Career lessons from Jessica Tee Orika-Owunna, BOFU & Product-led Content Specialist
Whether you're just starting or a few years into your career, some people are worth meeting. If not as friends, then as peers or mentors whose experiences motivate and challenge you to be better. For many in marketing, Jessica Tee is one of those people.
My conversation with Jessica Tee was a flex. It was real, and she wasn’t afraid to get to the nitty-gritty of content marketing, even sharing the vulnerable parts of her journey.
Full disclosure: a chat that was supposed to last an hour almost stretched to two. Believe it or not, every extra minute was worth it.
In this edition of our career lessons series, Jessica Tee opens up about navigating a painful layoff, her experience as a judge for the Global Search Awards, and her personal tips for managing finances as a freelancer. And finally, we got to know why she doesn’t eat rice.
Trust me, you’ll want to dig in!
Can you tell us how you got into marketing?
I stumbled into content marketing in 2016, right after graduating from Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike (MOUAU) in Abia State, Nigeria, with a computer engineering degree. But I didn't know what it was at the time.
I couldn't get a full-time job using my degree because I needed to complete my National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) year first, a mandatory one-year service program for Nigerian graduates. And my school hadn't sent my name to NYSC.
From left: (1) Jessica Tee with friends during her uni days (2) Jessica Tee at orientation camp with fellow Corps members
I had also been writing on Facebook a lot during that period. A friend who took notice kept telling me how good I am at writing and that I could make money from it. I didn't take his words seriously because fiction writing and journalism were the only formal writing career paths I was familiar with, and I wasn't interested in either of them.
After persisting for a whole year, I finally obliged. Through a link he shared with me, I landed my first content writing role in 2017 as a product reviewer for Amazon affiliate products, such as inverters and pots. I had never done anything like it before, but my bosses at the time were kind enough to let me learn on the job.
On most weeks, I'd write as much as 12,000 words and earn around 5,000 Naira per week, which later increased to 7,000 Naira weekly with added responsibilities such as transcribing podcasts word for word, Canva designs, and even a bit of audio editing.
From left to right: Jessica Tee at her first volunteer role after grad and as content writer at Tolmann Allied Servies Ltd
Over the next few years, I expanded beyond product reviews and other kinds of writing, including tourist guides, ghostwriting non-fiction books, content for presentation slides, business proposals, personal statements for master’s students, full website landing page copy and design, and even couples' anniversary messages.
By 2020, I had hit a wall. I'd made decent money from writing, earning as much as 2 Naira per word, which felt impressive at the time. I even landed a ghostwriting client on Upwork who paid nearly $1000 for a 60,000+ word book.
But something wasn't right. I wasn't growing the way I wanted, and I had no clear career path. The money wasn't consistent enough to cover more than my basic needs, let alone the other things I really wanted to do.
Plus, I realized ghostwriting had a ceiling. If I got 5 book deals at once and tried to outsource, I couldn't guarantee the quality. By the time other writers sent their work back, I'd have to rewrite most of it anyway. I wanted to work smarter, not harder.
So in August 2020, during a random conversation with a product designer friend, he mentioned that his ex-partner was hiring business writers and thought I'd be a good fit. I didn't think much of it, but decided to apply. I ended up being one of his first two intern hires.
On day one, I discovered that "business writing" was code for creating marketing content for B2B software companies. I'd never heard the term before. But after some quick research, I saw the industry had great potential, especially during the pandemic. So I took the role even though it paid 50,000 Naira per month, lower than what I was making from ghostwriting.
That B2B content marketing agency was where I got my start in the industry.
How did you niche down into BOFU, and what's your approach to writing BOFU content?
My interest in BOFU and product-led content started when I joined Foundation Marketing, a B2B content marketing agency based in Canada.
A big part of my work there involved researching successful B2B product-led growth companies and reverse engineering their growth engines. I focused on understanding the content marketing activities that contributed to their valuation, organic traffic, and user growth. What I found was fascinating—the content that drove the most conversions showed them how to achieve specific goals using the product or highlighted real-world examples of customers who got measurable results.
I also saw the same happen firsthand with the clients I worked with independently. Assets like app tutorials, use case articles, comparison posts, and product roundups consistently drove conversions, sometimes within days of publishing.
Over time, I also noticed that when marketers discuss BOFU content, their advice usually centers on product roundups, comparison posts, and alternative articles. While these formats are great for discovery, positioning, and even conversions, they ignore the fact that different stakeholders evaluate products differently.
For example, if you are selling project management software, a CMO might be looking for ways to automate workflows, understand how the tool saves time across teams, and see proof of success from similar companies. The IT team, on the other hand, cares about whether the software meets security and compliance standards. The finance or procurement team will focus on how the pricing scales with team size or usage.
Each stakeholder evaluates value differently, which means the content must address these varied concerns within a single, cohesive narrative.
So, BOFU content is about helping everyone on the buying team—no matter their level of product knowledge, tech know-how, or priorities—understand how your solution actually solves their problems and makes their work easier.
My approach to writing BOFU content always starts with the brief because BOFU isn't just one thing—it includes customer stories, comparison posts, integration guides, use case articles, and more. Each format requires a different structure and technique, but what remains constant is the foundation—understanding who you're writing for, what they need to know, and how the product fits into their specific context.
Regardless of the format, the brief is where everything begins. It’s where the client shares context on what the content is supposed to achieve, who it is for, and the features that'll help the reader achieve their goal.
For example, when working on an app tutorial, I make sure I have access to the product (if I don't already) and try it myself. In some cases, I've relied on interactive demos to understand what the product does and how it works. This way, I can accurately explain workflows and highlight the features that matter most.
I also source SME quotes where necessary, but mostly to reinforce the value of the topic or concept. Customer stories are also a big part of my process. I source these from the client’s website or reach out to them for info, so I can use them as examples in the piece and show real outcomes.
I also gather user context from external sources like G2, Reddit, and expert interviews to validate pain points and add depth to the narrative. And if anything is missing in the brief, I ask questions.
I created this infographic called “How to Elevate the Briefs You Receive as a Freelancer” to show what this process looks like in action. It breaks down the steps to take to turn vague instructions into strong, insight-driven briefs.
Jessica Tee’s 4-step process for turning vague client instructions into strong, insights-driven briefs.
The idea is simple—the more product and customer insights the writer gets upfront from internal SMEs, the more likely the content is to resonate with the target reader and support conversion goals.
I'm not going to name names, but you've got lots of impressive folks in marketing saying incredible things about your skills, expertise, and work ethic. How did you get to this level?
The biggest thing for me has been taking feedback. Oh my God, that was everything. I genuinely believe nobody can get to where they want without learning from people who have already been there or are on their way there.
In my first role at a B2B SaaS content marketing agency, I would create content that I thought looked great, only for the founder to leave feedback on the introduction alone. He would not go further down and would say, “If I am not impressed with the introduction, why should I bother reading the rest?” That was not easy to hear. But instead of being defensive, I decided to learn from it.
I would jump on calls with the founder to ask questions about how to make the entire piece stronger. One thing he often said was, “Good writing is clear thinking, and I can’t teach you how to think.”
Those words helped me understand that if you don’t understand a topic deeply, you cannot write about it clearly. That made me pay attention to strengthening my research skills because that’s really the foundation.
When I joined Foundation Marketing in 2021, I had the opportunity to work closely with and learn from brilliant marketing folks like Ross Simmonds, Ryan McCready, and others on the team who gave really helpful feedback that elevated my research, writing, and content distribution skills.
I learned to see every comment as a data point. I even created a document to track recurring feedback, noting patterns and marking off areas once I had improved. Back then, there were no AI tools to summarize or analyze feedback for you, so I did it manually. But it paid off. Every performance review showed clear progress because the issues that came up before no longer did.
My growth has really been about staying open to feedback and learning from it. For anyone receiving feedback, you should clarify when comments are vague. If someone says, “This does not make sense,” ask them, “What part of it does not make sense?” or “Where would you like me to correct?” That way, you won't waste time figuring out what to fix without useful context.
I’ve also always focused on delivering quality work and learned to communicate proactively whenever I was unable to meet a deadline. The communication part was not easy during the first two years of my career because I often worried that I might lose my job or a project by letting a client know I could not deliver on time.
But it did not turn out that way. In fact, it helped me see the human side of my clients and built mutual trust.
I also invested time in building genuine relationships. When you deliver quality work, are pleasant to work with, and always seek to add value, clients and colleagues remember. They refer you. They advocate for you.
Many of those “impressive folks” saying kind things about me today are people I have worked with directly or who have seen the results my content drives for their teams. And I’m truly grateful for them.
Part of being a great marketer is knowing the right questions to ask before creating content. For those struggling, what tips can you share?
I always start by researching the topic, especially when writing about unfamiliar industries, because asking questions without context is a waste of everyone's time.
If it's a new client, I review the brief, read through their website and case studies, and study competitor content to understand their positioning and how their product solves customer problems. That way, when I ask follow-up questions, they're specific to what I need to execute the brief effectively, not general questions that the website already answers.
For existing clients, I'm already familiar with their product, tone, and audience, so my questions focus on what has changed since the last piece. For example, I might ask if there are new feature updates, fresh customer examples, or shifts in messaging that should reflect in the content.
If I'm working with a new client, for example, here are the most critical questions I ask:
Can you share your ideal customer profile (ICP) for this piece? This helps me understand their role, top priorities, what success looks like for them, and what typically holds them back from buying
What exact outcome do you want from this content? Should readers book a demo, start a trial, request pricing, or share it internally?
What are the most critical buyer objections this piece should address? This shapes the content's core angle and ensures it meets readers where they are.
Can you point me to 1–2 examples of your high-performing content?
This helps me understand what "great" looks like in their context. Beyond questions, I also request access to:
The product or an interactive demo so I can explore how it works firsthand
Recordings from internal SMEs like webinar replays, feature walkthroughs, or Loom videos explaining key context (if I can't find any on their website)
Existing product screenshots or product access, so I can take them myself
I also learn from every interaction. When clients respond to my questions, I pay attention to what they emphasize. Over time, you start to recognize patterns and can anticipate what they need, which makes the process smoother for everyone.
You recently judged at the 2025 Global Search Awards. How did you get the opportunity, and what did you learn from it?
Funny story. I attended Search AfriCon, connected with many people, and took photos with some I'd known for a long time personally or through their work. After the event, I reached out to share the photos and say hello.
Jessica Tee and friends at the 2025 Search Africon
One of them was Rejoice Ojiaku, one of the speakers at Search Africon. A few weeks after our first chat, she posted about being added to the judging panel of the 2025 US Search Awards. I was so happy for her and congratulated her. That was such an incredible feat, and out of curiosity, I researched the award.
While researching, I saw there was an application form on the site. Before applying, I reached out to Rejoice and asked for tips on how to go about it. But instead, she offered to recommend me to the team directly, as they were looking for professionals with my skill set and experience. And she did!
The team reached out and told me they wanted industry experts to judge different award categories. The Global Search Awards were among the ones I picked, and I really enjoyed the experience.
Jessica Tee’s profile on the Global Search Awards judges page
One of the benefits of being on an awards judging panel is learning how people do things across continents. There are companies around the world doing amazing things in marketing. For example, how they structure their campaigns and use AI to scale content creation in ways I hadn't seen before.
Even though I've worked with brands across Australia, North America, and Europe, seeing campaigns at various scales and from around the world was eye-opening.
I also learned about the importance of structure. When submitting their entries, some brands did a lot of telling, basically saying, "This is what we achieved. This is what we did."
But the ones that really stood out were those that showed what they achieved. They included screenshots, customer stories, and links to external resources like customer story decks with verifiable results.
This is a lesson to apply in content marketing too. We should do more showing than telling. Customers should be able to see themselves in the story you're sharing. Don't just tell them what the problem was and how your product solved it. Instead, show the process—how the customer overcame it, the specific results they achieved, and their feedback.
That's what makes content compelling and credible.
💡 Also read: Career lessons from Lani Sodunke - Founder, BaxAnalytics
You once shared how you were laid off two years ago. How did that experience shift your perspective on job security?
That was one of the most shocking experiences I've ever had because it was my first time being laid off, and it taught me a critical lesson: “don't put all your eggs in one basket.”
You can be in a place, loyal and hardworking, turning down opportunities because you see yourself growing in that role. But things can happen that are beyond your control and even beyond your employer's control.
For example, the economy can take a downturn like many experienced during COVID-19, when people lost their jobs through no fault of their own or their employer's. Rather than pointing fingers, I realized taking a proactive approach was better.
Before my layoff, I was already building another income source on the side. It wasn't easy—combining that with my 40-hour-per-week full-time job meant all my spare time went to additional work. I had to juggle a lot, and I'd just gotten married. So balancing work with responsibilities at home wasn't easy.
I'm really grateful for a supportive partner because that's an underrated thing, an underrated flex. Not just supportive in terms of money, but in terms of presence, encouragement, and helping with tasks so I could focus on what needed to be done.
So when I was laid off, it was painful and real, but I didn't have time to cry or process the whole thing because I had to face the tasks from my other income source. Layoffs don't care if you have bills to pay, a family to feed, or if you just made a down payment on land or a house with monthly commitments. That's why having only one income source is never wise.
There's a verse in Ecclesiastes, a book in the Holy Bible, that encourages you to sow in the morning and evening because you don't know which will bear fruit. That became a mantra for me. I didn't realize how important it was until I got laid off. Of course, it’s important to establish the balance so you don’t burn out or lose valuable relationships.
Jessica Tee with family
That experience also taught me the importance of documenting your work and its impact. Why? Because once you're out, you lose access to all your work tools—the nice things said about you in Slack channels, how your work contributed to revenue, all of it. No screenshots, no record to prove your work. So document proof of your contributions and the impact it had.
You can document wins publicly but also maintain a private folder divided into two categories:
Quantitative wins—things you can track and measure. For example, you grew a newsletter from X to Y subscribers, managed social media accounts that grew from X to Y followers, or contributed to XYZ sales if the brand made it public.
Qualitative wins: Nice things people said about working with you, ways your work drove results for them, testimonials about your impact.
All of this can be used to negotiate a raise, land better job opportunities, grow your personal brand, and even help with visa applications like the UK Global Talent Visa.
I used to think job security meant loyalty to one company and doing excellent work. Now I know real security comes from diversification—multiple income streams, documented proof of your impact, and building a reputation that travels with you regardless of where you work. No single employer can guarantee your future, so you have to build that security yourself.
When it comes to getting more work, what's your advice to struggling freelancers out there?
The market is tough right now, but what you can control is how you position yourself to attract opportunities. I've been working independently for the past two years and have seen growth both personally and revenue-wise.
A peek into Jessica Tee’s work-from-home office
But when I reassessed how I was getting work, I realized I only had two strategies really working for me—and they're the ones that matter most for stability.
1. Word-of-mouth referrals:
This is the most powerful marketing channel for any freelancer. One way to tap into it is to be really good at your work and genuinely connect with people without trying to get something from them.
Former colleagues from my full-time jobs have referred me to opportunities. In fact, two of my long-term clients came from them. Why? Because I was good at my job and had good relationships with them. It wasn't about actively networking or asking for referrals. It was just a genuine, natural connection.
2. Client retention:
A lot of freelancers focus on getting new clients instead of retaining the ones they already have. Retention is a concept I learned from writing for software brands. When you have a software product, your growth isn't really about how many new users keep signing up, but about how many people stay, upgrade, or refer others.
As a freelancer, the same principle applies. Be great at your work and offer value beyond what the client asks for. If a task is being delayed, for example, and it’s within your expertise, you can offer to help. I’ve had my contract expanded on two occasions by simply offering to help. My intent wasn’t primarily to get paid, but it led to recurring paid work.
Also, make it easy for people to work with you and genuinely care about people. If you haven't heard from a client in a while, reach out and check in on their well-being. Don't just position yourself as someone who's easy to work with, but as a human being who understands that others have things going on in their lives too.
If you can nail these two things—building genuine relationships that lead to referrals and keeping your existing clients happy—you'll have a more sustainable freelance business than constantly chasing new leads. Quality relationships beat quantity every time.
Of course, I’ve also been actively working on building authority publicly by sharing insights from my work and experience on social media, guest posting, and speaking at community events.
Jessica Tee speaking at a marketing event
And I’m considering experimenting with cold pitching. I haven’t tried these over the past years, especially cold pitching, but I am open to experimenting.
💡 Also read: Career lessons from Lily Ugbaja – Freelance Content Marketing Consultant
What are your tested and trusted financial tips for freelancers to break the feast & famine cycle?
1. Create consistent income streams:
The biggest mistake I see freelancers make is relying entirely on one-off projects. Instead, focus on getting retainer clients. When I shifted to prioritizing monthly retainers over project work, my income became predictable. I knew exactly how much was coming in each month, which made planning so much easier.
If you can't get retainers, at least build a pipeline. Always be lining up the next client before the current project ends. Don't wait until a project finishes to start looking for work.
2. Build an emergency fund:
This is important because even retainers aren’t permanent. Clients can pause contracts without notice, so build one before you need it. If possible, your emergency fund should cover at least three to six months of expenses.
This includes rent, food, bills, and what we call "black tax" in Nigeria (financial obligations to extended family, which many of us in this part of the world carry). When you have this buffer, you can turn down bad-fit clients, negotiate better rates, and make decisions from a position of strength rather than desperation.
3. Work with a budget and save strategically:
One of the things I've done consistently is work with a budget. In times of feast, when you're getting lots of client work, that's not the time to splurge on everything. Of course, treat yourself occasionally, but save first.
Personally, I break big expenses into monthly savings goals. For example, if my rent is due annually, I divide it by 10 or 12 months and save that amount every month. Same thing for other predictable expenses. This way, when those bills come, I'm not scrambling or dipping into emergency funds. The money is already there.
4. Diversify your income:
Don't rely on just client work. I'm still building this out myself, but think about creating products, courses, or other income streams that aren't tied to trading time for money.
Word on the street is that you don't eat rice. What's the story behind that?
Yeah, I don't eat rice. And I should also mention I hate plantain too. :)
When I was younger, maybe around seven, I used to eat rice a lot. But I stopped as a teenager. I attended a military boarding school, and on Monday mornings, they'd serve this really strange rice. I still don't understand what they did to it, but it left this terrible aftertaste in my mouth. Plus, it wasn't regular rice. It was the local type that sticks together in clumps.
After eating it, I'd get these serious stomach pains that felt like an ulcer, even though I didn't have one. My body just started reacting badly to rice, so I stopped eating it completely.
The funny thing is, I can cook rice really well. I just can't eat it. As for plantain, we ate so much plantain and potato fries when I was growing up that I got completely tired of it. Now, I don't eat rice or plantain. I also don't like fried foods in general.
People think it's weird, but honestly, I'm fine with it. There's plenty of other food out there.
Enjoyed reading Jessica Tee’s story? Connect with her on LinkedIn.
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