She Was A Millionaire At 28. Now Samia Burton Lives In A Van — And Loves It

After becoming a millionaire at the age of 28, popular podcaster, producer, and mother Samia Burton should have felt on top of the world. Instead, she was second-guessing her success and in need of a change of pace.

“I should have taken some time to explore it, but I was uncomfortable with the success,” the former Sexual Essentials host says. “I was uncomfortable with the idea of retiring at 28 as a millionaire. So, I got scared and said, ‘Well, I’ll invest all the money into this house in Atlanta, and I’m gonna convert it to a content house.’ But when that faded away, it was a call for me to elevate. I chose to take everything that I had earned to pour into trying to do something for the community that the community didn’t ask me to do.”

That decision eventually led her to file for bankruptcy just a few years after reaching millionaire status.

“When I filed for bankruptcy, I felt it came from overgiving. If you constantly give yourself to people without making sure that they’re there for you, you put yourself in a position to be taken advantage of,” she says. “I also think that when God is trying to reach you, whatever God means to you, He’ll reach you where you are. So, if you’re trying to evolve from that same playbook, it won’t work for the next level. I was successful with Sexual Essentials because it was pure of heart. But then certain things no longer aligned with where I was.”

In the spirit of pivoting, Burton chose an alternative life src="https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/DSC09850-scaled.jpeg" alt="She Was A Millionaire At 28. Now Samia Burton Lives In A Van — And Loves It" width="400" height="600" />Courtesy of Samia Burton

“Doing this has been easier than most things in my life. It just feels so right. It’s a failure that landed me somewhere where I have freedom,” she says. “I had to learn the difference between wealth and abundance. When I got wealth, that scarcity set in. I used up all my abundance, which included time, energy, joy, and my hobbies. For wealth, I knew that my extensive portfolio could leave my child with it. But my life didn’t become more abundant because of it. So when you’re trying to figure out what fits and what doesn’t, if there’s no abundance in your decision, it’s not for you.”

Burton acknowledges that van life isn’t for everyone, but she’s found support through online communities and prioritizes giving back.

“I go on one of my van apps, I find van lifers and people who live on the road who give great suggestions. I have followed it to a T. I also make sure I support the community. Whenever I see someone who might need something I have the supplies for, I make a care bag for them because I don’t ever want to appropriate the hippie van life homeless culture. They have it so much harder.”

She continues to create content on the road, including The Bankrupt Millionaire podcast, and has even picked up a hobby that brings her great joy and can be done wherever her van takes her: roller-skating.

“I found even more community through my love of skating, which is why I encourage anyone to get a hobby that you can take with you anywhere. It’s about maintaining those routines and transferring them to any city,” Burton says. “There are skating rinks everywhere in the world. So knowing what your hobbies are and making sure you have something to do whenever you go to another city, you can be the same person you are all the time.”

On this journey, Burton has learned a vital lesson: choosing alternative living has allowed her to live fully. Not just for others, including her son, but for herself. So for those who may be intrigued by van-lifing, including parents, she advises that you take small steps. That includes adopting a more minimalist life rel="tag">Home

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