The Writers’ Co-op

Typically, when we strike out on our own and launch a freelance business, we play it safe and start with what we know. If we previously worked at a marketing agency, we might offer services like copywriting and content marketing. We might target clients in that niche. After all, that’s where the bulk of our professional network — our potential first clients — may be.

But what if you want to build a freelance business unrelated to your subject matter expertise? How do you determine what your business wants to be? In other words: How do you think expansively, past the industries and work that you know? 

In this episode, Wudan talks with Maya Lau. 

Maya works at the intersection of media and research, having pivoted from her career as a newspaper reporter. She is the host of Other People’s Pockets, where she interviews people about how much money they make, how they feel about their finances, and if they’ve figured out anything about money that the rest of us haven’t. Maya also has her own business, Anza Research, where she investigates companies and the people who run them for investment firms.

Wudan and Maya dive more into how to leverage existing skills and interests when switching industries. 

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As a freelancer, the topic of diversification may be on your  mind. The freelance market is what it is, and the pool of freelancers continues to grow - so we need ways of differentiating ourselves from others. You may be wondering how to level up in your business by offering new services, looking to a new client base, or both! But how can you do that in an intentional way?

In this episode, Wudan talks with Ashley Cisneros Mejia

Ashley is an award-winning journalist, communications expert, and former marketing agency owner with nearly 20 years of experience. She is the host and creator of the Talk Freelance to Me Podcast, where she provides freelancers the tools they need to design a life they love, and run sustainable, profitable businesses. Over her career, she’s done a bit of everything. She began her career as a newspaper reporter, worked as a tech writer, marketing manager, in PR, and so much more. 

Ashley and Wudan go over steps to diversify your freelance business purposefully and without fear.

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What if we told you that all freelancers are leaders? 

The idea might seem counterintuitive at first: After all, freelancers provide services or products to our clients. We’re not leading or managing a team in a conventional sense.

But leadership isn’t just about managing a team. It’s how you position yourself, how you talk about yourself, and how you show up every day in your work. 

In this episode, Wudan talks with Cynthia Pong. 

Cynthia is an award-winning career and leadership coach, speaker, and author of “Don't Stay in Your Lane: The Career Change Guide for Women of Color.” An NYU-trained lawyer turned career coach, she founded her company, Embrace Change, to help women of color—and people of color—secure the money, power, and respect they deserve.

Wudan and Cynthia dive into how to adopt a leadership mindset—even as a team of one.

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Career transitions often come with an element of fear. For freelancers, this might be a fear of rejection or of losing stable income. It might show up as a little voice in our head that says: “But what if I fail?” Fear is meant to protect us, yet it can also hold us back from trying new things and thinking expansively about our businesses. 

In this episode, Nicole Tsong joins Wudan to talk about confronting fear while making big career swings. 

Nicole is a former journalist-turned-podcast host and bestselling author. As the founder of Nicole Tsong Coaching and the School of Self-Worth podcast, she helps Asian American women leaders release the pressure valve, supercharge their self-worth and master intuitive decision making. You can follow her on Instagram at @nicoletsong. 

Nicole dives into how career growth doesn’t have to be linear, how to feel grounded before making a big decision, and how to think of decision-making as an experiment. 

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Welcome to Season 8! We’re calling this year the “Year of Expansive Thinking.” This season will focus on how to think big about our businesses, ourselves, and what we think is possible. 

In the first episode, host and executive producer Wudan Yan answers questions from guest co-host Pam Moore about her businesses. 

Pam is an occupational therapist-turned-award-winning intuitive eating coach and journalist based in Boulder, Colorado. Wudan tells Pam more about how her business has changed drastically in the last three years as a result of a mindset shift, what it’s been like to run two businesses, and her goals for 2024.

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This episode is a cross-post between The Writers' Co-op and Freelance Cake, a podcast for ambitious freelancers who want to get more results with less effort, hosted by Austin L. Church.

Austin had Wudan on his show to talk about how she cultivated a mindset of 'always be negotiating,' and how she got to a place where negotiations felt comfortable and conversation-like, rather than potentially contentious.

A preview into what this upcoming season holds!

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If you’ve been listening to The Writers’ Co-op since the first few seasons, you’ve heard us say: The magic is in the mix of work you get. Slower work – work that is recurring, or on a longer contract or time period – can make us feel both steady and fulfilled. But sometimes, we just need money now. That’s where fast freelancing comes in. 

Ideally, you have a mix of both in your business. Too much fast work, and you might burn out. Too much slow work and that could build resentment or put you in a financially precarious position. 

In this episode, Wudan talks with Amy Romer.

Amy is a visual journalist and fact-checker based in Vancouver, Canada. She covers environmental and indigenous issues for Reuters, The Walrus, The Guardian and The Globe and Mail, among many others. She is a National Geographic Explorer and a recipient of the Global Reporting Centre’s visual storytelling grant. 

Amy and Wudan discuss tactics for setting yourself up well for both fast and slow work, the mental and emotional toll of each type of work, and more.

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As freelancers, we’ve probably all worked with clients who couldn’t pin down exactly what they wanted. Maybe they never had a clear vision for the project, or maybe they constantly changed their mind—and your scope of work. The experience can be incredibly frustrating. Yet, even these clueless clients need (and deserve) help from freelancers.

In this episode, Wudan talks to content marketer and strategist Sara Gates. 

Before Sara started her freelance business, she did a bit of everything at a high-growth startup. She was hired for marketing and did it all: SEO, social media, email, content strategy, messaging development, and so much more. You can follow Sara on Linkedin. 

Wudan and Sara dive into how to approach clueless clients without costing yourself too much money, emotional energy or sleep. 

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A very overdone and true statement about freelancing is: “You’re running a business!” Businesses of all sizes have things like income targets, goals, creative direction—and even business plans! While some of those terms can sound a bit like “corporate speak,” these ways of doing things and problem solving in the corporate world can also be applied to your freelance business. 

In this episode, Wudan talks to Melody Burdette. Melody is a freelance content strategist and copywriter based out of Billie, her Ford Transit. (Yes, that’s a van.) She spent the early part of her career working in editorial and e-commerce, and more recently in startups as a content strategist and copywriter. You can follow her on Instagram at @melskyburd and stay up-to-date with her course @PlayBigPlayBook. 

Wudan and Melody talk more about how to check in with your business on a regular basis – the same way that any company performs quarterly or annual reviews – and how to set up your own business retreat. 

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