How one Pathstream student pushed past her comfort zone to learn new skills and build a rewarding freelance career.

One of Kyndall Bennett’s first jobs was as an Aviation Structural Mechanic in the US Navy. While in the Navy, Kyndall realized the value of learning from your mistakes and being persistent until you get it right.

“I almost failed out of the Navy, but every mistake I made fueled me to try something new when I messed up. I got comfortable getting things wrong and learning how to make them right. I learned how to do the job well and eventually became a trainer of other young people like me.”

After the Navy, Kyndall went on to pursue her long-standing passion for computer animation with the hope of creating her own 3D animations. But the road to her dream job was a winding one. After college, she found her first job as a Product Promoter at a marketing firm called Amp Exposure, which partnered with Sam’s Club. She stood at the sales kiosk in some stores selling the week’s featured product. While she wasn’t too fond of the job, the position ignited her interest in attracting customers to a specific product or brand. At Amp Exposure, Kyndall was first introduced to the concept of brand building and digital marketing.

Kyndall soon landed a job as a multimedia designer and enjoyed building her video editing skills alongside cultivating her personal and professional blog, Kyrabe Stories, which is focused on inspiring others to break out of their comfort zone in search of their goals. She stumbled on the Facebook Digital Marketing Program. She pursued the certificate while working full-time to learn how to market herself digitally to grow her blog’s presence and reach.

“I realized I needed to learn digital marketing on a flexible schedule. The Pathstream program was completely online and flexible. I could work on it after work, before work, or even during work if I had some down time.”

Unfortunately, soon after earning her certificate, Kyndall lost her job as a multimedia designer due to the pandemic. While painful, this experience pushed her to start freelancing and grow her blog — two long-standing goals that had gotten sidelined. She used her new digital marketing skills to improve her blog’s SEO and create social media posts aligned with her target audience. During the Pathstream program, Kyndall grew her social media followers from 100 to 30,000 on TikTok.

During Covid, my job security was stripped away, and my freelancing goals were laid bare. I realized that when you’re comfortable you’re not going to accomplish anything. You need to push yourself into the unknown to leave where you are now to get to where you want to.

Her own digital marketing success fueled her to pursue freelance opportunities to help others achieve similar marketing goals. Through Pathstream’s career coaches, Kyndall connected with a startup company called Zeit that hired her to build social media campaigns, jumpstarting her journey into the freelance ecosystem. Her freelance work and tips for others freelancing during COVID were even profiled in The Wall Street Journal.

Kyndall advises current and future Pathtream students to manage their time wisely and break down the coursework into pieces they can fit into their schedules. She recommends that you should see learning a new skill and working full-time as complementary, not competing priorities. Apply what you’re learning in courses immediately to your personal career goals.

At Pathstream, Kyndall could use her company for many of the certificate’s digital marketing projects. This customization allowed her to knit together her coursework and professional goals. As for her fellow aspiring freelancers, Kyndall’s advice is not to wait until you’re ready. You will learn from each freelance opportunity — every mistake or misstep is a chance to learn and grow professionally.

Step into your Digital Marketing future with Pathstream

It can be hard to envision yourself starting an entry-level role as a digital marketer when you lack the right hard skills to land a job or transition roles at your current organization. But with Pathstream’s help, you won’t only learn the right skills but will receive the support you need to become a digital marketer. Contact us today to learn more about our Facebook Digital Marketing Program, or click the button below to get started.