Chapter 1: My Instagram Journey

I’ve ended my relationship with the very platform that drew me in. It seems Instagram was never the right fit for me.

Why did I stick around after that realization?

My Instagram adventure began in February 2018, inspired by my then-girlfriend. Despite being in my mid-twenties, my priorities were primarily on my career and relocating from Africa to Canada.

In December 2017, I took my first vacation after landing my dream job in July 2016. While most people opt for destinations like Ibiza, I used my time off to explore blogging about my passion. During that period, I came to terms with my writing skills, especially since my managers were all exceptional writers.

Rather than starting a blog focused on my professional expertise in finance, I chose to write about dancing, a hobby I was passionate about. While dancing and blogging, I met someone special—a charming European girl who supported my endeavors. On her recommendation, I began using Instagram to promote my blog.

Initially hesitant, I was resistant to sharing mundane aspects of my life, believing it to be trivial. I had a more business-focused mindset back then. However, I soon found myself captivated by the platform. My fascination grew rapidly; I delved into understanding algorithms and even invested $700 in an Instagram course.

My dance-focused account flourished, attracting 60k followers, and I even launched a dance business with my girlfriend. We had a great time together teaching dance classes.

However, in 2019, I faced significant challenges—health issues led me to leave my job, and my relationship suffered. The combination of three breakups—my job, my girlfriend, and my health—forced me to reevaluate my life. These experiences, albeit painful, brought wisdom and self-discovery. I realized I had stories and insights to share.

Fast forward, I ventured into podcasting and coaching, eager to express my ideas. I thought I could recreate my Instagram success with a personal development and branding account in August 2019. Unfortunately, I misjudged the situation.

Instagram's algorithms shifted, and societal changes transformed the platform into something I couldn't relate to. The competition became intense, and I felt left behind. Despite my efforts, my growth was sluggish, and I battled feelings of excitement and disappointment. I attempted to quit multiple times but kept returning, determined to succeed.

In 2022, I made a life-changing decision to move to Mexico, fully committing to personal development and aiming to replace my engineering income with my thought leader business. Remarkably, transformative events unfolded, the most impactful being a five-day WiFi outage in my apartment.

This disruption prompted me to work from a co-working space, which reignited my inspiration. I became focused and organized, and without a set plan, I resumed writing on Medium, posting an article on my birthday—August 18th.

Within a month, I published over 15 articles and got accepted into notable publications. It felt healing and uplifting. Reflecting back to 2018, I had posted an article on Medium that garnered over 400K views but earned me nothing. I had given up too soon.

Realizing Medium wasn't the ideal platform for my growth, I needed a new strategy. I sought to work smarter, not just harder. I analyzed successful internet entrepreneurs and recalled a friend's comment: “When I talk to you face-to-face, I hear gold nuggets; your Instagram videos don’t capture that essence.”

I craved a platform that allowed for longer, more inspiring content where I could organically connect with my target audience. Just three weeks ago, I launched a new LinkedIn account from scratch. I felt disheartened as I had another LinkedIn profile with 1800 connections that I couldn’t use to share my innovative ideas with colleagues—they were watching!

My audience resides on LinkedIn, and I wanted to reach individuals with conventional career paths who are beginning to question their choices. I discuss “purposepreneurship,” guiding others from workplace dissatisfaction to fulfillment, leveraging their unique talents.

Today, my new LinkedIn account boasts 256 followers, and the community has been responsive, engaging with my content.

LinkedIn has become my platform, and I’ve crafted a content-sharing strategy that begins there before adapting my posts for Twitter and Facebook. Although I still use Instagram, my focus has shifted to stories instead of my feed.

Currently, I feel fulfilled and optimistic. Just last week, I completed my first eBook and am now producing daily content around it.

You can download a free copy of my eBook, "How to Transition from Unhappy at Work to a Happy Purposepreneur."

Chapter 2: Embracing Change