Today we’d like to introduce you to Jackie Lam.
Jackie, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’m a money writer and content marketer. I primarily work with brands in the FinTech space—think money management apps—digital banks that cater to millennials, and Fortune 500 companies.
At the root of what I do is to help people feel good about their money and how they earn it.
Talking about money can be a taboo topic. Plus, there’s a lot of negativity for creatives on earning money, asking for what they’re worth, and obstacles in having a good relationship with their money.
I started out as a blogger. It began with a blog called “Cheapsters,” which was focused on helping folks in L.A. save money. It was also a testament to my frugal ways. To me, frugality is about being creative with your resources, how it could help save you money so you can have more options, and live your life in accordance with your values.
I never thought I would be able to make money as a writer. I spent countless hours writing fiction, taking writing workshops, and blogging about money. When I hit 30, I didn’t think having a writing career was possible. I assumed I would be working a string of day jobs.
Then in 2014, I went to FinCon, a conference for money content creators. At the Freelancer’s Marketplace, I met the VP of talent for a content platform called Contently. Contently links up with brands and talent to produce content. I had no idea what Contently was at the time. The VP of talent and I hit it off, and he put me on my first editorial team.
In my first month writing for Contently, the client needed a bunch of content. I earned $3,000, which was roughly the same as my take-home pay at the time. I quickly saw the potential in freelancing writing in personal finance.
The next year (2015) I landed a few more gigs writing and copyediting. Then in the summer of 2015, I was offered a full-time job as a content writer for an insurance company writing personal finance articles. It sounded like a dream job, except it was a one-year contract job with no benefits. I would be going from a relatively secure job with benefits to one without. I decided to take the plunge.
About a month at my new job, I was told they were overstaffed (there were a lot of internal, departmental changes unbeknownst to me at the time) and would be let go.
Naturally, I panicked. The good news was I would be going to FinCon in a few days. I landed more leads, and my one steady-ish client needed a bunch of content that month.
Regardless, I went to a bunch of creative recruiters around town, and I landed a job at a huge investment firm that was located in DTLA. It was essentially a proofreading gig, that would last anywhere from 6 to 18 months. From what I gathered there was no room for growth. Here was the kicker: the job would pay nearly six figures. I initially said “yes.”
But after talking to my friend, who asked a bunch of great questions, I realized my heart wasn’t in the job. If I pursued freelance full-time, I would be able to lay the groundwork for what I really wanted to do long-time. I turned down the job to do my own thing. This was back in the fall of 2015. It was the best decision I’ve ever made.
Fast forward to the present. My freelancing business is growing. Since I’ve started, it’s grown 20 to 25 percent in income each year. Plus, I’ve been able to do more traveling, work fewer hours for the most part. There have been some ups and downs. For instance, my self-care hasn’t been great, but I’m slowly getting better at it.
Besides being a money nerd, I’m passionate about helping creative freelancers build their own freelancing business. It’s very scary to carve your own path based on your true nature, talents, and desires, and freelancers and artists need much support. I’m here to help build community. Because while the future favors the independent, we don’t have to do it alone.
I’ve been able to get more involved with the freelancing community in Los Angeles, primarily as the city organizer for the monthly coworking meetup, Freelance Fridays, and as the 2018 co-organizer for the Freelancers Union Spark events.
In 2019, I’ll be starting my coursework and training for the ACFPE financial coaching certification. My focus? To help creatives and artists with their money. In late January I’ll be speaking at the Money Making Artists Summit, a free online summit for freelancers and creatives who want to experience freedom from financial stress. I’m also working on my first book in a series for creatives and artists and will be giving a free workshop/presentation for freelancers on starting their own business at the Arcadia Public Library in April.
Besides writing, content marketing, and serving as a money coach, I want to help creative freelancers build their own businesses. While there are definitely pros and cons to being self-employed, the definite pro is that you can ideally choose work that is meaningful and valuable to you, have more options and freedom and can design your own blueprint in life, both personally and professionally.
Has it been a smooth road?
So many struggles! Dealing with work lulls, having to make many more decisions in a given day, losing most of my clients within a few days, making $11,500 in a month the wrong way (overworked myself to the bone), and self-care issues. And of course, coming up with a system to manage variable income. We freelancers need to help each other through these struggles.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Hey Freelancer – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
While there are a lot of perks of running your own freelancing business, it also comes with a lot of responsibility. Besides helping freelancers build their businesses and improve their money situation, I really want to emphasis the importance of community. Freelancers can oftentimes feel isolated, but we need to connect with one another to help each other drive. My first gig was a copyeditor was from a referral from an artist pal, and to this day my freelancing pals and I look out for each other. We chat about rates, commiserate over shared woes, and keep one another sane.
Creatives and artists don’t have to give up financial security when they go freelance, too. I think a lot about how to be financially secure, and how to deal with shared money issues, such as inconsistent income. You can certainly have creative freedom, artistic freedom, make a decent living and be free of money stress.
When I think of succeeding as a freelancer, it’s not about earning six figures or being a digital nomad. Success looks different to everyone. It’s more about designing your own blueprint and creating a life that based on your values, and what’s currently important to you. You are always evolving, growing, learning and changing, and your business should reflect that.
When it comes to having a good relationship with money, besides information and rules, I think there is also a spiritual component. Having self-awareness, somatic knowledge, relating early perceptions and experiences with money all play a role. It’s about financial wholeness more than anything. Understanding the light and dark components of your relationship to money, and feeling whole.
Plus, it’s about being in touch with making money that feels good to make (doing interesting work, projects that are important to you, that caters to your highest potential), and spending and saving it in a way that’s in alignment with your values. This approach comes from years of thinking about money (I created my first ‘zine about money when I was 14) and harboring a fear/fascination with money.
My first book will probably talk a little bit about the relationship I have with money, so it’s relatable to those who get turned off by all the rules and benchmarks in personal wellness.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I’m an LA native (raised in Burbank, went to school at UCLA), and have nothing but appreciation for the City of Angels. While there’s a lot to love about L.A., I love how it’s a place for second-chance dreams to happen.
How you can re-create yourself constantly. I’m really into personal development and challenging yourself, and if you want to pursue something new, or turn into someone different, L.A. holds a place for you.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.heyfreelancer.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @heyfreelancer
- Twitter: @heyfreelancerco
- Podcast: Beyond the Dollar – Dealing With Money as an Artist or Creative
Image Credit:
Tricia Noble
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
