Maximize Your Impact - Julie Johnson Writing Services

Team Subkit -

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Julie Novara, Owner of Julie Johnson Writing Services, located in Hillsborough, NC, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I'm the owner of a content marketing business that provides content strategy, content creation, and copywriting services for small businesses making a big difference in the world. My customers are impact-driven organizations seeking to communicate their mission effectively so the right people find them and buy in… to their mission, values, products, and services.

Tell us about yourself

For a number of years, I taught English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). What a privilege to live, learn, and teach cross-culturally on three continents! In the US, I was teaching graduate-level academic English when I realized I'd discovered a niche... I loved teaching writing. You won't be surprised to learn that I've also always loved writing creatively in my spare time. Whenever I was living abroad, I filled newsletters with stories of my teaching life and sent them home to family and friends. Somewhere between those classrooms abroad and the graduate English classrooms here at home, I found the courage to try writing for businesses. In 2017, I got my first paid blog-writing assignment.

Today, I'm still writing blog posts for businesses, but I also write case studies, white papers, and more. Plus, I've honed my skills as a content strategist and website copywriter so I can help brands align their messaging with their mission and present it consistently across platforms. I always enjoyed coming alongside students to help them communicate in writing, and I experience a similar joy working with my clients to convey their unique solutions to their audience.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Shifting the mindset from writing as a hobby or a side gig to owning a writing business was a major milestone in the growth of my business. Embracing a business owner's mindset makes a world of difference in how decisions are made and charts the future course of a company.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

One of the hardest things about business ownership is the uncertainty you deal with on so many levels. The company's income may be very inconsistent — especially in the early days. You may be unsure who your ideal clients really are. Just when you've started to nail down your messaging, the economy may shift and leave you forced to shift with it. So many uncertainties surround business owners, and to be successful, you have to find ways to create certainty for yourself — consistently marketing, consistently following up, and consistently showing up in your business day after day.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Surround yourself with others who are starting, running, and growing businesses, so you have a community to celebrate your victories, push you past your defeats, and offer you guidance when you need it.
  2. You may feel the pressure to have everything just right before you share about your business with others, but don't wait. Tell everyone you know what you're doing so you start getting the word out early, and you start building confidence as a business owner.
  3. Everyone deals with imposter syndrome at some point — the feeling that one day you'll be found out because you're claiming to be something you're not. Don't give in to those feelings when they come. Instead, keep developing your craft and growing in confidence.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.johnsonwriter.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/juliejohnsonwritingservices
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/content-marketing-writer

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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