The First Steps of My Own, Personal Economic Stimulus Plan
The first day of the Web Copywriting Intensive, 60 aspiring web-writing specialists and web-writing pros gathered in the Austin Downtown Marriott Courtyard in the live music capital of the world. In this creative center of the west, Joshua Boswell welcomed the group and echoed what a lot of our friends had said and what we were all thinking:
“Were we crazy to spend a lot of money traveling to a workshop in a luxurious hotel in this beautiful city while people are losing their jobs by the thousands, and families are tightening their belts?”
Money Never Disappears
Even during the Great Depression, money didn’t just disappear. All of the gold, silver, oil, dollars, and other commodities didn’t simply cease to exist. A massive amount of wealth did change hands. One really poignant (if grim) example – while people were jumping out of windows in skyscrapers in Chicago because they thought they were financially ruined, there were people in the expensive restaurants on the lower floors indulging in caviar and champagne.
And now, even as the banks and auto makers are traveling to Washington with their hats in their hands begging for economic bailouts and foretelling doom and gloom if they don’t get the billions they’re asking for, there are other companies that are raking in massive profits!
The companies that are prospering are the ones that really solve problems and help people save money or make money.
For example, one of Joshua’s clients is a small company. None of us in the room had heard of it. It’s certainly no Ford or Google. But in 2008, Joshua’s client made 7 million dollars, which was a 40% increase over the year before. Most of that 7 million was made after October, after Lehman Brothers had already started the chain of failures, bankruptcies, and layoffs that some experts say is our next “Great Depression.”
Small, Lean Companies and Freelancers Stand to Profit in This Shift of Wealth
Right now wealth is changing hands from the large, overextended, mismanaged companies to the small, lean ones. Big ad companies that pay their executives inflated salaries with no guarantees of results for their clients are losing business. Guerilla marketers that offer proven returns are the ones that will cash in.
Maximizing Our Investment
To help us make the most of our investment in this workshop, Joshua challenged us all to answer three questions. If we can answer these specifically enough, we will be able to look back and know for sure whether this workshop was a wise investment. Whether you’re here at the workshop or at home working on a different AWAI program, I invite you to try this. I’ll share my answers below.
The three questions:
- What do you want?
- How will you know when you get it?
- What does it mean for you to get it?
After class and the cocktail hour, and a luxurious Brazilian dinner at Fogo de Chao (a definite splurge that made me think of those Chicagoans dining on caviar and champagne, but hey, how often do I get to Austin and get the chance to have hours of fascinating discussion with other great writers!) … I got out my laptop and pondered Joshua’s questions:
What do I want?
I want a rewarding career and a profession that allows me to work from anywhere in the world; I want to be able to work in “sprints” when and where I choose; and I want to make a six-figure income.
That’s all very well and good, you say. But could you be more specific?
Okay, here goes:
By “rewarding” I mean that I want to enjoy my work. Deepak Chopra gives a definition for a person whose work is in tune with his unique interests, talents, and abilities. When you’re doing what you love, time becomes irrelevant. You would love doing it whether or not you were getting paid. He calls this state of attunement “being in dharma.”
To Work on My Schedule, on My Terms
I enjoy working in “sprints.” I love getting totally immersed in a project. I totally lose track of time and work for six or eight hours at a time and am surprised that so much time has gone by when I realize I need to stop to get a drink, stretch my legs or “powder my nose.”
I can go on like this for days when I’m up to my eyebrows in a great project. I really enjoy having a great idea, planning out the steps, making it all come together, solving the problems that come up, and polishing the finished product. This can have me up most of the night for three or four nights in a row putting together, writing, and optimizing a really great website or campaign.
When I’m not in the middle of one of these “sprints,” I would rather work two to four hours a day and spend the rest of my time traveling, gardening, cooking, skiing, scuba diving, taking classes, or just spending time with family and friends.
Money Is Not a Bad Word!
Now a word about income – when I was growing up, some of my favorite role models of the 70s were hippies and flower children rebelling against materialism. I liked to think that money wasn’t important. The best things in life are free, and the underdog always wins, right?
Well, since that time I’ve been a single mom with a small boy and a big dog. I’ve run up a huge amount of credit card debt paying for formula, diapers, and vet bills. I’ve stayed in jobs that forced me to spend time away from my family.
I can tell you that having no money means having no power and no choices. Getting a good job and a good income lets you have a lot more power over your life and a lot more power to take care of our responsibilities.
So, I want to have an income that lets me take care of my basic obligations, and to spoil my husband, my kids, my parents, and my friends as I see fit. I want to be able to take my family skiing or scuba diving, so that we can have happy, unforgettable times together.
Specifically, my goal is to make $6,000 of copywriting income a month starting in April, 2009. I want to make $100,000 a year in 2010, and $300,000 the year after that.
How Will I Know I’ve Made It?
I will know when I get there when I reach the income numbers, and when I’m spending my time in concentrated sprints and relative liberty. When working for myself, my schedule is my own, and I can travel anywhere that has a broadband connection and reliable power.
I will know I’ve made it when my husband and I are able to travel without asking anyone’s permission.
I will know I’ve made it when planning a trip doesn’t take months of planning and bargain-hunting.
I will know I’ve made it when I can buy a dining room rug in Rajasthan, a painting for the living room in Florence, and a lamp for the bedroom in Prague.
What Does It All Mean?
What it means to me is that I will be able to have total control of my time, my money, and my life. What could be better than that?
So, that’s what I want. I’m convinced that perfecting my web-copy skills is the best way to get it. And with my job and my crazy life, I have to make this a priority, get a different perspective and a different point of view, get away from the constant interruptions, and network with people who have actually done what I want to do. This is the best step I could have made to get there from here.
P.S. If you’re thinking what I was thinking this morning – that spending this kind of money in this economy is crazy – ask yourself Joshua’s three questions. Ask yourself if it’s worth making an investment of time and money to get there. And make the commitment to sign up for the next event. I hope to see you there! If it’s in Austin, I’ll tell you all about my journey over dinner, and look forward to hearing about yours!
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Paula's article is fantastic! I was the one having dinner with Paula and her husband at the Brazilian restaurant in Austin. We were talking about about the Web Copywriting Intensive [Advanced Track] ... we were impressed! Great article Paula! Super!
Eric Murphy in Budapest – February 23, 2009 at 10:13 pm