The Best Advice I’ve Received In My Career

In business, you get good advice and bad advice. Oftentimes, your boss, colleagues and mentors will step in to tell you what they think is ‘best’ for your career and what actions you should take in order to progress and excel in your role. However – in the abundance of 9-5 jobs I held in London – none of the advice I received ever stuck with me.

That was until I had one very important phone call with my father. 📞

Parents give a lot of great advice over the years. Wear a helmet, no sweets on Sundays, get good grades, eat your fruits and vegetables – the list goes on. You’ve heard it – you’ve been there and gone through it, just like me.

But there was one piece of advice that stuck with me above all. One evening I was sat at home wondering “will I ever find a 9-5 I can stick with and move up the ranks in a short amount of time?”. I knew the answer would be no, especially when the companies I wanted to work for were highly established, and excelling from ‘Junior Copywriter’ to ‘Copywriter’ would take years. I didn’t want that. I’m too impatient. The thought alone left me feeling demotivated, upset, and lost.

So, what was the advice my dad gave me? 💭

“As soon as you take on more responsibility, that’s when you’ll start to perform your best.”

I knew he was right. I thrived in leadership, even if this was simply being the leader of a sports team. The leader of the hike. Walking in front of my friends when I had absolutely no reason to do so. He was so right – and fast-forward till today, this piece of advice rings more true than ever.

In December of 2019, approximately one month after I spoke with my father, I quit my full-time job in London to become a freelance writer. I had one reliable client under my belt, with no idea how I would find more. I moved to my dream city, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and haven’t left since.

Today, I own a successful copywriting agency which I built from the ground up. This all happened within the space of one year – and it just goes to show how much you can achieve when you do something you love, in an industry or field you feel your skills are put to best use. And when you really want to do well, the sky's the limit to what you can achieve.

My advice? If you’re thinking of quitting your 9-5, it’s always a good idea to have some kind of game plan, or at least one client to keep you afloat while you figure out your strategy. But even if you don’t have these luxuries, the best piece of advice is to just go for it! Opportunities came flying my way once I let myself free, and the beauty of being a freelancer is that you can scale up or down as much as you like. Uncapped earnings, endless room for personal and professional growth, decide your own schedule... and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

🖋️ My closing pointers:

One – Harness your skills and monetize them. One way I’m doing this is through Contra – a revolutionary freelancing platform that is taking the world by storm. No commission fees, project-based resumes, and so much more.

Two – Listen to your parents. 👨‍👩‍👦

Feeling inspired? Let’s freelance together. YOU can do it.