FLOW Business, alongside BTC Business, recently held another series in its ‘InKnowvation Small Business, Big Impact!’ conferences. The virtual event consisted of a number of experts in the digital field, sharing tidbits on their journey into the digital space and how they were able to monetise this. Krystal Tomlinson, public speaking coach, shared how she was able to turn her side hustle into her main stream of income, using these digital tools, creating a sustainable life for her and her family through COVID.

Tomlinson recalls facing numerous hardships, the hardest of which happened during the last two years. Despite these challenges, she persevered and embraced her battles because she knew that from them, progress would be made. She expressed that necessity is the mother of invention, or innovation, which prompted her to make a decision about the trajectory of her future.

“I decided I was never going to be broke again. Bruck, bruck vibes, bruck, bruck confidence. Brokeness challenged and attempted to break my faith. I was going through hardships and battles and my faith was now in question,” Tomlinson said.

She continued on her path of decision-making when she realised it was no longer about just her, but also her daughter.

“The second decision I made was that I was going to earn enough money, more than any company could pay me, and enough that my daughter could have access to the world. In addition to this, whatever I built my daughter must be able to inherit it, because a 9-5 cannot be passed down,” she stated.

For Tomlinson, these decisions meant that a 9-5 job was not on the books, therefore she was choosing a life of entrepreneurship and innovation.

Knowing exactly where you are going, and the power of technology helps to make the most informed decision about the direction you are taking. COVID dealt a blow to many people’s lives and their businesses. Unsurprisingly, Tomlinson also faced major setbacks at the onset of the pandemic, as she shared that she became unemployed and had to move back in with her mom, resulting from the effects of COVID on her financial stability.

She shared how she was able to utilise her social media and digital tools to overcome these challenges.

“In the middle of COVID, I had to lean into digital, because the ability to move from unemployed and broke, having to move back in with my mother was paramount. Now I am able to pay myself more than 200 times what anyone could ever pay me. Through digital tools, I was able to identify the audience demographic of my Instagram followers, and the service I could provide that could bring value and solve problems, that they would pay for. Through this I realised that speaking is what they wanted more of from me. Not only that, they wanted me to teach them how to speak well, so they could confidently go out and conduct business.”

As a result of her online audience spanning a few continents, she had to set up her payment gateways in a currency that would facilitate ease of commerce for her audience. Thus, Tomlinson began to earn US dollars.

She advised viewers that there are tools out there that are quite easy to use, that would assist them in creating their space in the digital industry.

“I am not a ‘techie’ but I was able to utilise digital tools such as Teachable, Convertkit, Canva, and ChatGPT to keep track of my students’ progress as well as learn a new skill that would convert into another stream of income.”

Though it may be difficult to stay committed, Tomlinson emphasised the importance of remaining focused on the talents, skills, and decisions made, to ensure that success is the final outcome.

In concluding her presentation, she left some nuggets of advice for the viewers:

1) Lots of people are watching, but nobody is coming. This means you have to be your own hero. There are unique and innate talents that you are born with, sit down in them, hold on to the reins, and ride it through.

2) Take risks for yourself and your ideas. If 12 months have passed and you haven’t taken a risk on one idea, concept, or business plan, you’re doing yourself an injustice because your potential is waiting for you to test it, fail at it, learn something, and test better next time, because that’s what success is.

3) Embrace failure. Nothing is wrong with failure. When I fall on my face, I get to focus. Whatever I fall face down into, I’m humble enough to ask what can this teach me.

4) Remain persistent. I encourage every entrepreneur to read Grit by Angela Duckworth. Stay the course of whatever decision you make. Determination matters.