Niche Upon A Star

Welcome back! This week, we're talking to Harvey Morton. Harvey is a freelancer who specialises in the entertainment industry, with a reputation for being a fantastic social media manager. He's adept and bright, honest and very inspiring to talk to. Lucky us! This episode's for you if you: Struggle to put yourself 'out there' or apply for grants, competitions and wider press opportunitiesNeed to overcome confidence in yourselfHarvey's story is incredibly inspiring, he's also a regular on...

Welcome back! This week is an episode I couldn't wait to share. We've got Phil Shorland, better known as Content with Phil, talking about the moment he decided to go freelance. That origin moment for Phil was an advert, with words so chilled, so friendly, it inspired him to leave teaching for good.Phil also talks about how he built a network online, lessons learned in the first year of freelancing and how he's continually improving and evolving what he does.This one's for you if you're intere...

Hello again! This week, the lovely Giada Nizzoli, of Crafty Copy, is on the podcast.Giada is a former generalist copywriter, who with the right support and a dose of confidence, pivoted her business into brand messaging. Giada started charging for things she enjoyed so much, she'd previously done them for free.This episode is for you if you're interested in:Prioritising what you're best atCharging for every part of your servicesFinding the true value in your business"Change feels uncomfortabl...

Welcome back, this week we're talking to Ayo Abbas. Ayo is a built environment specialist, with a marketing agency that works with a very particular target audience.She talks about how she set up her business, worked on making a name for herself within a niche, and how to thrive in a more 'traditional' sector.This episode is for you if you're interested in:Being strategic about how you grow your businessChoosing a vertical that inspires you, and sticking to itDeciding carefully who to work wi...

Hello again! This week we've got Mark Masters, founder of You Are The Media. Mark's enthusiasm, willingness to try anything and all-round inclusive spirit is infectious. He's a ball of energy, telling the story of how he spent 10 years growing a newsletter into a giant freelancer community.This episode is great if you want to:Learn how deliberate practice can lead to rapid growthUnderstand how mistakes and pitfalls often help you create a businessBuild a community of like-minded creativesMark...

Welcome back to Niche Upon A Star! Let's get bonkers. This week it's Fearless Business coach Robin Waite. Robin is a super-successful business coach who achieves mind-boggling results. He's number one on Google for 'business coach,' he runs a six-figure business and has another six-figure side hustle. Before you think 'Wait a minute, this all sounds a bit hustle-bro for me, mate' remember that Robin is a dad, a freelancer who suffers from anxiety and is a lovely person underneath al...

Welcome back to Niche Upon A Star!This week we've got the lovely brand designer and illustrator, Emmelie Coulson.Emmelie is known for her bright, bold designs, all-singing social media presence and sold-out networking events in Glasgow. But behind all this marvellous confidence, is a person who has to work hard to overcome imposter syndrome and anxiety. Me too, pal.This episode is one for the introverts among us. Emmelie talks about:- Self-confidence and self-belief- Charging the right price,...

It's Jo Watson, everyone! Another one of my heroes ticked off. Jo is known for her pithy tone of voice, she's a hilarious copywriter with a big online following. And this episode didn't disappoint:Dealing with trollsJo goes into depth on how she's tackling internet criticism, and (like Jo would do) she's turning it into gold. Her clever replies are winning her:- Fans who admire her standpoint- Clients who like her sense of humourAnd as a mum, she's standing up for women everywhere. What a leg...

What does it feel like from the top of Mount Freelance? Nice view, mate.This week's guest on Niche Upon A Star is none other than Lizzie Davey.Lizzie's the mastermind behind Freelance Magic, as well as running her own top-notch content business. She not only serves some of the best known clients in her niche, but she also leaves the ladder down - sharing resources that help others do the same.Lizzie is known for being open about her earnings, and encouraging others to know their worth. I want...

Welcome back, this week we've got Mel Barfield. Superstar copywriter, queen of LinkedIn, and person with 'near dangerous levels of self-belief.'You're going to love this episode. I did because it's jam-packed with solid gold advice. Some of the highlights:Self-belief and personality overlapped for Mel, to create unstoppable momentum from day one of her freelance journeyForgetting glossy personas, and instead creating a business built around authenticity (yes, that word again)Leaving behi...

This week we're speaking to Kayleigh Hall, a fantastic brand designer and founder of Hall Creative. And we're all about being ON PURPOSE.Kayleigh shares the challenges she faced in her early years, and the impact of burnout. But she spun all this into gold! Through coaching, Kayleigh shifted her services to strategy-led brand design. This allowed her to attract higher-quality clients and charge a fair price. Kayleigh's investment in herself led to better pay, more collaborative projects ...

On this week's episode, we're talking to the loveliest brand copywriter on earth. The wonder that is Jonathan Wilcock. He's had 40 years experience in the creative industries, so Jonathan knows a thing or two about freelancing. Jonathan talks openly about his family, his creative ambition, and career peaks and troughs:How to take breaks and work according to your rhythmHow to develop your talentWhy grafting and humility mattersThis is a hugely personal episode, where Jonathan shares...

Welcome back to Niche Upon A Star, this week we've got the brilliant Faye Dicker!Faye, the founder of Freelance Mum, shares her journey of creating a community. She talks about the challenges she faced as a professional transitioning into motherhood.Faye explains the growth and evolution of Freelance Mum, including the impact of COVID-19 and her journey into online events. Faye also shares her advice for other business owners and her plans for the future. Stuff you can learn from Fa...

Ange Lyons of Lyons Creative is well known for her amazing graphic designs. In this episode, she shares her journey to becoming a freelance designer. She talks about how she transitioned from publishing to freelancing, the challenges of being a mum and running a business, and the importance of taking breaks. Ange also is keen to talk about saying no to projects that aren't the right fit and the benefits of having a big range of clients. She also speaks about how she uses digital platform...

How can you balance your time and your sanity when freelancing? Don't worry, Freya can help. And funnily enough, that's the name of her business!Freya Swenson-Costello is an inspiring business owner, full of positivity. Her journey to developing her business has been empowering, enabling her to balance being a mum and having control and direction over her work. She talks in this episode about 3 things:1. Balancing time with healthy boundaries2. Believing in yourself, especially at the be...

This week we're speaking to the brilliant Glenn Fisher, founder of The Fix, author of The Art of the Click, and general all-round badass.Glenn is known to many of us as a super experienced copywriter. But there's more to him than his reputation. He overcame self-doubt, and (with a lot of hard work) built a brilliant community around himself. Glenn talks about his career from auditor, to freelancer and beyond.Dedicated practiseOne of the things Glenn talks about is the importance of dedicated ...

Sometimes you get to meet your actual heroes! This was one of those days for me. It's Sophie Cross, founder of Freelancer Magazine and creator of one of the best online courses for mastering social media, LinkedIn for Humans.Sophie's very open about things that I think we can all relate to:- Burning out after working too hard- Constantly trying to improve your business in small ways- Finding time for herselfSophie's focus is very much on processes, something she's passionate about. For her, g...

What an episode! André Spiteri talks openly about the grit and determination it took to set up Maverick Words. Packed full of gems. What a great interview!We look at early freelancing challenges:André struggled to find clients in his first year as a freelancer, taking on many low-paying jobs and working long hours just to build confidence and a portfolio. How to find your first clients:André gained writing samples by blogging for free, then built a list of potential clients and reached o...

Welcome back to Niche Upon A Star! Let's crack on with episode 2:Megan Rose Douglas, or simply Megan Rose, is known for being a talented, authentic brand copywriter. Megan is inspiring because she has such unique clarity and focus. Megan set up her business and grew it organically, with a clear focus on her online ideas, her ideal clients, and her business vision from day one. On top of that, Megan overcame a bumpy start to her freelance journey and used some initial setbacks to refine h...

Welcome to Niche Upon A Star, episode one! Let's get going:Gareth Hancock is a distinctive, friendly, and warm voice in freelancing. He got his start on freelancing websites, taking small writing jobs to build his skills and portfolio. It took years for Gareth to refine his niche, which is now creative copywriting. By being himself online, Gareth organically attracted high-paying clients who valued his humor and personality. He gained the confidence to turn down unfitting work, focusing ...