From Corporate to Confident: How UDMA School Helped Me Build a Thriving Digital Marketing Business

by Kayleigh Mihalko

Overcoming Obstacles and Finding Freedom with UDMA School

As a digital marketing consultant who helps aspiring freelancers and virtual assistants gain the skills and confidence they need to run profitable independent businesses, I’ve seen too many new mothers running around like they’re in a chaotic game of overcooked, burning food with no customers in the restaurant.

That’s why I’m excited to share this student review from one of my talented Unicorn Digital Marketing Assistant School graduates, Kayleigh Mihalko. Her journey is a powerful example of how the UDMA program has transformed the lives and careers of so many working mothers, giving them the tools to help them succeed in digital marketing and find a balance between family, work, and personal fulfillment. Enjoy Kayleigh’s story!

My Journey Into Digital Marketing Started Years Ago

I graduated from university with a degree in Business Administration with a Concentration in Marketing, during the recession. I was able to find a job, but it was more administrative and in the financial industry. That didn’t last long. 

I then went on to a series of other admin positions and was able to convince most of them to give me some marketing responsibilities, but nothing was ever a really good fit. 

In the meantime, I started a side hustle helping friends and my networking acquaintances improve their social media and websites, but I did not intend to become a full-blown entrepreneur. 

At one company I was the marketing and administrative person for a commercial real estate company. We managed over three million square feet of rentable space and had over 300 tenants. It was my job to communicate important information to the tenants and also to attract new tenants. But, they had been doing it old school for almost 40 years and did not want to try anything new. While it was cool to work on radio, magazine, and TV commercials, it was not the sort of modern marketing that I was itching to do. 

Then I had my first kid and the pandemic hit. I always thought people were crazy when they had a kid and then decided to quit their secure job to do their own thing, but as my son was turning one, I realized I was about to become that person. I could no longer be okay sitting at a desk from 8 to 5 every day no matter how much or little work I had to do. I missed my son. 

That’s when I took the plunge. It was 2021. I had two paying clients almost immediately. By October of that year, my largest client wanted to bring me on full time. So in January of 2022, I decided it was a good idea to go back to corporate. That turned out to be a huge mistake.

“I always thought people were crazy when they had a kid and then decided to quit their secure job to do their own thing, but as my son was turning one, I realized I was about to become that person.”

In July of 2022, I found out I was pregnant with my second child. In August, I told my employer. Two days later, I was no longer employed.

A lawsuit was filed and I ended up fighting for my life with pregnancy complications and financially with the loss of my only income. Fortunately, my husband was working and we were able to get by, but it was tough. 

As I struggled, my self-worth and confidence were completely loss of confidence. I knew in my head that I know what I am doing, but hearing what my former company was saying about me during the lawsuit was painful. 

That’s when I decided to join UDMA. 

I had been listening to the Unicorns Unite podcast since the beginning and had been following Emily on social media for a long time, but I had not been ready to commit. When the doors opened for the second round of UDMA School and I heard Emily say that it would help with confidence, I realized now was my time. 

There were a few reasons why I knew this was the right move:

1. I wanted to learn what programs people were using in the digital marketing space. I knew some of them, but having come from corporate, I didn’t know what I didn’t know. UDMA School would introduce them to me and give me the techie tips on how to use them to support business owners who needed help.
   
   
2. I wanted to build my confidence. In order to pick myself up off the floor and be able to move forward with my career and my own self worth, I knew I needed support. The other people in the UDMA School cohort were going to be my business buddies and help me really know that I was not alone and that I was able to do this work. 
   
   
3. Having something else to focus on was important. Instead of filling my days with thinking about the past or even the present was tough, but thinking about the future gave me something to look forward to. I was pregnant and unemployed, but full of potential. My daughter was born in February of 2023 and she is amazing. 
   
   
4. Other programs didn’t offer the same content. Emily teaches us the tools, the reasons, and the real-life uses of the programs that business owners are using. I had never heard of Kajabi before the program, but now I have helped a few clients on that platform and love working on courses. It also helps us focus on our business, not just our client’s businesses. I didn’t have a portfolio before taking this course, for example, and that one change has made a big difference in lead generation.
   
   
5. The promise of job leads was too good to pass up. Knowing where to find jobs in this field is tough. Seeing the job leads come into the group even before I was finished with the course was amazing. Now that I have finally started to settle on the services that I do and do not want to offer, I can be more selective in applying for jobs. I’ve turned on notifications for the group and I always get a little jolt of excitement when I see new job opps pop up. 

⚡️Related Podacst: Kayleigh Mihalko’s Freelancer Story: From Corporate to Marketing Specialist #220

Listen to this Unicorns Unite Podcast episode if you’re balancing a traditional job with a freelance side gig and want more flexibility. You’ll learn how to make this transition to full-time freelancing a reality.

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio | Amazon

This Has Been a Game-Changer for My Business and Life

Now that I have been a part of the Digital Marketer’s Workgroup for almost two years, I can honestly say it has been one of the best decisions I have made for my business. I even use the group as a value add when I talk to business owners. If I do not know the answer to a question, I have a group of smart and talented people to ask and I will get a response in probably less than ten minutes! 

For me, working online has become a necessity. Fortunately, I love it as well. Between caring for my two children and an aging parent, my days are sometimes filled with doctor appointments and driving places. I need to be able to work to help fill the financial gap from my husband’s teacher salary, and I always knew I would not make a good stay-at-home mom or housewife. 

Using my brain, practicing my craft, building a career, and working with some amazing people make this line of work so fulfilling. 

I completely understand why military spouses get so much benefit from becoming a digital marketer. Former teachers looking for a change after being burnt out make really good DMAs as well. But I am here to tell you that even with a degree in marketing, UDMA School was still a great investment for my career. I was able to transition from corporate to digital marketing. There’s no stopping us now!

Connect with Kayleigh:

• Website: www.cmmct.com
• Instagram: @cloud.media.marketing
• Facebook: Cloud Media Marketing

Read Other UDMA School Student Stories:

>> My Journey From Employee To Full-Time Business Owner

>> Upleveling Digital Marketing Skills to Provide Premium Services to Premium Clients

>> How I Transitioned from a 9-5 Job to a Booked-Out Freelance Marketing Specialist

>> From Corporate Finance to Small Business Consultant

Not a course. A collective for marketers already doing the work.

Our Digital Marketer’s Workgroup is a vetted peer community where marketing specialists get real business support and talk shop with people who actually get it. Applications are open now ⬇️

The Takeaway: UDMA School gave Kayleigh the support she needed to take care of her family while running a successful freelance business.

Kayleigh left a corporate job to become a successful freelance digital marketer. After struggling to find fulfillment in traditional jobs, facing personal challenges, and navigating a difficult pregnancy, she took a leap of faith by joining the Unicorn Digital Marketing Assistant School. Through the program, Kayleigh gained the technical skills, confidence, and support network she needed to build a thriving independent business, allowing her to balance work, family, and personal growth.

If you can relate to Kayleigh’s struggle and want to learn how to build a freelance digital marketing biz like she did, consider enrolling in my Unicorn Digital Marketing Assistant School. I’ll show you how to do the in-demand work, set up your independent contractor business, and give you job leads! I believed in her and I believe in you! 💖