From missing the acceptance email to finding my s
When the first cohort of Growth Beyond Grades started in April, I almost missed out completely. I didn’t see the acceptance email on time and ended up joining three weeks behind everyone else. Catching up meant spending hours going through recorded YouTube lessons and turning in backdated assignments just to get on the same page as the rest of the group, but pushing to make it work was easily one of the best decisions I made this year.
The introduction essay and career pitching exercises forced me to step back and actually reflect on who I am. I used to brush off things like my fashion design work or my time serving on a catering team, thinking only technical skills really counted. GBG completely flipped that mindset for me. It showed me that those experiences actually shape my story and carry real value. Learning how to pitch myself as both an economics student and a creative gave me a level of clarity about my strengths that I didn’t have before.
On top of the self-reflection, tools like execution logs and time-blocking changed how I work. Instead of waiting around to feel motivated, I started building actual weekly plans to get things done. Being part of a group with people joining from Nigeria and other countries made the experience even better, because we were all pushing each other forward. The final 5-week review felt less like a test and more like a real blueprint for my goals. Huge thanks to Miss Jessica for giving me a shot when a spot opened up. GBG made me realize that my background, my work, and my story actually matter.
