Swathi Bhaskaran: An engineer turned marketer who is juggling like a pro between freelancing and motherhood

An engineer turned content marketer, Swathi is a Pro when it comes to writing content
for technology companies. A self-proclaimed crazy planner, she has everything on her planner, her assignments, invoices, and even her child’s activities. Read Swathi’s interesting story in this blog:

Why did you choose to freelance? Did you ever do a job?

I worked in a cloud communications company as a Content Marketer before choosing to freelance full-time. Before that, I was working in the manufacturing industry.

I chose to freelance because of the freedom in terms of choosing my hours and projects. Working with multiple clients means that I learn something new all the time– and that excites me!

Since how long you have been freelancing?

It’s been a year now. I pivoted to full-time freelancing in September 2019.

What kind of clients do you generally work with? International or local

My work is predominantly focused on marketing writing (both content and copy) for B2B SaaS and technology companies. I’ve worked with clients from India, the US, and Australia so far.

Why did you choose this freelancing profession?

Although I was good at solving problems and being an engineer, it still felt like “work”. Writing is what came naturally to me, and I decided to make a career out of it.

How do you find leads to your work?

Referrals work best for freelancers. I get a steady and decent number of leads from my website as well. 

Why only Tech? Have you tried other areas for writing?

I wrote about Travel many years ago. But tech writing is my forte as I have an engineering background and can break down tech jargon into common parlance.

What do you do, readings, etc., to polish your skills?

I read a lot! Not just marketing literature, but a lot of fiction as well. It helps develop a unique voice and builds empathy in writing.

Online resources: Copyhackers, CXL, Hubspot, Ahrefs, etc.

Books: Influence by Robert Cialdini, Seth Godin’s books, On Writing by Stephen King, Everybody Writes by Ann Handley.

What’s the best part and the worst part of being a freelancer?

The best part– Working on my own schedule, location independence, and don’t have to commute in Bangalore traffic.

The worst part is- Early-stage freelancers need to do the admin work, accounting, marketing, writing, and website management all by themselves before they can find their footing and hire outside help. It can get very taxing. 

How do you manage both, the responsibilities of a family and your freelance work?

I plan like a crazy woman. Haha. My planner has everything- from pending invoices, deadlines, grocery lists, activities for my child, etc.

Communication is key— my family knows my office hours and what to expect during that time. Since I work from home, this distinction is necessary to ensure work doesn’t spill into family time and vice versa.

Swathi can be reached on Refrens, Twitter, and on LinkedIn.

Our blog on How to land a deal during tough times is a must-read. Read it here.