63: From $0 to $125K in One Year on Upwork (Lisa Cumes Interview)

63: From $0 to $125K in One Year on Upwork (Lisa Cumes Interview)

Author: Michael Leonard: Copywriter & Freelance Writing Coach March 6, 2020 Duration: 46:15

In today's guest interview, I had the opportunity to interview Lisa Cumes. She went from $0 to $125K in her first year freelancing on Upwork and has rapidly scaled her business since leaving the 9-5.

Lisa's secret weapon was to get potential clients on a Zoom call. Doing this allowed her personality to shine through, and in business people like to work with people they like and trust! She scaled her business and so can you!

  • Set Big Goals 
  • Understand What Motivates You
  • Set up a Proven Process and then Invite Clients into that Process
  • Listen to What Your Clients are Asking For 
  • Have a Growth Mindset
Double down on your strengths and watch your writing business soar. 
 
--

Lisa is a freelance copywriter and StoryBrand Guide who has built a 6 figure, online copywriting business, over the past 2 years. Last year, she shifted and scaled her business by bringing on a team of other copywriters to help more businesses and personal brands simplify their message and launch their mission.  Find out more about her copywriting business at Simple Story Solutions.


She also has a passion for helping freelancers stop hustling and start building thriving full time businesses. As a mom of 3 kids, she knows how to navigate mommy guilt, actually be productive working from home and coaches other freelancers through The Copywriter Coach with online courses, coaching and free webinars. 


Michael Leonard was a professional copywriter earning a solid salary before he walked away from that career in 2017. With no safety net, he built a thriving online writing business from the ground up. In his Inspire Your Success podcast, he gets into the real work behind that transition, moving beyond simple inspiration to offer a practical roadmap. Each conversation is grounded in his experience as a freelance writing coach, focusing on the actionable steps needed to build a sustainable independent career. You’ll hear honest discussions about the mental shifts required to leave a traditional job, the systems that actually generate income, and how to navigate the common pitfalls of entrepreneurship. This isn't about vague motivational talk; it's a detailed look at creating a business that affords more freedom, whether that means paying off debt, traveling, or simply designing a life with more flexibility. Tune in for a blend of strategic business advice and personal development insights, all drawn from Michael’s own journey from a structured 9-5 to successful self-employment. The podcast serves as a direct mentorship for anyone feeling stuck, providing the tangible tools and mindset needed to turn professional aspirations into a working reality.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Inspire Your Success
Podcast Episodes
108: From Dream Job at Google to Full-Time Medium Writer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:17
In this episode of Inspire Your Success podcast, I got to interview Omar Itani. Omar was working a dream job at Google a few years ago before he decided to pursue his entrepreneurial passions and quit his corporate job.…
107: How to Get Featured in Medium Publications as a New Writer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:15
Have you started writing on Medium.com yet? Recently, I've had a lot of students inside my course, Freelance to 5K, ask me about Medium lately and I wanted to share some of that with you. First off, Medium is a great pla…
105: 30 Day Plan to Make Your First $1,000 Freelance Writing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:56
In this writing Wednesday edition of Inspire Your Success podcast, I break down a 4-week, 30 day plan to earn your first $1,000 writing. If you've been struggling to hit your freelancing goals, you'll love this one. 30-D…
104: 7 Reasons Most Freelancers Fail [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:26
In this episode, I cover 7 reasons why most freelance writers (and freelancers in any niche for that matter) fail. My goal with Inspire Your Success podcast is to help you SPEED up success and I'm confident that avoiding…
103 - From Nutritionist to Full-Time Fitness Writer - Emilina Lomas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:08
In this episode, I interview Emilina Lomas who went from nutritionist to full-time writer. Learn how she used her passion for health and fitness to make a full-time income writing online. Do you have a passion but aren't…
102: How to Use the LOA to Attract Writing Clients [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:13
In today's episode, I talk about three ways to use the law of attraction to help you land freelance writing clients! LOA is a mindset tactic that when utilized will help you attract the things that you want into your lif…
101 - 3 Online Businesses to Start in a Post Pandemic World [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:35
In today's episode, I'm going to talk about three online businesses that you can start in a post-pandemic world coming up. It's the middle of June, and we're already four months into the entire pandemic situation. A lot…
100 - From Broke Depressed Writer to 6-Figure Entrepreneur [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:19
I'm so excited to share my episode number 100 with you! That's right. We just hit triple digits of the show. And in this special episode I want to show you how I went from broke, depressed, blogger to a full time thrivin…
99 - Why You Should Quit Hustling [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:35
In today's episode, we talk all about hustling, but not about doing more. Instead, I want to talk to you about why you should quit hustling, how I was able to do it in 2019 and still double my revenue over 2018 coming up…