What keeps copywriters awake at night (and some simple solutions) with Robert Gerrish

Tactics to deal with newbie fears and oldbie exhaustion

In this solo interview, Kate talks to Robert Gerrish, a well-known name in the Australian solopreneuer world.

Robert, a friend and mentor to Kate for many years, was one of the guest speakers at her recent CopyCon18 event in Sydney.

He was a huge hit, even more so because he left the audience with an offer: he was happy to chat with anyone who wanted to, to offer his advice and coaching – at no charge.

After talking to nearly 20 copywriters at length, he's on the Hot Copy Podcast to share the common themes of those chats: the worries and fears of both newbie and oldie copywriters.

Robert and Kate talk through how to deal with all these issues, offering advice and insight from their own experiences.

A slightly different episode to the usual copy pod, but a mellow and heartwarming one!

Tune in to learn:

• How to deal with newbie copywriter fears
• Handing comparisonitus and imposter syndrome
• Why getting started is more important than having a perfect plan
• The importance of niching and owning what you do
• How to deal with peaks and troughs
• How to give your business a refresh and find new mojo
• Why you're probably doing better than you think you are
• Why it's so important to be the bouncer for your business
• And the big questions, such as: if you're up on stage and everyone is applauding, what are they applauding you for?

Question for the listeners:

What keeps you awake at night?

Share your story on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

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About Robert:

Following a career in the marketing and design industry in London and Sydney, Robert made the leap to his own business in the mid-1990s.

Seeing a niche in the area of support and resources aimed at the 'one-person business', Robert launched the Flying Solo community in 2005.

With a small team, he grew the business to a member base of over 100,000 Australian freelancers and entrepreneurs, before selling to Pinstripe Media at the end of last year.

Back working solo, today Robert pops up regularly at conferences and events, supports individuals in the development of their ventures and hosts a series of podcasts including: "The Business of Bookkeeping" (for First Class Accounts), "The Flying Solo Podcast" and his own "Mellow Brick Road" a new show aimed at the older entrepreneur.

His first book, "Flying Solo: How to go it alone in business" was a business bestseller and his latest, "The 1-Minute Commute" will be published by Pan Macmillan at the end of July.

Useful question from Robert:

Here are examples of the coaching questions Robert used in his session. These are some of the things we can ask ourselves - ideally working with a buddy or a coach - that can open up new thinking and opportunities:

• What is the biggest challenge I have now?
• What steps am I taking regularly in response to that challenge?
• What am I wasting my time on?
• What is holding me back the most?
• Where am I out-of-balance?
• Where am I stuck?
• Where am I sabotaging myself?
• What one change in my life would make the biggest positive difference?
• If I knew I would not fail, and time and money were not issues, what three things would I most like to have, accomplish, or work toward?

Useful Links:

• RobertGerrish.com
• Robert's podcast: Mellow Brick Road
• Robert's new book" The 1 Minute Commute