This week, Lewis is joined by Kirsten Parnell-Vernon, Senior Copywriter at Tiger Marketing. Kirsten shares her story of discovering copywriting by way of a linguistics degree, a master’s in forensic linguistics, and Cancer Research UK comms.

They get into living a brand, why pen-and-paper is still the ultimate thinking tool, and how to thrive when ten deadlines collide. Kirsten talks niche clients, long-form B2B, pushing cheeky tone of voice even when it’s not your “natural,” and the simple joy of a client saying, “You’ve nailed it.”

There’s a frank take on AI, from ethics to Kerry Harrison’s “AI sandwich”, plus a love letter to Martin Amis’s work, and a surprising writing soundtrack recommendation.

Find Kirsten on LinkedIn and Substack.

Find Tiger Marketing at tigermarketing.co.uk.

This week, Lewis is joined by Adam Brannon, Senior Content Strategist at Herd and founder/editor of Movie Metropolis, to talk copy, cinema, and where those worlds collide.

From a Cubs Christmas story that was “too dark,” to Press Association days writing TV/film listings, to leading content at Herd, Adam shares how he plans rigorously for clients, removes ego to honour brand tone, and why one LGBTQ+ sexual-health article became a proud “speak to the audience you’re missing” moment.

They also nerd out on Jurassic Park, the Marvel-style quip problem, and writing to film scores...and Barbra Streisand.

Find Adam on LinkedIn

Find Movie Metropolis at moviemetropolis.net, on Instagram and on Facebook

Find Herd at herd.io

This week, Lewis is joined by Cassdy Grigg, freelance copywriter (and our first international guest!), to talk yearbooks, SaaS, and making freelancing work on her own terms.

From award-winning high school yearbooks and in-house SaaS marketing to surviving layoffs and building a freelance career, Cassidy shares how she writes audience-first, why websites and emails are her sweet spot, and how she uses AI transparently.

They also talk about curing writer's block by literally talking it out, the strange dichotomy between Instagram and LinkedIn with their "style over substance" and "substance over style" attitudes, and how LinkedIn got fun once Cassidy stopped overthinking it.

Find Cassidy on LinkedIn.

Visit Cassidy's website.

Subscribe to Cassidy's newsletter, Sloppy Copy.

This week, Lewis is joined by Michelle Robinson, a former NHS mental health professional who pivoted into copywriting after a single Facebook post led to ten same-day enquiries. They talk freelancing from zero to sustainable, values-led work; writing for therapists and agriculture; and why “what’s in it for me?” beats technical jargon every time.

Michelle shares her whiteboard-first process, her cure for writer’s block, and how to balance safe options with a wild-card idea clients didn’t know they wanted. There’s a clear-eyed take on AI, plus mentoring, imposter syndrome, and the Stephen King must-read that sharpened her craft.

Find Michelle on LinkedIn and at michellerobinsonwriter.com

This week, Lewis is joined by Ash Billinghay, a freelance copywriter with a knack for irreverence, client-winning tone, and the occasional rant about bad advertising.

From AOL chatrooms and Joanna Lumley’s welcome message to writing tone of voice guidelines for First Direct and becoming the voice of Samsung’s training academy, Ash traces his journey from agency life to freelance freedom.

They also dive into advertising’s big problem with data, KFC’s cult-like chicken ads, and why data will never tell you to put a gorilla and Phil Collins together.

Also featuring rants about AI, love letters to Bob Mortimer and Dave Trott, and a creative process that involves putting a teabag in your brain.

Find Ash at ashbillinghay.com and on LinkedIn

In this episode, Lewis is joined by freelance copywriter Amy Hawthorne to trace her route from a chemical plant grad job to years of travelling, to landing agency roles in Melbourne, and the moment she asked, “What the hell is a copywriter?” That question kick-started a career that now spans brand voice workshops, bold lifestyle work, and helping challenger brands stand out.

From drawing tone-of-voice inspiration from The Great Gatsby, Wicked, and even Paris, to building a swipe file that keeps ideas fresh, Amy shares how she avoids repetition, why small brands give copywriters the most freedom, and the projects that pushed her out of her comfort zone (hello, crypto and Gen Z social).

They also get into AI: useful for targeted research, but never for the writing, plus the ethics, the energy cost, and why polished-but-generic isn’t the goal. Amy’s advice for newer copywriters is refreshingly direct: get a job first, do the work, learn the systems, then go freelance.

If you’re curious about crafting distinctive voices, running idea-rich workshops, and keeping copy unmistakably human, this one’s for you.

Connect with Amy at thecopyhouse.uk and on LinkedIn.

In this episode, Lewis is joined by freelance copywriter Lauren Holden to talk about her route from local journalism to agency life, and why one “dream job” wasn’t what it seemed. Lauren shares how she quit with nothing to go to, how healthcare became her unexpected niche, and the honest reality of writer’s block.

From pitching NME and running music columns to conceptual campaigns about ice cream (yes, really), Lauren opens up about collaboration, client feedback, and why she’ll always defend the em dash. She also gives her take on AI tools.

If you’re curious about finding your voice across industries, balancing tone with client goals, and keeping your writing human in a noisy digital world, this one’s for you.

Connect with Lauren on LinkedIn, Instagram, and at laurenholden.co.uk.

In this episode, Lewis is joined by freelance copywriter Eddie Hall to talk about his unusual path into copywriting, from a criminology degree to landing his first in-house job just a week after graduating, to bouncing back from redundancy and building a full-time freelance career.

From the power of a single landing page to change a customer’s mind, to the frustrations of AI content checkers, to why “it loves a dash” (and why everyone on LinkedIn suddenly loves the Oxford comma), Eddie shares honest insights, resilient lessons, and a sharp take on what clients often misunderstand about good copy.

If you’ve ever questioned whether copywriting can truly make an impact, or want to hear two writers laugh about commas, jazz, and why AI should stay far away from our entertainment, this is the episode for you.

Connect with Eddie on ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠.

In this episode, host Lewis sits down with freelance copywriter Emily Redman to talk about her journey from journalism graduate to agency life, and why she recently took the leap into freelancing.

From rewriting AI-generated copy to working on high-stakes projects for billion-dollar brands, to admitting her creative process is “chaotic” (in the best way possible), Emily shares candid insights, plenty of laughs, and a refreshing take on the “niche vs. generalist” debate.

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s really like to go freelance, or want to hear two writers swap stories about travel, late-night deadlines, and even classical piano playlists, this is the episode for you.

Connect with Emily on ⁠LinkedIn⁠.

Welcome to Copy That, the new series from QuadCast that's all about copywriting.

In our very first episode, host Lewis sits down with freelance copywriter Eleanor Jones to talk about how she began copywriting straight after graduating in 2020, why her old blog posts are off-limits, and how she turned a pandemic side hustle into a full-time creative career.

From navigating feast-and-famine freelancing to writing eBooks on burnout, to the eternal debate of “to niche or not to niche,” Eleanor shares candid insights, plenty of laughs, and a few truths every aspiring copywriter needs to hear.

If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to turn a love of words into paid work, or want to hear two writers nerd out about dashes, blank pages, and everything in between, this is the episode for you.

Connect with Eleanor on LinkedIn.