Meet Cyndi Zaweski: Her Dream of Writing Full-Time Is Now a Reality Bringing Her Joy Long-Term
Cindy's story is the basis of her business.
Where do I start? StoryCraft with Cyndi, Cyndi Zaweski's business, is built from experience as well as passion. Her story is the foundation of her motivation, her brand, and her services. She's authentic and real. (No AI here my friends!) That authenticity resonates because let's be honest, we all are building businesses outside the 9-5 because we want to do what we love and be in control.
No surprise: Cyndi and I hit it off from the start. Now we're both doing a bit of reflection for our next moves in entrepreneurship- but we're also both taking action.
It's the perfect time to feature her in this series as her new website is launched!
Cyndi's bio:
Cyndi Zaweski is an award-winning writer and Columbia-educated marketer with a journalist mindset. Her interview-style approach prompts one-person businesses to turn their experiences and insights into storytelling content that cements their authority and rallies a community around their ideas.
Since 2020, her boutique content marketing agency, Ascent StoryCraft, has reached more than one million people with ideas at the intersection of personal and business growth and she is now StoryCraft with Cyndi!
Necessary disclaimer: As a blogger, I use affiliate links sometimes! I may receive commission from purchases I share; it does not change your price but sometimes you might get a discount.
Cyndi is as unapologetic as anyone on this blog and crushing her goal to write full-time.
If something isn't going the way she intended or serving her, Cyndi is not afraid to re-evaluate and change it up. Let's be honest, things can be going well in terms of how one might define success, however it may not be what we WANT.
Cyndi tells it like it is and is sticking to what brings her joy.
Step 1: Finding Your Why. What is your why? Not money... but why you want to earn income by doing what you do the way you do it...outside the 9-5?
I started my business to purse a dream of writing full-time. As a journalist, I helped other people tell their stories so I always had a great admiration for those who will willing to share their stories in service of others.
Now, I get to do that all the the time for small business owners and myself too!
Step 2: Shift Your Mindset. What mindset shift is/was necessary for you going from 9-5 life to becoming an entrepreneur?
This was tricky for me!
The first couple of years, I essentially built a 9-5 with my clients as pseudo-bosses. It shifted for me when I realized that people were hiring me for my expertise, as a trust guide, not someone to simply get the job done.
Photo by Artur Kornakov on Unsplash
Step 3: Narrow Your Options. How did you narrow all your options to land on the business you've chosen?
There are so many ways to succeed in business-- especially on the internet!
There is always going to be the new cool thing to try, but it ultimately comes back to finding what brings you the most joy long-term. For me that's writing.
I'll always find a way to succeed by writing. Even when short-form video was the "future" I stuck to my interests and grew on my terms. Of course, this meant trial-and-error.
Step 4: Research The Best Fit. Once you narrowed your options down, what type of research led you to your current approach to business (even your branding and/or your ideal client?
I have never been afraid to try something and pivot.
The likelihood you'll get it right the first time is low. But your unique way of failing and fixing is the story that connects you with the right people.
Photo by Gustavo Candido da Silva on Unsplash
Step 5: Build Your Toolkit. How did you determine what tools you'll need and where did you start?
YouTube and other creators who have gone before me have been a wealth of information. My decisions on what to try have been made by the outcomes I desired.
I wanted an SEO-rich (search engine optimization) blog so I did have to rely on social media. I prioritized finding a website platform that didn't require coding in the beginning. Knowing what you're hoping to gain helps in determining what tools will be the right fit.
Step 6: Take Action. What one piece of advice would you give to anyone working on creating life outside the 9-5 that will help them take action?
I used to be a "yes" person. Anytime someone would come to me with a problem, I'd figure out how to fix it. Not surprisingly, I was yanked in a million different directions.
Just because you're good at something doesn't mean you should do it-- especially if you want to enjoy your business long-term.
You must find some joy in trying to solve that problem.
Photo by Hammam Fuad on Unsplash
Free At 50 calls to action:
- Subscribe to this blog and get all the interviews in your inbox (as well as every other article added to Free At 50!).
- Download the 6-Step Checklist to Escape the 9-5 and if you already have... what step are you on? Comment!
Find Cyndi online:
Are you enjoying the Free At 50 blog? Use my online tip jar to buy me a coffee:
