100 episodes

The Business of Writing Podcast is where the best creative minds of our time share how they’ve built thriving businesses around their writing skills. It’s time to kill the myth that writing doesn’t pay—on this show you’ll learn how to make words work for you.

We’ll be going deep into the art and science of great writing, the business acumen you need to make your business thrive, and writers of all kinds will share hard-earned insights you won’t get anywhere else.

So if you want to master the business of writing, subscribe so you never miss an episode

The Business of Writing Podcast Rachel Mazza and Laura Gale

    • Business
    • 4.8 • 26 Ratings

The Business of Writing Podcast is where the best creative minds of our time share how they’ve built thriving businesses around their writing skills. It’s time to kill the myth that writing doesn’t pay—on this show you’ll learn how to make words work for you.

We’ll be going deep into the art and science of great writing, the business acumen you need to make your business thrive, and writers of all kinds will share hard-earned insights you won’t get anywhere else.

So if you want to master the business of writing, subscribe so you never miss an episode

    Rachel and Laura: So Long And Thanks For All The Fish

    Rachel and Laura: So Long And Thanks For All The Fish

    In This Episode:   
    After 100 amazing episodes, we are stepping away from The Business of Writing Podcast to focus on exciting new ventures and partnerships. 
     
    In the final episode of this first chapter, Laura and Rachel reveal why they’re making this decision, what we’re doing next, the biggest lessons we’ve learned along the way, and how you can make space for your business (and yourself) to evolve. 
     
    Episode Highlights Why we’re stepping away from the BOW Podcast for a little while How to give yourself and your business space so you can evolve and change over time Why you should never forget that everything has a shelf life  Finding people who can ask you hard questions to make sure you don’t get “stuck” in your business How to treat your business as an experiment so you can test new ideas without fear Where we’re putting our focus and attention next  A very special ‘rapid fire’ question round  
    And plenty more along the way. Get the resources mentioned in this episode below.

    • 40 min
    Adam Hunt: Comedic Conversion Writing

    Adam Hunt: Comedic Conversion Writing

    In This Episode:   
    Adam Hunt is a TV Producer turned Copywriter who specializes in comedic copywriting. He says there’s an art to writing jokes that work for brands – and a science that makes sure the end result is on-brand, on-message and won’t get you cancelled.
     
    Adam brought together TV’s best comedy writers to form his White Label Comedy Hive-Mind. 
     
    They, to help brands of all shapes and sizes entertain, engage and sell. Which, he says, was not as hard as it sounds, since they were all in the same branch of Starbucks complaining about the WiFi. He now keeps them in a small bucket on his coffee table, occasionally feeding them episodes of Cheers.
     
    Episode Highlights  
    How Adam convinced a bunch of TV writers to give up their fat paychecks and jump ship and start a copy agency Why joke formulas don’t always work in persuasive copy (and the counterintuitive reason Adam still uses them) How to find the perfect balance of comedy, psychology, and marketing to write a winning piece every time Why you should always start with conversion copy before thinking about the joke How to use comedy to get your audience to lower their resistance and be more open to hearing your message.  The secret to avoiding cringe worthy jokes when injecting humor into your brand How to avoid the biggest mistakes newbie writers make when trying their hand at humor  Adam’s advice for managing (and corralling) a team of writers and comedians  
    And plenty more along the way. Get the resources mentioned in this episode below.
     

    • 33 min
    Laura Valenti: Project Management Mindset

    Laura Valenti: Project Management Mindset

    In This Episode:   
    So many of our listeners want to market themselves and build great platforms, we want to highlight the kind of person who can really make it happen. So today we are interviewing Laura Valenti, who is the genius behind many of the systems here at the Business of Writing. We could not have made this show without her. 
     
    Laura is a creative and dynamic project manager and UX/UI designer freelance. Ever since she was young, Laura rejected the idea that having a job had to be exhausting so she simply decided to build her dream career.
     
    She spent 5 years working in London and a year and a half in Lisbon, before moving back to Italy (where she grew up) and bringing back everything she learned abroad. Right now she is working for multiple clients with different "hats". These days Laura is primarily a designer but she is also a project manager, social media manager and ux researcher.
     
    Today we talk about project management, mindset, and building a business that’s authentically you.
     
    Episode Highlights  
    How to embrace free online learning to change your career (and your life!) Laura’s advice for getting paid to learn new skills How to see change in your business as healthy and exciting (rather than stressful) The first person you should hire when launching your new business How to build trust and brand awareness quickly when you’re just getting started  Which parts of your business you should automate and systematize first How to automate more of your writing business so you can focus on the work you love most Becoming a collaborator (rather than an employee) when working with clients The powerful mindset strategy behind increasing productivity and creativity  Laura’s advice for fixing an unproductive day  The 3 lists you should carry around with you daily to consistently move toward big goals  How to enjoy the “journey” of building your business (and not just the destination)  
    And plenty more along the way. 

    • 37 min
    Finka Jerkovic: How To Love Your Business, Clients, and Offers

    Finka Jerkovic: How To Love Your Business, Clients, and Offers

    In This Episode: 

    Finka Jerkovic is an author, international speaker, and coach. She consults with clients on their personal branding, leadership, sales, client experience and employee engagement. 


    Finka believes when you bring authentic leadership and a mission-based mindset to business, you can achieve inner fulfillment, outer success and leave a transformational impact.


    Today we’re talking about how to “own” your offers and your business, as Finka share her strategies from selling from a place of love, instead of fear. 


    Episode Highlights

    How to pull on the tendrils of the book hiding inside you  Dealing with the pain (and sometimes necessity) of throwing out your first draft How to know when it’s the right time to write your book The strategy behind fitting a book into your overall business plan How to write your book while balancing a full time job or business Working with a book writing coach to get past your sticking points  How to fully embrace what you’re selling so you can feel free in promoting yourself and your work Managing book launch anxiety (and how to avoid constantly hitting the ‘refresh’ button on your results) How to sell from love instead of fear (for both your own business, and your client’s)


    And plenty more along the way. Get the resources mentioned in this episode below.

    • 42 min
    Angie Colee: Permission To Kick Ass

    Angie Colee: Permission To Kick Ass

    In This Episode:   
    Angie Colee is a heavily-tattooed rocker turned copywriter and entrepreneurial coach. She was one of our very first guests here on the show, and since then she’s made some incredible shifts in her business. 
     
    She’s recently said goodbye to most of her client work to focus on her coaching, podcast, and writing a book – All supported by the incredible lessons she’s learned on her journey from cubicle copywriter to badass business owner.
     
    In that time she’s coached hundreds of creative freelancers through finding clients and confidently fulfilling the gig…
     
    Strategized and written multiple multi-million dollar launches, including two during the recent pandemic…
     
    And Generated over $50MM in direct-to-consumer sales with her copy.
     
    Since she walked away from her day job, she’s created strategies and promos for companies like Masterclass, Copy Chief, The Hustle, Rich Dad Poor Dad, and Product Launch Formula.
     
    These days, she’s teaching everything she’s learned in her new business called Permission to Kick Ass. There she provides business and confidence coaching for creative entrepreneurs.
     
    Episode Highlights Why Angie decided to move away from being a copywriting gun for hire  How Angie manages her creative work while working remotely from the road Her superpower that makes her the perfect person to turn to when you need a loving kick in the butt. How to have difficult conversations with clients when you need to set boundaries The difference between a "red flag" and s "miscommunication" when it comes to managing clients How you can use your personality and quirks to attract the right clients  The filters you should run all prospects through to make sure they’re easy to work with  
    And plenty more along the way. Get the resources mentioned in this episode below.

    • 31 min
    Mayank and Prerna Malik: Scaling Your Biz While Working Less

    Mayank and Prerna Malik: Scaling Your Biz While Working Less

    In This Episode:   
    Mayank and Prerna Malik are the founders of Content Bistro where they serve up wallet-wooing conversion copywriting services for creatives and seasoned-for-growth consulting for service providers.
     
    They’re also the creators of Profits on Tap ® and Momentum Mise-en-Place ® where they work closely with fellow service providers who want Sustainable Scale ™ for their businesses.
     
    They’ve worked with over 500 clients worldwide including some of the biggest and best names in the industry, such as Pat Flynn, Vanessa Lau, Amy Porterfield, Kerwin Rae, Carrie Wilkerson, Alli Worthington, and others!
     
    They live in India with their daughter, Manini and when they aren’t working on launches with clients or on profit optimization with service-based businesses, they’re traveling the world and eating all the food! (Sounds like our kind of people!)
     
    Today we talk about getting strategic about your profits and mindset, scaling on your own terms, running a business Internationally, and how to grow your business while scaling back the hours you work.
     
    Episode Highlights  
    How chronic illness forced Prerna and Mayank to launch their own business  Their system for finding international clients while based in India How they moved from “content creation” to sales copywriting (and why they made the switch) Scaling your business on YOUR terms (and doing it sustainably) How they scaled BACK the hours they worked without sacrificing growth in their business  The 3 key areas of your business to focus on if you want to work LESS hours while your business continues to grow How to be intentional and strategic about building profits in your business (and you don’t need to be an accounting whiz)  
    And plenty more along the way. Get the resources mentioned in this episode below.
     

    • 29 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
26 Ratings

26 Ratings

ATL Lamb ,

The good stuff!

Rachel and Laura are always so on-point!

One of my most favorite moments was where you dealt with head trash in E081.

It’s something that I come back to a lot in my business -- dealing with mindset.

I love how you talked about the struggle of being an early-stage freelancer who lacked clarity. That’s something I struggled with a ton early on.

Your “name it and claim it” approach is super on point!

Such a big help :)

Brittany McBean ,

A staple for all writers...from newbies to the seasoned pro

Real talk: I knew I was gonna be a fan of Rachel and Laura when I read their tagline. Anyone who sets out to bust the myth that writing doesn’t pay is a hero of mine. Every episode of this podcast is packed with actionable tips to make your writing career work for YOU.

LaraLillibridge ,

Helpful and Interesting

Love the variety of guests and the in-depth discussion about writing and the tools of success.

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