The Writers’ Co-op 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. 

Resources: 


Podcast: Other People’s Pockets
Maya’s LinkedIn post
Follow Maya on X or Instagram
Join the Writer’s Co-op on Patreon at an All-Access level to receive episodes early, discounts on events and online resources, and access to our Slack channel — a great place to find work, get advice, and meet other freelancers
Check out all our courses, worksheets, and webinars on our website

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.



Resources:


Talk Freelance to Me podcast


Big Money Freelance Writing Guide


Join the Writer’s Co-op on Patreon at an All-Access level to receive episodes early, discounts on events and online resources, and access to our Slack channel — a great place to find work, get advice, and meet other freelancers


Check out all our courses, worksheets, and webinars on our website

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.



Resources


Embrace Change website and Instagram
Jumpstart Your Online Business
How Best to Work with Me
Join us on Patreon for access to our newsletters and Slack channel—a great place to find work, get advice, and meet other freelancers
Check out all our courses, worksheets, and webinars on our website

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. 

Resources: 


The School of Self-Worth podcast


Nicole’s 5-day Morning Routine Challenge


Join us on Patreon for access to our newsletters and Slack channel—a great place to find work, get advice, and meet other freelancers


Check out all our courses, worksheets, and webinars on our website

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.



Resources: 


Article: Journalism isn’t who you are. It’s what you do.
Worksheet: Writers’ Co-op business audit worksheet
Webinar: Streamlining Journalism
Newsletter: Real Nourished newsletter
Podcast: Real Fit with Pam Moore
Follow Pam Moore on LinkedIn or visit her website
Join the Writer’s Co-op on Patreon at an All-Access level to receive episodes early, discounts on events and online resources, and access to our Slack channel—a great place to find work, get advice, and meet other freelancers
Check out all our courses, worksheets, and webinars on our website

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.