My story of building a thriving freelance writing career.

I am a freelance writer and ghostwriter who has written 600+ articles in the Nutrition and Fitness space.

I am also a certified nutritionist, husband, parent to two wonderful kids, musician, and 100% plant-based athlete.

I live in beautiful Nelson, British Columbia, Canada. 
That’s where you can find me writing in coffee shops, lifting weights in my garage, or running mountain trails with my Aussie Shepherd.

How I Started Writing Online

I have always loved words.

 

As a kid, I devoured books, often reading 2 or 3 a day. I remember being 8 years old and writing stories on loose leaf, then painstakingly typing them out on my mom’s work laptop.

 

Today, my love for reading and writing remains. But instead of scribbling short stories in school binders, I write insightful, thought-provoking, and informative articles online. I engage readers and encourage them to take action to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives.

 

I love impacting people’s lives with my words for a living.

 

But this wasn’t always the case.

 

In 2018, I was a burnt out project manager, struggling to pay the bills. My wife and I could barely afford rent on a 100-something-year-old dilapidated house infested with mice. And on top of that, we had 2 very young kids at home who required the bulk of our attention.

 

I was not content with life. Deep down, I knew I wasn’t living up to my potential.

 

I wanted more out of life. For me, that meant:

 

  • Living up to my potential.
  • Spending more time with my wife and kids.
  • Having full ownership of my day and a flexible schedule.
  • Earning enough money to support my family and fund my hobbies/interests.

That’s when I decided to take control of my life and start working for myself.

 

I went back to school and became a certified nutritionist and personal trainer. I would study at 4 AM and on weekends, dreaming of launching a nutrition and fitness coaching business.

 

I kept thinking in the back of my mind that I’d someday start writing online about health, nutrition, and fitness. You know, once my coaching business took off and I suddenly had “more time.”

 

But my business didn’t take off. And the extra time never came.

 

So I asked myself: Why not start writing now?

 

I committed to writing at least 500 words a day for 30 days.

 

This commitment helped me build a daily writing habit. Before I knew it, I had a portfolio of several articles to show prospective clients.

 

During those 30 days, I taught myself how to code. I built a website to showcase my portfolio and attract clients.

 

Then, I searched for online publications in the health & wellness space. I created a spreadsheet and started doing cold outreach, sending 10 to 15 well-crafted, personalized messages each week.

 

I would find editors on company websites and LinkedIn, then reach out via email or DM. I diligently followed up every 3 to 5 days until I heard back. I repeated this process for months while doing project management full-time.

I got rejected—a lot.

 

Was I discouraged? Absolutely. But I knew that consistency compounds and my hard work would pay off, so I kept at it.

 

Eventually, I piqued the interest of one potential client. I received a trial assignment, which turned into another assignment, and then a regular monthly retainer for my writing. Before I knew it, I acquired 2 more clients.

 

After 6 months of struggling to write online, I suddenly had more work than I knew what to do with.

 

As luck would have it, I got offered a staff writer position at a top publication in the health & wellness space. This opportunity allowed me to quit my 9 to 5 and start writing online full-time.

 

I’ve grown my writing business to a thriving freelance writing career that includes several high-quality, high-paying clients.

 

And now, I’ve made it my mission to help you:

 

  • Build a better future for you and your family.
  • Earn more money to fund your ideal lifestyle.
  • Have more free time for the things that matter.
  • Tap into your potential and become a better version of yourself.

I’m making more money than ever, all while living my ideal lifestyle and doing work I find meaningful and fulfilling.

 

And I want the same for you.

Why start freelance writing?

Here’s my typical work day.

 

Morning

4 AM: Wake up

4-5: Morning routine (Hydration, Stretching, Meditation, Journaling)

5-6:30: Coffee + 1.5 hours of deep, focused work

6:30-7:15: Run outside with my dog

7:15-8:30: Read + Shower + Enjoy breakfast with my kids + Get them ready for school

8:25: Drop kids off at school

8:30-10:30: 2 hours of deep, focused work at a coffee shop

10:30-12 PM: Lift weights at home in my garage gym

12-1: 1 hour of deep, focused work

1-1:45: Eat lunch + Walk my dog

1:45-2:50: 1 hour of light work (Emails, Marketing, Admin, etc.)

2:55: Pick up my kids from school

3-4: Hang out with my kids

4-5: 1 hour of light work (Emails, Marketing, Admin, etc.)

5-8: Enjoy dinner with my family + Read + Whatever I feel like doing

8-8:30: Wind down + Stretch

8:30: Bedtime

 

This is my ideal day that I’ve crafted after years of trial and error.

 

What works for me may not work for you. There are days when the unexpected happens and my schedule goes off the rails. But this is the schedule I strive to maintain most days of the week.

 

I’m not sharing my typical day to show off or brag. I want to show you how freelance writing can drastically improve your lifestyle.

 

Building a thriving freelance writing career will give you:

 

  • Flexibility
  • Autonomy
  • No commute
  • Full ownership over your day

Now, I recognize I am incredibly fortunate. But I’ve also worked incredibly hard to get where I am today.

 

Years of waking up at 4 AM. Months of 10-12 hour work days. Plenty of sleepless nights.

 

But I wouldn’t change a thing.

I'm in... What next?

Hopefully, I’ve convinced you of the life-changing benefits of freelance writing.

But before you rush off and start building, your first step is to define your ideal lifestyle with crystal clear clarity.

The only way to build a sustainable freelance writing career and avoid burnout is to make it enjoyable, fulfilling, and meaningful.

If you don’t know your “why,” trading a 40-hour work week at your 9 to 5 to start freelancing 60 hours a week will cause you more stress and burnout than you feel right now.

 

Ask yourself the following 10 questions to gain clarity and direction. Be brutally honest and realistic.

 

  1. What does your dream workday look like?
  2. Who do you want to help?
  3. Why do you want to help them?
  4. What makes you qualified to help them?
  5. When do you do your best work?
  6. When do you want to work?
  7. What activities give you energy?
  8. What activities drain your energy?
  9. What would you do even if you weren’t getting paid?
  10. What gets you excited to jump out of bed each morning?

Most importantly, determine what daily actions are non-negotiable parts of your day.

For me, these are:

  • Minimum 2 hours of fitness (Running, Strength Training, Mobility)
  • 100% focused time with my family
  • At least 1 outdoor walk
  • Journaling
  • Reading

I don’t advocate following your passion. There’s no rule stating you must love what you do.

But you have to enjoy it. 
Otherwise, you’re guaranteed to burn out and quit.

 

There are 168 hours in a week. 56 of them are spent sleeping. You spend at least 40 hours of the remaining 112 working.

That’s 36% of your waking hours spent working. If you don’t enjoy what you do, you spend over one-third of your life on autopilot.

If given the choice, why would you ever do work you’re not excited about?

Why not do work you find meaningful and fulfilling? Work that serves others and makes you a better person in turn?

Fortunately, you do have a choice.

And I’d love to help you make it.

My story of building a thriving freelance writing career.

I am a freelance writer and ghostwriter who has written 600+ articles in the Nutrition and Fitness space.

I am also a certified nutritionist, husband, parent to two wonderful kids, musician, and 100% plant-based athlete.

I live in beautiful Nelson, British Columbia, Canada. 
That’s where you can find me writing in coffee shops, lifting weights in my garage, or running mountain trails with my Aussie Shepherd.

How I Started Writing Online

I have always loved words.

 

As a kid, I devoured books, often reading 2 or 3 a day. I remember being 8 years old and writing stories on loose leaf, then painstakingly typing them out on my mom’s work laptop.

 

Today, my love for reading and writing remains. But instead of scribbling short stories in school binders, I write insightful, thought-provoking, and informative articles online. I engage readers and encourage them to take action to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives.

 

I love impacting people’s lives with my words for a living.

 

But this wasn’t always the case.

 

In 2018, I was a burnt out project manager, struggling to pay the bills. My wife and I could barely afford rent on a 100-something-year-old dilapidated house infested with mice. And on top of that, we had 2 very young kids at home who required the bulk of our attention.

 

I was not content with life. Deep down, I knew I wasn’t living up to my potential.

 

I wanted more out of life. For me, that meant:

  • Living up to my potential.
  • Spending more time with my wife and kids.
  • Having full ownership of my day and a flexible schedule.
  • Earning enough money to support my family and fund my hobbies/interests.

That’s when I decided to take control of my life and start working for myself.

 

I went back to school and became a certified nutritionist and personal trainer. I would study at 4 AM and on weekends, dreaming of launching a nutrition and fitness coaching business.

 

I kept thinking in the back of my mind that I’d someday start writing online about health, nutrition, and fitness. You know, once my coaching business took off and I suddenly had “more time.”

 

But my business didn’t take off. And the extra time never came.

 

So I asked myself: Why not start writing now?

 

I committed to writing at least 500 words a day for 30 days.

 

This commitment helped me build a daily writing habit. Before I knew it, I had a portfolio of several articles to show prospective clients.

 

During those 30 days, I taught myself how to code. I built a website to showcase my portfolio and attract clients.

 

Then, I searched for online publications in the health & wellness space. I created a spreadsheet and started doing cold outreach, sending 10 to 15 well-crafted, personalized messages each week.

 

I would find editors on company websites and LinkedIn, then reach out via email or DM. I diligently followed up every 3 to 5 days until I heard back. I repeated this process for months while doing project management full-time.

I got rejected—a lot.

 

Was I discouraged? Absolutely. But I knew that consistency compounds and my hard work would pay off, so I kept at it.

 

Eventually, I piqued the interest of one potential client. I received a trial assignment, which turned into another assignment, and then a regular monthly retainer for my writing. Before I knew it, I acquired 2 more clients.

 

After 6 months of struggling to write online, I suddenly had more work than I knew what to do with.

 

As luck would have it, I got offered a staff writer position at a top publication in the health & wellness space. This opportunity allowed me to quit my 9 to 5 and start writing online full-time.

 

I’ve grown my writing business to a thriving freelance writing career that includes several high-quality, high-paying clients.

And now, I’ve made it my mission to help you:

  • Build a better future for you and your family.
  • Earn more money to fund your ideal lifestyle.
  • Have more free time for the things that matter.
  • Tap into your potential and become a better version of yourself.

I’m making more money than ever, all while living my ideal lifestyle and doing work I find meaningful and fulfilling.

 

And I want the same for you.

Why start freelance writing?

Here’s my typical work day.

 

Morning

4 AM: Wake up

4-5: Morning routine (Hydration, Stretching, Meditation, Journaling)

5-6:30: Coffee + 1.5 hours of deep, focused work

6:30-7:15: Run outside with my dog

7:15-8:30: Read + Shower + Enjoy breakfast with my kids + Get them ready for school

8:25: Drop kids off at school

8:30-10:30: 2 hours of deep, focused work at a coffee shop

10:30-12 PM: Lift weights at home in my garage gym

12-1: 1 hour of deep, focused work

1-1:45: Eat lunch + Walk my dog

1:45-2:50: 1 hour of light work (Emails, Marketing, Admin, etc.)

2:55: Pick up my kids from school

3-4: Hang out with my kids

4-5: 1 hour of light work (Emails, Marketing, Admin, etc.)

5-8: Enjoy dinner with my family + Read + Whatever I feel like doing

8-8:30: Wind down + Stretch

8:30: Bedtime

 

This is my ideal day that I’ve crafted after years of trial and error.

 

What works for me may not work for you. There are days when the unexpected happens and my schedule goes off the rails. But this is the schedule I strive to maintain most days of the week.

 

I’m not sharing my typical day to show off or brag. I want to show you how freelance writing can drastically improve your lifestyle.

 

Building a thriving freelance writing career will give you:

 

  • Flexibility
  • Autonomy
  • No commute
  • Full ownership over your day

Now, I recognize I am incredibly fortunate. But I’ve also worked incredibly hard to get where I am today.

 

Years of waking up at 4 AM. Months of 10-12 hour work days. Plenty of sleepless nights.

 

But I wouldn’t change a thing.

I'm in... What next?

Hopefully, I’ve convinced you of the life-changing benefits of freelance writing.

But before you rush off and start building, your first step is to define your ideal lifestyle with crystal clear clarity.

The only way to build a sustainable freelance writing career and avoid burnout is to make it enjoyable, fulfilling, and meaningful.

If you don’t know your “why,” trading a 40-hour work week at your 9 to 5 to start freelancing 60 hours a week will cause you more stress and burnout than you feel right now.

 

Ask yourself the following 10 questions to gain clarity and direction. Be brutally honest and realistic.

 

  1. What does your dream workday look like?
  2. Who do you want to help?
  3. Why do you want to help them?
  4. What makes you qualified to help them?
  5. When do you do your best work?
  6. When do you want to work?
  7. What activities give you energy?
  8. What activities drain your energy?
  9. What would you do even if you weren’t getting paid?
  10. What gets you excited to jump out of bed each morning?

Most importantly, determine what daily actions are non-negotiable parts of your day.

For me, these are:

  • Minimum 2 hours of fitness (Running, Strength Training, Mobility)
  • 100% focused time with my family
  • At least 1 outdoor walk
  • Journaling
  • Reading

I don’t advocate following your passion. There’s no rule stating you must love what you do.

But you have to enjoy it. 
Otherwise, you’re guaranteed to burn out and quit.

 

There are 168 hours in a week. 56 of them are spent sleeping. You spend at least 40 hours of the remaining 112 working.

That’s 36% of your waking hours spent working. If you don’t enjoy what you do, you spend over one-third of your life on autopilot.

If given the choice, why would you ever do work you’re not excited about?

Why not do work you find meaningful and fulfilling? Work that serves others and makes you a better person in turn?

Fortunately, you do have a choice.

And I’d love to help you make it.