Hi Reader—

​
In the last email I wanted to show you clearly how Just STARTING—regardless of how— is really the way to begin building confidence.

The first time I got paid for writing, it was not life changing money.

But it WAS the match that lit the fire.

Within a month, I landed my second client—ghostwriting LinkedIn posts—and she was paying me $75 per post.

Suddenly, I could see it. The way projects, income, monthly payments could begin to build—one on top of the other.

Within three months, I was taking on more projects, raising my rates as I practiced, applied feedback, and learned.

Although it still felt a bit intimidating, I knew at that point that I could reliably replace at least half my teaching income with copywriting.

So in June of 2022, I told my principal I wanted to come back part-time the following year.

Honestly, Reader?

It felt like a celebration.

No, I hadn’t “made it” by any stretch.

But I COULD already begin to taste the time freedom. To see the next version of myself more clearly because I was taking steps forward to become her.

What most teachers or entrepreneurs don’t realize is that income doesn’t appear in one giant, cinematic moment when you're starting out.

It stacks.

One project turns into two.
Two small retainers turn into consistent monthly income.
A $75 post becomes $100. Then $150.
A one-off project becomes a three-month contract.

You don’t wake up one morning having replaced your salary.

You build toward it.

That second client paying me $75 per LinkedIn post?
It wasn’t glamorous, necessarily.

But it was work I was more interested in and—more than that—it taught me:

• How to deliver on a deadline
• How to invoice
• How to communicate revisions confidently
• How to see my work as valuable to the client(this one matters a lot)

And as my skill improved, my rates did too.

Not because I randomly decided I “deserved” more.

But because I could create more value for the client I was working with.

That’s the part people skip over when they say:

“Well sure, that worked for you.”

But it wasn’t one-off magic or luck:

It was skill + repetition + positioning.

Within a few months, I wasn’t scrambling for one-off gigs.

I had:

• Ongoing clients
• Predictable monthly income
• And something even more important…

PROOF.

I had proof that I could do this.

And that proof changed everything.

Because once you see money coming in from something outside the classroom—even a few hundred dollars—the story in your head starts to shift.

You stop asking:
​“Is this possible?”

And start asking:
​“How big could this become?”

Because momentum is incredibly powerful.

It makes fear quieter.
It makes risk feel measured.
It makes the next step more clear.

You don’t need to replace your entire salary overnight.

You just need to replace the belief that it’s not possible.

And that begins with one paid project.

Then another.

Then another.

If you’ve been waiting to feel fully confident before starting…

Here’s what you need to know:

Confidence is a byproduct of action. Income is a byproduct of skill.

I’ll be sharing more soon about what that path actually looks like—a masterclass that will show you how to build the skills, the portfolio, and the client pipeline one step at at time.

I’m clearing some time on my calendar to chat with people who know they are interested in taking steps towards copywriting. Hit reply with the word “me!” and I’ll send you a link to book some time.

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With you every step of the way,

Meredith