From 0 to 33K followers: How Real Desmond Became a Brand Identity Expert on LinkedIn and Landed International Clients

Most LinkedIn success stories follow a pattern. Someone posts consistently, builds an audience and community, and then they start making money. Real Desmond's story is different for the simple fact that she did not start out trying to be a creator.

She started out trying to get clients because she thought LinkedIn might be the right platform for that.

Today, with 33,000+ followers and a thriving international design practice, Real Desmond has become one of the most recognisable brand identity designers on LinkedIn. Her journey to get there was anything but straightforward. We sat down with her to ask the questions we knew our readers wanted answered: How did she actually do it? What made the difference? And what would she tell someone who is still sitting on their expertise, waiting for the right moment?

Here is what she told us.

How did you find your niche? Was showing up on LinkedIn and being a creator your first career choice, or did it find you?

Real Desmond: I was already into graphic design before I got on LinkedIn. When I joined LinkedIn, I was doing graphic design and brand identity design, but I think about two or three months in, I decided to fully position myself as a brand identity designer.

Showing up on LinkedIn was always a means to an end. The end was certainly not LinkedIn creation. The end was building authority and attracting clients as a designer. So LinkedIn was simply the vehicle that would help me get there.

What did your LinkedIn look like when you first started posting, and what made you keep going?

Real Desmond: My LinkedIn looked like the average LinkedIn user's profile.

I originally opened a LinkedIn account because of my auntie and a family friend who was also a colleague at work. This was around 2021 when I was working in a clinic and pursuing a healthcare career. She told me LinkedIn was a platform for professionals where you could connect with people, meet fellow professionals, and build your network.

So I opened an account, but honestly, I didn't really know what I was doing. I even deleted the app at some point.

The second time I heard about LinkedIn in a more meaningful way, I decided to start posting. At first, I was posting randomly. Whatever I would post on Facebook, I would also post on LinkedIn.

What made me keep going was a combination of things. I had attended an event where Emmanuel Nduka spoke about LinkedIn, the opportunities available on the platform, and the success stories people were experiencing. I also kept hearing stories of people getting opportunities through LinkedIn.

I decided to double down and stay consistent.

One thing people who followed my journey would remember is that I used to say, "I just want to see what happens if I don't quit."

I was genuinely curious. I wanted to see what would happen if I stayed consistent for six months, one year, and beyond. Thankfully, it didn't take too long before I got my first gig, and that encouraged me to keep going.

What's the one thing that made the biggest difference to your growth on LinkedIn?

Real Desmond: I would say consistency, authenticity, intentionality, and focus.

Authenticity because I've always been genuine about why I was on the platform. There was no pretending. From the beginning, what I wanted is still what I want today. I wanted to attract clients. I wanted to give value. I wanted to be seen as someone valuable so I could attract valuable opportunities and work with amazing people around the world.

That hasn't changed.

I would also say consistency and focus. If you met me in 2023 when I started taking LinkedIn seriously and you meet me today, you'll realise I've always been known for branding. I've always talked about branding.

I've also always been Yellow Queen.

Despite the changes in the LinkedIn algorithm, trends, and new people joining the platform, that has remained constant. Of course, there's been growth and evolution, but I'm still the girl who talks about branding, and I'm still Yellow Queen.

So I think consistency, authenticity, intentionality, and focus have made the biggest difference.

What kind of content gets the most engagement from your audience, and why do you think that is?

Real Desmond: I think the content that gets the most engagement from my audience is personal content.

Content about your journey, your story, lessons you've learned, your experiences, messages of hope, and inspirational content.

Why?

Because it's human nature.

People love a good story. People want to know the person behind the LinkedIn profile. They want to connect with you, not just your expertise.

A lot of people are also looking for hope. Someone who is just starting out sees your journey and thinks, "If she could get here, maybe I can too."

That's why personal stories often perform so well. They help people connect with you on a deeper level.

When did you first make money from your LinkedIn presence, and how did that happen?

Real Desmond: I started building seriously on LinkedIn in February 2023.

Between February and May, someone reached out to me for a flyer design. It wasn't anything huge or particularly significant. It was just a normal flyer project.

But my first major LinkedIn client was a foreign client who paid me more than quadruple what I would normally charge for a branding project at the time.

She reached out to me around May 2023, which was only about two or three months after I started showing up intentionally on LinkedIn.

She sent me a message, explained what she wanted, and we moved the conversation to WhatsApp. We ended up working together, and it was a great experience.

The fun fact is that we still have a wonderful relationship today. She still reaches out to me for projects.

What's a mistake you made early on LinkedIn that you wish someone had warned you about?

Real Desmond: One mistake I made was not learning outbound marketing and cold outreach earlier.

If I had learned outbound marketing, relationship-building, and how to intentionally reach out to people while I was growing on LinkedIn, I think I would be in an even stronger position today.

At that stage, I was very open to learning and trying new things. Looking back, I wish someone had guided me in that direction.

So for anyone starting today, I would say don't just focus on creating content. Also learn how to build relationships, connect with people intentionally, and do outbound marketing.

I think that's one thing I wish I had learned much earlier.

What would you say to an African creator who's been sitting on their expertise and hasn't posted or shown up yet?

Real Desmond: I would say that in today's world, your online presence matters more than ever.

We're seeing business owners, founders, and executives come out from behind the scenes because they now understand how important visibility is.

People don't just care about your skills anymore. They want to know the person behind the skills. They want to connect with the person they're buying from.

More than ever, your online presence is your currency.

It's your CV. It's your résumé. It's what enters the room before you do. It's what creates an impression before you even speak.

Thousands of people can have the same skills as you. Thousands of people can be designers.

But your online presence is often what helps you stand out. It's what differentiates you. It's what helps people connect with you and remember you.

So don't sit on your expertise. Share it.

The Lessons Here For Us

Real Desmond's journey teaches us several things that anyone building on LinkedIn should understand.

First, you don't need a complex strategy. She started by posting randomly, deleted the app, and had no idea what she was doing. What mattered was that she came back and decided to be consistent.

Second, specificity matters. The moment she narrowed her focus from "graphic designer" to "brand identity designer," everything changed. Within three months of intentional posting, she had a major client paying four times her normal rate.

Third, personal content outperforms everything else. As a designer, you might expect her portfolio to be her top performer. It is not. Her stories, her journey, her authenticity — that is what connects with people and creates opportunities.

Fourth, content creation and outreach are not either-or. They work together. She built an audience through consistent posting, but she also learned that intentional relationship-building and cold outreach could have accelerated her growth even further.

Fifth, your online presence is not a luxury anymore. It is how people decide whether to work with you, buy from you, or refer you to others. It enters the room before you do.

Most importantly, Real Desmond's story proves that you do not need to be perfect. You do not need to have all the answers before you start. You just need to show up, stay authentic, and decide not to quit.

Good news! Real Desmond Is One of the Judges for the Coachli LinkedIn Visibility Challenge

Real Desmond is one of three judges scoring the grand prize for the Coachli LinkedIn Visibility Challenge, which runs June 8 to June 28. She knows what quality looks like on LinkedIn because she has built it herself. She knows what consistency looks like. She knows what authenticity looks like.

She also knows what it is like to be scared to post.

So if you have been sitting on your expertise, waiting for the right moment, you can still join us in our LinkedIn Visibility Challenge. Just post once a day for the remaining days in the challenge. While you may not be qualified for the prize pool of ₦800,000, your post can still be featured in our email, and you have an opportunity to connect with hundreds of other creators on this challenge.

For some creators on this LinkedIn, the money is their least concern. Some are already bagging global opportunities, landing new jobs and partnerships, as well as growing their LinkedIn audience and building authority. These are a few testimonials out of over 50 testimonials we've gotten so far on this challenge. You can read them here.

So if you've not joined the challenge, feel free to do so now. Just join our WhatsApp Group for the challenge so you don't miss out on any updates, and so you can interact with other creators on this journey with you. And then start posting. Don't overthink it; just post.

Remember, Real Desmond started with random posts and genuine confusion, and now she has 33,000+ followers and a thriving international practice. She did not need a perfect plan. She needed consistency, authenticity, intentionality, and focus.

You need those same four things.

Join the WhatsApp Group now and start posting. You can keep procrastinating and saying you'll begin One Day or today can be your Day One.

Too lazy to read Everything? I'm judging you but here's the summary fo the interview with her

How long did it take Real Desmond to make her first sale on LinkedIn?

Real Desmond started posting intentionally in February 2023 and made her first major sale by May 2023 — about three months. Her first client was a foreign client who paid more than quadruple her normal rate.

What niche does Real Desmond focus on?

She is a brand identity designer. She narrowed her focus from general graphic design to specifically brand identity work, which helped her stand out and attract the right clients.

What kind of content performs best for Real Desmond?

Personal content performs best for her, like stories about her journey, lessons learned, experiences, and messages of hope. People want to connect with the person behind the expertise, not just the expertise itself.

What's the one thing Real Desmond wishes she had done earlier?

She wishes she had learned outbound marketing and cold outreach earlier. While she was focused on creating content, she did not simultaneously learn how to intentionally reach out to potential clients.

Is Real Desmond still getting clients from LinkedIn?

Yes. Her first major client from 2023 still reaches out to her for projects years later, showing that LinkedIn relationships can be long-lasting and valuable.

Real Desmond's story is proof of a simple truth: you don't need to be perfect. You don't need the ideal strategy. You don't need to know exactly what you are doing. You just need to show up, stay authentic, and see what happens if you don't quit. Start today!