Notes from the Van ft. Sophie Cross
This has been long overdue.
I sat down to record this conversation in December last year. But 2022 made me hit the brakes on several things, including this podcast.
Losing two grandparents does that to you. And also changes a lot of things in you.
For one, the realization that the older people you hold dear to your heart continued to grow even older and fought their silent battles as you busied yourself doing things young people always do, hits you like a goddamn truck.
I share this in the hope that if you have such people in your life now, you’ll remind them how much you love them and give them a tight squeeze.
Onto today’s episode then :)
Sophie Cross is one of the kindest and savviest people I’ve had the privilege of knowing. And if you aren’t connected with her already, I highly recommend you correct it right away and give her a follow!
An entrepreneur, writer, editor-in-chief, playlist connoisseur, advocate for freelancers, lover of vans, and all-around badass, Sophie shows up in numerous ways for the community and in the process, sometimes tastes virality too.
She also has a number of newsletters under her belt including:
The now-retired Thoughtfully
The Dunker by Freelancer Magazine
And the newest star in the block, Make It Monday
At the time of recording this episode, we delved deep into the Thoughtfully newsletter.
Tune in to hear Sophie talk about her life in the van, crazy business ideas, navigating the freelancer life, having a song for everyone she meets, the importance of community and more!
Tap the play button below to dig in :)
Alternately, tune in on Apple Podcasts or Anchor.
The Reading Room is that part of the show where the guest reads an excerpt from an edition of their newsletter. Sophie chose the one she calls Listen and it’s all sorts of wonderful!
Time Stamp: Head to 25:50 in the episode to check out Sophie’s reading
The thing about party games is that you never know what the can you’re opening contains– some days it’s worms, others it’s just harmless tea.
Have You Ever is a dance between these two. This segment of the show involves four questions related to newsletters and answers that are either a Yes or a No.
Sophie handled these questions like a total boss and you should definitely tune in to the episode to check it out!
Time Stamp: Head to 28:02 in the episode to check out how Sophie handled this segment
But, if you prefer a visual summary, take a peek below.
As you read each question, wait for the llama accompanying the question to reveal its true colour. A green llama means Sophie answered ‘Yes’ and a red llama means she said ‘No’.
And with that, we’ve wrapped up today’s episode. If you enjoyed the conversation, don’t forget to subscribe to Sophie’s newsletter(s) and say hi to her!
As always, thank you for letting me hang in your inbox and on the socials. I truly appreciate your support and unconditional love. Thank you <3
Until next time,
Akshaya
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