Today we’d like to introduce you to Dominique Bivens.
Hi Dominique, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My story started back in 2016 after I graduated from high school. To be honest, I didn’t know what I wanted to do in life as a career path. The military was one thing because I always wanted to join but it wasn’t something I wanted to do forever. I was joining the US Navy for Search & Rescue. I never went to college, the most I did was a college orientation before I said to myself “This shit ain’t for me”. Within that same year 2016, I got in a tragic car accident.
A drunk driver had hit me when I was at a stop at a red light. He drove into me from the rear and that accident had damaged my lower spine. I was unable to bend and couldn’t walk cause of the pain. I had to take physical therapy and so much more to heal. My healing process took a year and a half, and I couldn’t go to the Navy until doctors cleared me. So during that timeframe, I was still working my regular job which was Best Buy at the time. I was simply going to work and coming back home. But, one day, I was wondering how I can make money from home because I always look at life differently. I always look at life where you work hard when you are young, retire when you are young, and travel and enjoy life.
Do not work until you are 60 years old and you die. That’s not living! One day, I came across a guy named Tai Lopez, and I love what Tai was talking about during that time he was saying how the school system fails you, it doesn’t prepare you for the real world. It doesn’t teach you about financial literacy and so much more. So that gain my attention to learn who this guy was so I started to dive in deep about him. He talked about business consulting but one thing about him was he never get straight to the point.
So from there, I started to go on YouTube and learn about it. I then start learning e-commerce and then digital marketing and the man I fell in love with was digital marketing. It was like gold to me, the way you can generate leads and new business with the power of social media. I learn so much about digital marketing from PPC campaigns, Google SEO, Google Ads, Facebook Ads, marketing keywords and so much more. How to build a website, how to create banner ads, and more.
I learn this in my bedroom for 2 years, self-taught! My everyday schedule was this exactly, I started work at Best Buy at 9:45 am – 5 pm, and by the time I make it home from the traffic is around 6:00 pm. Once I settle down and relax for a bit I would study at 8 pm-4 am or 5 am knowing I have to wake up at 7 am to get ready for work to beat the rush hour traffic. But I would still be late to work and make it around 10:10 am or 10:20 am. I would also take 2 hours studying to retake the ASVAB and for the rest of that time, I would study everything about marketing. My first client was my cousin.
Her name was Tee, and man Tee was also a huge factor because I learn so much but I didn’t put in the work. Tee had a tutoring business and I remember like it was yesterday when she came into my room and said to me “You wanted to be a digital marketer so I’m going to be your first client, I’m going to pay you to do marketing for my business”. Tee believe in me during times I didn’t even believe in myself! You see I was working on South Beach, and I would meet hundreds of customers, so I started using my job as a networking opportunity for me. I would ask customers “What do you specialize in”, but I would say it in a great way after I build a relationship with them.
I meet many people in many fields of work, some in real estate and some film making, and the ones who I meet that are in marketing I would always ask them how they got in the field or what are some great nuggets they can pass down to me. And nuggets I mean knowledge! Remind you, this happen all during the timeframe when I was healing slowly from my accident. After I fully had healed, I still wanted to go to the Navy but I also was excited to know what I wanted to do as a full career when I get out. I still studied for the ASVAB and one day I was on Instagram where I met this young entrepreneur who own a Marketing company.
His name was Cody. Cody was hiring and wanted someone to be a part of his company. He had over 100k followers during that time and I thought to myself this guy won’t respond back to me. He did, and he said to come in for an interview which was on a Friday! That Friday was the same Friday I was supposed to meet with my recruiter for the Navy to retake my ASVAB. I didn’t meet up with my recruiter, I went to the interview. And these guys ask me what can I do. I told them I can make a website, I can do google ads, Facebook ads and so much more within marketing. They hired me on the spot and I was a part of a great company. I was still working at Best Buy though, until one day Cody told me to quit Best Buy.
My first thought to myself was “Who the hell is this white boy that I barely know telling me to quit my job”. I ask a lot of people and man I heard it all. My friend told me I’m stupid if I quit, and my best friend said to quit. My girlfriend at the time supported me and told me to quit and chase my dreams. Some of my family members told me to save up money and then quit. My mom said she supports me in whatever decision I make but she wasn’t understanding. I was telling her this guy wants me to quit the only number one source of income I have that’s guaranteed to basically become an entrepreneur. So at work, I and one of my great friends and coworkers at the time named Stern. We both were closing our departments, and I was talking to him about me having to quit.
Stern said, “You’ll never know what’s on the other side until you make that jump”. I said you right, and I remember that night till this day! I took a paper and pen and wrote my two weeks letter and then I put it in the office and give my thanks to everyone at Best Buy for hiring me and all the staff members. Me and Stern left, they close the doors and I look back at the store and said “damn what did I do”, Stern said it’s no going back and that was that. I had quadrupled my income 3 weeks later and the rest was just history in the making. Cody impacted my life, he was a huge impact and I’m thankful for him. I got my own place, and I moved my mom out of the hood.
I started to travel more. I was helping companies and business owners scale with the power of social media. I would consult them on Branding and so much more. As the years passed, I was looking for the next thing in my life. I felt as if I was getting complacent. Until one day my business partner at the time who was our videographer name Dorian reach out to me and ask if I wanted to learn filmmaking. I always wanted to get into the space but just do it as a hobby. But this wasn’t for a hobby, Dorian taught me everything I needed to know and he became more of a family to me. He and his girlfriend at the time Melly who is now his fiancé. They both granted me a MacBook so I can edit all my work. And I remember the first destination I had to film for a client was in New York. I was nervous at the time, but Dorian’s only motivational speech for me was “Don’t f*ck up”.
I flew to New York for a client and we film and it was a great shoot. After New York, I started to travel to so many different places across the US filming for many different business owners. I’ve been to New Mexico, Texas, Ohio, Iowa, Philly, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Georgia, Virginia, Colorado, and so much more places! I ended up parting ways with the marketing company and focusing on being a full-time filmmaker creating content for businesses which was the next big thing that I fell in love with doing. So here I am, still sharpening my knives and keep growing. Looking back at the journey, everyone played a role in my life and I thank everyone.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
You see the thing is what people don’t tell you is the road is never smooth. It’s never going to be easy, I’ve battled through depression and heartbreaks, and one of my best friends passed away days before my birthday. Man, I even felt like giving up but one thing I learn from a wise man who once told me. He said motivation and dedication are two different things. The motivation you are only motivated for a limited time, but eventually you are not motivated anymore. But when you are dedicated to something, you’ll get it done no matter what!
Throughout the pain, and depression you may feel, the heartbreak from you and your spouse. When you are dedicated to something you’ll get it done! You see the struggles I had faced along the journey were all of it! I had battled with depression, my grandparents were kicking me out of their home during that timeframe. I was battling through the pain. But what kept me going is that I always told myself “You never grew up from a silver spoon so you gotta break the generational curse”.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a filmmaker! Well, a content creator, which is really the same thing. I specialize in creating professional branding videos for businesses and also professional videos for almost anyone. And I’m also a professional photographer. I’m known for being a mastermind for digital marketing as some guys would say.
And also a great content creator. I’m most proud of helping others because if I can help your business with a marketing video that will generate more exposure and can turn into sales for your business then that’s a win-win situation. What sets me apart from others is, I’m like your best friend.
I’m a guy who will hold you accountable for your actions and deeds. You don’t just only get a service from me, you get a best friend. A relationship where it’s longevity. Whatever you need I’m here for you and I tell that to all my clients.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I never went to college and everything I learned was self-taught throughout the years.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/deecreate_?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YaBodyDee?mibextid=LQQJ4d
Image Credits
Dee Bivens
