The Business of Writing Podcast

BOW 100: Rachel and Laura: So Long And Thanks For All The Fish

In This Episode:    After 100 amazing episodes, we are stepping away from The Business of Writing Podcast to focus on exciting new ventures and partnerships.    In the final episode of this first chapter, Laura and Rachel reveal why they’re making this decision, what we’re doing next, the biggest lessons we’ve learned along the way, and how you can make space for your business (and yourself) to evolve.    Episode Highlights Why we’re stepping away from the BOW Podcast for a little while How to give yourself and your business space so you can evolve and change over time Why you should never forget that everything has a shelf life  Finding people who can ask you hard questions to make sure you don’t get “stuck” in your business How to treat your business as an experiment so you can test new ideas without fear Where we’re putting our focus and attention next  A very special ‘rapid fire’ question round   And plenty more along the way. Get the resources mentioned in this episode below.

BOW 099: Adam Hunt: Comedic Conversion Writing

In This Episode:    Adam Hunt is a TV Producer turned Copywriter who specializes in comedic copywriting. He says there’s an art to writing jokes that work for brands – and a science that makes sure the end result is on-brand, on-message and won’t get you cancelled.   Adam brought together TV’s best comedy writers to form his White Label Comedy Hive-Mind.    They, to help brands of all shapes and sizes entertain, engage and sell. Which, he says, was not as hard as it sounds, since they were all in the same branch of Starbucks complaining about the WiFi. He now keeps them in a small bucket on his coffee table, occasionally feeding them episodes of Cheers.   Episode Highlights   How Adam convinced a bunch of TV writers to give up their fat paychecks and jump ship and start a copy agency Why joke formulas don’t always work in persuasive copy (and the counterintuitive reason Adam still uses them) How to find the perfect balance of comedy, psychology, and marketing to write a winning piece every time Why you should always start with conversion copy before thinking about the joke How to use comedy to get your audience to lower their resistance and be more open to hearing your message.  The secret to avoiding cringe worthy jokes when injecting humor into your brand How to avoid the biggest mistakes newbie writers make when trying their hand at humor  Adam’s advice for managing (and corralling) a team of writers and comedians   And plenty more along the way. Get the resources mentioned in this episode below.  

BOW 098: Laura Valenti: Project Management Mindset

In This Episode:    So many of our listeners want to market themselves and build great platforms, we want to highlight the kind of person who can really make it happen. So today we are interviewing Laura Valenti, who is the genius behind many of the systems here at the Business of Writing. We could not have made this show without her.    Laura is a creative and dynamic project manager and UX/UI designer freelance. Ever since she was young, Laura rejected the idea that having a job had to be exhausting so she simply decided to build her dream career.   She spent 5 years working in London and a year and a half in Lisbon, before moving back to Italy (where she grew up) and bringing back everything she learned abroad. Right now she is working for multiple clients with different "hats". These days Laura is primarily a designer but she is also a project manager, social media manager and ux researcher.   Today we talk about project management, mindset, and building a business that’s authentically you.   Episode Highlights   How to embrace free online learning to change your career (and your life!) Laura’s advice for getting paid to learn new skills How to see change in your business as healthy and exciting (rather than stressful) The first person you should hire when launching your new business How to build trust and brand awareness quickly when you’re just getting started  Which parts of your business you should automate and systematize first How to automate more of your writing business so you can focus on the work you love most Becoming a collaborator (rather than an employee) when working with clients The powerful mindset strategy behind increasing productivity and creativity  Laura’s advice for fixing an unproductive day  The 3 lists you should carry around with you daily to consistently move toward big goals  How to enjoy the “journey” of building your business (and not just the destination)   And plenty more along the way. 

BOW 097: Finka Jerkovic: How To Love Your Business, Clients, and Offers

In This Episode:  Finka Jerkovic is an author, international speaker, and coach. She consults with clients on their personal branding, leadership, sales, client experience and employee engagement.  Finka believes when you bring authentic leadership and a mission-based mindset to business, you can achieve inner fulfillment, outer success and leave a transformational impact. Today we’re talking about how to “own” your offers and your business, as Finka share her strategies from selling from a place of love, instead of fear.  Episode Highlights How to pull on the tendrils of the book hiding inside you  Dealing with the pain (and sometimes necessity) of throwing out your first draft How to know when it’s the right time to write your book The strategy behind fitting a book into your overall business plan How to write your book while balancing a full time job or business Working with a book writing coach to get past your sticking points  How to fully embrace what you’re selling so you can feel free in promoting yourself and your work Managing book launch anxiety (and how to avoid constantly hitting the ‘refresh’ button on your results) How to sell from love instead of fear (for both your own business, and your client’s) And plenty more along the way. Get the resources mentioned in this episode below.

BOW 096: Angie Colee: Permission To Kick Ass

In This Episode:    Angie Colee is a heavily-tattooed rocker turned copywriter and entrepreneurial coach. She was one of our very first guests here on the show, and since then she’s made some incredible shifts in her business.    She’s recently said goodbye to most of her client work to focus on her coaching, podcast, and writing a book – All supported by the incredible lessons she’s learned on her journey from cubicle copywriter to badass business owner.   In that time she’s coached hundreds of creative freelancers through finding clients and confidently fulfilling the gig…   Strategized and written multiple multi-million dollar launches, including two during the recent pandemic…   And Generated over $50MM in direct-to-consumer sales with her copy.   Since she walked away from her day job, she’s created strategies and promos for companies like Masterclass, Copy Chief, The Hustle, Rich Dad Poor Dad, and Product Launch Formula.   These days, she’s teaching everything she’s learned in her new business called Permission to Kick Ass. There she provides business and confidence coaching for creative entrepreneurs.   Episode Highlights Why Angie decided to move away from being a copywriting gun for hire  How Angie manages her creative work while working remotely from the road Her superpower that makes her the perfect person to turn to when you need a loving kick in the butt. How to have difficult conversations with clients when you need to set boundaries The difference between a "red flag" and s "miscommunication" when it comes to managing clients How you can use your personality and quirks to attract the right clients  The filters you should run all prospects through to make sure they’re easy to work with   And plenty more along the way. Get the resources mentioned in this episode below.