Charles Kolewole: From Online Hustler to Launching a New Career in Email Marketing

How it all started: 

For over eight years, I explored countless ways to make money online.

To be honest, My main motivation was financial freedom. I wanted to escape the constant struggle of living from hand to mouth. 

But as I went deeper, I realized something important. To earn consistently and command good money online, I needed to offer real value, and the bigger the value, the bigger the paycheck.

That realization sent me on a learning and self-development spree. I taught myself how to build websites, run ads, edit videos, and many other skills.

But there was one major problem. I had no clear structure. I was treating everything like a random side hustle, jumping from one thing to the next, and trying to grab every money-making opportunity that came my way.

Because of this, I ended up spreading myself too thin. I was doing too much at once, and eventually, I burned out.

Some gigs, like website design, were incredibly time-consuming. It was not just about creating the website itself, but also fixing bugs and dealing with clients who often did not understand why they needed to pay maintenance fees to keep their sites running smoothly. This led to constant back-and-forth and unnecessary conflicts.

I also gave e-commerce a try, but I quickly ran into endless challenges. My ad accounts kept getting banned, and logistics was a nightmare to manage.

Even though I made some money, I was nowhere near the level I had imagined for myself.

At this point, I paused and started asking myself some hard questions. What exactly was I doing wrong? What was I missing?

Around that time, I kept seeing people say, “Tech is the new oil.” and that got me thinking, “Maybe tech was the answer I had been looking for.” 

And also because I had previous experience creating websites on WordPress, I felt my transition into the tech industry would be an easy process.

So I enrolled in a few coding classes, hoping to break big into tech. But the more I went through the lessons, the more overwhelmed I felt. 

I just could not connect with the process. It felt forced, and to be honest, I was not happy about it because the excitement I initially felt was already fading away.

Shortly after, my continuous research led me to something unexpected which was an article about Digital Marketing in Tech.

It made me realize that digital marketing was something I had already been involved with for years, even though I never saw it as a formal career path nor knew the scale of its relevance in the tech industry.

I had run different campaigns before, but everything was disorganized and I was really just winging it.

That was the moment I knew I needed to become a professional. I wanted to command respect for my skills, not just be someone who dabbles in marketing here and there.

This led me to start searching again and fortunately, I found KissMarketers.

The moment I saw what they offered, something clicked. It took me a while to finally join the cohort, but I am so glad I did.

Now, I am not only learning to become a top-tier email marketer, but also building a proper career.

My Transition Story

My motivation to transition into high in-demand skilled in email marketing was born from my desire to master a skill that could drive substantial and predictable revenue growth for both myself and other companies.

Although I had some experience and had taken on marketing gigs in the past, I felt the need to refine my expertise, become a true professional, and develop a standardized approach to delivering results.

Among the various forms of marketing, email marketing stands out as one of the few channels where you have complete end-to-end control. With paid advertising, I frequently encountered issues such as ad restrictions and account bans, which severely disrupted my business operations. Even when my ads and accounts remained active, I was constantly at the mercy of changing algorithms and had to compete with other brands for the same audience.

In contrast, email marketing gives me full ownership of my audience. My email list belongs to me, and if I am dissatisfied with an Email Service Provider (ESP), I can simply switch to another. 

Additionally, email marketing allows me to make precise adjustments to underperforming areas, ensuring that by implementing the right strategies, I can consistently achieve the desired results.

I chose to join Kiss Marketers because they were the only ones who provided a clear and compelling vision of what I could accomplish after completing their bootcamp.

Furthermore, I had been following their founder, Mr. Johnson Emmanuel, for some time and highly respected his expertise and experience. This level of trust played a significant role in my decision to enroll in the Kiss Marketers email marketing bootcamp.

Bootcamp Experience

I discovered KISSmarketers through a tweet by Mr. Johnson Emmanuel. After seeing the tweet, I subscribed to their email list and began receiving regular updates about their programs. 

While they offered various bootcamps, my primary interest was in the Email Marketing Bootcamp. As a result, I patiently waited several months for the next cohort to open.

Even though I really enjoy the program, I cannot deny that I initially experienced some challenges, especially with time management.

This became an issue for me because we always had tasks to submit by specific deadlines, and it was stressful to keep up with the timing while handling other important responsibilities.

This challenge ultimately helped me grow by forcing me to learn effective time management. I now schedule tasks on my calendar to ensure productivity and can efficiently allocate my attention to different activities as needed.

Also, this bootcamp has helped me overcome my hesitation about writing. The tasks literally forced me to write or get left behind.

This is something I always used to avoid doing when I had the option to, but found myself becoming more comfortable with due to the frequent need to write out my assignments.

I will say that apart from the core email marketing skills I’ve gained, the other soft skills I’ve gained are very beneficial in helping me become a top professional that will always deliver. 

Current Outlook

The KISSmarketers email marketing bootcamp has significantly reshaped my career trajectory by providing me with a clear roadmap for growth in the coming years.

Prior to this, I was experimenting with different approaches, hoping to find my big break. I wasn’t strategically building my professional profile, as I viewed my work more as a hustle rather than a profession.

Joining KISSmarketers has given me a solid foundation and a clear direction to work toward. I am no longer operating on guesswork; instead, I now have a defined pathway to becoming a true professional while also positioning myself for substantial rewards.

I am incredibly excited about the next phase of my professional journey. Moving forward, I have a proven system, along with the clarity and confidence to transform self-learning, side hustles, and trial-and-error into a structured, intentional, and highly rewarding career.