Lizzie Davey is a freelance writer and blogger who helps budding freelancers create long-term lucrative businesses with actionable content and easy-to-understand advice. In this interview, Lizzie shares her freelance journey and tips she has for fellow freelancers.
What influenced you to become a freelance writer?
I’ve always loved writing, and my ultimate aim from a young age was to get paid for it. I worked in marketing before I went freelance, but I hated all the other parts of it that weren’t writing. When I had the opportunity to quit my job and move to Spain, I grabbed it with both hands and used it as an opportunity to get my freelance business off the ground.
What do you freelance in?
I’m a content writer and consultant specialising in long-form content for SaaS and e-commerce brands.
How long have you been freelancing?
Since 2014 – so six years now.
As well as being a freelancer, you also have a separate business, let us know a little bit more about that
I also run Wanderful World, a site that provides resources, workshops, and courses for budding freelancers and business owners. It started after I moved to Spain and began documenting my life as a freelancer. The posts I wrote about getting clients and finding a work/life balance as a freelancer quickly became my most popular, and I was getting a lot of emails and questions from readers who were inspired to start their own freelancing journey. It made sense to package up my experiences to share with other freelancers.
What clients do you freelance for?
I can definitely share some! I write for a lot of SaaS e-commerce companies, including Gorgias and Okendo, as well as marketing automation platforms like Sendinblue and CoSchedule. A lot of my clients fall into the SaaS e-commerce category with products like Shopify plugins, chatbots, and automated email sequences.
Do you think it’s important to have a niche?
Yes! Having a niche elevates you to expert status, helps you stand out, and means you can charge more. It also makes it much easier to focus your website and messaging so you reach the right people. At the start of my freelance career, I wrote for anyone about anything, and I ended up working on projects I hated and that didn’t pay very well at all. As soon as I niched down, I noticed an immediate increase in the number of prospects reaching out to me and the amount I could charge for my services.
What would you describe your niche as?
Longform content for SaaS and e-commerce brands.
What resources have you found useful as a freelance?
I’ve probably used a lot of resources over the years, but I think finding your own routine and own way to do things is vital if you want to enjoy running a business and succeed. I spend a lot of time reading about my niche and have a feed reader full of top blogs and publications in that area. Staying on top of trends is crucial to staying relevant in the freelancing world.
How did you become a freelancer?
I started a blog in 2012 to document my travels and in 2014 I had the opportunity to move to Spain. It was the perfect chance to see if I could turn my blog into something and I picked up freelance clients along the way. It was only supposed to be for a year while I was in Spain, but I managed to land a full roster of clients and can’t imagine going back to a full-time job now!
What method do you find most useful in finding clients?
At the start of my freelance career, I definitely did a lot of cold emailing, connecting with prospects on social media, and applying to posts on job boards. I find that I don’t need to go out and find clients any more as they tend to come to me via Google or referrals. It helps that I rank in the top three spots on search engines for freelance writers in my niche!
What do you like most about freelancing?
I love SO many things about it. Obviously, I enjoy the freedom to work with who I want and being able to work when I want. But the best part is that I’m in charge of my business and all the decisions I make. It means I’ve been able to build something that I enjoy waking up to every single day.
What challenges have you found with freelancing, and how do you battle through them?
In the six years I’ve been freelancing, I’ve never had a completely dry month client-wise. But I still get freaked out every couple of months that all of my clients are going to disappear and I’m not going to be able to sustain my business forever. When this happens, I look back at everything I’ve achieved so far to remind myself that I’ve adapted over the years to keep my business relevant and can continue to do that in the future.
What tips do you have for those wanting to do freelancing or build their own business?
Be resilient! It takes time to build a business that you’re happy with and it doesn’t just happen overnight. Unfortunately, there’s no one-size-fits-all path for getting there either. There’s a lot of trial and error, a lot of mistakes, and a lot of “what have I done?!” along the way. Keep doing what you’re doing and you’ll wake up one day and realise you’ve created something beautiful.
What 3 words would you describe your freelance work as?
The work I do for clients is educational, informative, and solutions-focused.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
My favourite things to do outside of work are paddleboarding, cycling and motorcycling, going to vintage car shows, practicing my acrobatic skills on my aerial silks, and (when it’s possible) traveling to explore new places.
How do you find the work/ life balance being a freelancer? Do you have any tips for this area?
Initially, it was really hard to separate the two, especially when working from home. I’ve set some boundaries for myself now, like I don’t work after 7pm and I try not to work weekends unless it’s absolutely necessary. I also joined a coworking space a couple of years ago which has really helped separate my work life from home life.
What key characteristics are needed to become a freelancer?
Resilience, commitment, and good communication skills.
What is the proudest project you have worked on?
There are loads of projects I’ve loved working on. My favourite ones are the projects where I’ve created a content strategy for a company from scratch that has got them really amazing results. I love seeing the work I do make an impact on a company.
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Also, if you are at the start of your freelance journey looking for guidance on how to navigate this world, I offer a Beginner Freelancer E-course to help you with this.
