Sarah Walkerden of The Rural Copywriter is a Copywriter, Content Marketing Specialist and Website Tech with 15 years experience.
Sarah spent 13 years working in the ‘corporate world’ in State & Local Government, Not-For-Profit, Higher Education and Retail & eCommerce and now spends most of her days wearing Wrangler jeans, dusty riding boots and there’s a good chance you’ll find her covered in either horse hair, mud or both – living the dream.
As much as it was a struggle with all the hustle and bustle of the city, Sarah learnt stacks of very useful online marketing ‘stuff’ which has come in very handy.
During 2019, after moving on from a detour in retail, Sarah very quickly built up her successful more general Copywriting & Marketing business from home.
And then, in 2020 – The Rural Copywriter was born – out of a desire to utilise her skills to help other rural and regional businesses succeed.
Who’s your favourite entrepreneur and why?
Kate Toon – because she’s real and honest.
Why did you start your business and what gave you the idea?
I’ve always loved writing and also had an interest in computers. I spent 13 years in the corporate world writing, editing and managing website content for large organisations and companies. I went out on my own because I bought a farm in a rural area and commuting was becoming too difficult (particularly after having two kids). I started off as a generalist SEO Website Copywriter, but after 12 months, niched down into helping other rural, regional and agriculture businesses – as that’s where my passions and interests lie :)
What do you enjoy most about running your own business?
The freedom to run my day how I choose – around my kids, husband, farm and horses. The ability to work school hours and be here for the kids.
What three pieces of advice do you wish you’d been given when you started?
- Persistence is key.
- Trust your intuition.
- There are no mistakes, only lessons.
What advice would YOU give someone thinking about starting a business?
Keep plugging away and pushing yourself forward – even when you don’t appear to be gaining any traction. Eventually, the right things will start to happen.
What skills and knowledge areas would you recommend those starting out in business get acquainted with quickly?
Digital marketing and basic copywriting/sales psychology.
What does your IDEAL business look like? Even if you’re not there yet, what would it look like if your business was ideal?
My ideal business is one that allows me plenty of time for the kids, family, farm and horses. I’d love to get to the point where I’m able to sub-contract a lot of the writing work to others, while project managing and being the face of the business.
What problem does being a Member of the HerBusiness Network solve for you and your business? And, how?
For me its all about learning as much as I possibly can about marketing and business – while making connections.
