EDITOR’S NOTE:

I opened the chat box and typed, “Sent!”

(Then I added a smiley to make it friendly.)

“Got it,” Samar typed back. She was referring to my micro-interview questionnaire. “I’ll send over the answers by Monday.”

(She tacked on a smiley, too.)

“Cool, thanks Samar,” I typed, “but no rush. Any time in the next few weeks works. No need to work the weekend if you don’t want to.” 

“I have two small kids,” she typed back. “Working weekends is not an option, haha.” 

Samar Owais is an email conversion strategist, a SaaS copywriter, and most importantly, a mom. She also lives in Pakistan and works with American clients, so her hours are a mess — but her copywriting is clean, clear, compelling.

Balancing work and family and timezones and quarantine is hard. But the quality of Samar’s work makes it seem easy. I’m so glad to have her on for a VeryGoodCopy micro-interview.

In only 379 words, Samar shares:

• The 1 realization that reversed years of self-doubt…

• What to do when someone gives you good advice…

• How to grow and evolve in any discipline… 

And more!

P.S. Here’s to all the moms and dads making it work (and simultaneously doing great work) right now.

Thank you, Samar.

Let’s get started:

1) “What’s your work routine?”

Crazy by normal standards because I have two kids with different school timings. I get to my desk at 9 am and have an hour before mommy duty calls again. I use that time to prepare for the day. I check my email and social media, add things to Google Tasks as needed, and check in with my OBM while having my first cup of tea. 

Deep work happens in two slots. 11:00 am -12:30 pm and 2:00 - 4:00 pm. That time's focused on client work.

Because I'm in Pakistan and the time zone difference is whack, I also work a few hours in the evenings.

2) “What do you know about your work now that you wish you’d known when you first started?”

That I don't have to be the smartest person in the room. 

Believing that led to years of self-doubt. The day I realized that the only thing I need to be is the person with the questions is the day my life became a lot easier (and I became a much smarter email strategist.)

3) “What did your biggest professional failure teach you?”

Listen to your gut and speak up when it's telling you to.

4) “What’s the #1 thing that has helped you shorten your craft’s learning curve?”

Applying what I learn. 

If I'm taking a course I apply the things I learn in it. If I ask someone for advice, I go out and do what they suggest and then I come back and report.

5) “What book has helped you the most over your career?”

The book that's helped me the most is a little non-traditional because it's not a business book. It's a memoir. 

The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish. 

I read it a couple of years around the time I was niching into email and feeling a lot of resistance making changes to my business. This book helped me see that no matter what challenges I face, hard work, sheer grit, humor, and a positive, can-do attitude will take me through most of them. And it has.

6) “And your parting piece of advice?”

Do the work - especially the kind that makes you uncomfortable and pushes you out of your comfort zone. 

That's where growth happens.