Freelancer Spotlight: Taylor Cromwell

Welcome back to the Freelancer Spotlight series! This series is all about shining a light on the amazingly talented freelancers that are part of The Freelance Writer’s Guide community.

This week’s Freelancer Spotlight is shining a light on Taylor Cromwell, a digital nomad who resides in London, England.

You can view Taylor’s full portfolio here. Keep reading to learn more about Taylor’s freelance story!

When did you begin freelancing?

September 2022.

What freelancing services do you offer?

Writing, Editing, Content Strategy.

What is your niche?

Entrepreneurship.

Give us your background. What were you doing before? Why did you want to become a freelancer?

I've spent the past 6 years working as a journalist for major news publications. In August of last year I was laid off from my cushy tech job and forced out into the unknown. I had to figure out how to build a freelance business from scratch and have been evolving as I go. My initial goal was just to be able to pay bills and now I've met that and exceeded. I now also am able to live a flexible, location-indepedent lifestyle.

What resources did you use to learn more about your niche, freelancing, and copywriting in general?

Literally everything! So many podcast and Youtube channels especially. Any email newsletter I could find for freelance writers and job opportunities. Freelance to Founder podcast was especially helpful in learning business topics.

Tell us how you launched your business. How did you carve out time to get started? How/why did you choose your niche and services?

I had to start from zero out of survival mode (laid off!). I started with one consistent client who booked me 10 hours/a week and each month I added a new client to my roster until I had a full workload. I tried to find overlap between my experience as a business journalist and my areas of interest. I'm still trying to find the sweet spot for my specific niche and service offerings.

How did you find your first client?

LinkedIn.

What methods do you currently use to find clients?

LinkedIn, newsletters for freelance opportunities, job boards, referrals.

On average, how much do you make per month as a freelancer?

$9,500.

On average, how many hours do you work as a freelancer?

35-40 hours.

How much do you charge for your services as a freelancer?

$50+.

What are your next goals as a freelancer?

Build out more passive income opportunities and further niche down/increase rates.

What have you struggled with most in your freelancing business? How have you overcome those struggles?

Money! Understanding how to navigate invoices and taxes and cash all while keeping up with demands of daily workload.

Do you have any tips for new and/or experienced freelancers?

Have an abundance mindset! There really are so many incredible opportunities that exist once you remain open. I never knew any of this was possible before freelancing and genuinely feel happier and more empowered than I've ever been. Keep looking for resources to learn and upskill and find others working in the same field to find community.

If you would like to be featured in a future Freelancer Spotlight blog post, just fill out this form here.