Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Vanessa Zink.
Lauren Vanessa, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’ve never quite fit into the normal 9-5 bump and grind. There weren’t enough adventure, freedom or straight-up shenanigans in it for me! When I was 28, I left on a jet plane for Korea to teach English to kiddos, but before I fled the U.S., I made myself one unbreakable soul promise: that when I came back, I would never work for anyone else again. (Still intact.)
I bought a MacBook Air and started editing eBooks for pennies after class, exhausted after 10 hours of teaching but 100% committed to doing whatever it took to succeed as an entrepreneur. Or, a freelancer, I guess you would have called me then, as it was the quickest way to get my foot in the door of self-employment. Each time I made a buck, I reinvested it back into my business — books, courses, software. I bought a domain name, had a logo made (which I’ve never used, P.S.), and started actively listening to what my customers were asking me for. And what they were asking me for was to write. Websites. Blogs. Lead magnets. They loved how I was promoting my services, and they wanted me to do it for them.
When I took that leap of faith out of Korea and back to the states, I wasn’t earning top dollar yet. Truthfully, I was barely making ends meet. But failure was not an option. There was no Plan B. I’d spent way too long living from a place of fear. I was choosing to live from a place of trust + hard work instead.
So I turned up my volume. I hired coaches. I put myself out there in big, brave ways. I got clear on who I was as a copywriter and coach myself. I started a 20,000-person strong Facebook group. I found my voice. I experimented, tested, tinkered, recalibrated. I absorbed sales strategies and shifted my mindset and expectations. I set goals that freaked me out and hit them. I discovered ways to inject massive doses of excitement into it. I loved people up and thanked them frequently and fervently. I created. I expressed myself. I evolved. I continue to evolve, just as anyone does. (Business is a process. So is being human.)
Today, I run a tiny, happy 6-figure copywriting empire from my velvet couch. And, I feel very, very grateful that this is my life!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Oy! Starting a business is one of the most spiritual journeys a human being can ever experience. I would say I was not prepared for that! Beyond the financial highs and lows any freelance-based business goes through, there were many emotional ups and downs to wade through too. If you’re a personal brand like I am, you come face to face with all of your fears, doubts, excuses, childhood wounding, and traumas. There’s no avoiding it! Suddenly you go to push publish on a blog post, and you’re reminded of that one thing your mother said to you 15 years ago and you psyche yourself out!
It’s bizarro. I’ve worked with thousands of entrepreneurs since I started this business, and literally, all of them run face-first into their own stuff once in awhile. You just have to figure out what’s going to move you forward.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Lauren Vanessa Zink – what should we know?
I’m a copywriter, which means I write the words that make my clients money. It’s a pretty sweet gig!
I’m known for helping people find their voices online, so they can stand out from the competition + get noticed in a big, bad way.
Favorite accomplishment so far? Growing my Facebook group to 20,000 entrepreneurs without spending a single penny on ads. It did take major elbow grease though!
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Fearlessness. Hands down.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.laurenvanessazink.com
- Email: lauren@laurenvanessazink.com
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