Tosin Thomas is stepping into her power.
A motivated self-starter, Tosin has never let “I don’t know,” mean “I can’t do it. Hungry for horizons beyond her hyper-specialized agency role in Nigeria, Tosin sought to skill up and build the career of her dreams in marketing.
Enter Growclass.
Since taking the course, Tosin has taken her work to the next level. Today, this evolution sees her leading the digital marketing efforts of a Canada-based fintech startup.
We caught up with Tosin to talk about making a successful career pivot in the middle of a pandemic, how she overcame feeling small, and why there’s “no grounds” for comparing other courses to Growclass.
Psst — Want to break into a new role, bring in more sales, meet new clients, or nab that promotion you really are ready for? We've got you. Enrollment for Growclass is now open.
Mariam Zohouri: Congratulations are in order! You recently accepted a role as a Digital Marketing Manager with a fintech startup in Canada. How did you get here?
Tosin Thomas: It started with a LinkedIn message from their founder. I'm a passionate person, and he loved my interest in their platform. After a few chats on Zoom, I was offered the role.
I believe a lot of things played a part in helping me get that role. I thank God, and I thank Growclass, because it helped build my confidence as a marketing expert.
I could answer his questions because I knew what I was talking about.
Right now, I'm working with an agency. The work is highly specialized. You get a specific task, or a set of things to do.
This new job moves me to the client side of marketing. It’s going to take a lot of work, but I’m excited about the challenge. I’ll get to apply everything I’ve learned through Growclass.
Mariam: You're a force, Tosin. Tell me more about your experience with the course.
Tosin: Let me share a secret with you. When I joined Growclass, and attended my first live session, I felt small.
I had looked up Growclass’ instructors and students on LinkedIn, and saw people with senior roles in big companies. I just felt like, "look at these people.”
Because I'm Nigerian, the way I speak is different. I didn’t have the confidence to speak up during our sessions so I’d type in the chat instead.
Over time, on Growclass’ Slack, I saw how people asked questions and helped each other. I realized that my worth is not determined by where I work. I have to own who I am, and how I speak. I'm Nigerian, and I have to embrace it.
So I focused on learning as much as I could to advance my career as a digital marketer. I also took advantage of every live session and tearups (emails and website copy). In all, my Growclass experience helped improve my confidence and ability to speak about what I know.
Mariam: With your new role comes a new scope for your earning potential. How has this changed since Growclass?
Compared to what I currently make, my new salary is a significant increase.
I was able to ask for that amount with confidence, because I know that I have what it takes to do the job.
This doesn’t mean that I went into my interview with a know-it-all attitude. I told the founder that I love to try new things and, from there, we'll see what works — to experiment and learn.
Growclass helped me develop this growth mindset, to see life as a learning curve and be confident negotiating for more.
Mariam: This pandemic forced universities and other courses like Growclass to bring their programs online. With so many options out there, why did you choose Growclass?
Tosin: I wanted something practical and in-depth. I did a lot of research, and ended up revisiting Growclass' website over and over again.
I was drawn to how much Growclass broke down their course content. It wasn't generic. Most digital marketing courses talk about strategy and SEO, but Growclass started with Customer Psychology.
Then I read the testimonials.
Looking up Growclass alumni online, I saw how, after the course, they advanced in their careers, moving on to something better.
That's exactly what I was looking for: practicality and impact.
But, since COVID, the foreign exchange rate has increased tremendously in Nigeria. When I converted the course fees to our currency, naira, the cost became unaffordable.
So I reached out to Sarah, and asked if she could extend my installment plan, so I could pay for the course over a longer period of time.
She checked out my LinkedIn, and, noticing my enthusiasm and passion, made me an offer to join Growclass on a full scholarship, free of charge.
Mariam: You’ve mentioned two of Growclass’ biggest benefits: community, and the accessibility of the content.
Tosin: In our first live session, Sarah said there are no stupid questions.
Today, whenever I have questions about Facebook ads, I reach out to Growclass instructor, Gordon Leslie, who is an expert in this space. He always gets back to me, and breaks everything down clearly.
Most online courses are self-paced. There's no community, and you can't ask questions. Learning is more fun when others are involved. Growclass gets this.
Mariam: And, especially in marketing, we are never gonna stop learning.
Tosin: Exactly. I learn so much through Growclass’ Slack channel. That’s where I first saw Gordon's Conversify software, which I started using with my clients. The community is amazing.
Mariam: That you can develop mentorship relationships with instructors is huge. Now, let’s say you have a friend who’s on the fence about joining Growclass. What would you tell them?
Tosin: Someone actually did reach out on LinkedIn, and asked me to compare Growclass to another course I had taken in the past. I told her there is no grounds for comparison — just go for Growclass.
So what will I tell a friend who's on the fence? When you're starting your career, you just want a certificate to show employers that you have skills in digital marketing.
But Growclass isn't about getting you a certificate. It’s about helping you grow.
Courses are broken down so they’re easy to follow, helping you gain knowledge you can apply right away — whether you want to experiment with SEO or paid ads.
In school, and in other online courses, you're on your own, cramming content at the last minute. With Growclass, you gain access to a community where you can ask questions, learn from others, and get inspired.
I love... so there's a channel in the Growclass Slack group — what's the name? I think it's Grati… Gratitoad?
Mariam: Gratitoad! Yes!
Tosin: I love it. Changing careers is scary for everyone. But in the Gratitoad channel, you see people who, after Growclass, advanced.
They were given new opportunities and they had the confidence to take them. It’s inspiring.
Growclass gives you the confidence to succeed because it gives you the tools to succeed. Just look at all the course templates! They are useful, editable and adaptable to different companies and industries.
You get everything you need to go after what you want.
Courses are broken down so you can practice what you’ve learned right away and the community supports you even after the course is done. When you finish Growclass, you leave a more confident marketer.
Eventually, I want to be able to sponsor someone else to do a Growclass course. It's career changing, it's life changing. Growclass has given me so much. I want to pay it forward, and be a part of someone else's success story, too.
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