In our ongoing series of posts profiling members of our community, today we are excited to introduce you to Massachusetts-based writer Jamie Wallace.
How did you get to where you are now?
It’s been a long and winding road, but I got to where I am now with a little help from my friends. (Earworms intended.)
The short version is that, after I worked for a decade in the agency world as a project manager, personal life changes pushed me to finally take the leap into freelancing. I started my freelance adventure as a web dev project manager, but within eight months had transitioned to doing the messaging and content writing work I had always hoped to do.
That was about eight years ago, and I haven’t looked back since. (If you’re interested in more tactical details and how friends helped me find my way, here’s the long version.)
What types of projects do you specialize in?
In the beginning, the joke was that if someone asked me what I did, I’d say, “Anything legal that you’ll pay me for.” As a newly minted freelancer, I was anxious to keep the work coming … no matter what it was.
Today, I focus on three areas: messaging, website copy, and content assets (eBooks, blog posts, articles, case studies, etc.). My work covers a variety of industries and topics, but I tend to work a lot with brands in the marketing and SaaS verticals. My project management skills make me a good fit for complex projects where a little extra support is needed on the organizational/editorial end of things.
Mostly, I enjoy working with collaborative clients in an environment where I’m considered a member of the team.
What are you really excited about right now?
In my messaging and content business, I’m excited to be fielding a flurry of referrals from colleagues and clients. I’m fortunate to have consistent work with a great group of companies, but it’s always exciting to meet new people and teams. (And it’s especially nice when the introductions come from people I respect and admire.) On another front, I’m excited about some work-in-progress projects based on the blogging I’ve done over the last six years at the collaborative writing blog, Live to Write – Write to Live.
Is there a project in your portfolio you are particularly proud of?
That’s like asking a mom to pick a favorite child. I tend to judge my projects based on the quality of the working relationship and my ability to affect change for my client. One of my biggest goals for any project is to make it an enjoyable (dare I say, “fun”?) experience for everyone involved. I try to infect people with a little of my geek love for words and stories.
I love when something I’ve shared or delivered shifts their perceptions about how they think about content and/or gives them a marketing win. I guess I’m most proud when I’m asked back for another engagement (something that I’m happy to say happens frequently).
How did you hear about Digaboom?
I saw a tweet from C.C. Chapman. I haven’t yet met C.C., but I’ve met (and adore) Digaboom Advisor Ann Handley, with whom C.C. co-wrote Content Rules.
That was enough to get me to click, and from there I was impressed by the concept and the team assembled to support it.
What are you hoping for from the platform?
While I wouldn’t give up the independence and flexibility of freelancing for anything, I still really love working with teams. Though the majority of my work is done directly with the end client, a portion of my business involves working with traditional agencies who hire me on a project basis. I’m fortunate to work with some top-notch agency teams who do excellent work and are fun to work with. I always learn something, and I always have a few laughs.
I hope to create more team-based experiences like that by partnering with the freelance professionals who are part of the Digaboom community.
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If you’d like to work with Jamie, connect with her here at Digaboom. She can also be found on Twitter and LinkedIn.
