First of all, I have to say that it is still a shock to me that I survive mostly through writing and creating content, so I think that is something that would hit you as a creative…especially living in Nigeria.

Read More: 25 Things I Want To Do AT 25 https://goldgerry.com/2020/08/17/25-things-i-want-to-do-at-25/

This is true because being a creative in Nigeria is like proving yourself every day in a job pool filled with ‘professional jobs’ such as Accounting, Administrator, Nursing and others we’ve been conditioned to see as ‘real jobs’. The constant reminder that there are little or no jobs in general so you have to create most of your opportunities yourself. My biggest self-created opportune is my blog- this right here and most of my jobs are gotten because of it.

I have learned the essence of Personal Branding.
Personal branding isn’t something any one person knows fully about and each brand is unique to itself. So I continue to learn the uniqueness of my brand and how to present it to other paying brands, readers and even passerbys.

Check out Uche Ugo for personal branding tips https://www.instagram.com/ucheugo/

Publishing a service list in 2020 was a move I thought necessary, not only for self-clarity but it helped me realise what my strengths are.

In 2020, I wrote a few academic pieces, and although it was a learning moment where I had to read a lot on the topics, it made me realise that I needed not to do that anymore because I did not enjoy it. If there’s one thing about me and how I succeed as a creative, it is by indulging more and if not only in projects that make me happy.

If I cannot think of a project and feel sparks or butterflies in my stomach, then I wouldn’t put in my best. I put out the best work when I enjoy myself.

Out of these, the biggest lesson for me was accepting that not all jobs are for me.

This realization came at the end of 2020, at a time when some of the people/brands I talked with didn’t proceed to close. So the conversations would always start off nicely with acknowledgement of how good a writer I am and how much I am needed to lead a team…and usually, this excites me- I mean, why wouldn’t it?.

However, it comes to a sting when we get to payment.

“So what’s the offer” I would ask, and I notice how the tone in their voice would change. I have had someone say to me that she thought the pricelist I sent to her via email was an error, in fact, she referred to it as a typo.

Editor’s Pick, 6 Signs You Need To Quit Your Job: https://goldgerry.com/2020/08/27/6-signs-you-need-to-quit-your-job/

Not closing these deals made me feel like I was doing something wrong. Maybe I am overpriced, maybe I’m just doing too much and need to accept their offer. But no, I am not.

As a creative, I have come to accept that just because someone appreciates my art doesn’t mean he/she can afford to pay for it and that is okay.

And I believe this is a struggle for most creatives in Nigeria- Getting offered payments below your pricelist, under the shade of ‘exposure’.
Now, this is where you have to realise that you alone decide what is exposure for you. Do not let a prospective client sell that to you as an advantage of working with/for them. That power only belongs to you, so own it.

Now, owning it is one thing, but actually living it is another. Because the moment you accept this, you begin to see the charade of opportunities in jobs, especially those in the Nigerian market. Which would mean that you would rarely get good-paying jobs.

For me, I have accepted that most of my clients aren’t in Nigeria so I do not even target them. As a matter of fact, I have stopped applying for jobs, well except it hits the financial mark I want and is fully remote.

If you choose to be a creative in Nigeria on a full time basis, then moving to Lagos should be in the cards for you as most of the jobs are in this city.

Being a creative also means deciding for yourself what kind of work environment you need, I have decided on mine and the class of people that are able to afford my work…and I assure you that I am at peace.

There are creatives in Nigeria who do it as a hobby, others do it on the weekends and then there are others like me who depend on it. Because if I no write, I no go chop.

EARNING 6-FIGURES AS A CONTENT CREATOR

The first time I got offered a six figure job as a content creator- by a Nigerian company, had my mouth on the floor. So believe me when I tell you there is a market for your work and you just have to find it.

What You Have To Do

-Learn How to Pitch:
Pitch yourself, pitch a product/service, pitch an article.
Pitching is just like selling and I remember a rhyme I learnt in University- “Sell yourself, sell yourself, cause nobody will sell yourself for you”.
I am still learning how to but I’ve cracked a method that works best for Writers like myself, so search online and read.

Writers and Journalists, do follow Writers Of Color on Twitter for Freelance opportunities: https://twitter.com/WritersofColor

-Have A Portfolio
If you are going to sell yourself as a Creative, then you need to have a trail of work that shows just what you are about. before I started writing full-time, I had no clients, so no portfolio. All I did was research relevant topics, wrote at least 600 words per topic and put them all in a folder. There you have it- a portfolio. My blog also helps with visibility.

You could also build a portfolio using Canva, check this out: https://www.canva.com/learn/portfolio/

-Target Paying Brands

This is something I want to do more this year- target brands I would love to work with and just shoot my shot. Personally, I think about the biggest dream I want to be achieved and I just do it. What is the worst that could happen? No? That’s easy because you already have it even before shooting.

-Learn How To Negotiate

This is a skill I am glad I have. Knowing your pricelist is good but you also need to know how to negotiate beyond and even below it.

-Be Confident

I’ve learned that people are not only buying into what you can give to them but they’re buying into you as well. I am a brand and so I choose to carry myself as a confident one because people can sense it.

Even if you’re the worst at what you do, sell yourself confidently.
Be bold and speak up.

Read More, 5 Ways To Build Your Self-Confidence: https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-boost-your-self-confidence-4163098

What Is The Goal?

I watched Dolemite Is My Name two nights ago and he said something that stayed with me “I want the world to know I exist” and really that is all I crave/work for.

Gold Gerry, I as a brand and a person have a lot to give and I want to do that through storytelling, films, and content creation.

So what is your goal for the month, the year and what steps are you taking to achieve them.

This year, I would love to host a few creative events where we could all come together to network, talk about opportunities/work and figure out ways we can move up the ladder.
I hope to see you at one of these hangouts.

People only take chances on people that invest in themselves. Put out your work like you’re getting paid for it. It should always be quality over quantity. Know your mission and work within it.

Happy New Year my loves and I wish you a very prosperous year.

I remember so vividly the day I opened my first blog. It was at a cafe, big white computers with dirty keyboards and I had paid N100 for an hour time. Getting that notification “Congratulations! Your Blog Is Ready” made my entire year and it was December 30th, 2014, so imagine that.

Blogspot was the first platform I started with before moving onto WordPress in 2017. Blogging has always been a way for me to express myself and get away from my head/feelings. I needed so badly to vent and talk to someone without having to talk to anyone in particular, so it was perfect.

Over the years, blogging has become so much more for me. It has become a huge part of my humblebrag as it has helped me get a lot of jobs and opportunities I normally wouldn’t have gotten. In plain terms, it has helped in my journey of self-discovery.

Read more on my background and how I got started https://goldgerry.com/2018/03/26/new-blogfirst-post/

I have had other Writers/Creatives showcase their work on my blog and even more importantly helped some people through difficult times and I couldn’t be happier.

And today, it is with joy in my heart that I welcome you to my new phase. Gold Gerry’s Blog has gone from goldgerry.blogspot.com to goldgerryblog.wordpress.com and now to goldgerry.com and at every change/upgrade, you have been there so this is also about you my readers turn family.

So cheers to finally having a permanent domain registered and getting a hosting, a special thank you to my friend Kunle Alexander for helping me set all of this up.

Now that we have a few changes and upgrades, I want to let you know what to expect from me and what I’m looking forward to the most in this new chapter.

WHAT I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO

1. Consistency: At least two new posts every week

2. Collaborations: With brands and fellow creatives- writers, photographers, fashion designers

3. Growth: I had over 2000 visitors and readers before getting a domain and I’m hoping to increase that by 100% in 6 months

4. Creating Content: I am changing and I believe that my blog and content is reflecting that as well, so I’m looking forward to using my experience to create valuable content for you

WHAT YOU SHOULD EXPECT

1. An Extensive Category: If you check the category column it reads a short story, erotica, lifestyle, finance and relationship. I want to have these and maybe much more categories later as I intend to give a lot more of lifestyle content, so you get to know me more aside my sloppy love stories.

2. Consistency: At least two new posts every week on Gold Gerry

3. Collaborations: This is I am most excited about, so you would be seeing a lot of other contributors that I love their work and I think are helpful, some partnerships and product/service promotion(because I am well on my way to becoming an influencer).

4. More Social Topics: At the beginning of my blogging years I always used to wonder why I wasn’t getting engagements on my posts and then I realised it was because they were more of opinion pieces than conversational.

So, I changed that a bit and started getting likes and comments on my recent posts(turns out my readers like to talk as much as I do) and so, I would be sticking with that.

And that’s about it, I am mostly here to have fun with you guys and learn about life.

I love you so much for reading, thank you.

Go ahead and enjoy this lovely piece https://goldgerry.com/2020/08/05/god-when-maybe-youre-just-asking-wrong/

Love,

Gold.