IT was a no-brainer that Damani Brown would become an entrepreneur, as he always had an interest in improving the well-being of people, through professional development opportunities.

He started a holistic lifestyle transformation company called Transforming Inspirational Minds (TIM) and Adulting 101 Conference in 2019 which gives him the privilege of executing what he loves to do.

“TIM and Adulting 101 are actually part of one vision — to transform the lives of 100 million people. I started them to reduce the number of people that struggle with various aspects of life. I want to help people to achieve their full potential, so that life is better for them, myself and all of our families; as we are all connected,” he said.

“I know that the right knowledge can unlock the potential of a person. We all have it in us, just that most of us don’t know that we do, or don’t know the process to unlock that potential. TIM and Adulting 101 exist to stop the cycle of re-inventing the wheel and give people practical structure and processes for success; through the use of knowledge, technology and fun,” he said.

Referencing the Adulting 101 Conference, Brown said it was developed after he made a series of adulting mistakes, which he wants others to avoid.

Some of those mistakes, he pointed to, included failed academic decisions and poor financial literacy.

“I laugh every time I think about the fact that I have a master of business administration and a bachelor of science degree in computer science and still didn’t know how to manage my finances properly. I made a real mess of that transition into adulthood, especially with money. I racked up massive debt, had little to no savings… I ruined many good intimate relationships, my church life was non-existent, I ruined my health, almost like I was in a race to die,” he said.

“If you can think of a mistake or something not to do, I did all of them. And the worst part was, I felt like I knew it all or at least like I knew enough to fix things whenever I decided to stop having fun. But I was definitely fooling myself. I was never prepared with the right knowledge to go out and live by myself and to ‘make life’ as it were. Eventually, the instability in my life impacted other areas, like work. My productivity dipped, depression chimed in for its contribution and I just couldn’t unlock my potential anymore. I was struggling and you would never be able to tell from the outside. A common situation for many, as I have come to learn.”

Throughout his career journey, Brown has had many great experiences. He recalled a memorable moment from the Adulting 101 conference in 2019.

“We had given each person who attended a $1,000 investment voucher as a part of the conference package. Two years later in 2021, I was randomly walking in Sunshine Plaza in Portmore and a young lady walked me down and stopped me to tell me how that voucher helped her to start investing and shared some of what she learnt from the conference and how well she was doing in her new job. That was a very humbling moment for me,” he said.

The biggest lesson he has learnt throughout the operation of his businesses, Brown said, is “ensuring you know your margins”.

“Ensure you are pricing in accordance with the quality of the service you provide. I don’t like to skimp on quality, and I had to learn how to match that desire back to the income statement,” he said.