turned out to be very different from reality. Writing from a café all day without speaking to anyone was incredibly lonely, and keeping track of my expenses on the move was mentally taxing.

After spending nine months across 10 countries, I flew back to the UK in June 2019. I no longer travel as frequently, preferring to go on holidays where someone I know is either traveling with me or waiting on the other side. I find it much more fulfilling.

I thought becoming a digital nomad would help me save money

It can be hard to sustain a steady income as a freelancer, so I figured spending time in countries with a lower cost of living during the early stages of my writing career could be financially helpful.

Most digital nomads I followed online recommended saving three to six months’ worth of expenses prior to the trip for emergencies. However, in my excitement to see the world, I waited until I could cover my flight and the first few weeks’ accommodation, assuming I’d figure out the rest later.

I made a few embassy appointments and got my documentation in order for the countries I wanted to visit. I spent time in Australia to catch up with old friends before booking a ticket to Malaysia in January 2019.

Managing finances while travelling was stressful

A few days after landing in Malaysia, I was already counting pennies. I wanted to enjoy being in a new country, but didn’t want to empty my bank account within the first few weeks.

Growing up, my mum and I didn’t talk much about finances. When I started earning, I wasn’t well-versed in financial management.

By the time I reached Thailand, roughly three weeks later, I was telling myself I just needed one good month to get back on track financially.

But an unexpected expense, like a doctor’s appointment or an overweight baggage fee, always chipped away at my current account.

Some nights, I struggled to sleep, constantly wondering how I could feel so stressed with a lifestyle that enabled me to travel the world.

Living abroad was isolating

I tried to meet people at language learning events or at hostels, but as an introvert, it was difficult to talk to strangers. After a few weeks, I decided to keep to myself.

Meanwhile, I’d scroll through photos that friends back home were posting online: birthdays, nights out, people sitting around a barbecue. Their lives looked stable, whereas mine looked like guesswork.

I chose the transience of the digital nomad lifestyle, so I didn’t think I could complain. But every time I moved, I had to start all over.

New bus routes, new plug sockets, and, always, the loneliness crept in.

I lost motivation, struggled to focus, and stopped feeling like myself.

I now travel less frequently, but more intentionally

I was in Istanbul when I realized I hadn’t seen my mum in over six months.

I sent her a message asking if we could meet somewhere in Europe. A few days later, she booked a flight to Budapest, and we stayed together in a small Airbnb. We cooked dinner and watched a movie like we used to back home.

Even though we only spent a few days together, it helped me realize I didn’t need to travel to feel fulfilled. Connection was more important.

I stayed on the move for a bit longer, but since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, I haven’t gone back to long-term travel. I now live with family in Dorset.

I still travel occasionally and see it as a way to spend time with loved ones.

A few months ago, I went to Berlin with my dad. More recently, I visited my girlfriend in Boston, spending a week exploring bookstores and counting squirrels in the park.

Traveling is now less about a solo escape and more about being around people who make life worth living.

I still freelance in the UK, and I’ve had to learn from the financial mistakes I made abroad. I try to plan, track what I spend, and check if I can actually afford something before saying yes.

It sounds simple, but I’ve learned that simple money habits are often the most effective.

When people ask me what I do, I tell them I write, and I used to be a digital nomad.

“It sounds like a dream!” they often reply.

Parts of the digital nomad lifestyle were. I could technically work from anywhere, and I visited more countries in a few months than I ever thought I would in a lifetime. But I also went months without hearing my name or spending time with people who really knew me.

I wish someone had told me that before I left. Not just that travel can get lonely, but that one day I’d wake up, realize I hadn’t had a real conversation in weeks, and think that was normal.

Do you have a story to share about being a digital nomad? Contact the editor, Charissa Cheong, at ccheong@businessinsider.com

Beijing – Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian welcomed the upcoming meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating that China is pleased to witness enhanced communication and cooperation between Washington and Moscow, reports 24brussels.

Lin emphasized that Beijing supports all mechanisms aimed at peacefully resolving the situation in Ukraine. The spokesperson expressed satisfaction that both Russia and the United States are making efforts to maintain dialogue, improve their relationship, and seek a political resolution to the ongoing crisis.

The meeting is scheduled for August 15, 2025, in Alaska, marking the first in-person discussion between Trump and Putin since Trump’s re-election in 2024. This summit will also be significant as it represents Putin’s first visit to the U.S. since the conflict escalated.

Reiterating China’s commitment to a peaceful resolution, Lin stated, “We hope all parties concerned and stakeholders will take part in the negotiation process in due course and reach a fair, lasting and binding peace agreement acceptable to parties concerned at an early date.” He did not comment on the absence of Ukrainian representatives from the discussions.

China’s Role in US-Russia Dynamics

Recently, Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed optimism regarding the improving relations between Moscow and Washington during a phone call with Putin, following the Russian leader’s request for the conversation. State media reported that Xi acknowledged Putin’s updates on the latest engagements and the situation in Ukraine.

In the call, Xi mentioned, “China is glad to see Russia and the US maintain contact, improve their relations, and promote a political settlement of the Ukraine crisis,” highlighting Beijing’s interest in a stable geopolitical landscape.

• GoodShip has raised $25 million to overhaul shipping management with AI.
• The platform helps shippers buy and manage freight.
• Here’s the pitch deck it used to raise from Greenfield Partners and others.

Freight management startup GoodShip has raised $25 million in Series B funding. The company seeks to use AI to overhaul the trillion-dollar shipping industry.

The round was led by Greenfield Partners and featured participation from returning backers Bessemer Venture Partners, Ironspring Ventures, Chicago Ventures, and FUSE VC.

Three-year-old GoodShip, based in Bellevue, Washington, has raised $40.4 million across four funding rounds, CEO Ryan Soskin told Business Insider.

Cofounded by Convoy alums Soskin and CTO David Tsai, GoodShip is an operating system to help clients buy and manage their freight.

The platform unifies a company’s internal data using AI to track its shipping networks and recommend corrective actions — such as when they’re overpaying for a lane or on-time service is deteriorating.

It also has a procurement tool that analyzes historical data to help shippers make decisions when they’re running carrier bids.

“This is almost a trillion-dollar industry in North America that is largely still running on spreadsheets,” Soskin told Business Insider. The company says it can yield millions in savings and help customers cut down on late deliveries.

GoodShip isn’t alone. Uber’s Uber Freight unit uses AI to optimize shipping routes, while Penske Truck Leasing harnesses the tech for fleet maintenance. In the last-mile space, startups like Veho, Dispatch, and Deliveright are using it to design more efficient routes.

GoodShip has dozens of clients, including Tropicana, KeHe Distributors, Kellanova, and KBX Logistics, and says revenue grew by a factor of 10 last year. It monetizes with subscriptions that are based on freight spend.

The company will use its funding to build new tools with more automation, invest in AI, and grow its team — including doubling its engineering team by year’s end, Soskin said. The company had 30 total employees last quarter and expects to have 40 by the end of the third quarter.

Soskin said GoodShip is also looking to bring its platform to new geographies and new transportation modes.

The company also plans to lease a new headquarters in Bellevue as it transitions from a fully remote to a hybrid workplace — though employees who already live out of town will be “grandfathered in.”

The US has been in a long-running freight recession following the pandemic. While there were signs of growth earlier this year, Trump’s tariffs portended more rough roads ahead.

Here’s a look at the pitch deck GoodShip used to raise its $25 million Series B. Revenue figures have been redacted in order to share the deck publicly.