Content creator and arguably the queen of Instagram, speaks about her journey of becoming a mother at a young age, making over 30K from her campus side hustle, and shares advice for young people keen to join and thrive in the ever-growing content creation industry.

I earned my Bachelor’s degree in International Relations at the United States International University (USIU). After graduating, I received a full scholarship to pursue my Honours Degree in Justice and Transformation at the University of Cape Town.

My favourite unit on campus was anything related to Communications, while my least favourite was anything involving math and statistics —I really disliked those!

It’s been over 10 years since I graduated, so I don’t remember all the details, but I do know that I hated anything too scientific that relied on calculations and formulas.”

Campus life was generally good for me. I enjoyed the freedom of moving out of my parent’s house during that time, and since I’ve always loved learning, it was a mix of both fun and personal growth.

I found it easy to make friends and I didn’t struggle much in my courses. I had a child at 20, so I didn’t party much during my campus years, but I still made sure to have fun when I could.

In my second year on campus, I learned how to sew and my mom bought me my first sewing machine

That’s when my first business began! I started making clothes for friends and family, and through word of mouth, my business gradually grew.

At one point, I was even making bridesmaid dresses and dressing choirs. I earned good money from this side hustle, and at its peak, I was making over 30K a month, quite  a lot for a university student.

My dating life was pretty normal and consistent. I had started a relationship just before campus, and we stayed together throughout the four years I was at university. We’re not together now, though.

I think campus relationships can be great. Like any relationship, they can either build you up or break you, depending on whether they are toxic. Unfortunately, many campus relationships don’t last beyond university but for some, they even lead to marriage!

I have a few friends who married their campus sweethearts! I don’t think we can generalize when it comes to relationships in campus — it really depends on how you prioritize your life. That said, you should definitely not take the focus away from your studies.

Since I was a young single mom, most of my weekends were spent at home with my son, or sometimes I’d visit my family with him. I wasn’t really a party person! Maybe things would have been different if I hadn’t had a child so young.

I was either studying, being a mom, or hustling to earn money through my business! Between the three, I barely had any free time at all. I was really determined not to be a statistic of young single motherhood, so I worked hard to make it all work.

Classmates you will never forget?

There are two friends I made who I think about often - Linda and Austin, wherever you are - I love you! We haven’t truly kept in touch after campus, but they made my time there extremely memorable and I miss them.

Start now with what you have. Don’t wait for the latest iPhone or a perfectly aesthetic house—just start! There’s never a perfect time. Secondly, be consistent! Set a schedule for your content and stick to it as much as possible. Finally, stay true to yourself, because everyone has something unique to offer, even if the space seems saturated.

One key tip is to remain authentic, consistent, and always over-deliver! Give more than what’s expected, and they’ll keep coming back. Always ensure you’re providing value both to the brand and your audience at the same time.

The biggest mistake I see is trying to copy someone else’s style or persona in an attempt to emulate their success. Be yourself—success will follow. Create content that makes sense for you. Copying won’t get you far!

Be yourself. Life is too short to try to be someone else!