Interview with Emily Claudette Freeman with E. Claudette Freeman Literary Services

Emily has such a soft and a wonderful tone to her voice.  I can listen to her speak all day.  Maybe it’s her training in radio for over 20 years or maybe it’s just her tenor that evokes a response in my heart.  Either way … love her!!  Now go get your favorite beverage, get comfy and read the words Emily shared with me so candidly so that you may get to know her.

What is the name of your business

E. Claudette Freeman Literary Services

What services does your business provide?

I offer literary coaching and something that I call word & story styling which is basically finding the words within to help empower and inspire your life.  I believe that each of us has a story but typically there is a back story to the story that we often overlook and so part of what I do is your general literary coach which is to help someone write fiction and non-fiction books and plays and that kind of thing but the other side of it is exploring those same writing principles to a brand of life coaching or literary giving.

When did you start your business?

I started the business in 2007 after 20 years in radio.

Your business, doesn’t have a physical store front. Is it basically a home-based business?

Yes.  It is basically a home-based business and when I do workshops then I am on location at different places or I get invited to participate in other workshops.

Do you have a particular territory that you serve?

Because the nature of my business, I am actually able to work with clients all over.  Interestingly, most of my clients right now are not even in south Florida.  Right now most of my clients are from the Texas area and the northeast United States.

Who does your business serve?

I am built to work with people who have not necessarily have a tremendous talent but have a tremendous desire and a tremendous tenacity to see their work come to fruition because writing can be a very intimidating thing.  The process of literally just setting aside the time do it can be overwhelming and then to have somebody work with you that tell you this isn’t flowing or I think you need to more here; to have somebody like me who approaches it from that radio background so when you give it to me, I am interviewing your work.  I am interviewing you. 

My ideal client is someone that is willing to braze all of that to see their finished product come to life and from the empowerment perspective, my ideal client has to be someone who is willing to face the words that are within them and look back at their story, even in the most painful parts of it and realize that there was some power, there was some positive energy, there was some guide in your life even in their most difficult moments.

The examples that Emily gave me of how she helps her customers to bring out, as she states, the other side of the story.  She thought me that I must look at things deeper than the surface.  Ladies use her questions to your story!  What is the other side of the story?  Think about what is it that you are supposed to learn from “this” story?

At home who is in your home front?

It is me and a 15-year-old and he is a full plate!

Emily and I agreed!  We need to gather our teens and move them to a commune where they can freely express themselves and feed themselves and earn their own money and wash their own laundry!  We can dream can’t we?

How did you get bitten by the entrepreneurial bug?

I think I have always known that I was always supposed to be an entrepreneur.  I was the kind of teenager that would do things like you know start my own little magazine.  Like sit down and type (when it was a typewriter), typing stuff up and you know putting it together and stapling it and sending it to my family.  Or I would sit in the house saying I will one day own a radio station or I am going to do this that or the other.

Emily spoke of grandparents and uncles in her family who raised families from running their own businesses!

I think it was very unusual for me to be the one to jump into entrepreneurship because of my mother’s kids I am the most introverted one.  I am the shy one.  I am the one that did radio.  Go figure!

One cannot say that you need be a specific “type” to be an entrepreneur.  From the bubbly to the shy ones like Emily … it all depends on ONE THING!  How bad do you want it?

Success wise, what has been your biggest success so far?

You know what my biggest success is and I don’t think I realized it until recently is I love that look when people see their words in front of them. 

Seeing your work come to fruition whether it is the written word or a web page or the prototype of your work is REAL!!  Emily is so lucky to pull the words out of clients!

What do you feel is your biggest challenge?

I think my biggest challenge has been the financial peace.  Finding clients to see the value in what you do for them and are willing to compensate you for the value and also finding the value in YOU.  Because that is something that I’ve noticed that us entrepreneurs that we all struggle with is saying that what I have is worth something and actually putting the worth on it.  It is like “I really have to charge for this?”  And you do.  You really do!

Yes!  Oh yes!  She said it so well.  So yes ladies … We must put a price tag on the value that we bring to our clients.  This is a message that the universe is putting out there with Emily as the vehicle for all of my women entrepreneurs in MY TRIBE reading this blog.

What is your favorite thing about humanity?

The fact that in the most interesting moments we can be immensely compassionate to people we do not know.

If you were a new color in a crayon box what would be your crayon name and why?

This is where Emily’s imagination shows off.  Without missing a beat she replied in the most creative way!

I would be like a Consuela Candy.  It would look somewhere between an orange and a burgundy.  But when you use it, it would put out whatever color your energy is putting out that day.  It would be like a mood ring. 

I fell in love with the name Consuela when I started watching re-runs of Marcus Welby, M.D.

Emily gets my creativity award for this answer so far!  Consuela Candy!  Love it.

What value does being an entrepreneur bring to your life?

It brings the value of helping define my purpose and my gift from The Divine.  And being able to walk in it.  You know.  In a very weird and creative way, I get to counsel and minister all at the same time.

Being an entrepreneur doing what I do has in so many ways helped me find ME!  Help me find my back story.  And the power in my back story.  And the power and the value in my worth.  So while I have been helping and working with others, It’s in turn has been empowering and healing me.

One word … WOW!  We grow when we help others grow!  She is a true TRIBE member!  So happy, happy to have chatted with the {lovely} Emily!

Emily’s upcoming event is for those that have a story in them.  Come out and play with words.  Emily will pull the story out of you!  Reserve your seat today by contacting her directly!

Spring 12 week writing groups

Emily is introducing a Spring schedule of literary lockdowns both physical and virtual - so that authors of fiction can learn and write with a small group of aspiring authors and herself. Additionally, February 10th, seats will open for our Spring 12 week writing groups. For authors writing fiction, life enhancing non-fiction and spiritual/inspirational works.   Participation will be first booked, first served in both areas. The thing that Emily is super excited about is introducing my Styling My Story Line, which are a variety of literary and publishing engagement options. So, those interacting with Emily will choose the style of engagement that best fits their life's needs at the moment and create a customized, printed book for their personal reflection, introspection and invigoration.

To contact Emily, here is her info J

Emily Claudette Freeman
Emily Claudette Freeman Literary Services
Word and Story Stylist
	web:        www.eclaudetteliterary.com
	email:      coaching@eclaudetteliterary.com
	phone:     7867631208
	blog:        www.storytimewithemilyclaudette.wordpress.com
	LinkedIn:  www.linkedin.com/in/emilyclaudettefreeman
	Twitter:    ecfcreative

I really do hope you enjoyed this interview and the amazing insight that this {lovely} woman entrepreneur has brought to you.  I love to see that we are not alone in our experiences, fears, hopes and dreams!

Tune in for next week’s blog where we will chat with Michelle Reynolds of Back 2 Basics Family.

Happy Time Management (a.k.a YOU management)

Tabby