Ellie Shedden, is the Founder of the digital marketing agency THE-OOP.COM. She’s originally from Australia but now she lives in Prague, Czech Republic, and is enjoying the freedom to travel that her work from home career brings!
1) How did you get started working from home?
I first started my business as a side-hustle whilst I was working in a corporate career, but found myself very bored in the office. I started learning to code as a way to keep myself entertained and a bit of a personal challenge, and from there I picked up my first clients.
2) How did you choose the work-at-home career you do?
I knew that there is a huge market for digital marketing and web design. Almost every business needs it, and so few people have any technical knowledge. I also have a marketing degree, so have a bit of a background in strategy and reporting etc., and I knew that I wanted to do something that could be completely online. All the arrows pointed to digital marketing, so that’s what I chose.
3) How did you get started (basic initial steps)?
My first step was to read as much as possible – if I wanted to offer services then I had to be an expert. I also researched how other people were getting clients and put together a basic plan of my network and who I could ask for business.
4) How did you get your first client or customer or job?
My first client was through the gig-economy platform Airtasker.com. I did 5 tasks with low rates in order to build my portfolio, and with the great feedback I was able to double my pricing. I then started to reach out to my existing network on LinkedIn, using these reviews and my new portfolio as proof that I was reliable and could help with their marketing strategies.
5) How do you market your business?
I am lucky in that most of my new business comes from client referrals. In fact, I have not run an advertising campaign in the last year as I’ve had so much work coming through this way! I do have a website, of course, and I previously marketed this in Facebook groups and with LinkedIn & Facebook ads.
6) What does your usual day look like?
I wake up at 9 and cook myself a good, healthy breakfast, then sit down to start work at around 10am. I always start my day by checking emails and planning out what tasks I need to achieve that day, and then get started on the actual work. Around 1pm I take an hour break to have lunch and take the dog for a walk then it’s back to work until around 6pm. I head to the gym or go out with my boyfriend or meet friends most evenings, and am usually home by 9pm. At this time I’ll finish off whatever outstanding work for the day, then head to bed at around 11pm. No laptop or phone in the bed!
7) What do you know now that you wish you knew when you started?
If you are planning to work from home, it can be very difficult to stay motivated and get yourself to actually do work. If possible, set up a desk where you can’t see any distractions, so you won’t get up half-way through a task to go and vacuum or have a snack.
8) What advice would you give someone who wants to work from home?
It is definitely possible and will give you a great sense of freedom, but it can be difficult to stay motivated and easy to get into the pattern of being very busy but not actually getting anything done. Set yourself a schedule and stick to it as much as possible. My own schedule is very strict and includes tedious tasks such as cooking and cleaning, as well as work time, social time and brainless breaks. This way I know where every minute of my day is going and I avoid distractions as much as possible.
How to Find Ellie Shedden Online:
Website: TheOop.com
LinkedIn: Ellie Sheddon
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