Cary-Ann Burke once imagined herself in a crisp white coat, stethoscope around her neck, healing patients as a general practitioner. However, life had a different script.

After being rejected by her former high school for sixth form, Burke found herself at Portmore Community College, stumbling through Caribbean Advance Proficiency Examination (CAPE) science subjects while excelling in communications.

"I didn't see myself being anything else than a doctor," she admits. "But as I continued to do the sciences, it just wasn't clicking. My heart wasn't in it, but I went through the motions--labs, classes, everything--because I had already started."

Her path seemed blocked again in 2018 when she applied to study nursing at the University of Technology. The programme was full. For her, it was a sign she now sees clearly.

"I wasn't supposed to be in the medical field," she now concludes.

Burke pivoted to a Bachelor of Science degree in child and adolescent development, determined to make it work despite financial pressures. Balancing school with survival meant working full-time, even against university rules.

"I became a waitress and endured 16-hour days--from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. -- then I'd go straight to campus to join my study group. Nights were for studying and assignments," she recalls.

"Every time you saw me, I had a big bag. I slept in the faculty, showered in the auditorium, wrote exams, then went back to work. That was life for months."

When a lecturer questioned her choices, Burke did not mince words.

"I said I was not born to rich parents. I don't have a rich godparent. I don't have a sugar daddy, so I have to work."

Her grit paid off. She graduated in 2022, a proud moment made even more emotional when her mother and stepfather flew in from the Cayman Islands to witness it.

"That walk across the stage was a win for me because my mom cried. That made it all worth it," Burke reflects.

But the real test came after graduation. Working at a marketing agency, she refused to compromise her integrity after being asked to lie to a client. She was then fired and had her salary withheld.

"I had to fight for my money with a lawyer," she says. "I told myself never again would I let someone else decide if I could eat or pay my bills."

That resolve led to the birth of Affinity Social Hub in April 2023, marking Burke's official leap from medicine to digital marketing.

"I focused on building a creative team offering branding, strategy, digital marketing, and multimedia services. The same communications skills I excelled at in CAPE became my secret weapon," she explains.

"It was rough starting up, but seeing client startups and established companies -- come back saying we exceeded expectations makes it all worth it."

Even as success grew, Burke faced doubts. Now, she is taking on an international double master's programme in Barcelona, combining digital marketing and analytics with sales management and marketing to strengthen her business acumen.

She emphasises the importance of faith, seeking counsel, and asking questions along the way.

"No matter how you fail, keep trying until you find what you're supposed to do. Discipline, consistency, and stick-to-itiveness that's what carries you," she said.