We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Funmi Dosunmu a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Funmi, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

To me, success isn’t about one magic formula. It’s a blend of consistency, self-motivation, discipline, courage, and maybe a touch of healthy delusion. The funny thing is, most of my best moments emerged when I leaned into exactly those qualities, often without even realizing it.

Consistency has been foundational, especially in building my platform, SixFigureEA. When I first started posting videos on TikTok, the idea of speaking publicly, even just to my phone, made me cringe with anxiety. Yet, week after week, I pressed record, shared career tips, and built community. There wasn’t a single viral moment that changed everything; it was the steady rhythm of consistently showing up that eventually brought me an audience of nearly 100,000 followers.

Courage has meant facing those daunting first steps, even when anxiety screamed at me to retreat. Early in my entrepreneurial journey as a wedding planner, I excitedly collected more than 60 potential client leads at my first bridal show, far exceeding my expectations. But when it came time to follow up, I froze. Anxiety kicked in, and weeks passed before I made a single call. Eventually hearing, “We were waiting for you, but you never reached out,” was like a wake-up call. Courage, I learned, isn’t about the absence of fear, but about taking action despite it. Once I made that first call, each subsequent conversation became easier and more natural.

Self-motivation became vividly clear to me as I built and launched my own business, SixFigureEA. When creating my very first online course, Executive Assistance 101, there was no boss setting deadlines, no external pressure to deliver, just me and my vision. I woke up early, stayed up late, and spent weekends scripting lessons, filming videos, and perfecting content simply because I believed so strongly in what I was building. That intrinsic drive, the ability to push myself when no one else was watching or holding me accountable, showed me the quiet power of genuine self-motivation.

Discipline showed itself when I began teaching live webinars and classes. Ironically, as someone who doesn’t naturally enjoy public speaking, I’ve chosen a career that demands it regularly. To combat nerves, I developed a meticulous ritual: scripting out every word I’d say. It sounds extreme, but disciplined preparation built my confidence until eventually, speaking live became second nature. Discipline, I learned, isn’t about perfection; it’s about intentional preparation and repeatedly choosing growth over comfort.

And yes, that sprinkle of delusion, it’s honestly my favorite ingredient. Realistically, creating a six-figure career in something as niche as executive assistance and dreaming up a global staffing business that connects skilled African assistants with international tech companies probably seemed overly ambitious at first. But that tiny spark of optimistic delusion is exactly what allowed me to envision possibilities beyond conventional limits and genuinely believe they were attainable.

Ultimately, success for me isn’t flashy. It’s quietly showing up, pushing through fear, consistently motivating myself when nobody’s watching, and daring to dream bigger than what seems reasonable. It’s about moving forward with courage and intention, even (and especially) when the outcome feels uncertain.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Funmi Dosunmu, an executive assistant, entrepreneur, and content creator, though at my core I’m really a teacher and advocate at heart. My journey hasn’t been linear, but every detour shaped me into the professional and creator I am today.

After spending the first few years post college trying to figure things out in the corporate world, I decided to give my “passion, “wedding planning, a genuine try, driven by creativity and a desire to help people celebrate life’s best moments. Over time, however, I felt myself drawn toward something different. I discovered I had a natural talent for organization, strategic thinking, and quietly managing behind-the-scenes operations, which ultimately led me into executive assistance. Over the past decade, I’ve supported over 20 C-level executives, including seven CEOs, learning firsthand the complexities of managing leaders, teams, and fast-paced business environments.

Throughout my career as an executive assistant, I realized a critical gap existed: there weren’t enough resources teaching other EAs how to strategically elevate their roles, increase their earning potential, and truly partner with executives rather than just support them administratively. So, I founded SixFigureEA to address exactly that need.

At SixFigureEA, I offer practical courses, coaching programs, career guides, and resources designed specifically to help ambitious executive assistants elevate their careers, confidently negotiate higher salaries, and ultimately transform from administrative support into true strategic partners. I’ve created a variety of accessible digital products—including my flagship course, Executive Assistance 101—that focus on core competencies like communication, strategic calendar management, leadership support, and executive presence. My goal is straightforward: empower talented assistants with practical skills that directly boost their careers and earning power.

What really sets me apart, though, is authenticity. From openly discussing the challenges of salary negotiation, to documenting my surgery and recovery process, to sharing vulnerable insights about overcoming social anxiety—even though I’ve built a career around public-facing roles—I intentionally break through the illusion of perfection. My audience knows me as a relatable, transparent mentor who shares both my successes and my struggles, demonstrating what real growth looks like along the way.

I’m most proud of the community I’ve built on social media, many of whom tell me they’ve used my resources to land better jobs, double their incomes, or gain confidence they didn’t know they had. It never gets old hearing, “Your video gave me the courage to ask for a raise,” or “Because of your course, I finally got promoted.” Those messages remind me why I do this work.

Looking ahead, I’m excited about expanding my vision globally, including launching a staffing agency that connects highly skilled African administrative talent with rapidly scaling tech companies. My ultimate mission is to reshape how executive assistants are seen, valued, and compensated around the world.

If there’s one thing I’d love people to take away from getting to know me and SixFigureEA, it’s this: administrative roles aren’t just stepping stones or entry-level positions – they can be powerful, lucrative, strategic career paths if you have the right support, skills, and courage to reimagine your own potential.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

My journey to building an audience on social media started out quite casually—I was just another person scrolling endlessly on TikTok, especially during the peak of COVID in 2020. Honestly, I spent way more hours on the app than I’d like to admit! By 2022, I’d dabbled in posting here and there, but nothing serious or consistent. However, deep down, I always knew I wanted to build my own business, and I saw people successfully leveraging social media—particularly TikTok—to build engaged audiences and eventually sell products or services.

In 2023, I finally committed. At the beginning of that year, I challenged myself to consistently create content on TikTok, setting a clear goal of reaching 10,000 followers by year-end. I figured that hitting that number would validate whether people actually cared about what I had to say and if there was potential to turn that audience into a thriving business. Luckily for me, around mid-year, I shared a pretty vulnerable video about spending my six-figure salary, and unexpectedly, it went viral. Suddenly, I went from around 6,000 followers to more than 40,000 practically overnight. Once I hit—and far exceeded—my initial goal, I knew it was the right time to begin monetizing and offering products tailored to my audience’s interests.

Here’s the thing many people misunderstand: you don’t need millions of followers to run a successful, profitable business. If you’re selling a product or service, it’s far more important to have 1,000, 2,000, or 10,000 highly engaged, loyal followers who genuinely care about your message. Those people can become your most valuable customers and advocates.

If you’re just starting out, here’s my practical advice:

First, have a clear, compelling lead magnet. You need something valuable to offer people—something they can get immediately in exchange for their email address. For example, my lead magnet is a free resume template, and it’s allowed me to build an email list of over 5,000 subscribers. This is critical because it lets me directly communicate and market to my audience independently of social media platforms, providing a much more targeted approach.

Second, focus on content pillars and build series. Social media (especially TikTok) loves episodic content that keeps people coming back. Choose three or four core topics that directly tie into your brand, and build consistent, engaging content around them. Creating a recognizable and repeatable series helps audiences know what to expect and keeps them regularly checking back in.

Third, engage genuinely with your community. I’m guilty myself of sometimes forgetting how important engagement is—but it truly is key. Replying to comments, inviting people to your DMs, and giving thoughtful (but not overly detailed) responses makes people feel valued and seen. There’s a balance here; you don’t want to give away everything for free, but you also want to demonstrate clear value upfront, which builds trust and makes people far more likely to buy.

Finally, consider going live regularly. If you’re someone like me who loves scripting out your content, going live can be intimidating—but it’s incredibly powerful. Live video sessions not only boost your visibility (TikTok’s algorithm loves live content), but they also humanize you, making you relatable, authentic, and approachable. When I consistently went live after posting new videos, I noticed my engagement rates soared, and I built deeper connections with my followers.

And a quick bonus tip: while it’s wise to initially double down on one platform you feel comfortable with (whether that’s TikTok, Instagram, or another), eventually diversifying across platforms—including LinkedIn, especially if your audience includes professionals—is essential. This not only protects your business from relying too heavily on one platform but also maximizes your reach across various communities.

Building a social media presence takes time, intention, and consistency, but if you show up authentically, offer real value, and genuinely connect with your audience, the payoff can be truly incredible.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

When people talk about resilience, they often picture quickly bouncing back from big setbacks, but I’ve learned resilience also involves a quieter, deeper patience. One of the most humbling (and valuable) lessons I’ve faced was realizing how much I underestimated the time and patience required to achieve my business goals.

We live in a generation that expects immediate results. Social media feeds us a steady stream of entrepreneurs seemingly making thousands of dollars overnight, and it’s incredibly easy to feel like you’re doing something wrong if you’re not matching those flashy outcomes. I’ve certainly felt that pressure. For instance, in 2024, I set an ambitious goal to generate $15,000 per month through my business. In reality, by year’s end, I’d earned about $20,000 total. From one perspective, that’s $20,000 of additional income – something to genuinely celebrate. But as a perfectionist, my immediate thought was disappointment: “Why am I barely making $3,000 a month? What’s the point?”

In moments like these, true resilience isn’t flashy – it’s subtle. It’s about recognizing that success rarely arrives on the timeline we first imagine, and that building anything sustainable and meaningful often requires patience, humility, and a willingness to keep going even when the results aren’t immediate. I’ve learned to remind myself that my journey is uniquely mine, and comparing it to someone else’s curated highlight reel will only leave me discouraged. Just because my progress doesn’t match someone else’s quick success story doesn’t mean I’m failing.

Real resilience has meant embracing patience, shifting expectations, and learning to celebrate small victories along the way. It’s about continuing to show up consistently, even if I’m not yet where I want to be, and trusting that each step, no matter how small it feels, is quietly moving me closer to my ultimate vision.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sixfigureea.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sixfigureea
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sixfigureea
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/funmi-dosunmu/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sixfigureea
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sixfigureea

Image Credits

Fransorm Photography