Hustlin
It may be April Fools Day but these Geniuses are not here to play. Hustlers by day and night, Paul and Amber Wignall are raising the bar for freelancers everywhere without breaking a sweat.
- Amber is a young and energetic mom, who made the decision to put her 20-year corporate career on hold to raise her three children. Her tots include one adorable three-year-old boy and beautiful twin girls, only just a year old. But Amber isn’t a regular mom, she’s a Genius mom. Throughout the day, you can find Amber working on projects for up to 7 hours, finding little moments of time to get work done. She’s truly an inspiration to women everywhere.
- Paul doesn’t make excuses either. He keeps his days busy as a manager at his full-time job and when he comes home for the night, he spends some time with his family before he hammers out 5-7 hours on WorkGenius. Paul calls himself a “bulldog” when he’s freelancing and we have to agree. His likes to block out a chunk of time to get as much work done as possible and he’ll do this routine several times a week. On weekends, Paul works on the platform up to 15 hours, alternating between playing with his kids, and working on jobs. This family seriously knows how to multitask!
We interviewed this dynamic duo to learn how they parent, work a full-time job, and freelance on the side. Read more on how this couple did it.
Why did you decide to start freelancing?
Amber: We initially heard about WorkGenius through a friend and thought it was just a great opportunity. Our primary goal has been to use the extra money to have a few credit cards paid off and maybe at the end of the year a car paid off. That would actually be life-changing for us. On top of that, it just fits perfectly into our lifestyles and as a stay-at-home mom, I still have 1-1 time with the kids.
Paul: Exactly that. Our first experience with freelancing has been with WorkGenius and it’s just a great fit for us. The content related jobs are perfect for me because I have a passion for the English language, grammar, and writing. Like Amber said, one reason for us to start freelancing has been to clear out some debt we’ve incurred so that hopefully we can be debt free by the end of this year or early next. Without a doubt, having some side income has been a driving force for us.
What do you like about freelancing?
Amber: For me, it’s the freedom and autonomy of freelancing. The fact that I don’t have to report to a boss, I’m not micromanaged, and can do whatever I want is great. In my experience, I find that I perform so much better when I’m working on my own terms and of course everyone is different but it’s incredibly liberating. Especially with my generation, we’re very tech-savvy, we learn quickly, and we’re self-motivated. I have the confidence to know that I can do the work, complete it myself, and then move on with my day. It’s also important as a freelancer to have that client’s trust and faith in me to do the job justice.
Paul: I absolutely love the writing itself and I’ve always loved language. I actually used to blog for a movie review website so I just get really excited whenever I have an opportunity to write. I love that I can offer a voice to my opinion or even just find creative ways to write messaging. Then, of course, another motivation is flexibility. That kind of lifestyle is invaluable. The idea that Amber and I can literally go on vacation, take RV trips around America and still find some time to work and earn money is amazing.
Do you see yourself continue WorkGenius in the long-run?
Paul: Yes, definitely! I’m actually really hoping that I can reach a point where I can begin working full time with WorkGenius. I’ve told Amber, ‘Hey if this thing works out you never know. By this time next year maybe I can be home with you and the kids and work on this full time.’ The capabilities on the platform are endless. You can literally do 4 or 5 jobs in a day and earn a whole week’s worth of salary and get all that extra time to spend with your family. I mean, that was just mind-blowing for me to even think about. I would love to have an opportunity where I can work like that and still support my family with a stable income.
It’s interesting that you mention that because we actually just released a feature that allows you to reserve multiple jobs ahead of time so that you can earn a reliable income. Our clients also enjoy it because it really helps with turnaround time. A single freelancer becomes more efficient as they work through a project. Does that interest you as a freelancer?
Paul: Absolutely and I think having that option also really feeds into the freelancer mentality, where we take a sense of entrepreneurship and accountability onto ourselves. Amber and I actually use an egg timer to see if we can finish writing our ad copies faster than before but still do a good job. And I can definitely see how the reservation feature will help with turnaround time, especially for a hungry couple like us. It can motivate people to do a great job while also working faster to improve project turnaround time which not only helps the client but WorkGenius too. It’s a win-win situation.
Have you used other platforms like WorkGenius?
Paul: I actually have done research on other platforms to see if there was anything else like WorkGenius and there really wasn’t. What I did end up finding are freelance websites like UpWork where you have to submit proposals which is just more work on my end. I also found you’re asked to complete a job rather than having the power to decide for yourself when you want to work. No one wants to feel that they are beholden to a company. With WorkGenius I have the freedom to go on the platform, on my own time, and start a project that I’m actually interested in. I’m the one making that decision and no one else.
What allows you to be successful freelancers?
Amber: When it comes down to the work it’s really about finding an opportunity to do it and being a mom you, of course, have to multitask. At the same time, anyone can accomplish anything with WorkGenius because of the flexibility you provide. I’m actually in the process of becoming a surrogate right now for a couple and in my downtime, I can sit at home whenever I want and pick up a project. I’m super excited to go through this journey and WorkGenius is definitely an added bonus.
Paul: Exactly, and to Amber’s point, we definitely leapfrog each other when it comes to time but it really comes down to the flexibility provided by WorkGenius. Quite honestly, anyone can find the time in their schedules to complete the work unless they have three different jobs. WorkGenius’ flexibility really provides us the ability to succeed given the lifestyle that we do.
Do you think anyone can become a freelancer?
Paul: I think it takes some sense of creativity for content related jobs but it’s not difficult. What’s more important, is having the right kind of attitude in order to be a successful freelancer at WorkGenius. You have to have a desire to succeed and you have to follow through with that drive! When feedback arrives, you should be open-minded and accept constructive criticism at face value. I think everyone needs to know that they can do this and if they have hesitations about it than take me as an example. I’ve worked in a different industry for 20 years of my life but I love writing and that’s what I’m doing on WorkGenius. Someone like myself may want to change the entire trajectory of their life and WorkGenius may just be the vehicle to do that.
Change your trajectory
Amber and Paul are without a doubt paving their way to success and have no plans of slowing down. Whether you’re raising a family or getting through college classes, we’re here to make your journey as effortless as possible. We empower people to work and make sure you’re successful every step of the way.
Join our workforce today and see why 350,000+ people are loving WorkGenius: www.workgenius.com/register/freelancer
