Unlike her fellow cohort scholars, Mitzy Tan was already a gig worker with experience in photography and videography when she joined the Digital Mereka Entrepreneurship Programme.

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Currently based in Kuala Lumpur, after 7 years in London, the seasoned 26-year old Media and Marketing Bachelor of Arts graduate was having difficulties in managing work-life balance and hoped to find a solution through the programme. Perhaps it’s the nature of her creative work but she admitted, “I often find myself working after hours when I should be resting.”

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However, this decision turned out to backfire when she had to spend time on weekends to attend programme sessions and complete the mock assignments. But this was a sacrifice that proved ultimately advantageous!

“I really like the fact that program partners came to the sessions and the mock assignment. It helped me to understand real-life situations when I go into freelancing. All the information taught by the speakers was really insightful,” says Mitzy.

In our conversation, Mitzy repeated the phrase "real-life examples” many times. She is grateful that all of the trainers have lived experiences and examples to share. The learning objectives of the programme are also practical, which is instantly applicable to her day-to-day career. 

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One of the other things that made Mitzy impressed is that she has learned how to negotiate better with clients and value her time more. “I am now more confident in approaching prospective clients with my prices and well-prepared for the worst-case scenarios”. 

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So in a way, not only was Mitzy’s time/rest management dilemma addressed, but she has also gained a network for future collaboration and learned many valuable lessons that can be applied to handle work more effectively. 

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We wish Mitzy all the best in her future projects! Follow her freelance creative journey via Instagram or her website.