Sarah is copywriting 3.5 days/week from Mauritius and here’s the thing:
That could—and should!—be ALL of us.
I don’t mean Mauritius (though if you LOVE island living, then … yeah …).
What I mean is there’s absolutely NO reason all of us shouldn’t be living the lives we want to live.
Yes, there are bills, and kids sports games, and endless laundry loads. But that doesn’t mean those can’t coexist alongside our biggest, wildest dreams.
Listen to hear how Sarah started pursuing the things she loved most—and wanted more from—in life.
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Prefer to watch the episode? Hit play below (plus, hit “cc” to toggle on closed captioning!).
A Sneak Peek at the Episode
[01:52] After selling my manufacturing business, I went on a diving holiday where a fellow traveler told me he could work anywhere with a laptop and an internet connection. Intrigued by this freedom, I fell in love with a local village and abandoned my UK law career path to pursue an island lifestyle.
[04:48] I discovered the CCA in June 2021 after recognizing that my past experience writing magazine articles and company brochures gave me a solid foundation. This realization made the stars align, flipping a switch in my head to pursue a career that allowed me to work from anywhere.
[07:15] I decided against completing a two-year legal training contract in the UK because my little island was calling me back. Years later, I even got to reconnect underwater with Stuart, the very diver who unwittingly sparked my entire digital nomad journey.
[08:52] I officially moved to Mauritius in December 2021 with just a few clients and used personal Facebook and LinkedIn posts to share my new venture. This bravery paid off immediately, connecting me with old school friends for website projects and securing my biggest long-term retainer client.
[11:37] I accidentally commented on a major diving brand’s post using my business profile instead of my personal account. Their global marketing manager loved my profile, realized I was a copywriter who was also a diver, and reached out to hire me as their exact target audience.
[22:15] I intentionally structure my schedule around a three-and-a-half-day work week, completely disconnecting on Wednesdays to dive and explore. Removing work emails from my phone and refusing weekend work has allowed me to prioritize an incredible lifestyle over pure profit.
[25:10] It took me years to master these strict boundaries, but I maximize my productivity by starting work at 6:00 AM local time. This gives me five hours of complete silence to focus before my primary clients in the UK even log online.
[28:30] As a self-proclaimed queen of procrastination, limiting my working hours forces me to stay hyper-focused and get massive amounts of copy drafted. I have also started leaving my phone downstairs to eliminate distractions so I can clear my schedule for the island activities I love.
[32:05] While it felt like my stars aligned perfectly, anyone looking to make a major career or geographic shift needs to plan deliberately. Give yourself 12 to 24 months to put the necessary steps in place, because building this freedom is completely possible.
Must-Hear Takeaways
As with every episode, we highly encourage you to listen to the entire conversation! But here are a few of the highlights:
“If I knew then what I knew now, I would have hired a copywriter. As a business owner, you tend to write about what you do and how you do it rather than what people need to hear.” – Sarah
“It’s thinking about what you want out of life. For me, it’s not about the money… it’s a lifestyle.” – Sarah
“Condensing the time means I am much more focused. If I want to go down to the south of the island, or if I want to go and see somebody or go for lunch… I have to get this done.” – Sarah
“Sometimes we need to see someone else doing it in order to go, ‘Oh, yes. I could do that too.” – Nicki
Mentioned in the Episode
- Sarah’s LinkedIn
- Sarah’s Website
- 5 Keys for Getting Valuable Connections on LinkedIn
- BONUS Laser Coaching: Transitioning to Freelance
- Ep. 130: 4 of the Highest Paying Copywriting Niches
Related Links
- Ep. 140: Traveling Europe While Running a Copywriting Agency—Chris’s Story
- BONUS – Laser Coaching: How Can I Work Remotely from Anywhere in the World?
- Ep. 261: Full-Time to Freelance (and Traveling the World) – Catching Up with Tammy
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About the Build Your Business Podcast
Ready to turn your love of writing into a successful copywriting career?
Join professional copywriters Nicki Krawczyk and Kate Sitarz to get the tips, tools, and training to help you become a copywriter and build a thriving business of your own. Nicki and Kate have 20+ and 15+ years of experience, respectively, writing copy for multi-billion-dollar companies, solopreneurs, and every size business in between.
Whether you want to land an on-staff job, freelance full-time and work from wherever you want, or make extra money with a side hustle, the best place to start learning is right here.
