How best would you describe bringing guns to a pillow fight? If you ask me, I think what Toyosi Godwin is doing with freelancing fits the puzzle perfectly.
Freelancing used to be the quintessential synonym for side hustles or an informal route to building experience for full-time employment. But the tides have changed and young people are building long-term careers in freelancing.
From making his millions as a freelance writer and influencer to building his own freelance platform, “The Writing Colony”, Toyosi Godwin has made himself a household name in the Nigerian freelance space. In this interview, he talks about his journey and the craft, and leaves tips for budding freelancers looking to optimize their skills for the long term.
Tell me about your journey into freelancing
Freelancing came into the picture in 100L. Initially, I didn’t know what it was, but I had roommates in their final year studying fine arts, and they were into designing on Fiverr. They were always talking about it and it got me curious. I did my research, got in, and eventually became an authority figure on Fiverr before I stopped. But Twitter really helped. I had a clout account that I later used for something else. I just chose an aspect of my life that I could put out.
When did it occur to you that you’d be doing this long-term?
I had experienced that work independence I didn’t get anywhere else, and was in control of my time and money. After school, I tried to get jobs and it wasn’t working; I just didn’t fit into the culture. So, I just knew freelancing was what I’d be doing for a long time.
Tell me about freelance influencing
Freelance influencing is using your following online to push content and clout for brands. You get to influence for brands working on a campaign and all.
Do you still work on Fiverr?
I don’t use Fiverr again because the competition became stiffer. I use the Writing Colony, which is my own platform and also do freelance influencing.
Are you the sole founder of The Writing Colony?
Well, I have an assistant, but she’s also like a co-founder. She was instrumental in building the Writing Colony. On paper, she’s an assistant, but she built the platform with me. We're like seven. Not all writers though; two are social media managers, and one is my manager.
What’s a typical work day like for you?
Wake up, lazy around for a while, and get the work done. Do as much as I can, and most times I work till late evening because of the pressure. To be honest, there is a lot of pressure. Freelancing thrives on time management; if you don’t know how to manage your time, you will be a mess. I face a whole lot of pressure.
This is why most times, I don’t go out because I’m always at home working. I work all through the week but recently started taking the weekends off unless it’s extremely urgent and I can’t take the weekend off.
How often does the cash come in?
There are times you get jobs often, and there are times you don’t get anything. The instability is there, but it pays if you know what you are doing. Of course, there are times when I feel at the end of myself and I get discouraged. But most times when that is going to happen, I just get a massive gig that keeps me going.
How much do you make on average?
So, when people ask me this question, I find it hard to answer. A project I do could be thirty or forty thousand, plus the freelance influencing. I get money from a lot of places so I can’t really point to the least. It’s not a stable amount; this month it could be six figures and the next five figures.
Have you made your first million?
Of course, it was in Uni and I was irresponsible with it at first. It was after that one I became more serious about it
How do you handle difficult clients?
I have experienced a few, but one thing I always tell my staff is to communicate well with clients and make them feel they are in a safe space. Most clients are not difficult, they just have issues trusting the brand. But then, we also have cases of people who are always in doubt or have issues with money. What we do is just turn down those jobs. My experience in freelancing has taught me that you don’t just take any job else it would just mess with you.
Do you have different experiences handling local and international clients?
My experience has been the same and all of them want quality. I’ve had simple and tough clients local and international clients. It depends on the person and how well you can relate with them to build good customer relationships. The reason local clients don’t pay well is that they don’t know your value. You have to work around putting your value out and telling your story. And whether we like it or not, there are some niches that won’t sell in Nigeria. For instance, poetry, blog articles, and SEO content will sell to foreign clients more.
What’s the misconception people have about freelancing?
That it’s an easy way to make money; please it’s not at all. It takes a lot of work and pressure
What’s your secret to making it big as a freelancer?
I wouldn’t even say that I’ve even made it big. I feel I still have a long way to go. But playing the long-term game really helped me. I started in 2016 or 2017 and didn’t relent; I learnt new skills and mastered more niches.
Any plans to diversify and take on other things?
Honestly, I don’t know. Right now I just want to write and build my clout influencing. Maybe when I go for my master's, I can now begin to diversify and do something more professional
Any mistake you’ve made along the way?
Not being prudent with the money I made first. It was terrible; I spent a lot and didn’t manage. Most freelancers get income randomly. I wish there was a plan where freelancers could get their money in an organized way
How do you now manage your income at The Writing Colony?
We have an account; most of the money is paid into the company’s account. I get my own personal money from influencing, but the income from writing goes to the company’s account. That way, it is easy to track.
What advice would you give to a freelance enthusiast?
It’s a very dicey decision. You have to make up your mind about it because it’s not easy. You also need to have a mastered skill which is the value you sell. Then, you should have a certain level of visibility; it could be your WhatsApp status, Twitter clout, Instagram, or LinkedIn followers. You just have an audience you can sell your skills to. The more you sell to them, the more they refer you. You should also understand the kind of freelancing you want to do. There’s the platform freelancing (Upwork, Fiverr, and the likes), there’s social media freelancing via Instagram, Linkedin, or Twitter. Every kind of platform has its own intricacies and how it works. So, understand the system you want to use and master it. Some people learn as they grow as well. I didn’t know so much about Fiverr until I started using it and learnt along the way.
What’s the plan for The Writing Colony?
We have new plans; new products and services to sell to clients. I also have an intern I’m training to be a web developer. If she comes out well, we can take it from there and teach other people with less amount.
If you are interested in building a freelance career, you may want to start with the checklist; Do you have the skill to sell? Do you want to do the platform freelancing or the social media freelancing? Are you set to learn as you grow? These are recommendations from a stellar freelancer you should trust.
You should also check out our article on finding and launching your side hustle.