Empowerment and Freedom through Digital Marketing: Confidently Charting Success with DM-Weep
In 2014, Mosiko Remilekun emerged from university with an entrepreneurial spirit and a varied range of interests that set her apart. Soon after pursuing a degree in Agricultural Development in the Ogun State, Nigeria, her interests shifted towards more creative avenues. While pursuing an acting career, she used fashion design to sustain herself, which made her discover the great potential of digital marketing to boost her business and visibility. However, living far from urban centers and the capital Lagos – where most of the opportunities in the creative and digital landscape are – made it difficult for Mosiko to navigate the job market. She soon acknowledged her need to improve her hard skills, essential tools to both distinguish herself in the rapidly evolving digital landscape and to enhance her prospects of securing a remote job.
Unafraid to reimagine her path, she first decided to go in an entirely different direction, Fashion Design. Starting her own ready-to-wear line, Mosiko embraced the challenges of running her own business. But, deep down, she still felt a strong pull towards the world of Digital Marketing. Her desire for flexibility, independence, and self-reliance pushed her to seek avenues beyond the fashion world, dreaming that, one day, she would be able to merge her passions into a fashion retail business with a strong digital presence.
Despite the difficulty to find affordable and online specialized training, Mosiko kept searching for opportunities to upskill and soon discovered the Digital Marketing Women Employability and Entrepreneurship Program (DM-WEEP) powered by the Digital Marketing Skills Institute with the support of CFYE (Challenge Fund for Youth Employment) and, without any hesitance, decided to apply and got selected for the very first cohort.
Nurturing Resilience and Digital Expertise: The Program’s transformative impact
The program was everything she was looking for: fully remote, she would bear the costs of the training only after she found a job, and not only it offered a comprehensive training on all aspects of digital marketing but also continuous career mentorship to navigate the job market.
DM-WEEP is built to position young women like Mosiko as catalysts for the growth and prosperity of businesses in the digital age. It is not just about skill development; it is about creating a dynamic link between a societal problem on one side – women’s high unemployment rate in Nigeria – and, on the other, a pressing business demand for people with strong digital skills.
“Going through the course helped me develop this kind of resilience to be able to tackle whatever comes and face [any] challenges’
-Mosiko Remilekun
Targeting young women aged 20-35, the DM-Weep program is a transformative journey that empowers participants through comprehensive training in various aspects of digital marketing, including web design, Search Engine Optimization, and social media management and advertising. Though challenging, this immersive experience, described by Mosiko as occasionally requiring “some sleepless nights,” eventually turns fatigue into a sense of accomplishment.
What makes the program stand out, particularly for Mosiko, is its assignment-based structure. This approach not only imparts practical knowledge but also instills the ability to handle negative feedback—a skill that proved instrumental in her transition to her first job post-program.
So, how did Mosiko do after DM-Weep?
Just two weeks after completing DM-Weep, Mosiko secured a remote position with a Nigerian-based company, exactly as she had planned when she started the program. Leveraging her newly acquired proficiency in SEO, Web design, social media management, and advertising strategies, she emerged as the perfect candidate to oversee their website, manage six social media accounts, and handle copywriting and content creation. This swift transition from the program to a rewarding job exemplifies how DM-Weep not only equips individuals with skills but also builds the confidence and attitude to navigate a job sector that is complex but full of new opportunities.
Confident in her capabilities and knowledge, once again Mosiko decided to bring her career further and aim for even more freedom in her job. Opting for a freelance path, she now supports various businesses with their website design and social media management, choosing to opt for even more freedom and flexibility as she desired, and allowing her to be self-sufficient and work at her own rules, irrespective of her location or schedule.
Looking back, the one thing that Mosiko would advise to her younger self is to start learning digital marketing earlier. To all young women interested in marketing, her message is an optimistic one:
‘I would like to encourage every woman out there, if you are interested in digital marketing, DM-Weep is the program for you. Going through the course helped me to be able to tackle any challenge.’
Mosiko Remilekun
As a freelancer, Mosiko is now exploring new and exciting projects while actively planning to revisit her dream of launching her own fashion business, marking a significant milestone in her journey towards entrepreneurship.
Ilaria Blasi
March 13, 2024