How I got Started in Digital Marketing
My name is Mugabi Imran Kyeyune I was born 2 years after the World Wide Web was introduced.
I am the youngest in a family of more than 8 members.
My Early 2000s
In 1999, two years after losing my both parents at the age of four. I and some of my family moved from Mbarara where I was attending Kindergarten to Bukoto in Kampala, Uganda where my Big sister had gotten married to some Army officer. Do you know what that means? It means I got to learn to be disciplined at an early age thanks to the Colonel.
With a lot of support from Big sister and the Colonel, I was able to join Kololo Primary school and I remember passing through Bukoto flats and throwing some jumping kicks and kung-fu tricks in this neat grass before going back home with the uniform shirt full of grass marks and dirt.
We later relocated from Bukotto to Kulambiro where I got the chance to complete my primary studies at Kampala Academy Primary school in Kisasi. Can you believe I was the Head Boy there? Well, I still don’t believe it too. We used to play Super Mario in the computer lab, at least those are some cool memories.
Plus I used to play hide and sick when my friends were in class. Not cool.
2003 — I have Never Liked School…
I have never liked any moment at school, until at University when I actually started realizing why I had to be in school. But I guess I am not alone.
I also remember saving coins to buy video games. I know you won’t believe me if I told you that I completed all the missions in GTA Vice City and Liberty City. I was also a fan of Need for Speed (II) Special Edition. I am still a fan of Need for Speed and GTA, in fact, in mid-2019, I completed all the missions in GTA V on my XBOX 360 except one. I am also a fan of FIFA. I developed an interest in 3D from playing games like these and watching movies like Monsters Inc. I wasn't a books guy then.
After completing my primary education, I was struggling to finish my secondary studies. I was fortunate to be one of the pioneers of my Sister’s school Royal College Namugongo when it opened in 2006. By then it was called Royal College Misindye — this is when I relocated and started living with my Big brother in Namugongo. He worked in construction and still does.
With time, my brother helped me find myself, and what I really wanted to do with my life. He later helped me join an Islamic Institute in Wakiso which helped to become even more disciplined and well behaved. I also learned Kung-fu. This time real Kung-fu tricks from pros with Black belts. A guy almost broke my ribs while in a sparring session. The school had stopped teaching Kung-fu years before we joined, but I was lucky to find someone who was willing to help.
I was always a fan of Jackie Chan movies. Did I mention that’s how I became the head boy in my primary? While campaigning for Head Prefect, I showed the kids some Jackie Chan tricks and won their votes. Very interesting, right?
2006 — Constructing my Way
Having participated in various types of labor in my childhood with my uncles, friends, and other relatives like Electrical engineering, Soft drinks kiosk, selling pancakes from home, at a very young age, struggling to find myself and what I really wanted to do with my life, I decided to join my brother in construction during my Ordinary Level vacation.
I have always been an artist since I was a boy and I remember modeling cars from banana fibers, and during my O-Level education, I took Fine Art and I remember one session was drawing a goat and my sketches awed my elder brother when he came to visit.
At the age of 17, I joined my brother in construction doing hard labor for $3/day. I have always believed in practical skills. That’s why I joined my brother in construction. But trust me, Unless you know what you want, unless you are sure construction is what you want to do for the rest of your life, you won’t last 90 days doing hard labor for $3 per day.
2009 —Facebooking my way
During my O-Level vacation, is when I also got the chance to learn about Facebook and the internet. But I didn’t really understand the internet thing. I was more interested in learning graphic design as a fan of games, and movies like Spiderman and SupaStrikas magazine at the time.
2012 — Fabricating my Way
In my A-Level vacation, I did some more hard labor as a Supermarket attendant an opportunity found for me by one of my sisters. I didn’t spend much time at the supermarket however, I found it not for me. Especially when there weren’t many customers coming in. You could find yourself too bored to stay awake. Even with the freezers and ACs around you.
So, I started learning welding in late 2012 just a few months after completing my Advanced Level education waiting to join the university. My teachers were amazed at how fast I was able to pick up a tape measure and cut perfect angles in metals. Big projects such as Huge 20x40ft windows, doors, and sliding 40ft sliding gates for factories and schools like Juliana Schools Gayaza were some of the projects I contributed to.
