For those who were told they talked too much, had too many opinions, and took up too much space
I was told that too
You (and young Jay) are the reasons I teach fine humans to use their words and wit to build wealth and wonder
No matter what you do, what you sell, why you write, who you work for, why you work for them, what you adore, who you love, and how you identify…
you are the most powerful force of nature you’ll ever have access to
Given I grew up on the stage, I was unexpectedly scared of the spotlight when I first launched my brand
After what felt like 457 years in school communications, ‘selling’ private education to parents, I started my business partly to never have to speak to another human again. I was ‘just’ going to write the copy. ‘Just’ going to sell words. From my Hills cottage. In my Ugg boots.
In the beginning, I was perfectly satisfied writing in other women’s voices and making them oodles of money. And for the first time in my life, I was content with a spot in someone else’s chorus line.
Turns out, you can take the girl off the stage, but not even the hardest knocks can take the stage out of the girl.
Because the moment I was asked to tell my story, then present a copywriting workshop, then a class, then a Masterclass, then five more to women all around the globe? That raggedy ol’ starlet, now chubby and worn down by single parenting, new husband and babying, plus juggling a chronic illness and a part-time job. Well, she kicked off those woolly boots and threw on her dance shoes like her life depended on delivering a torch song.
Which, perhaps it did.
Because nothing will force you through personal growth like starting a business where the main thing you’re selling is yourself. It might be dramatic to state – I do have a reputation for being a little extra – but stepping away from safe and launching Crisp Copy,
I think it saved me.
I *know* it ‘made’ me. Made me abandon the decades of expectation about how good, polite women behave. Made me question every single lesson I’d ever learned about money, self-worth, and having expectations about receiving.
And now? I still deliver premium, blow-your-hair back copy for brands and businesses. I write over a million words a year for the best people in business – from About Pages that make readers cry to Sales Pages that net $6M over a couple of launches. Plus, for the past 7 years, I’ve been honouring the part of me who wants to teach by example: I’ve trained over 10 thousand women to write the words they mean and make money from them, and to be confident doing it. To reject the belief they have to sound ‘professional’ to be the expert and to embrace the humanity in their copy. It’s a darn fine reason to step back into the spotlight.
I’ve taught my children having a voice in the world we live in is both a privilege and a responsibility
And that meme about quitting a 9-5 to work a 24 hour day isn’t so funny when you realise your life looks a little similar,
so you know I’ve thought long and hard about why I do what I do:
My brands exist for a purpose
It’s not a very secret one, but it’s evolving every day, every interaction, every morning I sit in my driveway and re-examine my choices. Originally, the two brands under the Crisp umbrella were powered by the desire for the amplification of women’s voices in every industry, in every sector.
The 2 brands under the Crisp umbrella are powered by the desire for the amplification of women’s voices in every industry, in every sector.
but I’m never the smartest person in the room
This is purposeful. It’s why I surround myself with brilliant humans who will teach me: a hand-selected team, (proofreaders, sensitivity readers, tech-folk, business and brand strategists), Old Man Crow, who does all the heavy lifting, my children, who keep me honest. I acknowledge, although I grew up ‘poor’, my single Mother moved mountains to put me through private schools, sent me to travel around the world, and financially supported me through University. Although I became disabled, the country I was fortunate enough to be born in caught me, financially supported me, and provided some assistance with healthcare while I found my vocation and turned it into something. These privileges have resulted in me being able to build my business and my brand. I have lost opportunities and jobs due to fatphobia and/or chronic illness but have never personally experienced racial discrimination, nor have struggled with access to education, food, or safe housing – for either myself or my children. Because of these privileges, I set aside time every quarter for professional and personal development, learning from a diverse range of teachers, predominantly women, and pay that education forward through Crisp Copy.
and I’m really very good at what I do
8 years of business building (from scratch), tens of thousands of readers and learners, a lifetime on the stage pre-brand creation – learning about stories, about voice, about the confidence to appear, hook the audience, and turn them into consensual putty in your hands, lived-experience of disability, poverty, financial ‘success’, empathy bordering on spookiness, all woven through my teaching, all delivered through the human-centric medium of storytelling.
I use all this to help you help your people.
which helps me serve a wider audience
For every client who happily hands over their credit card details for $10K worth of copywriting, there are another 10 women at the start of their business adventure or who are in transition and cannot afford to hire a premium copywriter.
I know, I was that woman at the beginning starting with not a scrap of anything at all.
For this reason, I have oodles of free and low-cost options for accessing me, including podcast episodes, blogs, downloadables, online workshops, some speaking events, being on my email list, and my social media channels. I set aside at least 10% of my time, energy, and expertise to create and deliver pro bono education and/or services to brands run by marginalised folk, specifically women. I offer scholarships for all of my big copywriting courses, and low-admin fee payment plans for those who need (or want) it.
From a mentoring and done-for-you copywriting perspective, my collective experience helps me treat each individual client as the multi-faceted human they are, without shame, without a one-size-fits-all approach, and without any of that ‘mindset will fix everything’ bumf.
Those fun online tests tell me
INFP T/19/20 EQ + Motivator (DISC) + Mediator/Diplomat, Advocate/Rescuer, Mentor/Teacher << that last one got me out of my office and kicking off my Uggies fast
I find it tricky to write about
‘women’ without speaking to identity, and even then, I stumble
Some days I’d rather be
reading, leading a car Karaoke sesh
… and if I wasn’t a copywriter I’d probably work as a
casting agent, singing teacher, or personal librarian
My Love Languages are
Acts of Service, Acknowledgement, Gifts!
I’d like to see the end of
Diet culture, tokenism, student debt
…but I’m totally hip with
Botox, filters, personal appearance choices, that one time I put my bikini-ed bottom on Huff Post
For someone who doesn’t like hats, I sure wear a lot of them
except not literally, because blowdrying this mop takes an army and I’m not squishing that amount of glory
and I’m quite partial to picking the guts out of labels
(before examining them carefully and putting them back – reordered, if I need to)
Mine currently are:
+ She/Her
+ my own boss; premium copywriter at Crow Co + copy mentor at Crisp Copy
+ children’s book editor turned co-author of the best book available – Hugo Dances
+ ex showgirl + Musical Theatre tragic + Speaker (see Mum, I didn’t “just waste” my stagecraft training)
+ the biggest real estate sticky beak around and yes, I totally want to see what wallpaper you’re thinking about for your bathroom
+ Ma for glories I can’t believe I raised + lover of a Viking Roadie + try to be that friend that remembers birthdays but instead buys people presents when I see something they’ll like as I know that former goal is personally unattainable #GiftsAreMyLoveLanguage
+ fat + feisty + brave + tired + way too much
I’m also constantly changing my mind about these labels
All the ways to work with me
If you have a great project, brilliant team who need to learn something, event or happening, or just a spare stage aching to be turned into something everyone who attends raves about for yonks, I want to hear about it.
Contact me, pronto
My favourite passion project
Hugo is a boy with a passion for dance. He tries different sports at the urging of his family, but can’t escape the rhythmic beat of his true calling. With unwavering determination, he convinces his mother to let him explore Ballroom Dancing.
It seems as if Hugo has found his happiness, but doubt creeps in when he realises he looks different from the other dancers.
Hugo Dances is a gentle tale of self-discovery, embracing uniqueness, and the power of following your dreams.
Curious people are the best kind
so ask me the things
© 2015 - 2024 Jay Crisp Crow + Crisp Copy
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Jay Crisp Crow acknowledges the Whadjuk people of the Noongar Nation as the custodians of the majestic lands where Jay Crisp Crow is based. This acknowledgment extends not only to the traditional and ongoing custodianship but also extends to recognise the deep and eternal spiritual connection that the Whadjuk people have with the land. Jay Crisp Crow acknowledges that sovereignty has never been ceded. That this place always was, and always will be Whadjuk land. Jay Crisp Crow wishes to pay respect to the Whadjuk Elders of the past and present day. Like the beautiful trees of the Parkerville area, Jay Crisp Crow acknowledges that the Whadjuk people and Whadjuk culture are deeply rooted here and will forever be connected to this land. - This acknowledgement was written for Jay Crisp Crow, Crisp Copy by Louise O'Reilly.