We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Maria Margo Berry a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Maria, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today. So, let’s jump to your mission – how did you develop the mission that drives your brand?

I’m a copywriter, and my mission is to encourage conscious consumerism by helping sustainable fashion and jewelry brands reach and connect with wider audiences.

After watching documentaries like The True Cost and RiverBlue, things just started to click for me. Once I really thought about my shopping behavior and the impact of my purchases, I couldn’t look the other way. I made the decision to purchase fewer, better-quality things and sought out brands that were creating products mindfully.

Since this epiphany, I’ve gotten to work with jewelers who design with ethically sourced solid gold, fashion brands whose materials will decompose quickly in landfills and bigger brands who ensure that everyone in their supply chain is paid a fair living wage and operates in safe working conditions.

I feel so good about helping these brands share their collections with the world.

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 more of your background?

I’ve been copywriting since 2014. I started out at ad agencies in San Diego, then moved to Santa Monica and went freelance, specializing in sustainable fashion and fine jewelry.

It was important to me to choose a specialty because I wanted to become an expert in my niche. Every day, I learn more about the industry and have found that this foundational knowledge makes me a more valuable asset to my clients. I have developed a strong understanding of the market, the consumers, the products themselves and how competitors are positioning them. So, when I start working with a new client, I can focus on learning about the nuances of their products, easily identifying their unique value propositions and what sets them apart in the crowded online space.

An added bonus of my chosen niche: I love the brands I get to work with and am a passionate supporter of their products and respective missions. Spending my days getting to write copy for high-quality leather boots and solid gold bracelets sounds like something my younger self dreamed up as a possible, but quite unlikely, career.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Pivoting from being an ad agency copywriter to a freelance copywriter was a huge change but completely worth it. The cons: you give up the benefits (mainly healthcare) of working for a company, you have to learn how to file estimated quarterly taxes (which is easier than it sounds) and you have to develop a steady stream of income (for me it’s a mix of retainer clients and consistently reaching out to prospective clients for smaller projects like a collection launch). The pros: choosing my own clients, choosing the types of copywriting projects I take on, setting my own hours and being fully in charge of my career’s direction.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Being myself has been the most effective strategy for growth. I’ve found that when I’m trying to be what I think clients want, I don’t get hired for the project. But when I’m more relaxed and true to who I am (in my marketing, over emails, on calls), it attracts clients who are naturally going to be a good fit because we can connect in a genuine way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mariamargo.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariamargocopy/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-margo-berry/