I didn’t grow up thinking I’d be an entrepreneur. I just wanted to survive

Back in 2017 I lived in a one room apartment with no ceiling a leaking roof and one window that barely closed During the rainy season the water would drip onto my mattress and I had to move it around like I was playing chess with the rain But even then I had this fire in me this belief that

I was meant to rise no matter how long it took

I had no connections, no mentor, and no startup capital. What I did have was a beat-up phone, a second-hand laptop, and access to a cyber café when the power was out. That’s where my journey began.

 

The Turning Point: A Job I Couldn’t Keep

Right after university, I got a job as a customer care agent. The pay was just enough to eat, pay rent, and transport myself. Nothing extra. And no matter how hard I worked, there was always this weight like I was building someone else’s dream with my energy, my time, and my mind. After six months, the company folded. No notice, no severance, nothing

That night, I sat in darkness, NEPA had done its thing, and thought about the next move. I realized something: I couldn’t keep living like this, jumping from one low-paying job to another

just to stay afloat. I needed to build something that belonged to me

The Birth of an Idea

I remembered a friend once made twenty thousand naira from a simple online gig writing articles for clients overseas. That amount seemed massive to me at the time I began researching freelance writing, blogging, affiliate marketing, and digital products. I consumed everything I borrowed, WiFi from friends, saved articles, and watched free YouTube tutorials until early morning.

But then came the real problem: analysis paralysis. So much information, but no action

One day, I challenged myself to stop reading and start doing

Starting With Nothing Literally

I decided to start a blog. I picked a free platform, Blogger, and began writing about something I loved: personal growth and finance. I titled it Rise and Build, not because I was already successful, but because I needed the reminder myself. I wanted it to reflect my journey from scratch to something strong and valuable. The first few posts were terrible

Poor formatting, Bad grammar, no traffic

But I didn’t stop

I kept writing one post every week, even when no one read them I shared the links on WhatsApp statuses Facebook groups and in comment sections of bigger blogs Slowly my writing improved I started getting emails from readers thanking me One reader from Ghana said your story made me feel seen That was the moment I knew I was doing something that mattered.

Finding My First Income Stream

After about six months, I had written over thirty blog posts and built a small but loyal audience. Then came the big break, a reader reached out and asked Do you offer coaching.

I almost laughed, coaching me

But I said yes

I charged five thousand naira for a one-on-one phone session. That call turned into three sessions. That client referred two friends. Before I knew it, I had a tiny side business teaching what I knew about freelancing and blogging.

With that little cash, I invested in a proper domain and hosting. I moved to WordPress. My blog started looking more professional, and I became serious about monetization.

My AdSense Rejection and Acceptance

I applied for Google AdSense too early and was rejected too early

They said your site does not meet the minimum content requirement

It crushed me, but I didn’t quit I went back to the basics

Improved the user interface

Added ten more long-form blog posts

Cleaned up dead links

Created a privacy policy and about page

Three months later, I reapplied, and this time I got approved

That first month, I earned just three dollars, but you’d think I won a jackpot. It wasn’t about the money. It was proof that something was working, that it was possible

Scaling Up

With AdSense running, I focused on growing traffic. I optimized my posts for search engines, I did guest posts, I created lead magnets, and started building an email list. I even recorded free voice notes on WhatsApp and sent them out every Monday as Rise and Build Moments, which gave me loyal followers who eventually became clients, partners, and even sponsors.

I diversified

I wrote ebooks on starting a business with zero capital

Created mini courses on blogging and online income

Hosted webinars, free and paid

Partnered with others in the creator economy

From a dripping one-room apartment, I was now making enough to pay rent comfortably, support my younger siblings, and save monthly.

But more than that, I was respected. People listened to my voice. They wanted to learn from my experience.

The Lessons I Learned That I Want You to Remember Start with what you have Don’t wait for a laptop, capital, or office space. Start with your phone, your skills, your hunger. Resourcefulness beats resources.

Be consistent, not perfect.

My first blog posts were bad, but consistency made me better. Keep showing up. Momentum is built, not bought. The document doesn’t pretend.

People followed me because I was real; I didn’t pretend to be rich or successful, I simply shared what I was learning, raw, honest, and unfiltered. Rejection is redirection

If AdSense had approved me earlier, I wouldn’t have fixed the problems that helped me grow.

Don’t rush validation. Build value.

Value attracts income

When I focused on helping people, money started showing up. Give serve teach, and your reward will follow.

Final Words Rise and Build

If you’re reading this and you feel stuck, broke, or lost, I see you. I’ve been there. It’s not the end. It might just be your beginning.

You don’t need to be the smartest, richest, or most connected. You just need to believe that where you are now is not where you’ll end. Your dreams are valid, but they need discipline, consistency, and courage to come alive.

I called my blog Rise and Build because that’s what I had to do: rise from pain, failure, and selfdoubt, and build something from dust. And if I can do it from a one-room, soaked apartment, then you can too.

Don’t wait for the perfect time

Start now Start small But just start

Because the world is waiting for what only you can build