We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jenny Woudenberg a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jenny, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?

I am writing this in print to tell the universe and everyone who reads it that I will not return to a regular job! Even on days that I am feeling anxiety, fear, and uncertainty—I will keep moving forward because the lifestyle my business provides is totally worth it!

As a freelance content marketer, I truly get to live out my dream life every single day. My schedule is my own, and so are the client partnerships I create. I can surf when the waves are peaking and try to keep up with my toddler (and yay for daycare!) when I choose. Writing for companies that inspire me and working when I feel most creative is true freedom.

P.S. I don’t miss feeling exhausted (worn-out and exhaust swirling around me on the 5) or having to be in an office at a specific time. At All.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Swim around my website >> https://www.jennywoudenberg.com/blog

I write as if we are two girlfriends sitting on the beach and perhaps sharing a beverage. Vaginal microbiome, epigenetics, menopause, upcycling menstrual equity—all the things that make me curious!

Life is too short for boring copy!

I also write children’s books about big adventures with their mommas >> https://www.jennywoudenberg.com/children-s-books

And eye-strengthening picture books for newborns >> https://www.jennywoudenberg.com/our-big-round-world

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I am a one-woman show! When you hire me, you are actually hiring only me. Many freelancers have a team of ghostwriters and marketers working for them, which is also an excellent business model—especially if you want to scale. Authenticity is an important value to my brand, so you receive masterfully curated content by me and not an AI platform, intern, or someone else.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

When my last company laid off 80% of the team members due to COVID-19, I was starting the third trimester with my first child. My husband was also laid off for the same reason. Our plan of having 2 amazing and steady jobs and health insurance before birthing our first child failed for reasons totally out of our control.

We both had to figure out a way to make money—on our own. There was no other option. This was long before the “great resignation” and good jobs were rare, especially for someone about to have a baby! We both started freelancing as companies were becoming more interesting in hiring contractors for fractional work because they couldn’t sustain a full-time employee. It was scary and still is, but now we see it as the greatest opportunity of our professional lives!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jennywoudenberg.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennywoudenberg/