Becoming a freelance copywriter part 1
Launching a freelance career can be a brilliant choice for mums who want the flexibility of working on their terms around their children. Newly married Ashley Petrons shares her experiences of taking the plunge as a freelance copywriter, as she builds a career that can grow with her family when the time is right.
The chicken and the egg of starting a business
The first few days of September were rather eventful to say the least. Sunday 1st September I celebrated a wonderful first year of marriage with my husband in Paris. Monday 2nd September it was back to reality with a big bump, finishing up a role of business development manager at a design agency.
I had already made up my mind that it was time to start up as a freelancer. For two and a half years, I have nurtured my passion for marketing. Keeping up with trends, and having a genuine fascination with the pace at things are changing in the industry daily really excites me. Knowing that marketing well and truly is my bag, I believe that by setting up as a sole trader, I can really help organisations find ways to best reach their target audience.
Now, for me the chicken and egg was what to do first. It was easy to get swept up in phone calls and setting up meetings to find those first few contracts that would make this dream a reality. When it became a reality (which it did in an astoundingly fast amount of time – I am still recovering!), I had to do the official set up bits, fast. It suddenly all felt very real. And I was working on one heck of a juggling act – trying to get all the t’s crossed and the i’s dotted whilst also still getting the work done that had I had secured. I did wonder if I should have done the official stuff first.
Despite the doubt (which must be the number one emotion felt by those taking the plunge to set out solo!) I still stand by my decision to do it that way round. I have found it exhilarating to secure four contracts in just eight working days, and this has pushed me forward into getting all the other bits done. This includes:
- Registering as a sole trader.
- Setting up a business bank account.
- Registered with the ICO to be covered for data protection, ensuring all client data I have is kept confidential.
Coming up to three weeks in, I can tell this is going to be an interesting journey, and I look forward to sharing my experiences with you along the way – good and bad!
