Meet Stephanie Tilton | Launch Copywriter & Strategist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Stephanie Tilton and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Stephanie, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Work life balance. It’s a nice concept in theory, but it’s not always possible for an individual to devote equal time to their business and their life. As your life changes, so does your capacity for business, so I think the notion that everything must be balanced 24-7 adds unnecessary pressure on business owners who are also navigating the changes of life.

I started my business with a newborn at home and a toddler in preschool. Obviously, there were times when my children’s needs took precedence over my business. Like when my baby wouldn’t stop crying unless she was being held. Or, when my toddler was out of school (which meant two kids at home). Sometimes the only days I could get work done were during naps or at night when my kids were finally in the bed.

Now that my kids are older and in school, I have much more uninterrupted time to devote to my business. Which means I can finally focus on certain business goals that felt unachievable before. Mainly because any time I could work was spent on client projects and marketing. There wasn’t much room for creation, experimenting, and the types of tasks that lead to “fast” growth. And I’m OK with that! Slow growth is steady growth.

I think it’s important to remember that work life balance doesn’t mean you have to split your time equally between the two. To me, it means focusing on whichever aspect needs the majority of your attention at the time, and being at peace with that.

What should our readers know about your business?
The idea to work for myself never really occurred to me until the day I was let go of my corporate job. I was at home, on medically ordered bed rest after a preterm labor scare, when I got a letter announcing the termination of my employment. I’m still not sure why (not even my immediate supervisor knew this was happening), but I like to think that maybe there was a silver lining in there somewhere.

Due to give birth in a month, I could only focus on my health and caring for my newborn. But I knew the corporate world wasn’t a place I wanted to return to.

I have always loved writing. Most days I would spend my lunch break writing short stories in a paper notebook I kept hidden in my desk. So, I decided to figure out a way to turn my love of writing into a business.

It wasn’t easy! Some of my first projects were writing blog posts about random topics (like the history of pasteurized milk) for $50 a piece. I would take on any and every client project that came my way. Sometimes to my detriment – non-paying clients and tears played a big role in the early years of business.

For the last four years I’ve been happily settled into my role as a launch copywriter, helping clients turn their online course dreams into a profitable reality. Some of what I do includes creating a personalized strategy for every launch, writing copy for sales pages, emails, and social media, and being there to support my clients every step of the way.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
It’s always fun to spend time with friends in the places you love. One of the first spots we’d go is to the local watering hole, Gypsy Road. Most nights they have live music, food trucks, an outdoor patio, and they brew their own beer in-house. A big plus is that they’re also kid-friendly! Gypsy Road is one of those places you could stay all day and never feel bored.

For some outdoor exploration, we’ll take a quick drive out of the city to the Craggy Gardens in Asheville. The hiking trails wind through rhododendron shrubs and trees that look like something out of a fairy tale. At the top, the clouds give way to beautiful views of the Blue Ridge mountains below.

As we make our way back from the mountains, we’d have to stop by JOLO Winery for a wine tasting, music, and more mountain views. It’s truly a beautiful spot for peaceful chats with friends.

But, as nice as it is to get out and explore, it’s also nice to stay in and enjoy a home cooked meal, a game of cards, and chats by the outdoor fire pit. We can have a good time no matter where we are!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I can’t talk about my success without mentioning my mentor, Belinda Weaver, and the confident copywriting community. I had been in business for a few years, but wasn’t feeling very confident with what I brought to the copywriting table. So, I started listening to the Hot Copy podcast that Belinda co-hosted with Kate Toon. I immediately felt drawn to Belinda’s personality and teaching style. So, I followed her for another year or so before finally enrolling in her membership community, Confident Copywriting. It was here that I developed my copywriting skills, my client processes, and my own mindset about the value I bring to others. I even landed one of my biggest client projects (up to that point) just a few months after joining. Everything my business is today is because of Belinda and the CC community.

Website: www.stephanie-tilton.com

Instagram: @st_copywriting

Other: Link for Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/st_copywriting/