Intro

Welcome to 15 Minute Freelancer, your snack-sized guide to being your own boss and building a business and life you love. I'm your host, Louise Shanahan. My LinkedIn bio says I'm a freelance health copywriter. But for the next 15 minutes, I'll be tickling your ears with practical strategies, behind the scenes stories, and nuggets o' wisdom so you can create a freelance business that works for you. Whether you're just starting out or you've been self-employed for a while, I'll be right here with you to help me navigate the ups and downs of freelancing life. So, grab a coffee relax and join me for 15 minutes of freelancing fun. Don't forget to hit subscribe!  

Louise Shanahan (LS): So today, I'm very excited to announce that we have our very first guest on 15 Minute Freelancer… Sophie Cross! Welcome to the podcast. How are you?

Sophie Cross (SC): Thank you. Really excited to be the first ever guest.

LS: It's exciting. I've got someone to talk to, finally. As some of you may know, Sophie is a freelance marketing strategist and writer and the brains behind Thoughtfully Marketing School, where you'll find loads of extremely helpful courses to help you market your freelance business online. And the eagle-eyed among you may have noticed that Sophie has been extremely busy lately launching a Kickstarter for the brand new magazine she's creating with designer Angela Lyons, called Freelancer Magazine. And it's already exceeded its target. Yay! It's definitely happening. 

SC: Yeah, not the conversation I thought we'd be having. 

LS: Yeah, I thought we'd be talking about it and getting everyone excited to pledge. But of course, we still want people to do that!

SC: Don’t worry, you can still pledge, you can still pledge.

LS: So would you like to tell us a bit about the magazine and what inspired you to create it?

SC: I actually came up with the idea on New Year's Day. Probably the only time in my life, I came up with a business idea when I wasn't trying to think of one. I was thinking about the courses and being part of these communities, and over the last year, having so much more time to be part of them. And then when I started creating the courses that were targeted to freelancers, I just really started listening loads more to all the different problems that people were having, and just trying to work out like how I maybe could help solve them. And then on New Year's Day, I was thinking about how I could create content a little bit differently for freelancers, in relation to the courses, and with my skills, and I was thinking I don't think there is a printed magazine. So yeah, the courses kind of went out the window. I mean, I am still doing them, and they're still there. And I will pick them back up again. But yeah, then it basically just became all about putting together the magazine. And you know, it's happened fairly quickly. But, I wanted to kind of keep that momentum going.

LS: And so how did you go about planning that launch? Because it sounds like it's been such a huge thing to organise, and it's got off to such a flying start. So how did you plan that?

SC: I think what I've learned, is I think some people try and hide ideas until they're in a bit more of a ready state. And I just thought, you know what, I'm just gonna go with this – just tell as many people as possible about the idea. And just see what sort of response I start getting. When you're working on your own, creating some sort of feedback loop, whether that's on social media or however that is, is quite important. To be honest, I struggle to keep up with this, especially now the Kickstarter has actually started. But just keeping really focused, because I wanted to do it in such a short timeframe. Just focusing on what's the next most important thing I do. Like, “Ok, so let's get some mock ups at the front covers…” instead of writing down what my vision was, and what my mission was. I think in my head, I was quite clear of those things. I was like, “Right, if I write kind of the ideas that I've got for the features, people will then see that more easily than me telling them what the vision is.” 

Actually, I was on the Freelance Heroes podcast a few days after New Year's Day, and I thought, “I better talk about if I'm gonna do it.” So I did. And then that Sunday, when I came off recording that podcast, I spent that day creating a website, because I was like, “Gosh, if it's gonna go up, I better have something ready!” And, you know, it was just like, smashing it basically into like, “Ok, what's the next thing I need? What's the next thing I need?” And you know, I suppose even though it has been fairly quick, it's basically what I've been working on full time for nearly three months now. I have got a little bit of client work as well. But I can't afford for it to take me six months or 12 months or something like that. I just thought it was good to keep that excitement up. And if people were getting on board with it, I didn't want to say “Ok, well, it's going to be delivered in in September” or something.

LS: Yeah, I think that's such an important point about being transparent about what you're doing, and sharing it. That's really helped people feel like they're invested in it, too. Like I know, for myself, when I saw you first announce it I thought it was so exciting, and then getting to vote on what logo it was going to be and joining the twitch party and stuff –everybody feels like they're part of it. One of the really lovely things about watching your Kickstarter journey is how the freelance community has really jumped on board to support you and make it happen. Not just because we want to read this amazing magazine, but I think because people want you to succeed as well. And I think that's partly because you've been such a good champion for other freelancers. And I wonder, what are your thoughts on how being part of a community of freelancers has helped that process?

SC: You know, I really did get a sense before the Kickstarter went live – people had been quite supportive, and they got on board with it, and had been getting a bit excited about it. And I thought, “Oh, I think people will support this, and they will share it.” But actually, how people have, every day, it blows my mind. And I don't say that lightly. Every day, I'm like, “Oh God, they'll be bored of hearing about it now.” And I'll do a tweet and it will get 20 retweets or something. Beyond that, so many incredible things have happened. And actually, we're going to have a closing party and celebrate all these incredible things that have happened. It's crazy to say that when we’re still half-way to go. 

But the community gave me everything, particularly last year. This time last year, I moved back to London, from Somerset, to really try and take off my career as a hospitality and a travel freelancer in marketing. And you know, that was going quite well. I've been freelancing nearly eight years, and it was fine. But I felt like I was plateauing a bit in Somerset. So I was like, “Right, we're moving back to London to do that.” And obviously, we moved back in February, and by March, I'd lost a lot of my client work. So to be in this situation a year later – I owe everything to the community. I owe everything to them being there when I was soul searching and when I launched my courses. 

I try and be positive and help other people and give other people time and be as positive as l can, because that's what other people did for me. And they set that that standard. I think we've all been a positive influence on each other in that way. There's lots of communities out there that kind of share each other's work and support each other. But I don't think anything is quite like the kind of copywriting and marketing community on Twitter. I've certainly never seen anything like it. And I know people that aren't in those industries that now have friends in them, and they say it is really incredible. 

LS: Yeah, I agree with that 100%. That was one of the things that surprised me when I first became a freelancer, and it shouldn't have really, but it was how supportive the community is, and how there's a real sense that we're not in competition with each other. Everyone has something different to offer. There's enough work for everyone isn't there? And I think watching your whole journey just really hit home that everyone really wants everyone else to thrive and do well. I wonder if you've got any tips for people looking to find community online? Because sometimes it feels a wee bit awkward, doesn't it?

SC: I know, yeah.

LS: I really enjoyed participating in the Content Club UK chat, which is on Tuesdays at 11am on Twitter. But sometimes if you haven't participated in these things before you might wonder, “do these people know each other? How do I nose my way into that?” So I wonder if you've got any tips for people in that position?

SC: So Content Club was basically how I got started as well. I'd say definitely show up there. I think my main tip would always be don’t think that no one else felt like that at the beginning, or doesn't still feel like it a little bit. Because when I showed up a content club, I didn't actually realise it was like the second or third one. And I thought it'd been going for years. So I kind of turned up thinking “Oh my god, everyone knows each other.” But that first one I was shaking with nerves as I typed because I was like, “I'm gonna make typos. All these amazing copywriters!” Honestly, I think I spent the whole half an hour curating one tweet and rereading it. Obviously, by that point, you're on the third question. So early on, yeah, I was really, really scared. And it just gets a bit easier and a bit easier. And if you're just starting out, just use one channel. Between Twitter and Instagram and LinkedIn, I think I find them quite different. And you can get your intuition confused about how they each work. So I think actually just kind of stick to one channel. And just listen and delve in a little bit and see how it's working. But yeah, don't think that everyone wasn't scared at the beginning. It's so worth it.

LS: So apart from Content Club, have you got any other favourite communities to give a shout out to?

SC: Okay, so I've got a shout out Write 52. I’m so impressed with what Ed Callow’s done with that. It's just been amazing. And if you want to join that, again, something I was scared to join at first, everyone is so friendly. There's no judgement. It's amazing. Being Freelance, Freelance Heroes – amazing, amazing podcasts, absolutely love them. I'm also a member of the Digital Marketing Union, which is a Slack group, which is a very cool bunch of people. Lots of far more techie people than me. I kind of nod and smile and pretend that I know lots about SEO and PPC. And I've got a shout out Sunrise Club as well, which I started a few months ago. So the first Monday of every month, we rise together. Those are those are the main ones that I'm part of at the moment. I've actually just joined Leapers. I was a bit late to the game with that. And other memberships. So I'm kind of looking forward to to delving into those as well.

LS: There are so many out there, and they're all slightly different in their character. There's definitely something for everybody. Do you feel like there's a slightly different kind of personality to the communities that are on LinkedIn versus Twitter versus Instagram? Do you have a favourite platform for finding like-minded people?

SC: Twitter's always going to be my favourite now, right? I know Being Freelance and Freelance Heroes have huge Facebook groups, and I'm not great at going on Facebook. But I love their podcast. And I do sort of dip in sometimes. Freelance Heroes has a really good Twitter chat as well. But yeah, I've always got to say Twitter is my favourite social channel and it can do no wrong for me now.

LS: Yeah, I'm kind of the same. I definitely feel like the community vibe is better on Twitter. Although I have to say I do get probably more leads from LinkedIn, so I feel like I should pay more attention to that. But it doesn't have the same community vibe sometimes. But I do know that you have your course, LinkedIn for Humans, which I have done and I highly recommend. I wonder if you've got any tips for how people can get the most out of LinkedIn, because that feels a little bit more challenging than the other ones?

SC: It does, yeah. And it's definitely not that same sort of community vibe, and maybe you've got tons more connections. I find LinkedIn really helpful for finding new business opportunities. Or if you see something, if you hear someone who is really interesting and relevant to you on a podcast, you can then go and find them on LinkedIn and message them and tell them. I think that's just a really great way to grow your network and to put yourself in front of people. So I find LinkedIn more helpful for that for kind of moving those conversations into messages. My top tip would be if you like something someone did, tell them. So many interesting conversations and opportunities have come up for me, just because someone said to me, “Oh you know who you'd really get on with?” And I would always do it every time. I will go and message that person. I met Joe Glover that way. John Espirian, after I listened to his podcast, and then we became friends. And it was mind blowing to meet these people and then call them friends, when you know, I was kind of fangirling them and everything they were doing. So yeah, that would be my top tip.

LS:  I like that as well. I think the connections mean so much more when they come with a little message. So that might be another tip – always connect with people with a little message. 

SC: Absolutely. And also read people's profiles before you connect with them, or before you accept a connection. Have a look at what they've done and what you've got in common because I think it's just so quick to send a connection, but it's nice to get to know these people. That's what it's all about. Right?

LS: Yeah, personalise it a bit. So my final question, which was by far the most requested question from the people I asked on Twitter and LinkedIn, when I said I was going to speak to you, was how do you get it all down? You're so busy?

SC: Oh, gosh, well I am pretty organized. I do work quite fast. It is just me. And I make decisions very quickly, which has been great with a Kickstarter because I genuinely haven't been able to keep up with it. So like, we'll hit 10k. And I think, “Oh my God, I haven’t planned for that. Right. We'll give away 10 mugs.” And I'll just do it. It's kind of done within 10 or 15 minutes. I don't have kids, so I get a bit more time for that. And also, I lost a lot of client work. I was quite selective. Because I started creating my own things, I was quite selective about taking work back on. So you know, I've earned a lot less over the last few months. There were always sacrifices to be made. I'm working quite a lot at the moment as well. But you know, it's a bit of a cliche, but it's work I'm absolutely loving. And I'm really, really grateful for it.

LS: Well, we're grateful that you're doing it too! I can't wait to read the magazine when it comes out. So if people want to learn more about the magazine, where should they go? How can they pledge to help you exceed your target even more?

SC: Yeah, thank you. So it's FreelancerMagazine.co.uk. And the link to the Kickstarter is quite prominent on that page as well. That's where you can find out about the mag and the Kickstarter and come to the party.

LS: Yeah. And if people want to get in touch with you directly, where should they do that? Where's the best place to find you?

SC: Yeah, so everything else ­– the courses, Sunrise Club, you'll find it all on thoughtfully.co.uk. 

LS: Amazing. Well, thank you so much for joining us today, Sophie.

SC: Thank you so much for having me.

LS: I'll put all those links in the show notes so that people can go and catch up with you. And yeah, thank you so much.

SC: Thank you.

Outro

You've been listening to 15 Minute Freelancer with me, Louise Shanahan, freelance health copywriter and content marketer at thecopyprescription.com. If you enjoyed this, please hit subscribe, leave a review or share it with a freelance friend. And if you've got a freelancing question you want answered on the podcast find me and say hi on Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram. Thanks, and until next time, happy freelancing!