There are 3 things you need to know about the people you work with:
1. Who they are
2. Why they’re here
3. What fuels them
Who I am:
Before I was a copywriter and sales writing teacher, I wrote short plays and fundraising letters for a community art center in Montana. Before that, I taught alternative high school — grades 8 - 12 — in a rough neighborhood in Seattle at a school called “Everyone Has a Song.” Before that, I was in grad school for teaching. Before that, I led cycling trips for teenagers across Europe (London to Rome) and the U.S. (Savannah to LA). And before that, I lived in Japan and taught English in a village (population: 3,400) on the southern island of Kyushu. But before all that, there was this:
I started writing plays with my next door neighbor Sarah in Wisconsin. That’s me on the right.
Why I’m here:
This is where you’ll either think I’m crazy, or you’ll say to yourself: oh yes, I like this one.
I’m here to get all that awesome stuff in your head out into the world. Simply. Clearly. Powerfully. And with delight instead of drudgery.
I’m here to help you win friends and influence people, simply by surprising them with how human and dangerously clear you are on what you’re about and what you stand for. And I’m here to show you how to write the pants off your copy. (I’m also here to fight off the copywriting zombies).
Reverse panhandling. “Please Help - I need to give.” Mighty thanks to Rob Breszny for the idea.
I have always relished the authors, artists, activists and everyday people who speak truth by telling stories. Where facts and “how to persuade anyone” formulas are dry bones, stories are the life juice that quench a mighty thirst and deeply refuel your audience.
Turns out, when you run a business rooted in who you are, you need to communicate in the life juice way, not the dry bones way.
When I was writing short plays, I decided to try acting. Acting is crazy — it made me feel super vulnerable and exposed. Five Women Wearing The Same Dress by Alan Ball.
So, I’m here to show you how to be and write more like life juice, and less like dry bones.
What fuels me:
I am a sucker for community projects, performance art, and good people doing good work (even better: good people working together. O, collaboration, how I adore thee!).
Quick story. My friend Marcia and I started our businesses about the same time. A couple years ago, we made a pact: if this business thing stops being fun, do something else. We agreed that we’d be just as happy, living on sailboats, wearing the same clothes everyday and bathing less than is civilized.
The lesson is this: the Money and the Success won’t make you awesome.
They’ll just grease the gears of your awesomehood. (Is that a word?)
If you’re like me, yes, make the money. Money is fun. But don’t sell your soul. Fund it.
My friends + I hosted a Bingo in the Ballroom fundraiser, for the art center in town. Bozeman, Montana.
Let your business be your muse. Live your life like an adventure everyday (or, heck, stay in bed when you feel like it. You’re the boss). Make money like you don’t need the money.
And let me know if there’s anyway I can help you out with the writing that makes it all happen.
I’ll see you on the road.
- Stella
