We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Téa Luehne . We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Téa below.
Alright, Téa thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear the story of how you went from this being just an idea to making it into something real.
I can see business success stories over the next 3-4 years especially starting this way – it began in 2020 when the pandemic hit! All jokes aside, though, the idea to start freelance copywriting happened on a random day in 2020 when I was working from home for my then-job (a customer service rep for the Department of Natural Resources). I was browsing through YouTube and social media on my lunch break, and I came across Alex Fasulo – she was talking about freelance copywriting and making a full-time income off this creative service. I won’t sugarcoat it, though; at the time, the concept seemed too good to be true, and I wasn’t sure if making a full-time income off writing for brands and businesses was possible.
So, after watching Alex’s class, she was selling at the time, I decided to bite the bullet, and I created a Fiverr account, but I hadn’t posted any gig’s yet – I had no idea what I was going to do, and what I was going to be able to write about. I had always loved writing and had been doing it for college work for a while now, but I didn’t know if that was enough. I didn’t feel qualified to say I was a “professional” writer. Sitting on my apartment couch on my lunch break, contemplating Fiverr happened in January of 2020 – I decided to add gigs a few months later, but it proved unsuccessful at first. I didn’t go viral on the platform, and I didn’t remotely blow up either – I was sitting in the void of freelancers on Fiverr, waiting to get orders.
If we fast forward a few months later, into mid-2020, I started taking on this freelance work and making significant efforts to scale my business and make it work for me. I created my brand and wanted a professional ‘brand’ name. So, I switched my personal Instagram out for my branded one, Emerald Freelance, and started following other freelancers and business owners on Instagram. It was yet again a slow start, and I did lose interest a few times; as I have ADHD, it was a struggle to stay motivated and focused when I didn’t see immediate results. That being said, I persevered, and at the beginning of 2021, I started to get my foot in the door with freelance and figured out what I needed to do to bring in clients and start making a full-time income.
I was beginning to become very unhappy with my then-job, the customer service rep, and wanted to figure out a way to move past a 9-5 (like the Queen of freelancing, Alex Fasulo, herself talked about). I started to do a ton of research into copywriting, marketing, and how to start a business – and I also started doing some work for my dad’s business, Riteway Services LLC, to create a portfolio. In January 2022, I left my customer service rep job and started a new job as a secretary at an elementary school, which I love! I knew I wasn’t ready to scale full-time freelance, so I knew it would have to start as a side hustle!
The year 2021 to 2022 and even from 2022 to now 2023 has been the best years for Emerald Freelance! I have written over 15 blogs for recurring and new clients, over 40 social media captions, and designed 30 social media posts. I have grown my Instagram from 290 followers under my personal Instagram to almost 800 with my business account! I have met so many amazing mentors, friends, and clients along the way that I cannot wait to see what 2023 has in store for Emerald Freelance!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
For those that don’t know me or haven’t seen me on Instagram, my name is Téa, and I’m the founder of Emerald Freelance! After starting my freelance copywriting and social media design business in 2020, I have re-vamped my services and how I can help brands and companies all over. I offer a few different services to female founders and passionate business owners, one of which is copywriting – this can be blog posts, website copy, social media captions, email marketing copy, and, honestly, anything else that involves digital writing.
For brands and businesses in today’s world of social media and digital spaces, my services provide SEO-copywriting services who want to show up on search engines and attract their target audience. I also offer social media brand design, which means I strive to create outstanding graphics that stand out among the competition, increase social engagement, and captivate each brand’s target audience – in addition to the copy!
There are a lot of copywriters and brand designers out there. Still, what sets Emerald Freelance apart is the attention to detail and the diligent research that goes into each project – whether it is a copywriting or brand design project, there is always research and intention that goes into each one. I fully dedicate myself to every client and project I get, which means I prefer quality over quantity.
To give you a bit more insight about me, when I’m not at my full-time job or doing freelance work for my clients, I am either reading a book, outside hiking or camping or just taking in the air! I love being outside and think nature is a great inspiration for any creative work you do. I currently live with my fiancé (with no immediate plans for a wedding – I’m not a wedding-type girl, so I have no idea what I want or when I want to have the wedding, and that’s okay!) I strive to be the best person I can be, including prioritizing family, being there for those who need me, and always trying to learn as much as possible!
If you’re looking for a professional copywriter or social media brand designer that loves to incorporate down-to-earth elements and a personalization that you don’t get with most freelance businesses. In that case, Emerald Freelance is here to help you when you need it! The digital world is changing, and now is a better time than never to start that blog, optimize your website, or begin to prioritize social media! I’d love to work with you!
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
I may be speaking to an incredibly niched market. Still, as a creative ADHD freelancer, I think the biggest thing that non-creatives may struggle to understand is the constant urge to re=vamp and redo services, websites, designs, business models and management systems, etc. There are so many times when I want to say, “hey, what if I completely changed the way my brand/business looked?” – I do the same thing with other things in my life, too – but as a business, it’s hard because brand identity and brand consistency is such an essential part of not only your awareness but loyalty from clients and customers as well.
Most of this need, for me, is because I feel as a person, I’m constantly growing and evolving, and my brand should do so with me. However, most non-creatives pick a logo, or brand name, use business systems that are working, and never think about it again – I know a few creatives that hate even picking those things out in the first place. If you are a non-creative, it might benefit you ten-fold to hire or outsource these tasks to a creative that genuinely enjoys working with logos, social media, brand design, and creative copy. It will be well worth it for you to outsource the work you don’t enjoy doing to someone who loves it!
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
Ultimately I have a dream and a goal that I will be able to make a full-time income from freelance copywriting and social media brand design and live full-time in an RV or van and travel the world. It would be so incredible to be able to take inspiration from the environment around me; I’d love to work remotely from Greece, Italy, France, or Germany, anywhere I can get inspired and see the world.
That’s the most significant thing about freelance work and the recent gig economy boom. You can leverage your experience and expertise to create a full-time income and work remotely wherever possible. I have wanted to live in an RV or van for quite some time – thank you, parents, for making me the old 70’s-soul I am – but getting to do that without having to wait until I’m 65 and to be still able to make money on the road is such a huge goal and mission driving this creative journey that I’m on!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://emeraldfreelance.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emeraldfreelance.co
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emeraldfreelance
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emeraldfreelance/
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/efreelanceco
- Other: Work with Me: https://tealuehne.contra.com Contact: [email protected]