If you’ve been thinking about getting serious as a copywriter and marketer, this weekend is the perfect time to take action. You don’t need months of planning or a huge budget—just a focused mindset and a few strategic steps. Here’s how you can make the most of the next two days to jump-start your career.

1. Set Up Your Portfolio (Even if you "have no experience", which you totally actually DO have.)

Clients and employers want proof that you can write persuasively. If you don’t have a portfolio yet, create one now. Start by writing sample ads, emails, blog posts, or landing pages for imaginary products or real businesses you admire. Don't make a website. Just put them in a Google Drive for a Gmail address you'll use for your business. (I've used my personal Google Drive for years. It doesn't matter a single dime's worth. Then, as you apply to gigs on UpWork [see below], you just paste into the UpWork message proposal your Google Drive links to relevant pieces of your portfolio. It's really that simple.) 

2. Create Your Upwork Profile (It's a river of gigs, river of money.)

If you haven’t already, set up an UpWork account. They don't pay me to recommend them. To them, I'm just another freelancer. I send you to UpWork because I KNOW it's an awesome marketplace with awesome clients, from small to huge, and they focus on bringing in good clients. Clients actively search for freelancers with strong profiles. (But don't overthink it. Don't get perfectionistic. In fact get minimalistic. I show you exactly how in my course Side-Gig Copywriter in 6 Days.) 

3. Apply to 5-10 Jobs (Yes, Even If You Feel Underqualified) (Because here's a secret: we ALL feel underqualified for every gig we apply to! Just do it. It's a numbers game and your wins will happen inevitably as you apply to gigs consistently.)

One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is not applying to gigs starting right away, when they're total newbies. This weekend, find at least five copywriting or marketing gigs on UpWork, or other platforms, and send proposals. Keep them short, direct, and focused on how you can help the client achieve their goals. (I show you an innovative, highly effective, FAST way to write proposals that get results, in my course Side-Gig Copywriter in 6 Days.)

4. Write and Publish a Value-Packed Blog Post (Don't overthink it, just do it.)

A great way to establish authority (not in some community, but rather where it matters -- with clients as you apply to gigs on UpWork, by pasting a link to a relevant value-packed blog post) is by writing a blog post on any topic connected with an audience you'll target as clients in UpWork. For example, if you'll target software companies, write on a relevant topic to them. Etc. 

5. Get Both My Courses for the Price of One (They'll pay for themselves immediately.)

If you haven’t already, grab Side-Gig Copywriter in 6 Days (the perfect starting point) and Master AI Copywriting & Strategy in 6 Days. They lay out a clear path to a 6-day transformation, giving you the structure and guidance you need to start earning $50/hour to $100+/hour as a copywriter, even as a newbie. When you buy one of those courses right now, you automatically get the other one. You'll find them both in your course Library.

6. Set a 30-Day Challenge for Yourself (Totally doable, and you should.)

Make this weekend the start of something bigger. Set a challenge—write one ad a day, pitch 10 clients per week, or land your first $500 project. The sooner you take action, the faster you’ll gain confidence and momentum.

Your future self will thank you for starting now.