When Ashley Cleveland was laid off from her tech marketing job in 2020, she didn’t just lose her income—she gained clarity.
Years of 60-hour workweeks and raising two young daughters had left her exhausted and battling anxiety and depression. Seeking a reset, Cleveland took what she expected to be a temporary sabbatical to Tanzania—but the move would change the trajectory of her life.
“I really checked in with myself and asked, ‘If life ended now, would I be satisfied with the story?’” Cleveland told CNBC Make It. The answer, she realized, was no. The political unrest and racial tensions in the U.S. added urgency to her desire to live abroad.
Ollie Walker for CNBC Make It
Cleveland’s sabbatical quickly became permanent. After visiting South Africa during her time in Tanzania, she fell in love with the country and, following a complex residency process, moved there with her daughters in 2023. Today, she resides in Cape Town, running several businesses that help people travel to, live in, and invest in Africa. Her ventures, including a popular YouTube channel with 86,000 subscribers, now generate around $122,000 annually.
Her journey hasn’t just been about financial independence—it’s also been about building a life aligned with her values. Cleveland employs other location-independent professionals, creates community events, and provides one-on-one guidance for people seeking similar transitions.
“I feel a sense of freedom, empowerment, and internal joy that I had to fight for daily living in the U.S.,” she said.
Financially, Cleveland is intentional and structured. Her monthly expenses cover housing, business operations, homeschooling for her daughters, and life insurance to secure their future.
She balances work and family life carefully, often working between five and ten hours a day, and has hired a housekeeper to ensure her time at home remains undisturbed.
Reflecting on the move, Cleveland stated that the long-term impact on her family. “I moved to make a life better for all of us—where we could feel safe, seen, and secure, and not have to fight for freedom every day.”
Her story is a modern example of how personal well-being, financial independence, and global mobility intersect in an increasingly location-independent world—showing that sometimes the path to freedom requires leaving everything familiar behind.
