Chisom – Punctuality Is The Key To Success Of Freelancing

While the world was in lockdown and brewing Dalgona coffee, Chisom from Nigeria had a plan to start something that excited him and earned him some financial freedom. He began freelancing in 2020 when Covid was at its peak. 

Meet Chisom Nnaji from Nigeria, a canva coach, and a content marketing specialist. 

Journey To Freelancing

Chisom began freelancing in 2020. When we asked Chisom how he got started, he answered, “I looked on Instagram for some folks who were already creating, writing, and designing stuff and were successful.” He also stated that he took some online classes to improve his talents. Chisom’s only mantra was to practice as much as possible. Then there came a day when he felt confident enough to post his first Instagram post.

As time passed, Chisom’s services became more well-known, and people began to talk about them.

He exclaimed, “It’s a never-ending learning process.”

A Friend In Need Is A Friend Indeed

Like every Phoebe needs Joey, every Kabir Singh needs Shiva, Chisom had his web developer pal who was with him throughout his journey’s ups and downs. When asked how his services ended up in Switzerland, his first client was from Switzerland. Chisom laughed and stated that it was because of his best friend. He was working on a website for a client who wanted an Instagram content producer, so he suggested me to them, and that’s how I got my first client.

Chisom also said that he underpriced his first client because he did not understand how to price or devise a strategy. However, Chisom claimed he came up with different pricing strategies for other services. To which he added that he raises the price after each skill gain. 

Mountain Of Challenges

Chisom said with a smile, “Of course, there were numerous obstacles. One humorous feature of these stumbling blocks is that you won’t realize you’re up against them until it’s too late. I was posting all over the place because I didn’t have a content plan. I also lacked a specialisation, because of which I was all over the place and hence making me untrustworthy.

The second barrier was that I found it difficult to post consistently, so I posted and then withdrew for a long period, and as a result, I could not build solid relationships with the people. I was at quite a loss because of this habit.”

One Thing You Wish You Could Change

When asked about the one thing he could do differently, he said, “I would always make a written agreement with the client.” 

He added that once the assignment was over, there were delays in payments, and sometimes the clients ghosted him. That drove him insane, so he put a 60% advance deposit clause before beginning the project.

Constructive Feedback Goes A Long Way

Chisom frequently seeks input on his work from a friend who works in his area of expertise. 

I have a special friend who is the primary source of feedback. My patent question to him is, “Hey bro, how’s it?”

Moreover, I also present my work to clients and ask them for feedback. Their suggestions and feedback help me a lot.” 

So these are the two distinct ways to obtain feedback for me. 

Work-life Balance Pro

Chisom is a person who works around the clock. When asked if you have a strategy for working as a pro, he adds, “I have a plan in place for my business and how I conduct my life.”

As time passes, you’ll need to make adjustments to your plan. I have a time when I generate content, go live on Instagram, respond to messages, and engage with family and friends. I didn’t realize it before, but if you don’t have a positive balance in your life, you’ll burnout, have problems, and have no time for your family. That’s why balance is essential. 

Freelance Gig Economy

Chisom’s take on the new gig economy is that the pandemic resulted in significant growth in online firms. Businesses now require freelancers to fill in gaps such as content writing, development, and other duties. They began to realize that being online may earn them a lot of money.

Chisom adds, “The majority of the target audience is online, and if they aren’t doing online commerce, they are losing a significant amount of money.” Chisom believes that as time passes, more businesses will move online and require more freelancers to help them when that happens.”

Advice To Budding Freelancers

When we asked Chisom for any advice for new aspiring freelancers, he said: “If you’re starting as a freelancer, give yourself at least three months to study a skill or get competence in it.” Give it your all and become consistent. 

Don’t rush into discovering your niche since you’ll waste your time. Instead, evaluate your insights, and you’ll get a good understanding of what your audience likes. Based on their engagement, you’ll know exactly what material to post, and that’s how you’ll win this freelancing race.

Chisom Vision – Freelancing to An Agency

Making his agency is one of Chisom’s goals, which he is actively working on. He has already shared some of his ideas with a few individuals, and every time he shares, he finds a new insight into his dream.