Are You Hiring? This Copywriter and Digital Strategist Needs a Job

Greetings Lovely Peeps! 

This is totally a different style of a blog post because its in the form of a real deal shout out for a job. 

Here's the dealio: 

I want to make art. I want little girls to hang my paintings on their peach walls. I want to have my prints sold in LA boutiques. I want swanky hotels to commission me for a painting or two. 

But, I also want to pay rent with ease, go to Tokyo and Kenya on holiday, pay off my student loans before I am 87, adopt a colorful baby, and have fair/affordable health insurance. 

Therefore, after five years of full-time freelancing as a Copywriter and Digital Strategist, I've made the long and hard decision to seek full-time employment and I am actually relieved and excited about this "Aha" moment. 

Whoa-I said it. 

"I want to be an employee." 

You must think I'm crazy right? 

But hear me out. 

As a freelancer this is what you may experience (and sometimes in high frequency)...

A $3,481 March, a $1,267 April, a $988 May, and a $2,789 June in income. 

Expensive health insurance. 

No real vacation time. 

Balancing multiple clients with very different personalities at the same time. 

A tab bit of a juggle to getting those same clients to pay you timely. 

Marketing your services in the midst of finishing the copy of a two-week long website project (you need to keep a steady flow of clients which equates to marketing/promoting yourself non-stop). 

Isolation and loneliness. 

In essence, its just ALOT to handle ALL of the time. 

I am not burnt out on creating content for brands, but I am burnt out on the constant HUSTLE! 

The benefits that I see for becoming an employee include:

Working IRL with people. Getting to know others intimately. Having lunch with the cool kids. 

The opportunity to become a leader. Vacation time so I can properly stamp up my passport. 

Long-term projects with only 1-2 clients at a time or working with a handful but as part of a team. Having a more clearly defined role. Direct deposit every two weeks that's exact to the penny every time. Work/Life balance. 

Now, you know where I stand, this is what I've done and can do professionally for a brand. 

RELEVANT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: 

CJ Johnson Writes Inc. 

• Copywriting (website content, corporate blogging, email marketing)
• Social media marketing and management (Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube)
• Digital content marketing plan creation (monthly, quarterly, and annual editorial calendar)

As a freelance Copywriter and Digital Strategist, I have been able to develop a stronger voice as a brand storyteller and gain social media marketing expertise. 

Fashion Benefiting Youth Artists 

• Event planning for fundraisers (fashion shows and art auctions) 
• Community outreach (raising awareness of the lack of arts education in public schools) 
• Strategic collaborations and partnerships (corporate sponsorship packages and initiatives) 
• Press release writing and targeted media submission (news wires and industry journalists) 

At FBYA I became incredibly well rounded in the areas of business management and public relations. 

Avalanche, A Full-Length Feature Film

• Script supervising (ensured script accuracy daily and updated changes when needed for cast) 
• 1st Assistant director (managed the daily activities for crew, craft services, and cast) 

For this film, I was able to gain in-depth project management experience. 

I am currently serving as a producer for the indie film, Lifting Crowns, a documentary that sheds light on individuals living with mental illness. 

I have primarily worked with Beauty, Health, and Creative brands but I also have experience working with IT, Real Estate, Food, Retail, and E-Commerce firms. 

Although I consider myself a Copywriter and Digital Strategist, I firmly believe that positions such as: Creative Content Producer, Web Producer, Internet Marketing Manager, or Social Media Manager all meet my skill level, experience, capabilities, and curiosity. 

I have worked virtually with internet marketing companies, PR firms, and advertising agencies in addition to small businesses directly. My first preference is the LA or San Diego area but will happily welcome a career opportunity in Dallas, NYC, or Florida. 

I have top notch digital photography skills, proficiency in Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Lightroom, and HTML/CSS. Along with solid experience in content management systems such as Wordpress and Squarespace. 

I have several other tricks but if you are interested in me joining your team, then contact me the old-fashioned way HERE to discover more of what I can do for you. 

In essence, I am seeking an opportunity that will allow me to work from a position of empowerment for myself and on behalf of a firm. 

To be able to marry my creative nature with my keen business acumen in a challenging role with a company that has a strong office culture of innovation and heart is what I crave most. 

I will truly write and strategize my heart out for you. 

Let's work together for the long haul. 

Leave a Comment copywriting, digital strategist, I NEED A JOB, job search

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Why I'm Giving An Art Career and Social Entrepreneurship a Shot at 36

"And suddenly you know...

It's time to start something new

and trust the magic of beginnings." 

-UNKNOWN WISE SOUL

I know that I am no different than many women that have decided to stop playing small and to start living big (dreams). There are thousands and thousands of us. I am just joining the party. That's all.

In saying that, I will say this:
I am launching authentically for the first time in my life. 
Spring boarding into orbit as a creative professional (illustrator + painter + storyteller). 
I am ready. 

I will turn 37 in December. But I feel like a little girl that has been patiently waiting to give herself permission to accept an invitation to a slumber party. Because that's where all the action is going to be.

I am officially entering (and staying) into a new career during this next chapter of my life.

Want to know why so?

Simply, because its my time. I've allowed myself to follow the expectations that others have put on me (parents, exes, society) while suppressing my real true big girl dreams and goals.

But to really give my explanation some meat and juicy clarity on why I am ready to jump head first into a creative career as an artist and hopefully game changing one as a social entrepreneur, here goes:

1. Being an artist and change agent is a childhood dream of mine
Many, many, many psychologists are on record saying that our child self is who we really are deep down. When we are kiddos, we were painlessly honest with our selves and our world.
We said, "I want to become an astronaut or actress when I grow up."
Some of us did pursue those 2nd grade ambitions, but far too many of us didn't.

I used to illustrate evening wear like crazy when I was a kid (even up until high school, where I designed and made my own prom dress: geesh I wish Instagram was around back in the 90's, maybe I would have had the nerve to take my fashion design passion to the next level like THIS young woman has). Second to that was designing floor plans because I always wanted to rearrange the furniture in our house and interior decorating fascinated me. Third, I would always want to help out with local can food drives or give my money to the homeless.

Those little actions in my youth are significant. They are symbolic. They represent my truth.

2. Life is short 
Plain and simple. I have no Mom anymore and do not have any kids. I have nothing to hold me back.

You can look up and your life is over. I don't want to have regrets. I am a wild child Sagittarius.
We love magic, new experiences, and no routines. I've lived my life up until this point running away from that. It's gotten too tiring. SMH.

Like many, last year I started my year off by making resolutions. I bought and devoured, The Desire Map, by Danielle Laporte. It. Changed. My. Life.

While I've been slow to come clean and embody my core true desires, that book planted the seed.

I've also followed the careers of two creative professional women that didn't really start making art and films until they were 37. Artist, Lisa Congdon and Filmmaker, Ava Duvernay. 

Fast forward half a dozen or so years later and these women are on the forefront and pulse of their respective fields. They are wildly successful and I can tell that they are just warming up. We aint' seen nothing yet.

Because of them, I know that I can do this too. That I can start anew and come out just fine.

As Lisa Congdon says, "fortune favors the brave." 

3. Supportive partner + little sister + friends 
I am not married but I have been before and I've also dated/been in relationships with a few other people and I can safely say that none of them have ever been very supportive of my interests.

Every time I would even remotely mention wanting to seek more creative endeavors, I was met with a million and 23 questions followed by incredulous stares.

Therefore, I learned to keep mum and unfortunately, I never really pursued art to the level that I desired partly due to that.

However, now I have a wonderful partner. We're taking things day by day, but I can say that I have her undeniable support to do whatever my heart desires.

I was scared to share my visions (for obvious reasons) with her initially but slowly I've started opening up. I am so thankful for that. She simply said, "how can I help you achieve what you desire?"

I have literally never ever ever ever had a significant other ask me that. Which is almost a statement to me. A profound one. I am over the moon that this person sees something in me that I see in myself and not only sees it but also is prepared to help me take new leaps.

That's what support looks like. And artists, we need it. Probably the most.

My little sister and friends support are a given. I will rely on them from time to time for pep talks to get me through each stage of this creative career.

I feel that all of those points sum up enough reasons for me to take the plunge as an artist and social entrepreneur.

Which leads me to the social entrepreneur 
part of the career equation

In 2009 I started a small but mighty non-profit organization called, Fashion Benefiting Youth Artists.

Its mission was to provide scholarships to inner-city and low-income high school students that desired to major in an artistic field in college.

We produced fashion shows and art auctions that were completely for students by students.

It was their talent that powered the organization. I was just the co-pilot.

I launched FBYA because I was a former high school teacher who taught at the toughest and roughest high school in Dallas but some of my students were damn gifted as artists, yet they had a hard time envisioning how to pursue art as a field of study less alone as a professional endeavor.

When the district enacted a wide-spread lay-off I took it upon myself to try and do something about changing the status quo.

The organization lasted roughly a year and thousands of bucks where raised. But I needed an income and couldn't operate the organization at the level it deserved while trying to work full-time, so I closed shop.

Fast forward to NOW. I am still drawn to philanthropy. I have a strong track record as a giver backer, consistently donating to causes such as; global literacy, the arts, heart disease, breast cancer, and more than anything, childhood hunger.

I have been trying to get a job at a non-profit for years to no avail (I guess I don't have enough experience in the public sector). So instead of crying about that fact, I am just going to create an opportunity for myself.

Feeding America will receive 5% of everything that I sell this summer.

This way, I will be able to make an impact in my own special mighty little way.

I want to keep going deeper with this social venture idea too. In time, I'd like to pursue the one for one model like TOM'S SHOES and Warby Parker does so flawlessly.

I've always been drawn to being of service and bringing attention to issues that plague our community, our country, and our world as a whole. I am tired of not doing enough...

Hmmmm, now a brief break down of 
WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, & HOW 
with where I am going as an artist 

WHO: 
My art will appeal to fun-loving individuals that have an appreciation for off-beat art.

WHAT:
I mostly enjoy illustrating and painting; food, furniture, fashionistas, and visions of fun.

WHEN:
Est. Summer 2016

WHERE:
My own website is where originals will be available for purchase. Society 6 for prints and swag.

WHY:
Because its my time :-)

HOW:
I will be networking/engaging like a mutha' f*** and working my ass off.

This is my debut. I have a long way to go. I only know one fine artist in real life, my friend Natalia Jones. But this is a risk worth taking for me. It feels like the most honest thing I could ever do.

I hope and pray that I will land on the top. I will definitely have NO regrets.

I'd love for you to keep checking in (I will totally do the same for you) to see how the
journey is going.

P.S. Follow me on: Instagram.Com/IamCJChildress

"Go In The Direction Of Your Dreams." 

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