Customer Profile: Naomi Beaty, Screenwriter

There are so many different types of ittybiz owners in the world, but so often only the biggest or flashiest ones get represented in the media we consume.

To counter this, I've been interviewing real IttyBiz customers and clients so that you can see the variety and diversity of solo businesses out there – and the different ways that people run their business and manage their work.

So without further ado, I'd love to introduce you to IttyBiz customer…

Naomi Beaty!

Hey Naomi! What do you & your ittybiz do?

I'm a script consultant. So I work with screenwriters, directors, and producers on their film and TV projects. Usually this occurs as 1-on-1 consult sessions over Zoom. And I also teach small-group screenwriting and story structure workshops to help writers develop and finish their movie ideas.

Where can people find your website?

writeandco.com

How long have you been running this business?

I've been working as a consultant for over 10 years, but officially started Write + Co. almost exactly 5 years ago!

Why did you start this business? What was the catalyst or “reason why”?

In my first five years of consulting I worked mainly as a “sub-contractor” of sorts, doing a version of what I do now under other companies. But I found that version of the work to be pretty unsatisfying.

The work felt impersonal because I didn't work as closely with the writers or have the type of ongoing working relationships I get to have now. I knew I could provide more and better help to the people I worked with, so I decided to do it my own way.

What was the hardest part of getting started / the early years?

It was everything outside of my story and screenwriting area of expertise. Figuring out (without getting totally overwhelmed) all of the “businessy” stuff: how much and what kind of branding do I need, what is marketing and how do I do it, how do I make a website happen, etc.

What’s easier for you now than it was in the beginning of your business?

Probably making decisions about all of that “businessy” stuff. I feel like over time I've learned there's a lot of stuff I COULD do, but not all of it would really move the needle for my business.

So I've gotten better about letting the shiny objects pass by and sticking to the basics that seem to work for me, or at least being more deliberate about the new things I implement or experiment with.

How many hours a week do you work on average?

It really depends on the week (and the season) and how much I want to work. Because there are always things I could be doing, projects I'd like to get to someday (books I'd like to write!), but I'm not always in grind-y hustle mode. I guess on average probably 30 hours a week.

How much time do you spend per week on social media?

Ugh. That sums up my feelings about social media.

I basically spend as little time as possible. Once or twice a year I might get on a Pinterest kick and I make a bunch of pins and then have a cycle of maybe 2 months where I'm pinning regularly each week.

I Tweet on occasion, but usually just a retweet if someone posts a link to one of my interviews or something. I actually want to use LinkedIn more regularly (does that count as social media?) – that’s on my To Do list.

I've had a private Facebook group that I've been running for a few years, but just this month I decided to close it down because I don't want to spend the time it takes to make it active and worthwhile, and it doesn't seem to be one of the big ways that new clients find me.

Do you answer your own email, or does someone else do it?

I answer my own email! I like fielding questions from writers and connecting with the people on my email list and potential new clients. And the volume of my email isn't enough to feel like I need someone else to do it.

How frequently do you produce content?

I write one new article each week that I send out to my email list and then post on my site. Occasionally I also sit for an interview on someone else's podcast or YouTube channel, but not too often.

How frequently do you email your list?

Once per week. If I'm starting a new workshop soon I might send an extra email for a couple of weeks, but that's only a few times a year.

Do you do everything yourself, or do you hire others to manage parts of your business? If the latter, what do you hire out?

I do everything myself. Recently I talked to someone about taking over social media (or, you know, implementing it since I'm not actually doing it now) but I haven't committed to it yet.

What’s the best purchase / investment you’ve ever made for your business?

Three things:

First – I bought a WordPress theme that let me get a professional-looking website up very quickly. That was great because I'm not a techy person and I could easily have procrastinated that task for a couple of years otherwise.

And next – about a year and a half in – I signed up for Fast Track to Fully Booked with Naomi Dunford, which was awesome and basically a total makeover for my website and business. I feel like that was a “leveling up” turning point.

Third – About three years in I joined an ongoing membership/coaching program, Wandering Aimfully, which is a great resource for me since I can ask all kinds of questions about the “businessy” stuff I mentioned before – the stuff I need to know to run my business but isn’t itself my chosen profession.

One thing that’s surprised me is how my business is constantly changing and evolving, so it’s helpful to have a reliable support group and brain trust.

What’s your favorite product in the Karma Store?

It's probably a tie between the The 1-Hour Content Plan and Product in a Weekend. I love to learn and to deep-dive into subjects, but honestly – when I need to get something done, what I really want is a plan to get it done effectively and efficiently.

Both of these resources do that – they give you exactly what you need to know to have your lightbulb moments but also get your stuff done so you can go take a nap.

More customer profiles are coming – maybe one will be yours?

If you're an IttyBiz customer and would like to be featured in an upcoming customer profile, get in touch!

And if you're not a customer yet, consider Naomi's favorite products, The 1-Hour Content Plan and Product in a Weekend. – or any of the pay-what-you-want products in the Karma Store.

100% of store profits go to help ittybiz owners around the world through Kiva, in over 60 countries so far!

Take care!