As of writing this blog post, it’s been 4 years since I first started freelance writing, and about 3.5 years since I’ve been full-time.
It’s been a wiiiiild ride. So much has changed in my business since those early days, and honestly, the perfectionist in me still ruminates over the things I could have done better and things I wish I’d done sooner.
But you know what I can’t do? Change the past. But I can tell you all the lessons I’ve learned along the way, so the timeline on your own success can be a little shorter.
(That is, if we share similar values, goals, and structures of our businesses. See more on point #3 here, and if you don’t vibe with that, ignore what I have to say!)
So, if I were starting my business over again, here are the main things I would change…
1. Start writing website copy earlier!!
Fun fact about my lore: I started as a generalist freelance writer, mostly writing blog posts and emails for coaching and wellness companies.
For a long time, I was scared to write copy, let alone call myself a “copywriter.” (Remember when I said I was a perfectionist??)
HOWEVER, website copy is where it’s at! Not only is it more lucrative than blog writing (because the ROI on website copy is bananas), but it’s also more fun (at least for me.)
By the way, you can check out my portfolio if you want to see some website copywriting examples here.
Now, for many freelancers, it’s completely normal to take some time to try different projects to see what you want to specialize in. The timeframe I took to find my niche was totally normal, and yet, I wish I wasn’t so scared and dove in earlier.
BUT part of the reason why it took me so long was because of item #3 on this list, so we’ll circle back to that in a second….
2. Get on Threads on day 1
Even if you don’t know what your long-term business vision is, you aren’t sure how to specialize in the niche you love, or don’t even know what you should be posting, you should still be on Threads.
Part of why Threads has been so great for me is because 1) I am a writer and 2) I have a lot to yap about. If that’s not you, that’s totally fine!
However, Threads is currently the best social media platform to get on if you want an easy way to connect with people with low effort on your part.
You don’t have to contend with the mess that is Twitter/X, and you don’t have to perfectly curate a feed like you do on Instagram.
Threads has brought me some of my best clients ever, and I wish I hadn’t waited a year after it launched to get on it.
I wrote this whole blog post about using Threads for your small business, so check it out right here.
3. Stop taking advice from people who don’t have the business you want
THIS is without a doubt the biggest piece of advice I would give any business owner, freelancer, or person with a dream:
STAHP listening to people who don’t have the kind of business you want just because they’re an “expert” in their field.
Because, tell me why I was listening to people who had an agency, when I didn’t want to have an agency??
I left my 9-5 because I didn’t want to deal with more people, and an agency model was ultimately going to leave me dealing with more people.
Or why was I listening to dry, boring, copy-paste copywriters, when I was a creative at heart and wanted to write fun copy?
(Actually, I didn’t know that fun, creative copy was possible when I first started, otherwise I probably would have jumped in much sooner.)
It took me a long time to find the creative business owners I wanted to emulate, but even beyond that, it just made more sense to listen to business owners that were closer to my age, demographic, and values than the entrepreneurs I was listening to at the beginning of my business journey.
So, if you’re the kind of business owner who’s creative, cares about people, is a little weird, and wants to have the freedom of building a thriving business without the hustle, you’re in the right place bestie.
4. Moving fast is the antidote to perfectionism
You know what most perfectionists love doing? Thinking about taking action, but not actually doing anything.
I have been unpacking my perfectionism for nearly a decade, and let me tell you, it’s freaking exhausting. I don’t see the end being in sight any time soon, because as soon as I have a breakthrough, perfectionism rears its head in some ugly way.
However, one great hack I’ve learned in my years of being a recovering perfectionist is that speed is the antidote to the analysis paralysis perfectionists find themselves in.
Not sure when you should launch your new service? Try next week.
Have a cool post idea? Post it today.
Want to collaborate with that business owner? Message them now.
There is something about rapid action that strips away the perfectionism and leaves only this unbothered energy left. If you’re anything like me, that kind of unbothered, playful energy is exactly what you need to build the business of your dreams.
Building a business isn’t about never making mistakes, it’s about learning from them quickly and moving on
I could go on and on about all the things I would do differently in my business, but I do have an actual business to run here, too.
So here are a couple other things I’ll leave you with:
27 Effective Affirmations for Female Entrepreneurs: for when that perfectionism, creative rut, or anxiety creeps in on you.
31 Journal Prompts for Entrepreneurs: for when you need to write out your best ideas, work through your racing thoughts, or feel more confident in yourself.
The Wired & Inspired Newsletter: my weekly newsletter where I talk about business, marketing, and whatever’s inspiring me that week (usually something related to horror or Sabrina Carpenter.)
And of course, you need to check out my copywriting services if you need conversational, SEO-optimized copy for your business.
