“I want to be a writer.”

Yeah, that’s what I told myself and everyone else.

I was thrilled at the idea of freelance writing. It sounded like a ton of fun and I thoroughly enjoy writing.

It’s a match made in heaven, yeah?

Well…

I was young and naive.

I soon caught on to the fact that writing was maybe 20% of what I was going to be doing.

That 20%, though, I was good at. I knew I was.

…

Now, let’s back up a second. 

If you didn’t know, then I was actually a pastor previous to my work as a content writer and copywriter.

True story, you can read about my transition out of ministry.

But…

…there was quite a bit of overlap with marketing and ministry that I wasn’t aware of.

In fact, I had spent a large portion of my four years in ministry practicing marketing for my very specific audience.

I already had a ridiculous amount of email marketing experience.

I had been content writing and copywriting every week of my life during those four years (and since).

I was even using analytics to break down what was working, what wasn’t, and trying to understand and reach my target audience.

I was in marketing already! I just hadn’t realized it.

Then…Marketing

So, with that knowledge locked in, I started to realize I was looking at that other 80% of things I wasn’t enjoying as something I had been doing already (and enjoying it in that context).

So what was different?

A new audience? Something new to learn and tackle?

I am all in.

I started diving into email marketing courses, I started looking at copywriting courses and learning from the best, I started working with a business coach.

I was in love with marketing and I didn’t even know it.

So I expanded my horizons even further.

I started reading and subscribing to marketing “guru” emails. I started to follow more marketers on LinkedIn and Instagram. I started to tear through marketing books like it was my job (well, because it was).

The moment everything “clicked,” though, was when I recognized that my beliefs and ministry experience could collide with marketing in a very specific way.

Human-centered digital marketing.

Yes, I am a content writer and copywriter, but I am also a marketer.

I realized that human-centered digital marketing was the piece I had been missing, it was what made me love marketing.

When you can create and talk with potential clients in a way that keeps them first and foremost and the rest of the marketing tactics secondary, then it is a beautiful thing.

I am a human.

My customers are human.

Marketing, at its core, is about humans.

So why not make humans the entire focus of every single thing I do?

It combines user experience and design with content and copy that compels.

It forces analytics to have names and faces associated with them.

It allows ROAs and ROIs to be seen as engagement and growth for the people a company cares about.

Is it content and copy? Yeah.

Is it also more than content, copy, and marketing? DEFINITELY.

And that is how I made the jump to marketing, not only as a career, but as a passion.

Thanks for reading my marketing story

I know this isn’t probably exactly what you were hoping for or looking for, but I am glad you stayed here until the end.

The blog posts here are meant to be my space to 1) connect with people, 2) bring value in the best way I know how, and 3) generate some organic web traffic, if I am being honest.

#1 and #2 are most important to me, though.

So, if you want to connect, then you can check out my socials and business pages below. If you want to connect with me directly about any kind of work or projects together, then contact me right away. Otherwise, feel free to shoot me a direct email.

As always, I appreciate you!