Episode 9: Connection - not perfection - with copywriter and small business mentor Kate O’Mealley

Today’s guest on the Not Just About Copy podcast is copywriter, editor, professional typo spotter and small business mentor, Kate O’Mealley.

Kate founded Oh My Word in 2004… way back when social media and side hustles weren’t a thing! In the beginning, she juggled her small business with working full-time in big business – but had a sneaky feeling corporate life wasn’t for her.

With 15 years of experience in corporate communications, Kate’s written about many things from superannuation to chocolate. She’s also been a ghostwriter for CEOs and AFL footballers.

These days, Kate puts her wordy skills and business experience to good use mentoring and working with a range of businesses, not for profits and solopreneurs. Kate is also Deputy Editor and feature writer for Coal Coast Magazine – Wollongong’s leading lifestyle magazine.

Despite having her own thriving copywriting business, Kate has never felt like a rival when it comes to business. She truly epitomises the adage of community over competition, generously building up emerging writers, sharing leads and giving expert advice. It’s been such a pleasure to get to know Kate over the past 4 years. Her take on small business life is refreshing, both in terms of the content and her straight-talking delivery.

In this episode we talk about:

The importance of like-minded communities and networks, both online and in real life, especially if you work for yourself
Only being what you can see – and how this helped Kate carve out a vision for Oh My Word and lead the charge for others seeking work/life integration
Not trying to be everything to everyone and the freedom that comes from this
Why traditional performance reviews suck and what a Kate O’Mealley version looks like
Paralysis by analysis and why done is better than perfect, and
Which book she threw across the room when she read it during lockdown.

This is a fantastically raw and real conversation with the very generous Kate O’Mealley…

How you can connect with Kate: