Today we’d like to introduce you to Jess Gill.
Hi Jess, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
After a decade in higher education, I decided I wanted to take some time for myself. Figure out who I wanted to be when I grew up, what I really enjoyed, what I felt I could most offer to others. I made the difficult decision to leave my nine to five job at Johns Hopkins University. My last day happened to be two days before the state shut down due to Covid-19.
The exploratory conversations were put on pause, the plans I had were put on pause, and it simply became figuring out how to manage when the rules kept changing every day.
I started taking on some projects on a freelance basis through some referrals. And then a few more. And after two months of doing this, my husband said, “You know, you could do this as your full-time job.” And it was like a switch flicked. I could! And the best thing was I could work on projects that fulfilled me, that allowed me to fuel my constant desire to learn, and with really fun people no less.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
My background in higher ed made me what you might call a communications generalist – I do a little bit of everything. Social media, copywriting, email campaigns, fundraising campaigns, website designs and redesigns, content management and strategy, and so on. All the advice I saw was to drill down into a niche. Except I already knew that I didn’t like working in a niche – it was too similar to the silos I had experienced in previous work capacities.
It wasn’t until about six months in that I took a course that helped me define precisely the kind of work I wanted to do daily – copywriting, website design, and communications-on-call for small businesses who needed to outsource a team member. It also taught me to streamline my processes, such as having a standard proposal template and onboarding document to share with new clients.
Another thing that is different about me is that I’m actually deaf. I use cochlear implants and far prefer video calls to phone calls, especially because Google has captioning features in their video conferencing tool. Also, I think it encourages more one-to-one interaction than just email or phone calls because we get to see body language and facial expressions.
However, I’ve had a few people reach out for exploratory conversations via email, and when I requested a video call instead of a phone call, they never replied. I think, unfortunately, some of the old stereotypes about deaf people being dumb still lingers. I choose to look at it as that person is probably someone I wouldn’t have wanted to work with anyway!
Where I’m at today is trying to remember that the nature of solopreneurship is that work ebbs and flows, but that there is always work to be had. It’s just a matter of making the right connections.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My approach is more “Teach a man to fish…” than “I’ll fish for you.” I like empowering people to succeed in their respective spheres — or at least to understand what they need to do from a communications standpoint to succeed! Creative problem solving that makes it easier for people to do their thing is one of my specialties.
When I’m writing or designing, however, I dive into projects that teach me something new with glee. My curiosity has no bounds and learning makes me feel happy and fulfilled. Also, I think the virtue of growing up with a hearing loss, it’s meant that my mind has to work a little faster to hear, comprehend, and process. This somehow has translated to being able to read very quickly and write very efficiently, which always benefits my clients since they get what they need with a quick turnaround!
Most of all, I want clients to finish a project with me feeling like it was a fun, positive experience where they got everything they wanted and more.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
It’s been just over a year since I filed for my LLC, and it has been a major education. For starters, just the process of starting a business was a head-turner. There was coming up with a name, registering it with the state, getting a federal tax ID, figuring out the bank account and tax details, and so on. But having gone through that means now I can share what I’ve learned with others who are just starting out.
Along those same lines, connecting with others virtually and in-person who are in various stages of growing their businesses has been incredibly valuable. I have a few friends with whom I regularly walk with and we brainstorm and troubleshoot day-to-day and strategic challenges. Attending virtual gatherings for small business owners has also been extremely informative as I get to hear what other people are experiencing and take notes.
My advice is to think of yourself as a sponge when you’re first starting out. Make connections, be open and take as much information in, even if it doesn’t seem like it might immediately apply. Get your account management and processes organized sooner rather than later.
I’m a huge fan of Google’s workspace for organizing client files and projects, as well as proposal templates, and Freshbooks for managing the accounting, bookkeeping, invoicing, and payment aspect of my business. And ask questions! You can’t know what you don’t know, but someone else who has gone through the experience can.
Contact Info:
- Email: jess@itsjessgill.com
- Website: www.itsjessgill.com
Image Credits
Mollye Miller Photography
