This week, I'm joined by my dear friend Sarah Collie . Sarah is a Virginia-based freelance writer for sustainable outdoor brands and horticulture companies. You'll often find Sarah hiking, planning next year's garden, or snuggling her puppy. In this episode, we talk about: Starting a freelance writing business with NO experience Living an intentional and flexible life because of your freelance writing business Learning your limitations and finding a balance within the freedom freelancing offers ...
Mar 06, 2024•46 min•Season 4Ep. 1
This week, I have Megan Kitzmiller Bradley on the show! Megan attended Camp Moxie, my bootcamp for new freelance writers in 2021. At the time, she still had a full time job and started her biz as a side hustle during the bootcamp. Since then, she’s launched her own freelance writing business earning $70k in her first year! She’s also been able to take off an entire month for her wedding and make her work schedule flexible so she can do the things she loves during the day. Camp Moxie is currently...
Nov 28, 2023•29 min•Season 3Ep. 12
Jenni Gritters is a business coach for freelancers, a mostly retired journalist, and a mom of two. You might recognize her from the podcast she used to host, The Writer’s Co-op. Now, she’s helping freelancers build agile businesses while occasionally writing product reviews for Wirecutter, Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, and more. She’s an avid adventurer with a three-and-a-half-year-old and a one-year-old. Jenni has repeatedly amazed me with her ability to make her business work for her. She’s...
Oct 23, 2023•56 min•Season 3Ep. 11
5 months ago, Nick Lafferty quit what seemed like the perfect job for him to start his own business. Nick is a growth marketing consultant and creator of Early Exit Club a newsletter and community for solopreneurs. We met back when he worked at Loom. He actually hired me as a freelance content writer there. We’ve stayed in touch ever since and it’s been so fun growing together. In this episode we cover: What it felt like for Nick to leave his job (one that was seemingly perfect for him) How Nick...
Oct 16, 2023•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 10
Liz is a freelance marketing consultant, business coach for freelance writers, and the founder of MACE writing. She’s been freelancing since 2006. She’s done so many cool things, like traveling to all 7 continents, living abroad, and becoming a mom. Liz has been popping’ off on LinkedIn, and I know y’all are gonna love our conversation because it’s chock full of juicy mindset moments that will help you thrive as a freelancer. We talk about: The freedom, fulfillment, and flexibility that freelanc...
Sep 18, 2023•55 min•Season 3Ep. 9
This is part 2 of a two-part series with Shelbi! Go back and listen to part 1 from last week if you haven't already. Shelbi is a freelance writer, book nerd, and world traveler. She’s traveled with friends and solo both internationally and around the US. In this episode, we talk about travel and money as freelancers: - How to afford travel multiple times a year - Traveling with friends - Traveling while working - Traveling solo - Travel hacking basics - How to make friends while traveling - Gett...
Sep 04, 2023•55 min•Season 3Ep. 8
Shelbi is a freelance writer, book nerd, and world traveler. She’s traveled with friends and solo both internationally and around the US. We talked for TWO HOURS, so I’ve split our casual conversation up into TWO episodes! The second episode will air next week. In this episode, we talk about: How Shelbi got started freelancing Our opinions on low-paying freelance work What really gets our goat How she budgets for travel (she visited 4 other countries this year and took 4 domestic trips too!) On ...
Aug 28, 2023•47 min•Season 3Ep. 7
Polly Clover joins us today to talk about: That time she bought a one-way ticket to teach English as a foreign language How she became a freelance writer Why she finally quit being a teacher The honesty that turned her from freelance writer to SEO expert How to LEARN Her new SEO Blogging Course How she DOUBLED her rates This episode is chock full of expert tips you can apply to your freelance career right now! Find Polly Online: Instagram Website Get Polly's SEO Blogging Course & Resources T...
Aug 07, 2023•43 min•Season 3Ep. 6
This week we're talking to Jackie “Dirt Nap” Lastinger, founder of The Girls Trip Adventure Co. The Girls Trip Adventure Co. empowers & connects women through outdoor adventure & travel! It’s a space for women to dip their foot into the world of backpacking and other activities with no pressure or judgment. Their next trips include: the Trans Catalina Trail, Channel Islands NP, and Alaska! Find Jackie on Instagram: @ jackieoutside @ thegirlstripadventureco...
Jul 17, 2023•43 min•Season 3Ep. 5
Ash Czarnota from Alpine Start Creative joins us today on the pod. She's a small business owner, freelance writer, thru-hiker, and fan of failing forward! Our freeform conversation talks about: what it was like to start her biz (spoiler: she flew by the seat of her pants) how she saved for, prepped her biz for, and went on a thruhike of the PCT what coming home from a thruhike to diving back into work felt like pro tips for new freelancers You can find Ash online: LinkedIn Instagram...
Jul 03, 2023•57 min•Season 3Ep. 4
Controversial take: you shouldn't share your rates publicly. In this episode, find out why! Plus, snag my pricing guide template. Get the Template: The Pricing Guide Template PS Insta is kinda my thing: Find me on Instagram
May 29, 2023•20 min
Your money mindset is foundational to your business. Your money mindset has been cultivated over your entire lifetime. Growing up in a capitalist society, everything has contributed to your mindset – From how your parents handled money to the community you grew up in. A good money mindset can mean making a thriving living as a freelance writer. Leaving your mindset unkempt can lead to a struggling business. It's time to heal your money mindset and create a solid foundation for your business. In ...
May 22, 2023•23 min•Season 4Ep. 1
This is the most commonly asked niche question I get – can you have more than 1 niche? There’s no hard and fast answer to this question, but my advice is: For the first 6 months of your business only focus on one niche. Pick the niche that has the most profit potential.
Apr 05, 2023•7 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Welcome back to the Guidebook! We're doing things a bit differently this season. Stay tuned for more...
Apr 05, 2023•2 min
This week’s episode features Kevin Grooman aka “Spacejam” + I met Kevin through Dylan’s hiker chat (go listen to last week’s episode!). He’s triple crowned and gotten engaged along the way. + In this episode we’re talking about triple crowning; navigating home ownership, a career, and thruhiking all at once; forging a relationship formed in “real life” on the trail; Casa de Luna and Hiker Heaven closing; CDT vs PCT vs AT culture and intimidation level; the most epic trail magic ever; paper maps ...
Aug 13, 2020•1 hr 25 min•Season 3Ep. 15
Dylan Tonkin This episode features Dylan “Pickle” Tonkin + I saw Dylan’s podcast come out at the end of 2018 when I was just under a year into my show. I remember being completely jealous and totally comparing myself to him bahahah I was still so self-conscious about podcasting back then. + Fast-forward to nearly a year and a half later, I decided to kick my ego out and message Dylan on Instagram to see if he might want to come on my show and do a crossover episode like the one I’d done with Tra...
Aug 06, 2020•1 hr 15 min•Season 3Ep. 14
It’s been so amazing to get to talk to thruhikers from other countries this season. You might remember episode 1 of this season with @ ValIsmaili who hiked the Transcaucasian trail. He connected me with @ Leahikes who is an expert thruhiker from Germany. She’s lived and hiked basically all over the world. + In this episode Lea and I got to chat about arranging your life to allow for lots of hiking, the time her backpack got stollen in Chile, vanlife in Switzerland, gear and food – of course, res...
Jul 31, 2020•1 hr 8 min•Season 3Ep. 14
I met AM Fog (aka @ ashermcglothlin ) on the Appalachian Trail in 2018 when we were both making our way Northbound through the Smokies. + Asher is a musician, grad student, and thruhiker. He just released a new EP called “Smothered, Lovered, and Covered” which is available now on his website and will be available on all streaming platforms on July 30th! + This episode is a simple shooting the shit trail stories episode much like the classic Podcast Here episodes from our origin. We talk about th...
Jul 24, 2020•54 min•Season 3Ep. 13
Welcome back to part two of my lovely chat with Elina "Tip Tap" Osborne!! + In this second part of our chat we dive deeper and discuss the impact of social media on thruhiking and story telling, the glorification of thruhiking on Youtube, the struggle of telling your own story and Elina's tips on beginning to tell your own, camping alone, and Elina's best cry on trail. + I hope y'all love this episode as much as I did. Elina has inspired me to work on my trail memoir again with renewed excitemen...
Jul 17, 2020•41 min•Season 3Ep. 12
This week’s guest is Elina “Tip Tap” Osborne (aka @ elinasborne )! . Oh my gosh, I had such a good time interviewing Elina. We have lots in common and the jokes were flowing!! We talked so much that this is going to be released as a two-part episode. . In this first part of our chat, we talk about loads of things. From life plans to the confidence we found on trail, post-trail grief to the euphoria of climbing Mount Witney, how it felt to edit her PCT videos after her thruhike, doing things for ...
Jul 13, 2020•50 min•Season 3Ep. 11
Welcome back to Season 1 of The Guidebook ! I'm your host Rachel. This here episode 4 features Anne “Scrappy” Baker (@ ennakrek ). + Anne has hiked the Wind River Travers, the Teton Crest Trail, the Sheltowee Trace Trail, parts of the Appalachian Trail and Mountains to Sea Trail, and completed the PCT in sections. She’s a PhD candidate too! + Anne wrote an article for The Trek called “ Post Trail Depression: It’s Not What You Think ” in 2019 and I immediately reached out to her to talk. I was so...
Jul 02, 2020•59 min•Season 3Ep. 10
This episode features Aaron Owens Mayhew. Aaron is a registered dietician and the creator of Backcountry Foodie! Aaron and her husband, Chris, live in a van they custom designed and built themselves. + We chat about how Aaron got started backpacking, thruhiking misadventures, how Aaron became a nutritionist and used those skills to create the Backcountry Foodie, the van that Aaron and her husband Chris designed and built together, and starting a small business together. Aaron also gives great ti...
May 14, 2020•54 min•Season 3Ep. 9
Our guest this week is Amanda aka @ tidelinetoalpine on Instagram! + Amanda has lived in a van for 6 years! She thru-hiked the PCT SOBO in 2018, Hiked the Washington section of the PCT in 2019 NOBO, and she’s hiked the Sunshine Coast Trail 3 times. Amanda is a climber, photographer, and writer too. She travels everywhere with her dog Frank who has summited over 60 peaks with her. She created @ walk9radio to share more about backpacking with dogs. + Amanda’s Instagram is full of truly honest and ...
May 08, 2020•33 min•Season 3Ep. 8
Our LIVE guest this week is Britany aka @ britanyinwanderland ! + Brit is the founder of @ 11thessential and a part-time road traveler who is building out a van with an incredible story. Brit is proof that stewardship matters and that a fun car camping adventure can be achieved in just about any vehicle. + I started following Brit for her stewardship promotion with 11th Essential and I stayed for her dope captions and adventures. We’ll be talking about her recently acquired van, the 11th Essenti...
May 02, 2020•39 min•Season 3Ep. 7
Nicholas thruhiked or LASHed for three consecutive hiking seasons and since then has settled down to have a family in Maine. He's hiked the AT, PCT, and a portion of the CDT. I started following Nicholas for his simple beginner’s film photography tricks! On this episode we’ll be chatting about film photography during a thruhike, completing three thruhikes in three years, and how your thoughts about thruhiking change over time (especially after having a kid!). If you love the show, share it with ...
Apr 25, 2020•35 min•Season 3Ep. 6
Our guest this week is Allison Williams aka @sizzlemayfield and @19hourswithsizzle!She has worked with @the_sca via @americrops, worked in land management and forest service, gone on an adventure with @nolsedu, and is a yogi. I can’t wait to chat with...
Apr 17, 2020•56 min
This episode features Tyler Lau, trail name: The Prodigy (@thehikingprodigy). He’s hiked over 8,000 miles in his lifetime including the Pacific Crest Trail, the John Muir Trail, and the Colorado Trail. He is one of 9 people to have completed a Calendar...
Apr 14, 2020•33 min
This episode features Tyler Lau, trail name: The Prodigy (@thehikingprodigy). He’s hiked over 8,000 miles in his lifetime including the Pacific Crest Trail, the John Muir Trail, and the Colorado Trail. He is one of 9 people to have completed a Calendar Year Triple Crown and the first person of color to do so. He is an active advocate for conservation and diversity in the outdoors.
Apr 12, 2020•1 hr 1 min
Kyle O'Grady is the host of Trail Tales and the creator of Kyle Hates Hiking! He's thru-hiked the Vermont Long Trail and the Appalachian Trail. Kyle has also completed the NH48 and the ADK46! In this LIVE episode (recorded on our Instagram), we're...
Apr 10, 2020•54 min
This episode is a seriously jam-packed hour. In the first half of the episode, we talk about how Val got into backpacking and trail building. About halfway through the episode, Val begins sharing stories from his hikes in Armenia and Georgia! His...
Mar 22, 2020•1 hr 25 min
