The Malta Independent on Sunday
Embracing adventure. Finding balance
OVID hit me hard in those early days. My company (then WriteMeAnything) was on track to have its best year yet, but lost 95 per cent of its projected income from a Friday to a Monday when lockdown was announced. Similarly, my longed-for May wedding in the gorgeous village of Selbourne (England) was cancelled with mere weeks to go when it became clear that no one would be able to get there! I can’t say that I have fond memories of those weeks in March 2020, but they certainly set some interesting things in motion.
I have been lucky that work had always poured in. Since starting my career as a copywriter and journalist back in 2006, I have never been bored and always been busy. I don’t think I stopped for breath once. So, when things came to a grinding halt last March, I had something new on my hands: time. Of course it was terrifying. My business supports a fabulous team of women – writers, PR specialists, managers and executives – and I sat up at night worrying whether I would be able to pay wages and save jobs.
But if there’s one thing I am grateful for, it’s that I have always had that fretful freelancer’s mindset about that illusive ‘rainy day’. So, when the rainy day came, I had a little buffer and, instead of panicking, encouraged the team to get inspired: to read books, listen to podcasts, take courses, find mentors. With no meetings or rehearsals to go to, I was finally able to think about what I wanted to do, rather than react to my manic to-do list. In some ways it was magical. I got certified in the incredible American ‘Storybrand framework’, crafted the type of business I knew I wanted to run going forward, and pivoted. Today our business is fully remote, global, sustainable, purposeful, and very exciting. I’d be lying if I didn’t say that that time was an absolute gift.
Thankfully we still had our best year ever – just not in the way I expected. Today we’re back to being rushed off our feet in some ways, but I for one know I am more balanced than ever when it comes to ‘work’ and ‘life’. The businesses keep coming too, and we recently launched a number of our own projects: the Finesse Writers’ Club for aspiring writers, the Finesse Writers’ Retreat for in-person training and, soon, an array of targeted online courses for the international market.