Extrastiv

Content Marketing Specialist | Helping content creators, service providers & businesses grow & monetize online via content | Ghostwriter | Creators Diary 🗞️✍🏿

[Extrastiv @Extrastiv]

I landed my first gig on Facebook without a portfolio in 2017. It was a ₦5000 ghostwriting gig.

On this episode of Creators Diary, I decided to feature myself @Extrastiv I deserve a spot too.

Extrastiv is a single & handsome graduate of University of Ilorin with a 2nd class upper. He is a content marketing specialist/ghostwriter for busy professionals. He pursued medicine and surgery for years before he finally settled for one of the most “useless” courses in Nigeria, according to how Nigerians see it 😂. I've been writing online since 2015.

Back then I was a very popular writer on Nairaland. I was dropping write-ups every day - news, fiction, gists, stories. If you were active on Nairaland that year, you must have come across my stories because I was always hitting the front page. But I wasn’t making money from it. I was just writing for the love of it. My first official gig came in 2017 on Facebook. It was a 10,000-word ghostwriting project and they paid me ₦5000. Back then Facebook was one of the hottest places to land gigs. You didn’t need a fancy portfolio (many people don't even know the meaning of a PORTFOLIO). Just proof that you could actually write. And I had plenty from all my Nairaland posts. That gig was stressful & crazy, but I was grateful. It changed something in me. I started thinking, “If a stranger can pay me to write for them, then I can do this again. ”Even before that, the signs were there. Back in secondary school I used to write assignments and notes for my mates and they would pay me ₦50 or ₦100, or buy me something. That small thing gave me the quiet conviction that I was good at this. Over the years I've seen platforms come and go. I've tried so many things just to make money online. I did SMM, copywriting, even tried to become a data analyst when things were really rough. Omo, life was crazy mehn. I even picked up coding for a bit but stopped at JavaScript. The wins started coming when I stopped playing small.

In 2023 I came back stronger. I started watching, listening & learning from the top creators in my space. I connected with them. I even paid for courses out of my pocket money, even when some of them were not worth it. I learned what I could and kept going. Between 2023 and late 2024 I sent over 3,000 cold pitches. Most of them were trash, over 90% didn’t get replies. But the few that landed paid my bills. That period taught me the power of volume and consistency. Everything started making sense. I transitioned fully into content marketing & ghostwriting. I've worked with brands I never imagined I would reach a few years ago. I've sold over 1,000 ebook copies. I helped one client hit $10k MRR. Even while I was still figuring things out myself, I coached over 200 freelancers and outsourced gigs to many of my peers. We rise by lifting others. I'm still trying to find my way from the trenches to the peak, but I am grateful I'm not begging on the streets.

But let me tell you the other side too, because the wins didn’t come easy. In 2021 I lost my only client. I went into serious debt and hit rock bottom again. In 2022 I started posting on Twitter but deleted the account out of pure frustration because the gigs were not coming. I've had seasons where I tried everything & nothing worked. I've lost gigs because I neglected my email. I've had to refund clients money too. These things hurt when they happen. Early 2025 was the darkest. I fell into depression so deep I almost took my own life (This was more than just freelancing. I was going through a lot).
Guys, I survived.

And since then, the motion has been crazy in the best way.

Your connections & willingness to keep showing up are what carry you through those periods. Don’t stop talking about what you do. You never know who is watching. Connect with people genuinely. Don’t let pride stop you from asking for help when you need it. The dry days will come, but your network will help you survive them.

[Extrastiv @Extrastiv]

@neo_officialll Give me blog and articles @neo_officialll

You need to reduce your workload my oga

[Extrastiv @Extrastiv]

@Obacruze Lit🔥🔥🔥🔥

[Extrastiv @Extrastiv]

@TheMattAnalysis Copied🤲

[Extrastiv @Extrastiv]

@Olami_deeEbony Omo

[Oluwakemi Celestina Oni @Oluwakemicel]

I just finished writing a blog post for WhatsApp. The first image contains part of the content brief, while the second image shows my write-up.

Here is the link to the full blog:https://t.co/vIPMeDivlY

@Extrastiv and @iambestayomide
#60dayswritingchallenge

[Extrastiv @Extrastiv]

@Miieemiiee_ Happy birthday Mimi.

[Extrastiv @Extrastiv]

If you are very good at taking quality pictures with your phone, this update is for you.🗞️✍🏿💓

https://t.co/h6yhGhM8OP

[Raenest (formerly Geegpay) @RaenestApp]

@AfterShacor @Extrastiv Hi There,

Kindly check your DM at your earliest convenience, as we have sent a response.

[Extrastiv @Extrastiv]

@Nithya_Shrii Not just one rehearsal. They practice it over and over.

Good morning @Nithya_Shrii

Please kindly check your DM

[Extrastiv @Extrastiv]

@Aikidotcom is going places. It will enter rooms beyond your imaginations. This will prosper bro.

[Technical Ben @TechnicalBben]

Guyyyyyyyysssss I'm tired of building we are quite Slow, Somebody rescue me.

New update. 💔

So the official website is in motion and the final stage of the app is here but minor fixes before we are done.

Also remember when we are done you will be able to hire someone on Aiki.

[Extrastiv @Extrastiv]

@Olami_deeEbony Amen. And you too

[Extrastiv @Extrastiv]

@Olami_deeEbony Wssssss

[Extrastiv @Extrastiv]

@ChristyGodswil Good morning Christabel. Today is going to be a good day.

[Extrastiv @Extrastiv]

@UnkleAyo @DONJAZZY @DONJAZZY you have a message

[Extrastiv @Extrastiv]

@CynthiaOzumba I'm not a girlie. Good morning anyways

[Extrastiv @Extrastiv]

@SirDavidBent We are winners.

Good morning @SirDavidBent

Today is going to be a good day.

[Extrastiv @Extrastiv]

@IkonoCatherine Congratulations to me. Good morning Kate. How much are we making today?

[Extrastiv @Extrastiv]

That gig that will make you giggle is your portion today.

[Extrastiv @Extrastiv]

@iksly2 Searching for videos for my football page on Tiktok.

[Extrastiv @Extrastiv]

@iksly2 Always dropping banger. Good morning Big Kems