How Tochi Built a Freelancing Career Around Empathy, Strategy, and Community

When Tochi speaks, you get the sense that he’s not just good at what he does. He’s intentional about it. Every word is shaped by experience, and every story points back to a simple truth: understanding people is the real skill.

In this episode of Geegpay Diaries, we sat down with him to discuss how he handles digital marketing, freelancing, and community building. Tochi discovered Geegpay after facing frustration twice. A client sent over stipends—$100 each time—but the platform he was using held both payments with no explanation or resolution. That’s when he decided to open a Geegpay account.

Today, Tochi helps freelancers break into global markets and builds communities that feel like home. His work is proof that psychology, care, and consistency can take you far. So if you have been wondering how to take advantage of psychology in any area of your career, you're in luck. Welcome to episode 11 of the Geegpay Dairies.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

My name is Tochi. I am a digital marketer and growth strategist. I have been doing this for about four years now. I also run a freelancing community where I teach up-and-coming freelancers how to get both local and foreign jobs. It's not just about finding work but also about learning how to sell your skills and still have time to do other things.

Outside work, I enjoy engaging in argumentative conversations. I like how those moments help me understand human reactions, thought patterns, and different perspectives on topics like life, religion, or even simple daily behaviour. I think psychology plays a big role in all of this.

Interesting. How has that love for psychology translated into your work?

In marketing, psychology is everything. If you understand human behaviour, you can build campaigns that resonate deeply. But here’s the thing, people often think “knowing your audience” means knowing their age, gender, or location. That’s very surface-level.

To really market effectively, you need to understand how your audience thinks. What are their habits? How do they make decisions? What’s their worldview? Once you figure that out, you can tailor your message in a way that truly connects.

Can you share an example where understanding psychology really made a difference?

Yes, I worked with a lactation brand. Our first campaign focused on selling the supplement product directly. It didn’t do well. We later realised that the women we were targeting didn’t just need the supplement. They also needed community.

So we added access to a support group for women experiencing similar challenges. That small change made a huge difference. Sales improved, engagement improved, and it all came down to understanding what these women truly valued which was support and shared experience.

Let’s talk about your own community. Why did you start it?

Honestly, it started from frustration. When I began freelancing, there was no one to guide me. I had to figure out everything on my own. You can find free resources online, sure, but most of them don’t offer direction. I was lucky to get some advice from someone at a point that changed everything for me. That advice helped me make my first sale. That was when I realised how many people are in that same position. They just need a little direction. So I built a community to provide that.

‍What has the experience of running a community taught you?

Building a community is not easy. Especially when it starts growing fast. If you are serious about it, you need structure. You need to plan weekly discussions. Decide how people will reach out to you. If possible, bring someone on board to assist. Because if you are also running a business and delivering value to clients, it can become overwhelming. People want to talk to you, message you, and ask you questions. I get up to 150 messages sometimes. So if you are starting a community, set boundaries early and build a system that works.

Back to psychology. Over the years, what have you learned about human behaviour in the freelancing space?

One major thing is this: freelancers often do not understand how to close clients. They focus too much on pricing without reading the room. For example, one of my students had a call with a potential client. He had just finished a new course, so he hiked his price. But the value he was offering did not match that price. The client dropped off. I always say this: charge according to your current capacity. If you want to grow, get your foot in the door first. Overdeliver. That gives you leverage to increase your rate in the future. But if you misunderstand the client or misread the situation, you lose that chance.

‍How did you first hear about Geegpay, and what has your experience been like?

I heard about Geegpay about two or three years ago. Before that, I was using another platform to receive payments from foreign clients. One day, the platform froze my account after just two payments with no real explanation. So I switched to Geegpay, and it has been smooth since then. I’ve also recommended it to many people because Geegpay provides the kind of reliability we need.

If there is one feature you’d love to see on Geegpay, what would it be?

Something around investment. If Geegpay adds an investment feature that is safe and accessible for freelancers, that would be amazing.

Before we wrap up, what three tips would you give to freelancers, marketers, or community builders who want to leverage psychology?

1. Understand the context behind decisions. Don’t just look at what your audience does. Ask why they are doing it. What’s the story behind the action?

2. Make your communication human. Show empathy. People respond better when they feel understood and seen.

3. Be consistent with your value. Psychology is not a trick. If you want to build trust and influence, you have to keep showing up with something useful.

And with that, we have come to the end of this Diary session. I hope you learnt something. See you in the next one, and in case you missed the last session, you can read it here.