As I sit here reflecting on my journey in the tech industry, I am struck by the overwhelming emotions it brings to the surface. I can recall the sleepless nights spent worrying about my future and the conversations with my siblings as we tried to chart a path forward. Writing has a way of dredging up memories and feelings, and that is certainly true for me as I work on this piece.
Despite all the struggles, I am grateful for every step of the journey. I won't bore you with the details of my college years; let's just say it wasn't my finest hour. But as I look back, it's clear that it all led me to where I am today.
Disclaimer: The goal is not to sound cool or overly inspirational, but every line is a reality I lived, and I genuinely hope it inspires one person to start or keep going.
Year 2020 - Covid, ASUU, and a ton of other stuff, or should I just say the beginning?
The year 2020 was a turning point for me. The pandemic, ASUU strike, and a lot of other challenges made it a year of uncertainty and change. My life, like so many others, was at a standstill. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my future. Although I knew for certain that I didn't want to go back to medical school, but beyond that, I was lost.
Before the pandemic hit, I had planned to go for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) with a health NGO and then from there, figure out what to do next. But the lockdown and ASUU strike extended for months, and I knew I needed to find a way to make money from home.
During that time, I was heavily involved in fitness and health. I was very particular about taking care of my own health and nutrition, so I thought to myself, why not share my knowledge and help others kickstart their own journeys? I had some doubts at first, but reading Akin Alabi's book about entrepreneurship gave me the push I needed. I put all my energy into creating an ebook on Canva and then promoted it on Facebook. I was shocked by the response. My brother and I even created a special victory dance every time we received an alert for a book sale. This was my first experience making money online using my skills, and I knew there was potential.
Fast forward to when school resumed, and I stopped. But 2020 had planted a seed in me. I knew going forward; I wanted to make money using my skills and passions.
2021 - Niching, Consistency, and Grace.
Now, I knew I wanted to make money through writing, but I still wasn't sure what to write about. Thankfully, Google search is free, and I used it to search for everything and anything related to writing. After a long search, I decided to focus on copywriting. I was still in school at the time but not too busy, so I shared my plan with my brother. He told me about Ronald Nzimorura, Akin Omotosho, and one of Ronald's proteges named Andy Mukolo. He spoke highly of Andy's skills and recommended I check out his course. I did and decided to pay for it and start studying.
After about two months of studying, Toyosi, my friend shared a job poster with me, which I applied for and on April 18, I landed my first job. I was tasked with creating copies for graphics and was paid $100 a month. Unfortunately, the business did not launch, and I had to stop working by the end of May.
The same month, I also finished my final exams, and my plan was to leave Ilorin immediately and return home to focus on my plans fully. I spoke to Victory, my best friend since 200 level, who has been a major part of my journey. He got into Blockchain way before me, and one day in May 2021, he suggested I niche down and focus on Blockchain writing since I was starting out in writing. I remember talking to him about the whitepaper he was working on, and I asked him how much he was paid for it. He said $3,000, and I was shocked. At that moment, I knew I was definitely niching down. That one suggestion changed my life.
You might think I knew what Blockchain was, but I didn't. In fact, prior to his suggestion, the only thing I knew about it was what I had seen in Victory's articles and the occasional post on social media about bitcoin's value going up or down. Honestly, I used to think that only "yahoo boys" (Internet scammers) needed crypto.
But I was determined to learn and make a way for myself. I returned home on June 2nd, 2021 and immediately set to work on learning about my new path. I updated my LinkedIn profile, knowing that it would be my main job-hunting ground. I also made an outline for how I would study, enrolling in Coursera courses and YouTube, keeping in mind that I didn't have a laptop at the time. I decided to write a full article or short article on whatever I learned each day and share it on LinkedIn. Finally, as a Christian, I believe strongly in God carrying me beyond my own efforts, so I started my journey with fasting and prayer.
I did not have a laptop at the time, and I didn't want to borrow from my parents because that would mean when they were not around during the day, I would be slacking. I made up my mind to use my Oppo phone, which had only 2GB of RAM, to do research. I would then write down what I was learning in a notebook with a pen. This way, once I was done researching, I could then start typing on my phone before moving on to edit my writing.
My days were routine; all I did was read, write, pray and post on LinkedIn. Within two weeks, I had already begun building my portfolio. I began applying to jobs specifically targeting non-English speaking countries and applications with less than 50 applicants. Every day, I applied to over 30 jobs and cold-emailed at least 10 potential employers. There were many days when I was tired, but I was not overly concerned about getting a job immediately. My main focus was to become very good at this, improve my writing skills, and enjoy the thrill of learning.
My inbox was filled with rejection letters and even more unresponded messages. It was a lot of hard work and rejection, but I was so sure my win would come. Shockingly, I landed a full-time role, but they changed their minds on a full-time offer two days before my start date. They promised to get back to me with a different plan, which they did (I later discovered they were just very cheap, but that's another story).
I was supposed to be sad about the lost opportunity, but I wasn't. I think that's where faith comes in because I told myself, "God will never expose me to what he will not give me." So, I continued my routine as if nothing had happened. Almost a week later, I received a message from someone who had been following my writings on a mutual group on LinkedIn.
He was working on a project and needed my help. It was small work, but it was a little challenging for me because he needed only around 50 words as an answer for each question. I was just learning, and I wasn't sure how I could answer these questions with such few words. But I did my best, and he gave me feedback which I worked on. After the first five, he gave me another set of questions. I was so happy because now I knew I just needed to keep showing up and get better. He paid me $75 for the job, and that was the first cryptocurrency I ever had in my life.
This was a one-time gig, so I continued reading and applying for jobs. Then I got my first internship with RF Capital in the USA. The internship was very research-based and unpaid, but it allowed me to explore different protocols, projects and learn more about Decentralized Finance (DeFi). I was still doing all this on my Oppo phone with only 2 GB of RAM, so I was only able to explore more when my parents were home.
Around the same time, the people I lost the job with earlier came back and offered me a rate per article and social media post. I negotiated a bit and took the offer, which was the beginning of a consistent workflow for me. It wasn't easy working with spreadsheets on my phone, but I knew that wasn't going to stop me, as buying a laptop was only a matter of time, and I began saving to ensure that.
In July, I kept working with the agency since it was a marketing agency so the gig was stable. The same month, I landed my first full-time role, but the pay was in Naira, and the work environment was very good. At this time, I could afford to buy my laptop, which I did. By August 2021, I got a new job, this time paid in US dollars, and after a month, I received a 30% raise which took my pay to $----. From here, roles kept coming.
I got so many other offers and freelancing gigs all through LinkedIn. In 2021, I had an amazing year. I freelanced for many organizations, over 10, aside from my full-time role, wrote numerous articles, bought my first land and had speaking engagements. I immersed myself in learning and dedicated my all to becoming knowledgeable in the field. I knew I wanted to learn, and I gave my all to doing so. It was tiring, but it was all worth it.
I almost forgot to mention, I also graduated from university with a second-class upper and was able to complete my National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp despite my busy schedule, and I kept my job. That's a story for another day.
Year 2022 - New waters, growth and becoming.
I started the year feeling exhausted from the previous year. I struggled to get work done and mostly didn't feel like it. I knew I had to take some time off work, which I did, and it was so helpful. In addition to taking time off, I also made up my mind to do fewer jobs, resigned from a position that was paying me the highest but had a very stressful founder and decided to give my goal to become a developer a push, with no plans of giving up.
I made amazing connections, made money and started learning to put myself first. I travelled to new places in the first half of the year, made my first work trip to Dubai, got to talk at a Binance event in Enugu, got a MacBookPro 2021 from work and got a 5-year Canadian visa courtesy of work. Also, I got invited to speak at more events, and while I couldn't attend some, I did participate in others.
When I got my laptop in August 2021, I wanted to start my software development journey, but I couldn't fit it into my tight routine of studying and working. But I knew that in 2022, I wasn't going to make excuses.
Now, I have a clear path, I know what I want to do, and I was determined to become better.
I started my software development journey in August at Moat Academy in Lagos. Two months into my journey, in addition to the physical engagement, I was also learning on Udemy from Angela Yu's 100 days of code: The complete Python Bootcamp and her web development course. I took time off writing to focus better on my development skills and only wrote when necessary. I also made sure to share my journey on LinkedIn every step of the way, and a little on Twitter, as I already believe in building in public.
Finally, I graduated from the Bootcamp in the first week of November, where I worked on one project every weekend. At the end of the Bootcamp, I worked on my first solo, a fully functional web application built with HTML, CSS, JS, Python(flask), Ajax, JSON, and MySql, which I completed in November.
Note: On clicking the link, you may need to reload the page to get it running. I got bored working on it alone, so I may go back to it later, host it on a different platform, and generally improve it. However, I'm not making any promises.
Since then, I’ve worked on different mini stuff, my portfolio, and building up my portfolio. Although I haven't gotten my first job as a developer yet, I'm genuinely enjoying the process and giving my all to becoming a skilled developer.
As my Bootcamp came to an end, the reality of my jobless state began to set in. I knew I needed to start applying for jobs in December, but before I had a chance to do that, my former boss, a German whom I had worked with for over a year but had to leave due to a halt in operation, recommended me to my current employer through a group he had created.
He connected us, and she loved my samples but decided to give me a paid test; the image below is her feedback, she loved the work, and we made a full-time deal. The job came with so much excitement and some amazing perks that I can't share right now. But most importantly, it came with the best workspace anyone could ask for.
2022 had its ups and downs, but it was such an important year in my development. I dedicated myself to learning, learnt to prioritize myself above work, and finally got to start my software development journey.
2023 - Open Source, New Networks and A story waiting to be told.
My journey into the tech industry has been filled with many twists and turns. While I've tried to capture the most significant moments in this story, there are still many details that I've had to omit due to length constraints. But despite the challenges, I am grateful for the journey so far. The last two years have been a time of growth, learning and discovery for me. I've dedicated myself to reading, starting new projects and exploring different areas of interest. But I know that this is just the beginning of my journey.
I'm excited to continue my learning in public, contributing to other projects, testing new waters and becoming the best version of myself. As I look ahead to 2022, I know that there will be more challenges to come, but I am determined to face them with a positive attitude and an open mind. I plan to do a year-in-review in January 2024, God willing, and reflect on all the things I've accomplished and the lessons I've learned.
Key Lessons Learned: Navigating the Journey of Self-Discovery and Growth.
Start with a clear goal in mind: My journey began with a sense of uncertainty, but as I discovered my interests and passions, I was able to focus on a specific goal of becoming a writer and a software developer.
Embrace new opportunities: I took advantage of unexpected opportunities, like writing an ebook and freelancing as a blockchain writer, which helped me gain valuable experience and build my portfolio.
Start small: Don’t wait till you have everything you need to get started. Start from where you are.
Stay persistent: My journey was filled with setbacks and rejections, but I continued to apply for jobs and work on my skills, which ultimately led to a better job.
Learn in public: By sharing my journey on social media, I was able to connect with others in my field and build a network of support and opportunities.
Prioritize self-care: I realized that in order to achieve my goals, I needed to take time off to rest and recharge and also to focus on my physical and mental well-being.
Take ownership of your journey: It's important to learn to take responsibility for your own growth and development and not wait for someone to hand you opportunities.
Be open to change: I was initially set on a career in medicine, but I was open to change and willing to explore new options.
Don't be afraid to ask for help: You need people.
I hope my story has been an inspiration to you and that you've learned something from it. Remember that, as with anything in life, becoming great at something takes time, effort, and dedication. The key is to be consistent, never give up and always be open to learning and trying new things. Also, always remember to prioritize yourself above work.
I'm excited to see where my journey takes me in the future, and I will continue to share my experiences and lessons learned along the way. Thank you for reading, and I wish you all the best in your own journey towards greatness.