Interview - Nell Casey
Nell is an ecommerce copywriter and content strategy who nearly ended up as a financial advisor! She saved up some cash, threw herself a launch party, and started building her freelance copywriting business Fete Creative. We chat to Nell about her journey and learn why having the right about of ego is essential for freelancer success.
Tell us how you ended up here as a freelancer? Where did it all begin?
I came to freelancing in a really roundabout way - it wasn’t something I’d always thought I’d do. In fact, when I left uni I was on track for a career in the Canberra public service. At 25 I got the urge to move to the big smoke, so I packed up my things and moved from Canberra to Melbourne. I found a job in the state public service but wasn’t really loving it. And after bouncing into the private sector for a few years, I figured I might as well try the freelance life.
What was your last ‘real’ job?
Somewhere along the way, I got the idea that I would make an excellent financial advisor. So I began studying for my financial services licence and got a job at a small advisory firm as a client manager. It was interesting (I’ve always loved graphs and spreadsheets) and the client services side was fun, but the world of compliance just wasn’t for me.
What inspired you to start freelancing? Was there a ‘moment’ that made you realise it was time?
It was really just a leap of faith. I’d been dabbling in writing and had found a few clients via freelancer platforms and reaching out to people I knew. I had a some savings and I figured I’d just go all in for a while and see what happened.
How did you prepare to start working for yourself?
Okay, other than the standard laptop purchase and a pretty basic website, not much. But I actually threw myself a (real-life) launch party. I invited my family and friends to a bar in the city, printed out some flyers and bought a few bottles of sparkling. It’s funny now to think about it because I didn’t really have much of a business at the time. But it did help me get in the mindset of ‘yep, this is a real thing that I’m doing.’
In three emojis, describe your life as a freelancer…
💻🤳🤔
Walk us through a typical work day?
AM
I usually start my day with a walk with my boyfriend. We bought a second-hand coffee machine this year so we’ll make a coffee in our reusable cups then walk along the country roads out the back of our suburb. It’s incredibly peaceful, with nothing but a few cows, sheep and horses to see.
During regular times I work from a coworking space most days, so I’ll shower, get dressed and eat breakfast before heading out the door. I’ve worked from a coworking space for almost the whole time I’ve been a freelancer. I find it helps me focus and maintain a proper work routine. I rely on my calendar and planner to know what to do each day. I’m using ClickUp for task management, so I’ll dive in there first thing to check what I have on, then scan my emails to see if anything important has come in. I try to work in blocks of two hours, with long breaks at the end.
PM
At lunchtime I’ll try to get outside again and go for a walk along the Barwon River. I moved to Geelong last year and I’m still discovering all the wonderful parks and green spaces. By the afternoon I’m usually feeling a bit creatively drained so I’ll try to schedule more analytical tasks. This might include keyword research and tracking (for a writer I use a lot of spreadsheets), customer research or admin tasks.
How as COVID-19 impacted your everyday life?
Ooooh well the big change is that I’m working from home again for the first time in ages. In the first few weeks, I found it difficult to maintain the work rhythm and I was slipping back into the whole wearing-yoga-pants-all-day-and-working-from-the-couch thing (not that there’s anything wrong with that, but it’s a killer for my productivity takes a nosedive).
But in recent weeks I’ve really been getting into the rhythm of working from home. It helps that I have regular scheduled virtual catch-ups and online coworking sessions (like Cool Wow!). But I’ve been enjoying the spaciousness that comes from being forced to strip back my schedule and slow down.
Name three qualities you need to succeed as a freelancer?
Resilience
Curiosity
And just the right amount of ego to stave off the self-doubt and negative feedback
I know we’re not supposed to have favourites, but can you share a favourite client project of yours?
It’s always hard to choose, but a recent fave is Damn, Gina. The client came to me with a fun idea to create this character “Gina” as the brand’s founder. She’s sassy and self-confident and I was given a lot of freedom to play with the copy and brand voice. And the feedback from the first launch has been really positive with so many people connecting to ‘Gina’.
Best thing about freelancing?
The freedom that comes with running your own show.
Suckiest thing about freelancing?
The freedom that comes with running your own show. 😂 It really is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, you have the ability to choose your own clients and create your own vision of success. But that can also lead to indecision and second-guessing about what you should pursue or what’s the right pathway to follow.
What’s next for you in business?
I’m launching a podcast in a few weeks which is both exciting and nervewracking. It’s called Voice Your Brand and it’s all about how online business owners can define their brand voice and use copywriting to sell in a genuine, fun and non-salesy way.
This or that
Tea or coffee?
Introvert or extrovert? I’m an introverted extrovert.
Earlybird or night owl?
Home office or coworking space?
Emails or calls? Emails - but will always call when it’s awkward.
Paper or digital to-do list? Both, rough it out on paper, track it digitally.
Books or podcasts? But I do love curling up with a book on a rainy Sunday arvo.