After freelancing off and on for several years, Mary Knowles Tindall launched her content agency in 2018. She’s carved out a unique niche, assisting healthcare companies in developing content for B2B sales.
As an agency owner, Mary encourages even solo business owners to think of themselves as CEOs. She also thinks freelancers who take the time to upskill and pursue specialized work will see the most success in the coming years.
Read on to learn more about her journey to agency owner and how she’s helping new freelancers break into the healthcare niche.
When did you start freelancing?
I’ve been freelancing off and on for more than a decade, but I officially started my business in 2018. Today I run a niche content marketing agency specializing in B2B healthcare.
I earn a full-time income from my business, although I work part-time hours. This is my family’s main income stream.
Why did you choose to pursue freelance work?
As a mom of four young children, I craved more control over my schedule. I also wanted the ability to choose my clients, teammates and projects.
What is your niche and how did you choose it?
Our niche is B2B healthcare, and we often work with clients in the life sciences space, which is like a cousin to healthcare. We sometimes take on projects outside our industry niche if they sound really interesting.
I’ve been interested in the business of healthcare for a long time. Working in media relations at my last job, I got a lot of exposure to the business strategy of a major health system in our region. That experience whetted my appetite for working with movers and shakers in healthcare.
Over time, I gravitated to working with vendors in the healthcare space and writing content for their buyers, rather than patient-facing content. That’s when I decided to specialize in the B2B healthcare niche.
Who are the clients you work with?
Healthcare is extremely broad. We’ve worked with clients all over the map, in areas like healthcare fintech, clinical workflow technology, medical staffing firms, clinical research organizations and companies in the venture capital space. We’re very fortunate to partner with such a variety of clients doing meaningful, important work in the world.
What types of projects do you work on?
We specialize in buyer/sales enablement, which means we create assets that support the B2B sales process. This often includes white papers, ebooks, guides and thought leadership articles. We also consult with clients on their content strategy – some clients have one in place already, while others turn to us for help defining their strategy.
Where do you freelance from?
I live and work in Central Florida, about an hour north of the theme parks.
Tell us about two tools you rely on to run your business.
Name one thing that’s surprised you about freelancing.
When I started my business, I expected to replace my income, but I wasn’t really dreaming of much more. What I didn’t fully appreciate at the time is that business ownership removes the cap on your earning potential. The harder and smarter you work, the more money you make.
Of course, that’s true as an employee to an extent, but it’s always somewhat out of your hands. Owning your business makes the relationship between your achievements and income much more direct. Being the owner puts you in the driver’s seat to grow as much (or as little) as you want to.
It’s imperative for freelancers to upskill into more specialized, in-demand types of work and stop trying to compete for commodity content gigs.
Made any big mistakes during your freelance journey?
I’m task-oriented by nature. When my kids were very young, staying head-down on client projects was a necessity because I had limited time to work. I wish I’d invested more time into building my own platform and acting as a CEO, rather than dedicating all my efforts to client work. That’s something I’m catching up on now.
What are you proudest of with your business?
I’m proud of my initiative and ability to self-educate. I also think it takes courage and tenacity to show up for your business, day in and day out. It’s an emotional rollercoaster at times. So I’m proud of myself for that, too.
There’s lots of advice out there for freelancers. What advice do you agree with?
Relationships are key. When I talk with aspiring freelancers, I often emphasize the power of a few solid relationships to build your client base. I’ve had many mentors and peers who have helped me get to this stage in my career. We can’t go it alone.
What common advice do you disagree with?
It’s not really advice, but I disagree with the sentiment that owning a freelance business is objectively better than being an employee. It’s such an individual decision. For me, it’s the right choice, but the tradeoffs are real.
What areas of opportunities do you see for current or future freelancers?
I’m bullish on B2B healthcare as a niche, and I’m actually leading a coaching cohort on breaking into that niche as a freelance writer.
Overall, I think it’s imperative for freelancers to upskill into more specialized, in-demand types of work and stop trying to compete for commodity content gigs.
We also need to understand the broader marketing mix so we can contribute more strategically. The marketing field is evolving incredibly fast. It’s critical to invest in professional development, whether that’s conferences, courses, mentorship or staying on top of industry news.
Find Mary and her agency online at calliopecomms.com or connect with her on LinkedIn. You can also learn more about her B2B Healthcare Marketing Course at breakintob2b.com.