8 min read

Getting to know - Hayden Maskell

Written by

Aiman Kabetenova

Published on

February 17, 2022

‍Tell us a bit about yourself, what's your background?

I studied copywriting at university but wasn’t able to take an unpaid internship—which was the only thing going in 2008. After that I meandered through a few different careers: teacher, bartender, bank teller, appliance salesman, barista, cheese chef. None of them stuck, but I think they gave me a nice smorgasbord of experience to draw on.

Tell us about your journey as a freelancer.

Off and on for years, I had been writing things for different businesses—articles, web pages, that kind of stuff—as a very tiny side hustle. I started doing more in about 2018, thinking I might get into marketing somehow. Just as it was going well, I lost my day job.

It was terrifying, but my partner was incredibly supportive, and I was lucky enough to have one friend who helped me land my first couple of clients. If not for other people, I wouldn’t be able to go it alone.

In 2019, after a year of doing just about anything loosely marketing/communications related, I really honed in on the copywriting. That’s when it started to feel like I was properly freelancing, and forging my own path.

What is the personal or freelance project you are most proud of? Why?

Kat from Cloudy Bay contacted me via Unicorn Factory and asked if I could write a book. I said yes, and then proceeded to reel with gleeful panic.

It was an intense, rewarding and incredibly satisfying process. I got to go and see their amazing winery and accommodation, meet their teams, go out for dinner and make some great connections. What started off as a single project has turned into a strong relationship, and to this day they are my main client. I’m incredibly lucky.

At the time of writing, the book is being printed (Thanks for the delays, COVID) but I’ve grabbed some sneaky screenshots of the digital version.

What would you say is the most rewarding part of being a freelancer?

Integrity. I have to produce the best work I can 100% of the time because I have to be honest about it with clients and myself. There’s nothing to hide behind, and in my case, nobody to make it look pretty. My pitches have to be lean and sharp. My work has to be compelling in 12pt Times New Roman on a crappy computer screen. As a result, nailing it is incredibly satisfying.

Actually, scratch that. Leaving my office at 3.17 on any given Friday is pretty rewarding.

What is the most challenging part of running a freelancing business?

Running a business means you have to do everything, despite not being very good at everything. You have to do your own professional development, which is really hard. You are your own QC (though if you’re lucky, you can bounce work off a trustworthy fellow freelancer).

Probably the toughest bit is managing the accounting and financial side, because it’s a total hat swap. I’d really like to start my own micro-agency in part because other people could do the bits I don’t like.

What has worked best for you when it comes to finding new clients?

I do hereby solemnly swear I am not under any pressure to make this statement: Unicorn Factory has been the most impactful resource for me.

Roughly 90% of my work has come through UF, mostly from repeat or ongoing business. With that said, having a good website is key. Almost every prospect email starts with this line:

“I saw your profile on Unicorn Factory and had a look at your website.”

No matter what, own your brand assets. Invest in them— photography, design, logos, website—and use them consistently. I doubt anyone reads any of it in detail, but a cohesive brand will invade the subconscious and persuade the brain

What advice would you give anyone wanting to start freelancing?

I think about this question a lot. There’s plenty of helpful advice on freelancing out there on Twitter or in newsletters or websites. There are templates, great communities, experts, resources…you name it, and the ’net abides. If you want to start freelancing, there’s never been a better time.

A caveat, though: it has to be hard.

You have to go through it all. You have to be prepared to hurt financially. You have to take on rubbish jobs to find the good ones. No amount of free templates, communities, webinars and Twitter threads can train your brain to spot red flags in a request. There’s no panacea for your pricing, no simple secret to the perfect proposal. Sometimes you have to break your own rules, and sometimes you’ll regret it. You’ll need luck, and luck will come your way (if you keep an eye out for it).

If you are good at what you do, someone will pay you handsomely for it—eventually. It’s going to take at least a couple of years. Be patient and work harder than you ever have before, because it’s absolutely worth it.