Freelance to Founder What We Wish We Knew Before Jumping In
Nov 11, 2025
Meredith Rice Cooley, founder of Page and Purpose, shares her insights on launching a freelance career, especially for teachers transitioning to copywriting. She advises against waiting for the perfect branding, emphasizing the importance of getting clients first. Meredith highlights the value of showcasing polished spec work and building a professional network early on. She also discusses accepting slow progress and celebrating small wins to keep the momentum going, insisting that consistency leads to eventual success in freelancing.
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Start By Getting Clients
- Avoid delaying client outreach by perfecting branding, websites, or headshots first.
- Put yourself out there quickly and tell your network you’re offering services to start getting clients.
Validate With Paying Clients First
- Do not prioritize business licenses, logos, or social accounts over finding paying clients.
- Validate your service by landing one or two clients before investing heavily in setup tasks.
Build Spec Work As Portfolio
- Build spec pieces or a small portfolio to prove your work before clients ask for samples.
- Choose dream clients and create polished blog posts or email sequences you can pitch immediately.