Britney Deleon: Blogger, sustainability expert, and future digital guru

A by-chance encounter with Nexford

They say that once you get to a certain point in your life, you have pretty much a good idea of what you want and just what it is going to take to get you there. Britney is no different. She knew that she had a penchant for digital marketing and that she needed a degree to improve her skill set and make her more employable. What she didn’t know at that stage of her life was just how she was going to climb that mountain.

Fortunately, a guide in the form of Nexford University came to her rescue. Well, when we say came to, it was Britney who sought out the university and not the other way around. But you get the gist.

As with most learners at Nexford, she was browsing through her Instagram one day, and an advertisement for Nexford popped up. Being a curious soul and knowing that she was in the market for a US-accredited university, she clicked on the ad and was impressed by what she saw.

Britney tells us, “I discovered Nexford while on Instagram, and quite soon I realized that this was the place for me. It offered everything that I wanted. I checked all the boxes. I loved the curriculum and that it was skills-based, and I also loved that Nexford offered flexible, paced learning that aligned with my goals. I was in the process of applying to universities in the UK, but after I discovered Nexford, I shut that down very quickly.”

Getting ahead in the business world takes quite a bit of work

Britney isn't under the illusion that her dream job as a digital expert at her dream global company is going to just appear, thanks to a fairy godmother. She knows that it’s going to take a lot of effort and sacrifice, and as such, she has already been very disciplined when it comes to her studies.

Of that, she says, “When I first started, I was only doing one course, so that was easily manageable, but as I began to add more, the hours really started to stack up. That’s when I had to be more careful about scheduling my study time around my busy schedule. So, I had to add more time slots to my Google calendar that fit the timeline for my courses and assignments and do them nights and weekends. I dedicate two hours per day in the week and a four-hour timeslot over the weekend.”

Agree that a degree takes a lot of hard work, but being able to work smarter is a plus at Nexford. Thanks to the Nexford learning program, Canvas, Britney can easily see when her assignments are due and schedule them on her Google Calendar. Essential, as we all know when things get hectic, it’s all too easy for things to slip through the cracks.

That aside, what is proving extremely beneficial for Britney is that even at this early stage of her degree, she is able to apply what she is learning to her business endeavors, which at the moment are growing her personal brand on LinkedIn and being able to network with like-minded businesspeople.

Success comes from a solid grounding

There is a well-known quote that goes, “Every person from your past lives as a shadow in your mind. Good or bad, they all helped you write the story of your life and shaped the person you are today.”

In Britney’s case, as with many others, her past family life has shaped her present. It has helped keep her grounded, but it has also served as a catalyst for her to reach greater heights.

Of her past she says, “I grew up in a tourist and fishing community in Great Bay, Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth which is in the southwestern coast of Jamaica. My mother is a businessperson and my father a fisherman. During my time growing up I normally spent weekends helping my mom out with her business ventures. That included running a grocery shop, and our restaurant, which is probably where I developed a love for cooking.”

What she did during that time, along with helping her father out with his fishing business, helped shape her passion for sustainable business practices. The business is reliant on a protected ecosystem that allows fish to thrive, and so Britney said that she want to safeguard the beaches and the environment surrounding it so that other generations could benefit from its riches for years to come. Oh, and when she wasn’t doing all that, she could also be found helping her cousins out on their farm.

As we have established, Britney likes to help others become successful and shares in their success, but for now she has her eyes firmly set on, as we mentioned before, developing her personal brand, which revolves around her blog that is centered around sustainability. Through the blog, she wants to use her experience in sustainability to help small businesses develop brands that are more sustainable and future-proof in a competitive digital space.

Growing up came with quite a few challenges

Although Britney had a great many highlights growing up, she did have some struggles with her health that could have, if not for her strength and determination, gotten in the way of her academic progress.

She says, “Growing up, I was always a sick child, and that affected my schooling somewhat. While doing my CSECs, I became ill, and that meant that I had to take a month off. I could have played the victim and let it define me, but I was determined not to. Once I was up and running again, I continued where I left off, traveling the long journey to school and learning and mastering French, Chinese, and Korean. I did 10 subjects and passed eight, so I was really thrilled about that considering the length of the disruption. It proved that I was more resilient than I at first thought.”

Then it was time to do more soul-searching, as Britney was unsure of what she wanted to do next. But while helping my mom in her businesses, she developed a love for business and traveling. So, she decided to do a course in travel and tourism management. However, sadly, poor health came knocking again, and so her illness meant that she missed the deadline for her exams and the payments.

She dropped out of college and decided it was time to work, considering it wasn't easy to fund her studies. If that was not bad enough, COVID reared its ugly head, and that put pause to Travel and Tourism Management and her application to learn at a school in Canada. How much more disappointment could one person take?

Start a blog. Launch a career!

What could you do during a period of isolation where you could not be within two meters of people, let alone go to college? Again, as we have said before, Britney is made of sterner stuff, so in 2021 she started a blog, which she ran for six months. This was when she discovered her love for digital marketing. But again, there was a challenge. By not working, she could not muster the funds for its upkeep.

So, she put that blog on pause and started a course with Oxford Graduate College where she concentrated on digital marketing.

During her time there, she told us that when doing her dissertation, she decided to do it in the digital marketing field. And she got 100%. So, she decided in November of 2022 to apply to other schools to continue her education. And that's when she decided to apply for her BBA at Nexford.

Success begins at home

Not only are Britney’s parents successful in what they do career-wise, but so are her siblings. Her older brother runs a construction business in Kingston, and her little sister is a nurse. So, she realizes that she has a lot to live up to. Which is why she is doing her BBA at Nexford. Once done, she tells us that she will keep hitting the books, so to speak.

“I do want to keep learning,” Britney says. “Maybe do an MBA or something. What I do know is that I want to do a Master of Science in digital transformation, marketing, or business analytics, but I do feel I need some experience first before I pursue that path.” And she won’t have to go far for that, as Nexford offers MScs in Digital Transformation and Data Analytics.

Of course, for now, Britney calls Jamaica her home. It is her birthright. But what of the future? It’s the old adage of ‘Should I stay, or should I go?’ Well, it seems to be go as she hopes to apply for the Accenture graduate scheme, which will mean that she will have to pack her bags for London. Something she is happy to do, as it will provide her with great opportunities to network and gain valuable experience. But she is adamant that after that, she will return to Jamaica to do business and help other small businesses get off the ground.

Inspiration for the nation

With all the perspiration, Britney is quick to admit that along her up-and-down journey in life so far, she has drawn great inspiration from the person who has always been a constant in her life. Her mother!

She says, “My mom is my biggest inspiration. “Her strength in overcoming life's challenges has been really inspiring, especially since she's from a humble background and didn't get to finish pursuing her education. But she persists. Her persistence and resilience have been highlighted throughout her business. And it has shown me that no matter what the challenges are, you can overcome them with determination and consistency.”

Seeing is believing. Witness Britney’s BBA journey so far by checking out her video below or on YouTube.