Meet Monica Wallis | Copywriter + Founder of Copy That

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

Hi Monica, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
My business is Copy That, full-service copywriting and content writing for brands in food + beverage, destination, retail/clothing, beauty/skincare, weddings and health/wellness. It was born in October of 2022.

I’ve worked both the in house and agency sides of the marketing/advertising world. I was freelance writing on the side during full-time jobs when I realized I could take it and turn it into a business. I had always wanted to do it, but health insurance was a factor – once I got married to my husband, Austin, I had more freedom to pursue this route knowing I’d be secure in that area. I had seen other young, female freelance writers like myself making a successful living from it so I started to watch them closely and connected with them, asking them questions along the way about how they did it as I was getting started.

I knew I wanted to have more flexibility and freedom in not only my day-to-day but the type of work I took on. I wanted to set my own hours and rates, work for clients and brands I like in industries I’m passionate about, and perform the TYPES of writing I enjoy. When you’re working full-time for someone else in a corporate setting, you’re working hard on projects that perhaps you don’t enjoy as much in order to make someone else richer – the company, the investors, the owners, etc. When you’re working for yourself and are your own boss, you have so much more of an incentive to not only be successful in the monetary sense but you feel a sense of energy, passion and renewed purpose in your day-to-day. For instance, when I was working a corporate job it was easy to quickly feel burnt out. Now, even when I’m super busy with my business, Copy That, I don’t feel that same level of burnout as I once did; instead, I feel connected with and invigorated by my work. I have always found myself to be a resourceful person without needing a boss to look over my shoulder and make sure I’m getting the work done – so entrepreneurship, or should I say, solopreneurship, just felt natural to me. Plus, I knew I had something unique to offer these brands and my dream clients. I would say freelancers are more driven to provide good work for brands because if we don’t, we are out of jobs. There is more at stake for us to drive results for the companies we work with. Therefore, everyone I work with and have worked with via Copy That have been super appreciative of and impressed by my writing for them.

As I’ve mentioned, the flexibility and freedom angle was huge for me. I love to travel any chance I can. As the founder of Copy That, I get to work from anywhere, and I love that I can join my husband on his business trips to cool cities like Chicago (where I’m writing this right now!) or post up at a new coffee shop or hotel. I love that I can take a long weekend to spend with family and work on the road. I love that I can go to hot yoga at 9 am before I start my work day without having to worry about rushing into an office or making a mandatory morning meeting. I love that I have more energy to show up for my husband each day without feeling the stress and burnout I once felt in a corporate career. And, most importantly, I love that when I am a mom one day I can build my business around my family.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Copy That reflects the heart of your brand—your values, your uniqueness and your passion.

I offer bold copywriting for brands that want to stand out and see results.

How did I get here?

I’ve loved writing ever since I could hold a pencil, from penning my family’s weekly newsletter to graduating from TCU with a journalism degree and, now, running Copy That.

After college, I took a job at an AI tech company on their marketing team. I then had copywriter roles at JCPenney corporate up in Plano and Augustine Agency, an ad agency working primarily with food and destination clients.

Back to Copy That…

I have always been a self-starter. I pride myself on being forever curious, deadline-driven and a strong, empathetic communicator. I feel that goes a long way with my clients. I love the thrill of taking something from a client brief in spreadsheet form to seeing it live out in the world through my copy. My favorite projects to write are social captions, blog content, emails, websites and fun, quippy headlines. I prefer brands who are willing to push boundaries with fun messaging and copy.

The main challenge of running a freelance writing business is definitely “sticking with it” when cashflow is uncertain.

It can also be tough in the beginning because not everyone in your life will understand your decision to quit your full-time job when you don’t have something immediately lined up. “So you quit working?” “Wait, what do you do?” “Are you scared?!” might be some initial responses. While the lifestyle is certainly on the rise, freelancing is still a new concept to many and it can feel lonely at first. There are a ton of freelancing groups out there to stay connected; I have found solopreneurs to be a supportive, open, friendly community of people.

What’s also great about freelance is it never gets dull; whereas in a corporate setting, you may be working on the same account, same industry or same product day in and day out. With Copy That, I get to write about Bundt Cakes one day and Black history in Oakland the next. Every day is different and I love keeping my mind active while writing about various industries.

Ditching your 9-to-5 and branching out on your own can be scary, but it’s SO worth it when you get that first high-paying client. Since starting Copy That, I’ve worked with some amazing brands: Nothing Bundt Cakes (currently my largest client), Drybar, Newk’s Eatery, Visit Napa Valley and lots more. I’ve created copy I actually enjoy writing and learned tons along the way, like how to give myself GRACE. Starting a business is not for the faint of heart so I try to reward myself when I hit a big milestone, secure a dream client or crush a tough project.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Eat – Uchiba in Uptown, Dallas (my faves: avocado nigiri, salmon nigiri, chicken thigh, hama chili and fried milk for dessert)

Drink – Watermelon Margarita from Mexican Sugar in Plano (they also have a killer margarita flight) or an Espresso Martini from Leela’s Wine Bar in Lower Greenville – perfect spot for an evening out with the gals

Visit – Dallas Arboretum in the springtime, for sure

Fun remote work spots: Ascension Coffee, Summer Moon (Main Street in Frisco), Rare Detectives book shop in Oak Cliff

Other faves:

Putt around (for free!) at the PGA Headquarters in Frisco

Dallas Museum of Art

Walk around the Bishop Arts District for great shopping and stop for a bite at Eno’s Pizza Tavern

Hit a hot yoga class at Yoga on Main in Frisco

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My husband, Austin, for sure! He encouraged me to start Copy That when I was on the fence and still working in a full-time position. He believed in me and knew I could do it. He didn’t stop there, either—he has supported me along the way at every step. When I’m unsure about a business decision, I call Austin. When I want a second pair of eyes on a client proposal or set of rates, I ask Austin. When I’m wondering why I started in the first place — as most solopreneurs feel as some point — I lean on Austin. He is motivating, positive, incredibly smart and business-savvy but also Copy That’s biggest cheerleader. I could not have done this without him!

Website: www.copythat.me

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/copythat_creative/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monicawallis/

Other: Subscribe to Monica’s weekly newsletter: copythat.me/ig-links/#newsletter-subscribe