An announcement: Taking a leap of faith and going freelance

As a very small Emma, I wanted to become a vet. I wanted to work with animals, curing their ills and judiciously handing out comfort. As a slightly older Emma (but not necessarily wiser) architectural design interested me (one might wistfully connect sheltering human beans) before the conservation of ancient buildings was called my name and I put my architecture degree “temporarily” on hold to travel and actually experience a few of these wonders.

 

In the decade I have lived in England, I fell into jobs that kept a (London-priced) roof over my head – among which number managing a pub (where I met my husband) and acting as an office manager & PA for a Bishop – but never quite fulfilled a creative need that never quite receded.

Enter stage left ‘Adventures of a London Kiwi’. I’ve learned so much over the years about marketing, branding and social media through this little website.

I’ve always maintained that blogging was only ever going to be a hobby, but 5 years on I’ve been presented with the opportunity to make my passion for writing a career. I’ve agonized for six months about leaving behind a creatively unfulfilling but steady role to embrace the life of a freelancer. I’ve read as many self-help books as I can, consulted the cat on how she’d feel to have a colleague all week long making noise plus brewing coffee in her warm haven and spoken at length to my amazingly encouraging friends and family.

Going freelance, my business plan is to develop and expand my travel and expat writing portfolio, offer social media consultancy to small to medium sized businesses and create content for interesting clients. See my professional blurb here and portfolio site here.

I’m lucky to have already found work with a few freelance clients who don’t mind my combination of excellent timekeeping and slightly lame jokes, I have studied and passed a social media diploma in my spare time, revved up my love of research and are already enjoying professionally utilizing the skills I have learned over my 5 years of blogging.

Whilst my 9-5 might be changing focus slightly (which I’ve never really talked about on here) my blog won’t change. It’s still going to be my little corner of the internet where I share my stories and shenanigans. It does however mean that with more flexible hours that I can travel a little more, I can investigate more cafes in London – I’ve decided to start a weekly series – and I can improve the scribblings on here.

I am exhilarated to be going freelance.

Wish me luck!

Ps. Keep me in mind if you or a business you know of needs a helping hand with developing their online profile!