Hi ! I’m Kerry Needs, a freelance writer and wellbeing content specialist.
I was a digital nomad until the pandemic hit, and then I returned to the UK!
I was working as a Content Manager. I’d had so many 9-5 marketing jobs, and they weren’t for me. I desperately wanted a different lifestyle, but I didn’t know how to go about it.
So I started thinking of ways I could work and travel. I read Marianne Cantwell’s “Free Range Humans” and Chris Guillebeau’s “The Art of Non Conformity“, which really inspired me to believe it was possible.
2015. I was working full time as a studio manager at a film company, and I’d dabbled in a bit of client work that year, but it was only when my maternity contract ended I decided to try it full time.
It was writing for a friend’s wedding photography business. It was really nice he gave me that work out of nowhere, as it gave me faith that I could write for a living.
I like to work with wellness and eco-living brands. These fit with my lifestyle and personality, so I know the market very well and can write for them in a way that meets their audience’s needs.
Through a variety of online platforms – Linkedin, freelancing sites, Facebook, and job boards.
I don’t cold pitch – although I should. I find it quite depleting to my energy levels.
It depends, probably four or five at any one time. I tend to work with a couple long term, but I do lots of small jobs, so I have worked with probably hundreds of clients in my career now.
Yes I do, I review my income each week, and also do my accounts every month to see if I’m on track.
I find that if I hit my income goals, I don’t tend to work more – I take some downtime and do other things.
Without a doubt, the freedom and flexibility. It’s really amazing.
The unstable income. It’s a double edged sword really, because you can earn as little or as much as you want. But you’ve always got that hanging over you, so you can never really switch off.
Finding work, without a doubt. I probably have about 4 dry spells a year, so four weeks of minimal or no work, but I find that with writing you can work with someone for six months and a year and then they decide to invest their money elsewhere.
Definitely my Medium writing. I got published in the Startup, Medium’s largest publication, with 500k followers, and have got clients off the back of my articles.
I’ve earned very little from it overall, but it’s been great for brand building.
I get up at 7am, I do meditation and sometimes morning pages, have breakfast and get dressed.
From 9-11am I work, and then at 11am I go out for my quarantine walk, usually listening to a podcast like Tim Ferris, Brene Brown or similar.
I have lunch when I get back, and work again from 2-4pm. Then I take a break, and work some more if I need to, or do admin.
I stop for the day around 5:30pm.
It’s tough! Forward plan, and travel on days when you don’t have any client work.
To be honest, I think the realities of nomad life are not as good as people make out. You make great friends, but you have to leave them when your visa expires, and usually you’re busy working Monday-Friday so you end up doing your sightseeing on weekends, although you can take time off on another day if needed.
Being airlifted from Bali in 2016 to Singapore after what I thought was a bug, but later turned out to be a neck injury and was in a wheelchair for four weeks. Scary times…
Ooh, I have to say Las Palmas! I’ve been there three times now, and I have friends there and know all the coworking spaces. For me it has the perfect combo of weather, beach, fun activities and a nomad community.
Behind that, I’d say I really loved Da Nang in Vietnam, then Chiang Mai, then Canggu.
Absolutely yes, if they’re done right with community events and activities. Restation in Las Palmas is a great example.
Medium – just for writing and getting to know other writers.
Twitter – lots of support and online chats.
Problogger – a good job board.
I’d like to make a comfortable $50k a year. That is really my only goal, I set up my business to support the lifestyle I want to have.
My website at www.kerryneeds.com and @kerryneeds on Twitter.
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