Meet Roxanna Coldiron, freelance writer and founder of Punchberry Creative LLC. As a freelancer, Roxanna writes for Martha Stewart Living, Cleveland Magazine, and several websites. She also does communications consulting, and helps companies and individuals express their ideas in an appealing way. Since joining LaunchHouse in August, she has been developing her newest venture, Punchberry Creative. Punchberry will focus on web design and digital art.
Roxanna particularly enjoys her freelance writing gigs that cover the arts, which she writes about for Cleveland Magazine. She also loves the opportunity to write about pets. Pet owners can find her helpful tips in Martha Stewart Living, including “The 5 Unspoken Rules of Dog Park Etiquette” and “6 People Foods You Should Never Feed Your Dog.”
In grad school, Roxanna studied media management, which reignited her interest in art and the digital tools that can be used to create it. Since then, she has expanded her skill set beyond freelance writing and into the world of web design and digital art. Through Punchberry Creative, she will be able to further help individuals and organizations bring their ideas to life, and express their ideas in creative and engaging ways. The freelance and entrepreneur lifestyle works well for Roxanna; she likes managing her own schedule, and the opportunity continue to learn as she explores her interests.
Roxanna has practical advice for anyone looking to foray into the world of freelancing and entrepreneurship: make a plan and do your research! When she was in school, she made a career map outlining her “dream jobs” and “acceptable jobs” that would put her education and skill set to good use. “The purpose was to see how I could use my education and my skills in various capacities, with the ultimate goal of getting to where I wanted to be. There is rarely one way to succeed in your career, and things won’t always work out the way you want. Sometimes you have to take a job you don’t really want, but it’s worth it if it helps you make the right connections and gives you the experience you need to get to where you want to go.” Her research and planning helped her land freelance jobs at reputable magazines, not to mention a stream of income to rely on as she develops Punchberry Creative.
Anyone who struggles to write may wonder if Roxanna has any suggestions on how to improve. She suggests first making a bullet point list for what you want to say, then writing it. Having another set of eyes review your work is important, especially for grammar and spelling mistakes. “If your website and brochures are full of grammar and spelling mistakes, your potential customers might not see you as trustworthy. Good communication goes a long way in building credibility with your clients and within your industry.” Hiring a writer or an editor is also a helpful solution if writing isn’t your strength!
Roxanna joined the LaunchHouse community because she appreciates the coworking space and informative workshops and networking events. We are happy to welcome Roxanna to LaunchHouse, and look forward to seeing her freelance career and new business take off!
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This post is by Marybeth Stucker, Director of Operations and Membership.