How I Grew Succulents And My Career
Unexpected lessons from the plant world
I am guilty of a dozen deaths. My victims include cacti of different species, ficuses, dracaenas, lithops plants and one avocado. Sometimes, the shame is unbearable.
This black-thumb curse has plagued me since childhood, just like the unrequited love for all things green and growing.
But this time is different. Because I found guidance.
When googling all things succulents I came across this article. It was hard not to, as it was the top result on Google, complete with a (well-earned) featured snippet.
“Okay,” I thought. “This looks reliable. Why not try it out?”
What’s one more death in the sea of suffering that is the universe, right?
So I followed their tips to the letter. All nine of them.
And guess what?
My experimental succulent didn’t wither. Nor did it get mushy from overwatering. It even started growing.
In my astonishment, I bought three more. All of them refused to die.
This startling experience made me think about my own freelance career that started in 2012 and has survived several economic crises and the pandemic.
Turns out, growing your business is very similar to growing succulents. And the first step on this road is to follow quality advice.
It can come from anywhere — mentors, colleagues, friends or online communities. As a freelance writer and teacher, I am always on the lookout for new resources, techniques and inspirations. One of my all-time favorite places on the web is TED Talks. Medium comes close second.
Alright, let’s do it. Let’s go through some expert tips on succulents from “How to Care for Succulents (And Not Kill Them)” by Elizabeth Stamp of Architectural Digest. And see how they can boost your career.
Brace for heavy quoting.
1. Exposure
Make Sure Your Succulents Get Enough Light
Exposure is the light of freelance. Without it, your career will never grow or develop strong roots. Nowadays, there are a dozen ways to improve your visibility online — get your work on as many platforms as possible, put your portfolio link everywhere it can fit, utilize the power of social media and your friendship circle.
Don’t expect your future clients to come to you, come to them and camp on their doorstep.
2. Rotation
Succulents love direct sun, but if yours is sitting in the same exact spot day after day, it’s likely that only one side is getting enough light.
This is a perfect metaphor for overspecialization.
Now, I’m not saying that being a specialist is bad. Knowing your stuff is always valuable, especially if you work for a company or with clients from a certain niche.
But, believe it or not, it can kill your freelance career. Sometimes, before it even begins.
I can give you two valid examples from my own experience.
- When Covid-19 came, I had to stop teaching due to some nasty complications affecting my vocal cords. If I hadn’t been developing my writing and translation skills, I would have hit a serious financial setback at a time when the job market was at its lowest.
- As a junior writer and translator, I decided (stupidly) to target corporate clients and large academic institutions. It was lucrative, sure, but it also left me completely portfolio-free due to non-disclosure agreements. It still comes back to haunt me now and again.
So, what are the takeaways?
Do not sit in the same spot, and do not focus on just one skill. Brainstorm related spheres (teaching — translation — copywriting, in my case), find a niche where you can utilize what you know with immediate benefit, and strengthen your skillset.
3. Water by Season
Just like us, succulents need more energy when they’re in a period of growth… Overwatering can kill your succulent, so make sure you let the soil dry between waterings.
When you find yourself growing your business, it may feel amazing to be flooded with work. More clients, more projects, more, more, more…
But if you stop to take a breather from all the excitement, you’ll notice that most of them are not paying you even as much as an average rate. Some of them are difficult to deal with. Others leave you completely drained.
And suddenly, the happiness you once found in your work is gone.
That’s because you’re not scaling.
Whatever it is that keeps you in the quagmire of low rates and terrible clients — lack of confidence, fear of charging more or losing stability — you need it gone. Exploitation is alien to self-development and will make you give up on your dreams.
Utilize the “less is more” mindset to find better paying opportunities with returning clients that value your expertise while exploring passive income streams.
4. Water Directly
Water the Soil Directly
Again, this brings to mind the issue of where and how to work. When you’re just starting out, it’s okay to use freelancer sites like Upwork, Freelancer or Fiverr to land gigs (if you are persistent enough).
But what’s best at the end of the day is to build a network of people who are going to send jobs your way because they are confident in your skills. People who will pay you directly.
Do not send your clients merrily on their way once the job is done. Keep in touch. When another opportunity comes, they won’t have to rack their brain, remembering how they found you in the first place.
Less effort on their part equals more earnings on yours.
5. Keep Clean
Inevitably, your indoor plants will gradually pick up dust on their surface
Do not resort to dirty tactics. Ever. A mistake like sharing classified information, overpromising just to land a client, or, worst of all, undercutting prices for your services, can get the ball of bad rep rolling.
And this is enough to completely crush your career.
Why do I say that undercutting is the worst? Simple. The first two examples will hurt your client and yourself, which is bad but not irreparable. Undercutting prices harms the whole freelancer community, misinforms the client and devalues your own skills.
6. Drainage
Succulents don’t like to sit in waterlogged soil, so drainage is important to prevent rot.
Don’t drown in your work problems. Take time to unwind. Meet some friends. Let positive experiences and encounters drain away your negativity.
Overwork can lead to burnout or depression, which are akin to mind rot. They will take months to overcome and leave mental scars. You might end up hating your (likely former) job till the day you retire. Trust me, I’ve been there.
Develop healthy habits from day one to make sure nothing hampers your progress later on.
7. The Right Soil
Succulents need soil that drains, so regular potting soil — or dirt from your yard — won’t do.
To grow properly, find the place that’s right for you.
If you’re a writer, this includes the platform and audience that shares your ideas.
If you’re an employee, it means a work environment free of toxicity.
If you’re a teacher or a member of another helping profession, it means an organization that values and compensates you for your expertise.
Because you can’t care for others if you don’t care for yourself.
I used to work in higher education. The university I worked for was the top one in my country (which will tell you exactly nothing but bear with me).
Despite this, and the respect the position afforded, a sizeable chunk of my salary depended on funding. And I think you know that funding in humanities is as reliable as a marshmallow boat.
So when it got cut, inevitably, it left my colleagues and myself working for pennies. I kid you not — I made as much in a month of teaching at an established university as in a week of tutoring online.
So I quit. Because it’s not worth spending time and effort on an industry that does not value you.
And all the highly ethical ideas about elevating the next generation and bringing knowledge to the masses can go bite me. Earning enough to afford food, rent and healthcare for my family is much more precious than that.
8. Get Rid of Bugs
Gnats are attracted to succulents that are planted in soil that is too wet and doesn’t have proper drainage.
In our digital age, putting yourself out there will attract terrible clients. It’s a fact of life. I remember reading this article about it.
There, they were called “vampire clients”. Very fitting.
How to deal with them? To extend the metaphor — stake them and move on.
A client wants limitless revisions for free? Say no, politely. If they insist, quit.
Another calls you in the middle of the night with THE idea they’ve just had? Explain to them the benefits of a 7-hour-per-night sleep schedule. If they insist, block them.
Someone complains you can’t teach them a language in one week? Don’t take them on in the first place.
Set your boundaries, learn to spot the red flags and don’t feed parasites. They are not worth your time and effort.
Another thing to keep in mind are your own counter-productive habits, like procrastination, chasing deadlines and social media addiction. Work to overcome them and it will pay off in the long run.
9. Fertilize
Be careful not to overfertilize — this can cause your succulent to grow too quickly and become weak.
Your mind needs food. Nourish your creativity with enriching contacts and content, do courses, attend lectures — anything to broaden your mind and nurture self-expression.
Just don’t forget to convert all this theory into better practice along the way. Don’t become that next hotshot author that does all the reading and none of the writing. Inflated ego and brittle roots are a clear sign of “overfertilizing”.
Whew, I guess we are done here. To sum up — you, me, anyone can find a cure for the black thumb, real or metaphorical.
Make no mistake, it’s hard work but it can be done.
I’m looking forward to seeing your business expand, just like my collection of succulents!
