What if you pursue copywriting and realize … this still isn’t the right path?
After getting laid off, Jeanette launched her copywriting business (in an impressive 30 days!).
But six months in despite hitting her goals, she realized something still didn’t feel right.
So, she pivoted again.
On this episode of the Build Your Copywriting Business podcast, Jeanette was generous enough to share how she used the skills she learned as a copywriter to launch her very own business.
Owning her identity as an introvert has led Jeanette to the most fulfilling work of her life (so far!), running a business aimed at supporting introverts like herself.
Whether you’re mid-pivot or post-panic in your copywriting career, Jeanette’s story will inspire you to go for more.
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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
[03:10] I had already started the modules and was going through everything; it made for a really quick and easy transition for me to go into copywriting. 30 days from when I got laid off, I launched my website and my career, six weeks before I got my first job.
[04:15] Then I was doing okay with the copywriting. I had only been in maybe six months and was covering my expenses. But as I continued on the path, as much as I loved what I was doing, it didn’t align with who I actually am. If I can change things up and have different things in my life that really fulfill me, then I want to do that.
[04:40] Everything that I learned from the CCA, treating things as a business. The steps of starting a business. I didn’t have to outsource doing my own brand guide and tone and voice and all of that, and I’ve written my own funnels. It really helped me fine-tune who I really am.
[07:00] I just launched a business that provides digital resources for introverts navigating the extrovert world. My very first digital course is Helping Introverts.
[08:20] I knew right off the bat that I wanted to do something to be able to support introverts. What does that mean? What does that look like? Making sure that when I am going full speed down the path, it’s the right path or as right as I can make it.
[08:42] The first thing I actually did was start with the brand guide and the brand voice and the brand tone, because I wanted to make sure that anything that I did from here on out exemplifies everything that is in it. I even dug up all the worksheets from the CCA modules and redid them all for me.
[10:22] One of the reasons why I wanted to transition into this new avenue of my life was because I spent my 20s and 30s thinking that there was something wrong with me. Everything that I tried didn’t really fit. It didn’t really resonate. I’m trying to be like everybody else. That’s why I tried so many different things.
[10:55] I just need to focus on who I am, what works best for me, and what truly makes me feel happy and fulfilled. And part of that was joining the CCA. Part of that was my transition into starting my own business, helping introverts.
[12:33] It wasn’t really until I turned 40 that I was like, I’m tired of feeling inauthentic all the time, and I need to just figure out who I am, even if it doesn’t look like anything else out there. It wasn’t until I started doing that and exploring the things that made me happy that things really started changing.
[13:41] Introverts on the whole tend to prefer to communicate in a little bit of a different way from extroverts. So we need to get that information out, but we also want to make sure that we do it in a way that is nurturing to us, so that way we’re still being true to who we are.
[16:00] So one of the things that I found helpful is preparing my list of questions in advance and sending them to the person in advance, and then also asking them to do the same for me.
[17:49] Say, ‘I’d love a little bit of time to think on that. Let me get back to you tomorrow.’ I want to sit with it. I don’t want to give the first thing that comes to mind because it’s not always the best. It helps me just sit with it and say, Okay, your initial thought—that’s great. Write that down. Noodle it over.
[20:00] Making it okay to say no. It’s finding ways to be able to respectfully say no. And there are various ways to be able to say it, but you have to be able to say it in a way that sounds true to you and not rehearsed. And then sticking to it.
[24:45] One of the biggest focuses that I started with—my first launch was all about burnout as an introvert. Just getting clear on what our no’s are and then speaking those no’s and then sticking to them.
[25:22] I feel as introverts we’re so in tune with our internal, but we have a lot of difficulty with communicating our thoughts across externally. If you don’t know what is triggering you, you can’t build a support plan to be able to help with that.
[39:22] I found that a really aha moment for introverts is journaling and just letting whatever’s in your head come out. Because we’re so far in our heads that quite often we misinterpret a lot that’s in there. In journaling we find that a lot of things, all of a sudden, just start bubbling up to the surface.
[29:23] What exactly is causing you the discomfort in whatever it is that you’re doing or the being stuck? To help you be able to figure out what that is. Journaling, or just letting it all out, is one of the best ways that I have found to be able to help with that.
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:
“I’m not doing it anymore, but I’m so very grateful for everything that you guys have. It really helped me fine-tune who I am and what I want because I looked at my life and where I was headed from the point of view of a copywriter.” – Jeanette
“This is our careers evolve. Some people will, will join us in the CCA and will stick with copywriting. Some people will join us in the CCA and go a different direction.” – Nicki
“The skills that I learned, I even dug up all the CCA worksheets from the modules and redid them all for me (building the business). So that way we are able to take just a really holistic view and approach and get a solid foundation. Before I do anything else.” – Jeanette
“Gone are the days when you start at a company and you’re gonna be there 40, 50 years and then you retire. Your journeys are gonna change.” – Jeanette
“You don’t need to come up with the answer if you don’t know what the answer. This is not a fake and until you make a scenario.” – Nicki
“Figure out what that no sentence is that feels authentic and hen stop. Whereas before I would just continue and keep going and next thing you know it turned into a yes.” – Jeanette
“Just by journaling, if you’re stuck on something, you’ll be surprised at what just all of a sudden pops right out of the page at you and gives you that aha moment.” – Jeanette
Mentioned in the Episode
- Jeanette website: jesuisjeanette.com
- Can an Introvert Be a Successful Copywriter?
- Why Brand Voice Matters in Copywriting
Related Links
- Ep. 232: From Copywriter to Product Marketer (And Homeowner in Spain!) – Alba’s Story
- Ep. 225: What Jobs Can I Do As a Copywriter?
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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 10+ 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.
