Member Highlight: Melody Bay of Fresh Pages Co
Who or what inspired you to start your business?
Serving other creatives. Words have always been my outlet for expression, and I believe they have the power to build your reputation, increase your likeability as a brand, and persuade people to buy from you. When done right, they make you money.
I realised that my fellow creative entrepreneurs were struggling with their brand messaging, so I was sharing tips on how they could write better website and social media content. That’s how I began Fresh Pages. From there, I refined my services to include done-for-you copy and consulting.
What was your biggest struggle when starting out?
Definitely selling. As an introvert, I absolutely cannot sell to save my life. But after a lot of trial and error, and reading books like “The Introvert’s Edge”, I’ve learned that it’s possible for my work to sell itself if I simply focus on discovering my client’s needs and how I can deliver value to them.
What’s the number one thing you attribute to growing your business?
Not trying to do it all yourself. I think my best investments have been hiring people or engaging systems that help me with essential parts of my business, such as social media and client onboarding. You can’t grow if you don’t invest.
What podcasts are you listening to or business books are you reading right now?
I just bought “The Introvert’s Edge” by Matthew Pollard and “Building a Storybrand” by Donald Miller. These are books that I found myself borrowing again and again from the library, so I decided to just buy my own copies. I would strongly recommend these two to anyone who’s in sales or marketing, or even just business owners looking to improve their own brand.
What mindset shifts have you made to set your business up for success?
That I am worth my price. I struggled a lot with Imposter Syndrome when first starting out, and asked myself why I would charge thousands for a project that takes me hours to complete. I think everyone starts out like that, but along the way we learn that we’re never just charging for the hours, but the years we’ve spent perfecting our craft and the expertise we can bring to the table as a result.
Secondly, that I have to trust other people. As a perfectionist, I was loath to let any aspect of my business go, even though I was burned out trying to do everything myself. When I first started hiring VAs, I was so sure they were going to mess up. But since then I have learned that it’s necessary to train people and forgive them for mistakes, and that it’s an essential part of transitioning from a solopreneur to CEO.
What’s your favorite music to listen to when you’re working?
It really depends on the type of work! If it’s admin work, I love listening to lo-fi and swing jazz. If it’s just before a client meeting, I listen to K-Pop to hype myself up and get into the headspace – there’s just something about their jaunty style that elevates my confidence even though I don’t understand a single word. If it’s deep work like writing, then I prefer silence so I can think clearly.
How do you decide on what images to use for your brand?
Keeping a consistent brand image is very important to me, so I look for images that reflect a light & feminine aesthetic.
What’s your favorite Haute Stock collection?
This is a tough one! I have so many, but my favourites would be the Dwell Collection for its dreamy images that embrace slow living, Fresh Linen for its moody yet minimalist aesthetic, and the Home Office Collection for the light feminine feel.
How has Haute Stock helped you in your business?
Haute Stock has completely taken away the burden of having to look for images for social media. As a copywriter and communications strategist, I can’t tell you how invaluable this is, because all words and no pics make for a very, very boring page.
I also love that Haute Stock has a personalised service where they look for images that suit your brand and curate them for you. Their customer service is also amazing – I had to take a break from my subscription for a couple of months in 2020 due to the pandemic, and they allowed me to pause and then resume after business was back on track.
What has been your biggest business lesson learned?
Charge your worth. A lot of the time, we don’t charge our worth because we think our work is too easy or we do it too quickly to justify the price. Would we value a bomb defuser’s work any less just because he took only two seconds to clip the wire? He’s not paid for the two seconds it took – he’s paid for the expertise and years of training that taught him which wire to clip. Same goes for us. If anyone ever dares to tell you that “it’s just a few words” or “it’s just a simple logo” and that you should charge less, ask them if they would ever tell a bomb defuser that “it’s just a wire”.
Melody Bay
is a word nerd, pasta enthusiast, and copywriter serving creatives from all over the world. At Fresh Pages Co, she specialises in bringing out brands’ unique personalities and polishing their message to sell effortlessly to their ideal customer. When not writing, Melody can be found drumming, singing in the shower, or finishing her thirteenth cup of tea for the day.
stay connected: @freshpages.co