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The Founder of Vakarui Paris Worked his Way Up from Ground Zero to a Net Worth of $2.1M

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Nike, the world’s largest supplier of athletic shoes; Adidas, one of the major sponsors of UEFA Champions League and New York Yankees; Jordan, the shoe brand for top athletes and sportspeople; Reebok, official footwear sponsor of Spartan Race, CrossFit, and Ultimate Fighting Championship. These top brands dominate the footwear industry and there are not many that can compete with the quality they offer. There is one brand that is turning the heads and gaining the attention of many, not only because it brings in a unique footwear fashion trend but because of the exciting success journey of its founder.

Vakarui Paris, a unique limited-edition shoe concept, is a brainchild of Mazayah Legend Andrews. Belonging to a family of footballers, Mazayah was living a successful life as an American sportsman. He started playing football in high school and even ended up in the Eastern Conference Team.

Destiny had something else in store for Mazayah. The Floridian footballer, who was acquiring a prominent identity in the sports industry, gave up on his game. Why? Because it was not his fate. Mazayah Legend Andrews was born to be an entrepreneur, and his $2.1M net worth and the success of his company is proof of it.

He stopped playing football because he wanted to set up his own business, and it was not easy. His journey to becoming a prominent entrepreneur took up a lot of effort and time. Playing football all his life, entrepreneurship was not something he was well-versed in.

From Football to High-end Fashion – A Success Story Worth Narrating

Mazayah Legend Andrews set up Vakarui Paris in 2015. Initially, the brand revolved around a one-of-a-kind limited-edition shoe concept. He was the designer of the shoe, and he chose Italy, one of the hottest destinations for footwear, for the manufacturing of the Vakarui Paris’ shoe collection. The shoes by his brand are handcrafted in Italy using high-quality materials.

The transition from football to the corporate sector was tough. After Mazayah left his football career, he gave his all to set up his brand. During the struggle phase, he had to stay in $20-hotels with his mother. It was an experience that he did not even think of living, but he did, for the sake of his dream.

Things were tough for him until he met the director of Stonecrest Mall. Mazayah shared his designs and the shoe concept with him, and it was the perfect timing. The director expressed deep admiration for this brand and offered him to open his store at the mall. It marked the start of the brand’s success and Mazayah ‘s journey to becoming a successful entrepreneur.

After the success of the brand, Mazayah opened his brand’s second branch in Atlanta. The brand that started with just two models has been featured in two high-profile fashion shows that took place in Atlanta and Miami. The 35-year-old entrepreneur’s transition into the corporate sector was complete; he purchased a house and a car, something many people can only dream of. He did that after he gave on his football career, where he had established a notable identity. Not to forget, football was one of his passions.

Even though the company started as a shoe brand, today, it has an entire clothing line. It has its headquarters in Hallandale with two other branches; one at Stonecrest Mall and the other at opposite to the Lenox mall in Atlanta. The company operates through its social media business page and has a brand in Paris as well.

Vakarui Paris’ team comprises of Mazayah, who serves as the CEO of the company, Sam is the district manager and a designer. Shann is one of those people who have been standing alongside Mazayah since the beginning of his company. She is the director of the company and the marketing manager. Also, she helped Mazayah with the original Vakarui shoes. It is a power team as together they run the brand’s operations on the internet and across the United States and Italy.

Mazayah Legend Andrews’ journey from the football field to the high-end fashion industry as a top entrepreneur is worthy of bringing into the light. He started from ground zero, gave up on his passion for football, experienced living in cheap hotels, all this for his company. Today, he has a net worth of $2.1 million, which is proof of his success as an entrepreneur.

The idea of Bigtime Daily landed this engineer cum journalist from a multi-national company to the digital avenue. Matthew brought life to this idea and rendered all that was necessary to create an interactive and attractive platform for the readers. Apart from managing the platform, he also contributes his expertise in business niche.

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Business

Remote Professionals Getting More Value for Their Work Thanks to Borderless Banking

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Not too long ago, the idea of working remotely from an island in Thailand or a co-working space in Berlin sounded like the kind of fantasy only tech moguls or backpacking freelancers could afford. 

Fast forward to today, and it’s as good as a global reality. Millions of professionals have cut the cord from traditional office life in exchange for flexibility, freedom, and a work-life balance that fits their personal rhythm and not their employer’s timezone.

However, as remote work has reshaped how people earn a living, it’s also pointed out the existing limits to most of the world’s financial systems. Traditional banking simply wasn’t built for a workforce that’s always on the move, operating in multiple currencies, and getting paid across borders. 

Thankfully, that’s where borderless banking like Black Banx have proven vital, and has quietly transformed the way money is managed for people vacationing and working overseas alike.

The Rise of the Remote Work Economy

Remote work isn’t just a pandemic-era trend that faded with Zoom fatigue—it’s become a defining feature of the modern workforce. A recent survey revealed that over 39% of Gen Z and Millennials planned to live and work abroad for extended periods this year, many staying six months or more in a single location. That’s beyond a short trip, and can be considered as good as a sabbatical with a substantial lifestyle shift.

According to recent estimates, the digital nomad economy now also contributes as much as US$787 billion annually to the global economy. And this isn’t just entry-level gig work. A third of digital nomads earn between US$100,000 and US$250,000, while another third take in US$50,000 to US$100,000 annually. 

It is indeed evident that the manner in which many make a living has changed. Unfortunately, most financial systems haven’t kept up.

Where Traditional Banks Are Still Falling Short

For those who have ever tried to open a bank account abroad or receive payment from a foreign client, they already know the drill: the paperwork is endless, delays are frustrating, and the fees? So much to do, even for the smallest amounts of money.

Just to name few of the hurdles remote workers still face with conventional banking:

  • Account setup restrictions: Need proof of residence, tax IDs, or a local job offer—things many digital nomads simply don’t have.
  • Slow international transfers: Payments can take days to process, which is a nightmare when rent’s due.
  • High foreign exchange fees: Currency conversions often come with steep, hidden costs.
  • Limited multi-currency support: Most banks still force users to operate in a single currency, making financial planning chaotic at best.

And perhaps most tellingly, many banks have digitized their operations but haven’t personalized their services. According to Accenture’s 2025 Banking Trends Report, while digital transformation has improved efficiency, it often sacrifices the customer experience. That’s not great news for people who live outside the lines.

Borderless Banking for Professionals Across the Globe

The concept of borderless banking goes far beyond wiring money internationally. Fundamentally, it’s also about being able to eliminate the friction between people and their money, no matter where they are in the world, and maintaining an ecosystem where geography, bureaucracy, and currency don’t stand in the way of financial freedom.

A working example of this is Black Banx, a Toronto-based fintech founded by German billionaire Michael Gastauer. Since launching globally in 2015, it has grown to serve over 78 million clients in 180+ countries as of Q1 2025, proof that people take to digital banking solutions when it is accessible, affordable, and is useful in just about any locale.

In the first three months of this year, Black Banx had also earned US$4.3 billion in revenue and US$1.6 billion in pre-tax profit, more than double from the same quarter the previous year and showing it has consistently delivered tangible value to global customers—remote professionals included

How Borderless Banking Maximizes Value for Remote Workers

1. Instant Account Access—No Strings Attached

The times of hunting down local branches or collecting endless documents just to open an account are finished. With borderless banks, users can open an account in minutes using just a photo ID—no proof of address or income required. That’s a lifesaver for anyone living outside their passport country or hopping from one location to another.

2. Multi-Currency Mastery

Managing money in multiple currencies used to mean juggling several accounts—or worse, losing money on conversions. Borderless platforms like Black Banx support 28 FIAT currencies and allow real-time currency conversions at competitive rates. That means remote workers can:

  • Invoice clients in one currency
  • Spend or save in another
  • Hedge against local currency fluctuations
  • Avoid excessive conversion fees altogether

3. Seamless, Real-Time Global Payments

Getting paid late, or paying others late, isn’t just inconvenient; it can damage relationships and disrupt your cash flow. With real-time payment support, remote workers can receive funds instantly, no matter where their clients are. This is particularly valuable for freelancers and entrepreneurs juggling multiple contracts across time zones.

Plus, bulk payment features and API integration streamline processes for those running teams or businesses.

4. Built-In Crypto Options

It isn’t surprising that many digital nomads are already deep into crypto. Whether it’s for investment, faster transactions, or avoiding traditional finance red tape, crypto is becoming essential.

Since 2016, Black Banx has allowed users to send, receive, and convert crypto (like BTC and ETH) within their accounts. That integration saves users from having to manage separate crypto wallets, and adds another layer of flexibility to their financial toolkit.

5. Secure Transactions

Remote workers often log in to work from cafés, coworking spaces, and airports, to name a few. Of course, this flexibility of being able to work almost anywhere should never come at the cost of security. Borderless banks like Black Banx use end-to-end encryption, AI fraud detection, and two-factor authentication to keep accounts safe from risky elements.

Financial Freedom, Not Just Convenience

Perhaps the most overlooked benefit of borderless banking is the freedom it provides. Not just to access money, but to fully participate in the global economy. For millions of professionals in underbanked regions like Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia, borderless banking has become a gateway to financial inclusion and a way to take on opportunities that typically wouldn’t be available to them if not remote.

By removing barriers to entry, platforms like Black Banx empower underserved individuals to both take control of their finances and increase their earning power by working with companies from higher paying markets. This democratization of finance isn’t just good for individuals, it’s good for the global economy as a whole.

As Black Banx CEO Michael Gastauer put it: “Our multi-currency solutions enable businesses to tap into global talent without worrying about payment complexities. We make cross-border transactions as seamless as local ones.”

The Road Ahead

By 2030, the number of digital nomads worldwide is expected to soar past 60 million, according to the Forbes Technology Council. That means tens of millions of workers will be navigating foreign currencies, time zones, and financial systems—all while expecting the same seamless experience they’d get at home.

Indeed, remote professionals aren’t just looking for places to work—they’re looking for systems that work for them. In a lifestyle built on flexibility, traditional banking is proving too rigid, too slow, and too expensive.

Borderless banking services like those offered by the likes of Black Banx, on the other hand, offer exactly what today’s global workforce needs: instant access, multi-currency support, real-time payments, crypto integration, and enterprise-level security—all in a streamlined experience.

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