When I left print and broadcast journalism after 30+ years, I wanted to tell stories about eco-friendly enterprises. Today, I’m a top B2B, B2C technical writer for SaaS/PaaS companies, CPGs and financial services firms. But it didn’t start that way.
I had a few sustainable building companies and recycling firms lined up as clients when I started my own business. But the 2008 economic slump killed the recycling business and hurt the building trades, and marketing budgets shriveled.
In hindsight, it was just want I needed. Nobody hustles more than the owner of a new consulting firm with no clients.
I wrote catalog captions, subcontracted with an agency to create web content, blogged for a real estate company, did publicity for a New Age portrait artist and voiced commercials for a small grocery chain in Canada.
When a friend at an SaaS business management company needed case studies, I said I would help out. The company wanted to explore case studies written from the customer’s perspective. Over our four-year relationship, I developed a new, fresh approach to storytelling for SugarCRM, ultimately contributing more than $100 million in sales qualified leads and building a triple-digit customer reference program for the sales staff.
Blogs, web content, battle cards, white papers, news releases and media relations are in my wheelhouse, as well as voice acting podcasts, webinars, instructional videos, media training, speech-writing and coaching.
Over the years, I have worked with B2B and B2C companies, including technology, retail, CPG, health care, manufacturing, education, and professional services and financial services.
My last career move was more of a personal nature. I got out of Atlanta after 25 years and moved to the beach in Coastal Alabama.
Today, my office and recording studio are in my home.
It has been an interesting path to success from those days of writing catalog copy, but I wouldn’t change a minute.