Story & Lesson Highlights with Emily Aborn of New Hampshire

Emily Aborn shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Good morning Emily, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What is a normal day like for you right now?
While every day is a little different, I’m a big fan of routines that decrease my daily decision-making. For example, if my routine is to take a walk each morning, I don’t have to take up space in my brain trying to motivate myself to do or decide whether or not I’m going to, I simply have it as my routine to put on my sneakers and go! Parting ways from the example and showing it in action, I start each day with a short meditation to check in with my body and breathing. Then, I put on my sneakers and head out the door to get sunshine in my eyes first thing (the weather in New England isn’t conducive to this year-round, so I soak this opportunity up during the seasons I can!). When I get back, coffee is ON, I play a few NYT games: Wordle, Connections, etc. while I wait for the good stuff to brew, and then I sit down with my journal. After time on the page, I do a brief “power” hour, which gives me time to check in on emails, respond to anything urgent, and post/engage on social media for my business. Rain, snow, or shine, I take a walk in nature, then it’s time to get ready for my day and get to work. I structure my days so that each day of the week has a “theme” and every day is a bit different: Monday is focused on small or easy admin tasks and small client projects. Tuesdays are deep work, long work blocks. Wednesdays are usually packed with client calls, networking, and kickoff calls. Thursdays vary every other week, and Fridays are a day I focus on my own business, my home, and self-care. The weekends are usually spent working on home projects and errands or with my husband, friends, or family.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
From hypnosis to wind turbines… I really have written it all! I’m a Small Business Copywriter, Podcast Host of “Small Business Casual”, and Content Marketing Consultant. A writer, entrepreneur at heart, and avid reader from a very young age, my path to a successful business was anything but linear. I went to school for Health Education, got my degree, and spent 6 years trying and failing to open a business I loved.

I worked in the health field (always in a marketing/content creation role) and opened a retail shop with my husband in 2014, offering sleep products. In 2018, we made the decision to close the store for personal reasons, and I began my copywriting business as my next step, finally following the call to write and create for myself and others.

Today, I’ve had the honor and joy of collaborating and educating 1,000’s of individuals in the area of content creation, marketing, and self-expression and I’ve written for over 118 different industries as a copywriter. I work with small businesses and brands to write their website copy, blogs, emails, social, you name it! I love learning about my clients to unlock their distinct personality, creativity, and one-in-eight-billion difference as we bring to life the vision for their business.

While my unofficial niche is copywriting for home trades and interior design, I work with many local businesses, consultants, coaches, and nonprofits as well, and I’m currently working on:
1. An informational Welcome Packet for a 62+ LifePlan community
2. Writing captivating client success stories for a nonprofit small business consulting group
3. Crafting stand-out website copy for a Health & Wellness Coach

I love educating others through my Small Business Casual podcast, being a guest on podcasts, and speaking to small groups and organizations looking for inspiration and yes, a couple of good laughs along the way. 🙂

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who taught you the most about work?
A strong work ethic and dedication are in my DNA. My grandfathers (on both sides) owned businesses. My mom’s dad (my Grampy) taught me the most about the power of customer service and work. He owned a general store on a peninsula in rural Maine, where I had the pleasure of working one summer. His commitment to his customers and business was unparalleled. He knew every customer by name, always went the extra mile, and delivered on his promises. He also taught me about the value of taking breaks, resting, and focusing on priorities in life outside of work. Because he actually did NOT do this, I watched it do a lot of damage to his relationships and family. He often missed visits and holidays because he was in the shop working, and I feel… as I think many of his grandkids did, we didn’t get enough time to know him for who he was.

Additionally, when I was 16, my employer handed me a book to read prior to onboarding me called “Hug Your Customers”. Reading that book was confirmation of everything my grampy did right in the realm of customer care and experience. It was very affirming that we were two of hearts and committed to being our BEST as business owners.

What that book and my grampy forgot to include, and was perhaps the biggest lesson for me, is that you also need time to focus on who/what you love and life outside of work too.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
I remember many afternoons, in the early stages of this business and my former business, lying on the floor, staring at the ceiling, wondering what on earth I’d built. In my own retail shop, I was very unhappy and felt like my true purpose and passion weren’t being tapped into and fulfilled. And when I started my copywriting business, it wasn’t at all easy going at first. Challenging situations, clients, friendships, financial hardships, and add on a pandemic just two years in, and you’ve got yourself an officially rocky journey. There were many days I wanted to throw in the towel and find a dream job on LinkedIn or Indeed that would pay me well and make everything in life “easier”. I didn’t give up, though. I streamlined A LOT, I said no, A LOT, and I learned the ways in which I work and who I work with that lights me up. I think we’re promised a lot of quick success and fast wins as business owners if we’re just doing it like so-and-so on the internet. In reality, it often takes a lot of trial and error, experimentation, and a willingness to just put yourself out there, try, and discover what you LOVE. You can kiss a lot of proverbial frogs prior to finding your sweet spot and groove.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
Those who know me, know that my top priorities in life right now are my home and family, my business and career, and my well-being which includes relationships, health and wellness, and joy. I wear my heart on my sleeve (for better or worse) and what really matters to me at the end of the day is honesty and truth. Both being honest and truthful to others and them reciprocating. I think a lot of people see me as an organized, dedicated, hard worker, and I am… but, I also love laughter, deep conversations, adventures, and spending time with my favorite people. I want EVERYONE to be and express their true selves and I think my closest friends would say that comes shining through as the utmost importance to me.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you tap dancing to work? Have you been that level of excited at any point in your career? If so, please tell us about those days. 
Most days, I AM tap dancing to work and over the moon about what I do and the opportunity I have to collaborate with amazing individuals. There are challenging days, clients, and speedbumps for sure, but my favorite days are days I get to WOW someone by feeling seen and heard with a reflection of their voice reflected back to them. I also love days of connecting with clients and learning about all the great work they’re doing in the world. As much as I love connecting with others, the days I get to spend in peace and quiet, distraction-free are the days I most look forward to because I get to give my curiosity and creativty some legroom and do what I do best which is research, learn, and WRITE.

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Image Credits
Laurie Cesati Young Pups Photography

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