When I tell people I quit my safe job in public relations to start my own business, the first question they ask me is, “How do you find clients?” It makes sense. Figuring out how to land clients and find paying work is often a huge barrier for those who want to freelance, start a side …

How I Landed My First Freelance Client + The Exact Strategy I Use To Find New Business Read More »

As the managing editor for two popular blogs that accept guest contributions — The Write Life and Muck Rack — I spend most of my days reviewing and responding to pitches and submissions. To give some context, in February, The Write Life received 119 legitimate pitches/submissions. Legitimate, meaning, from actual people; not the messages from spambots …

This Is Why Your Guest Post Pitch Was Rejected Read More »

As a solopreneur who has been very open and transparent about my journey from side hustle to CEO, it’s probably no surprise to you that I receive emails on a regular basis from those who want to follow a similar path. I LOVE these notes! They are part of the reason I share so openly- I hope …

Want To Pick My Brain? Read More »

Last week, popular writing website, The Write Life, published a post I wrote about three times working for free can help your freelance writing career. Things got heated in the comments. Then I asked my Twitter community what they thought- and things got a bit heated there, too. No doubt, working for free is a controversial …

How (Strategically) Working For Free Helped Build My Brand and Career Read More »

Happy New Year! 2016 is here, but before we jump in with full force, it’s time for some much-needed year-end reflection. In July I completed my mid-year check-in and now with the arrival of the new year  it’s time for a full-on Get Gutsy annual review. Every year, I detail my top highlights from the year …

The Get Gutsy Annual Review: Highlights from 2015 Read More »

(UPDATE: Just stumbling on this post now and curious how my journey has been since making this announcement in December? Check out the full Becoming CEO series for a behind-the-scenes look at how I’m running my business!) I’ve drafted this blog post in my head a thousand times. After years of planning, hustling and dreaming, the …

My Ultimate Gutsy Move: Jessica Lawlor, President & CEO Read More »