Keeping it Simple

Although this blog is dedicated to money saving, budgeting, charitable giving, and the like, in the past I've snuck in a few posts about my day job -- copwriting. I did that mostly because I didn't have anywhere else to put that kind of information that I thought was really interesting.

However, I know that not everyone who reads this blog is on the edge of their seats waiting to hear about the exciting world of copywriting. So, I recently created a blog as part of my business website that offers more marketing/copywriting/business type content (as if I don't have enough social media channels to manage already).

So, keep coming back to Happily Ever Clever for all things personal finance, and if you want to read more about my business, please visit JenLyons.com.

I have a couple of new, fun Happily Ever Clever posts coming your way soon, so stay tuned!

My first blog post with GPH

A few weeks ago I announced that I'm now a featured blogger for Girl Power Hour, a local networking group.  My first blog post was published today. Check it out on the Girl Power Hour blog website here.

I also recommend following the RSS feed. The GPH blog has over 40 great female bloggers covering all kinds of topics from style to personal finance, and travel to exercise.

Thanks for reading!

Coming Soon...

As a small business owner, I am always excited to learn more about other small businesses -- especially those created by women. I love hearing how they started, obstacles they've overcome, and what inspires them. Over the next few months, I'm going to be profiling female small business owners of all stripes -- from creative ventures to social services, bloggers and more.

Stay tuned for this interview series, coming soon!

Do you own a small business you'd like featured? Email me at happilyeverclever@gmail.com

Exciting Blogging News!

First, Happy Valentine's Day to all of you!

Second, I'm VERY excited about a new chapter in my life as a blogger. I've recently been selected by Girl Power Hour to be a featured blogger on their site!

Girl Power Hour is a local Seattle (and now San Francisco) women's networking group that brings together professionals from all over the city for monthly networking, cocktail-ing, and educational opportunities. I have been to some of their events over the last few years, and they really bring together some of the city's best movers and shakers (and, as a small business owner, networking is KEY)!

I'll be blogging over at Girl Power Hour on the same topics as I do here -- personal finance, saving money, charitable giving, etc. -- even with the same name!

But don't worry, I'll still be blogging here as well. I'm hopeful that blogging with GPH will bring some more readers to this blog, and connect my business ventures with more potential clients.

Stay tuned in the next couple weeks as my first blog with Girl Power Hour comes out!

Perhaps off topic, definitely right on

My apologies that this blog posting is a little off topic, but I had to post this somewhere, and this seemed as good a place as any. As you probably know, I'm a freelance copywriter. I write everything from ad campaigns to emails, sales trainings to magazine articles. I write for an agency in Seattle and one of my colleagues posted a link to a really cool blog called "Letters of Note." The owner of this blog posts letters, postcards, and telegrams from famous and/or notorious people in history.

The particular link she sent was a letter that David Ogilvy wrote to a colleague in 1955. Ogilvy would become founder of Ogilvy & Mather, one of America's most storied advertising agencies. Sidenote: Even if you aren't a big advertising/marketing/copywriting nerd like me, you have at least heard Ogilvy's name mentioned a million times on Mad Men. 


There's something about the way he describes the writing process...and the way that it starts out organized, strategic, and methodical, and devolves (or evolves!) into something instinctive, passionate, urgent, and emotional.

Take a couple minutes to read his letter here: I am a lousy copywriter

Top 3 things NOT to tell a small business owner

People always ask annoying questions, in general. Remember when you were a senior in high school and everyone would ask what your major was going to be, before you even set foot on a college campus? Or, when you're graduating from college and everyone asks where you're working (as if finding a job post-college is an easy thing to do!). Or, when you're a newlywed and people ask when you're going to start having kids. The list goes on.

However (and maybe this is because I am just grumpy today), as a full-time freelancer/small business owner, I have gotten the three most annoying comments lately. Here goes...

1. "Oh, so you quit your real job?" Yep. I am now working with fake clients, on my fake computer, for fake money. Monopoly money, actually! Thanks for asking.
2. People referring to your company as your "little business". My career is not a baby or a puppy. The cutesy descriptors aren't necessary.
3. "Oh, so you're a stay-at-home wife now!" No, actually, just like everyone else, I work full-time, Monday through Friday. I'm not pretending to work so that I can stay home and let my husband make all the money. In fact, I work longer hours now than I did at my corporate job!

Sigh.