Meet Sam Brown, of Made Simple by Sam. Sam, what made you start your own business?
I was always going to work in publishing. My mum’s best friend was a literary agent and I just thought the whole industry was the bee’s knees – you get to read and make books for a living! So I did it and was a very happy commissioning editor when I headed off to have a baby at the end of 2017.
After almost a year of being in a baby bubble instead of the book bubble however, I realised that going back to the industry I loved and growing, or even maintaining, the career I’d worked so hard for would involve seeing very little of my husband or child thanks to all the unpaid work publishing requires of its (mainly female) staff to keep it going.
So I did a scary thing and jumped ship, with nowhere to go! Eventually, after about 6 months of working things out, I decided to take lots of what I used to do and apply it to being a copywriter for smaller businesses. 4 years later, I’m thrilled I did!
What do you enjoy the most about being an entrepreneur?
Without a doubt the freedom and flexibility! I wasn’t great at making the most of those elements in terms of who I worked with and what projects I accepted in the beginning but the ability to shape my working year around my own and my family’s needs and to choose to work with awesome women running their own businesses is unbeatable!
Who or what helps you to stay organised?
Ermm, Trello mainly. I’m extremely organised but also have a brain like a sieve, sounds contradictory I know! As long as it makes it onto a list, it gets done.
Rank these 5 business activities in the order that you find them the most enjoyable:
1 – most enjoyable – Admin
2 Finances
3 Marketing
4 Business planning
5 – least enjoyable – Putting plans into action
What do you enjoy most about being a member of The OEC?
How supportive everyone is of each other!
How has being a member of The OEC helped with your confidence in business?
It’s always so reassuring to see other people going through similar wobbles (and wins!) and it’s a reminder that we’re all just doing our best and working some of it out as we go along!
What is your top tip for maintaining a healthy business mindset?
Trying to separate your own self-worth from your monthly billing figures! And stepping away properly. Paying for a coworking space and using the ‘commute’ as the transition between family and work and back again has been my best investment in my business mindset.
How do you help your clients?
I take those swirling thoughts, plans and passion and whip them all into shape in copy that will show your ideal audience exactly what you do, how great you are at it and why they should be signing up to work with you. Immediately!
From full websites to blog posts, newsletters and one-off presentations, if you need some copy that will convert, I’m your woman.
What have been your biggest business wins over the last 12 months?
Managing to increase turnover compared to the year before despite having 6 weeks off to get my daughter started at school!
Who are you looking to work with and how can people get in touch?
If you ever feel stuck when it comes to untangling the thoughts in your head and getting them onto the page as brilliant copy that will get more people paying you for your brilliance then we should talk.
Book a call, email me sam@madesimplebysam.com or come and chat on Instagram
Tell us a fun fact about yourself:
I’m a little bit obsessed with Lego!
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