TOC #240: idk if this is the update you're expecting...
(July 29, 2025) SARA'S SUMMER OFF: an update about Side Character's side character, my best ChatGPT tip, the true best thing to do during a slow season, + my new newsletter
If the last time we talked about this subject — and the 60+ replies it garnered — is any indication, I genuinely think you might be more excited about this than I am…
So, I'm just gonna come out and say it:
Side Character now has his own side of the bed. 👀
And Side Character comes with his own 4-legged side character, who happens to be just as cute as he is. 👀
A lot of the girlies who played along with my little guessing game a few weeks ago (aka if you replied to my newsletter guessing what my “news" was) came pretty close to guessing that my boyfriend was moving in with me, but weirdly the most common guess was that I'm buying a beach house.
Thank you for manifesting that over my life + believing I'm successful enough to purchase two homes in the course of one year. ILY for that.
And anyone who knows me well knows that what I'm about to say next means I really love my Side Character…
I'm more excited about him (and his dog) moving in with me than I am about the thought of buying a beach house.
I could not possibly be happier to fall asleep next to him, wake up next to him, spend all day with him, then do it all over again, forever.
He is genuinely the best person I know. I love that man so much.
But, no, you're still not seeing his face until I see a ring on my left hand.
BEACH CHAIR FRIENDLY BACK-END TASK
As you know, every week for the past few months, I've been sharing this lil beach-chair-friendly task for you to do, but today, I thought I'd share what *I* did from MY beach chair this week!
By now you probably also know that I have a thing for writing lists of 30, so when I sat my booty in the sand the other day, it should be no surprise that the first thing I did was whip out my Decomposition Notebook and get started on a list of 30 sales emails I can send about Success Story.
By the time I closed my notebook, I'd actually ended up with 57.
I re-read my list, and realized that most of my email ideas would actually make great newsletters, but only if the audience were solely copywriters (bc they'd be the only ones interested / able to fully benefit from what I planned to share).
I then noticed that I'd pretty much planned an entire year's worth of content.
So, I created a place for the content to thrive… 😏
→ Click here to subscribe to Open Loop, my Copywriter-Only newsletter for shit you can't Google about running a successful copywriting business!
SOARING THROUGH THE SLOW SEASON
91.67% of the year, I'm an extremely hardworking person.
Like, I'm actively choosing work over play because I genuinely LIKE it, and want to.
But the 8.33% of the year that I allow myself to be a lazy, tan blob — which, of course, is specifically July, for me — you actually would have to drag me by my hair to sell online.
And that's coming from someone who LOOVVVESSSS to sell, as evidenced by, well… my whole existence.
So, trust me when I say: I get that selling online can be exhausting.
Unfortunately, though, it's necessary. Ask me about how my July income compares to every other month of the year.
(Hint: it's less.)
BUT! But but but…
I've allowed that to be okay. I've built my business to support it.
So, today, instead of telling you what to post on Threads, or who to reach out to so you can foster a connection, or how to get business to pick back up, I'm asking you to let your slow season be slow for a sec.
Have you ever thought about what you'd do if you just had the time?
Guess what: that's what your slow season can be. Creatives NEED that space!
When you flip the script and allow that slower period to be your welcome reprieve of free time, redefining the meaning from “ugh, I need more business” to “wow, this is so nice, now I can catch up on ___ and make time for ___ and finally be able to ___” your positive mindset shift will benefit you in more ways than one.
So… what would you do if you had the time?
UNDER THE BUSINESS UMBRELLA
In a gorgeous turn of events, I've remembered that I have a podcast.
And on that podcasts, I often have wicked smart guests.
Said smart guests say smart shit. Why am I not sharing any of that shit with you?!
I'm gonna start.
I had attorney + tax pro Braden Adam Drake on the Point of the Story podcast this week, and he did not hold back.
Here are his 5 top no-BS tips for getting your business legally and financially legit — before the IRS comes for you 🤪
#1 — Get a separate business bank account.
If you can’t tell whether your Target trip was for business or “just needed a throw pillow,” it’s time. This is step one for not creating a tax nightmare.
#2 — Start saving for taxes — automatically.
Braden recommends 20% if you’re not at six figures yet. Set up auto-transfers to a separate tax folder (he uses Novo). Because most of us can’t be trusted to move it manually.
#3 — Classify your team correctly.
That “contractor” you hired to do work that’s exactly what you do? Yeah, she might legally need to be an employee. Especially in states that use the ABC test. Misclassification = audits + back taxes.
#4 — Trademark your shit.
Don’t wait until someone else steals your program name and sends you a cease-and-desist. Braden has a $100 search and $1,500 filing service that beats a forced rebrand later.
#5 — Get business insurance.
Even if you use Stripe. Even if your biz is “small.” Even if your mom says you’re fine. It’s another layer of protection (Braden says think sweatpants, I say think condoms — both vibes apply).
None of this is as sexy as a brand photoshoot or a shiny new offer — but this is the stuff that makes your business real. And safe. And scaleable. The IRS does not care if you’re a “creative.” Protect your ass.
🎧 Listen to the full episode: Stop Getting Fucked by Your Own Business with Braden Adam Drake
SHELLING OUT MY BEST CHATGPT TIPS
People alwaysss wanna ask the copywriter about AI.
Is AI affecting your job?
Are you not getting as many clients because of AI?
Do you think robots will take over?
Or, when they're a little bit more clued into the online business owner world:
What do you use AI for?
And that, I think, deserves its own newsletter, when you're asking in a work context, but today, I need to share my most recent discovery about how Chatty can help.
Transcribing my notes.
Omg I can't tell you how smart I felt when I thought to myself “I wish I could have this list of 57 email topic ideas on my computer” — then remembered I had a robot in my pocket who could probably do it for me.
I took pictures of the pages, uploaded them to Chatty, then asked him to transcribe it, and group it by topic.
Sure, there were a few line items my cute baby robot couldn't quite decipher, but it was a small price to pay for an overall pretty damn good transcription.
If you, too, are an analog girlie at heart (aka you love writing and listing with pen and paper) but need, in some instances, for things to be digital: I highlyyy rec this use.
THE LOVE-YOU-BYE LOVE NOTE
Ok gotta go enjoy the last shred of July before I spend all of August finalizing my own copy, writing websites for an email marketer and a photographer, launching my new copywriter-only newsletter, and preparing for the launch of Site Series® SPRINT (with an exciting twist👀) !!!!
Don't forget that you can take $30 off of my most popular educational resources til the end of the summer, too! Here's the link with the discount codes <3
LOVE YOU BYE!
—S
If we haven’t had the chance to *virtually* meet yet, hi! I’m Sara Noel—website copywriter and marketing mentor for creatives, copywriters, and all-around cool people. If you like my content and you want even more BTL in your life, here are a few ways you can connect with me:
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