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HI, I'M LAUREN

THIS IS MY STORY

"It all started with

a POSITIVE TEST and a

PASSION for more."

As a first time mum to a bold, courageous little boy, when Oscar was diagnosed with a tumour, in 2024, our world was turned upside down.

In 2024, when my son was just two weeks old, we noticed a fast growing lump on his arm. After several hospital trips, GP visits and A&E daytrips we finally got an answer. By the time he was 5 weeks old he had been diagnosed with infantile firba sarcoma, a rare soft tissue tumor, in his lower right forearm. As first time parents our world was turned upside down. I was 20, a full-time student who had recently quit my part-time jobs to focus on being a mum and reducing stress during my pregnancy. My partner, Oscars dad, a mechanic working for a small business, 08:00-18:00 - Monday to Friday.

With only one income, and Oscar starting chemotherapy, we quickly realized we couldn’t afford to stay afloat. I desperately started searching for ways to make money from home, but every ‘remote job’ I found required at least 45 hours a week - completely unrealistic with a newborn, let alone one undergoing medical treatment.

I was at a loss until I found two women (on TikTok) who had invested in a course they were now selling. It was marketed as a single skill to help them start earning money online, also known as digital marketing. I had previously dabbled in the world of online income - I started affiliate marketing at 18, which didn't stick due to not having appropriately aged social networking groups, especially because marketing strategy was face-to-face, at the time. I made a few sales (£350 ish each) but I wasn't passionate enough about the products or company to put in the time and effort to improve.

Then not long after I started UGC which I immediately fell in love with. As a creative, who dreamed of becoming a youtuber, I became enthralled in the world of UGC. From designing my portfolio to creating content - it was right up my alley. Which is probably why I still do UGC to this day, more for fun than anything else. I really enjoy a directed creative project, especially if I'm suffering from creative block. But there was a lot to learn especially when it came to marketing myself as a personal brand and reaching out to brands!

Back to 2024: It may not sound like the best idea but I was so desperate for something to work that I invested (after making sure it was definitely not a scam).

Within just two weeks of purchasing the course, I completed all the learning and I had a brand and a business. I could resell the course I had learnt from, for 100% profit like everyone else, but I had the same problem as before... I just didn't love what I was trying to sell people. The course had issues, a lot of them and I couldn't ignore it.

Because of how desperate I was financially I started promoting the products anyway and I did well, within two weeks I had made what used to be my monthly income. Inevitably, with not loving the product or the content i was producing the passion, motivation was dying off. I was fully aware of the value of the opportunity I had stumbled upon. With all the extra research I had conducted over months and months, everything I had learned, trialled and tested and the success I had so quickly I realised I understood this, and I had a way with it so I should do something with it.

My initial brand aims were to help guide and inspire others, so I decided to provide a product that actually did that. I was going to fix the problems (which took a lot of brainstorming and research). I wanted to make the learning fun, aesthetic, an experience people want to have, not just do for the financial benefit.

The changes weren't just going to help you build one line of income, DigitalLAlexandra was going to help you grow a life with several overlapping income streams, teach real-life skills you can write on your CV and stay with you throughout your career.

So I set to action. I prepped, planned, researched, prepped some more, re-planned, designed, built what has now become my pride and joy - apart from my son - DigitalLAlexandra.

BEFORE THE BUSINESS

Lauren Sparkes

I didn't always have this business, the clients, the sales, the passive income...

At the end of the day I'm a pretty average person. I had dreams as a kid but there were more times than not that I was less likely to succeed. This was mostly due to a lack of motivation and self-esteem and I was by no means cool. I wasn't bullied or anything like that, but there's no large resilient story to tell from secondary school. I completed my GCSE's i was smart, but when Covid hit i got bored of education slacked off and my gardes and potential dropped when i finally completed my A-levels, i got into university and continued to study, like everyone else around me.

All in all I was a lucky kid, my mum gave everything she could to raise me as single parent, I spent a lot of time with my grandparents which I loved and I am so grateful for especially as I get older. Overall my childhood taught me one thing, it was my mum mostly that taught me I could do anything I wanted - or put my mind to. Cliche I know, especially because all parents and teachers tell you this but my mum didn't just tell me this, she showed me just how much was possible. From completing a degree whilst solo-parenting and working full-time, to building a fulfilling and fun childhood, to saving to take me to Disney World! My mum taught me what I see now to be the most important attribute, acting in the direction of your dreams.

You don't have to be spectacular, or have a coming of age movie style past. What you do need is a dream, a vision for the future that is more than what you have now, and actionable steps to get there. It may take longer than you think I can guarantee the road will be bumpier than anticipated, and there will be unforeseen roadworks, fords, lost tyres etc along the way. If you didn't get the metaphor, it's not going to be easy. What i can also tell you is it is 100% worth it.

How Far We've Come since then.

From having a valuable idea to extensive research, planning, designing, rebranding, we have come a long way. Though we disappeared for a while, we have created something magnificent, just for you.

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