The Diaries: My KISSmarketers Bootcamp Learning Experience.

How it all started;

I officially joined the e-commerce marketing bootcamp at KISSmarketers on the 25th of October 2024. 

This day wasn't about diving into lessons, it was the day scheduled for our welcome party. The idea of a welcome party was exciting, I was looking forward to meeting my new colleagues and course mates, but above all, the thought of embarking on a journey that has the potential to change my life for good was so exciting.

Prior to the welcome party, we were grouped into various classes and tutors were assigned to each class for the purpose of efficiency, I was in group D

So the welcome party was scheduled to be held at 8pm on a Friday. As  someone who is  naturally curious and a bit of a planner, I already had so many questions about the event. Was the meeting compulsory to attend via video?

Should I plan my outfit and lighting setup to make the best first impression? How many people would be in my group? Who would our coach be? 

“Aunty, why not just wait and see” “Sometimes you need to just relax and go with the flow of things, give room for little surprises”, I advised myself.

Okay fine!

"I would go with the flow, I'll just wait for instructions and see how everything unfolds," I thought to myself again, but did I "go with the flow?" Your guess is as good as mine.

I ended up sending an email to KISSmarketers’ support team  for clarification and they did a great job providing me with the information I needed. Their swift response put me at ease.

Apparently the video format was optional, and they encouraged me to attend the meeting in a way that makes me comfortable. 

The welcome party which took place on the 25th was a delightful kickoff. I got to meet my class members and coach.

 I was happy to meet them, the meeting was anchored by our coach who asked us to introduce ourselves, share our reasons for joining the bootcamp, our expectations and a bit of what we did for a living.

He then took us through an overview of the program, laying down the road maps for the weeks ahead. By the end of the session, I was inspired, ready and eager to get started.

The very next week, week 1 lessons were sent to our learning platform, yes! It was time to get serious.

I logged in excited to access my lessons, then boom! Week 1 contained 9 lessons and 5 assignments, including individual and group tasks, all of which had to be completed before our Saturday session that same week, where we would do a presentation on each of the assignments.

Woooo! Dorcas you said you want to work and earn in dollars right? Here you go! I said to myself....

But how do I manage to go to a job where I work full time and still have the time to study? I come back from work each day exhausted, my current job is so demanding and hectic.... I thought to myself, but again, it's a question of “do I want to continue working like an elephant and eating like an ant”?

The thought of that alone scared me, so I decided I would do whatever it takes to achieve success, sacrifices must be made! 

As I stared at the lessons, all I could hear was time ticking....

Every second now counts, I have a deadline to meet.

So I got right to it, but guess what? The material was well structured, informative and above all enlightening. The lessons from week 1 alone covered topics such as:

1. The goal attainment rule and rich life: this opened my eyes to the importance of setting clear, actionable goals that aligns with my idea of a fulfilling life.

2. The various business models: B2B, DTC, B2C, Subscription model, market place etc

3. Career path in e-commerce: this topic opened my eyes to the vast opportunities in ecommerce marketing

4. Growth potential in e-commerce, career progression and salary expectations: this session was especially exciting. 

When I learned that entry level roles could earn $40,000 to $60,000 a year, I immediately punched my calculator to see the actual value in Naira, which is approximately 64,000,000 to 96,000,000 Naira a year, which is also more than 45 times my current annual salary .... 

I almost fell off my chair, then I adjusted myself…

Now I am angry!

I started hearing voices in my head, "Dorcas, are you sure you wouldn't quit your job and dedicate your whole time to mastering this course?" "Or maybe figure out how to manage your time properly to accommodate them both" 

Believe me at this point, I was ready to quit my current job if it would stand in the way of my success....

I went further to LinkedIn to see for myself and there I found so many job opportunities, just few people with the skills required.

Motivated by the opportunities I saw in ecommerce marketing and the figures involved, I pushed myself to complete the week’s task despite the challenges of juggling my demanding full time job and the bootcamp. 

There were nights I barely got 3 hours of sleep because I would have to attend my lessons after my regular job there by staying awake into the night, then wake up again by 5am to continue before getting ready for work…. 

It was overwhelming at first but every lesson felt like an investment in my future.

One phrase from our lessons stuck with me: “whatever you are looking for is also looking for you, you just need to learn the required skill to achieve it”

Learning e-commerce marketing at KISSmarketers exposed me to so many things, including how to use some tools and navigate through various related apps, but most importantly, it opened my eyes to many opportunities and caused a major mind shift in how I view life and finance as a whole.

We were able to work together as a team to get our group task done.

Through this experience, I learned an important lesson: the journey to success is an individual race, even though collaboration is necessary at times, not everyone shares the same drive and urgency as me. Some are merely exploring opportunities casually while others, like me, are determined to escape mediocrity and leave the trenches.

I decided to not allow myself to be limited by the negative behaviours of others but rather keep my eyes on the prize while applying emotional intelligence in dealing with challenging situations like this.

Generally speaking, the bootcamp didn’t just teach me technical skills; it reshaped my mindset about life, finance, and possibilities. It opened my eyes to the endless opportunities in the e-commerce space and the importance of self-discipline and sacrifice in pursuing success.

Here are some of the specific skills and concepts I’ve learned so far:

Customer Journey Map: Mapping out the customer’s journey has given me a deeper understanding of how to create meaningful experiences for buyers.

Customer Personas: Learning to create detailed profiles of target audiences has sharpened my ability to craft personalized marketing strategies.

Offer Stack and bundling: I learned how to structure and position products effectively, offering customers and potential customers discounts to drive sales.

Loyalty Programs: Understanding how to encourage repeat purchases by offering discounts is a game-changer.

Emotional Selling: I now know that people buy emotionally and later justify their decisions with logic. Learning how to appeal to emotions would give me a strategic edge.

Rebranding and Tone & Voice: These lessons have helped me appreciate the power of consistency and authenticity in branding.

The journey has been demanding but incredibly rewarding. Each week brings new insights, challenges, and victories. From mastering tools to navigating apps and strategies.

Looking back, I’m proud of the sacrifices I’ve made and the progress I’ve achieved. 

Despite the challenges, this program has strengthened my resolve to break barriers, build a fulfilling career, and take advantage of the endless opportunities in e-commerce marketing.

As I continue this journey, I’m reminded that success requires grit, focus, and a willingness to embrace the process, no matter how tough it gets. And for me, this is just the beginning.