What do you freelance about?    

All aspects of personal finance, also asset management, wealth management, financial advice. B2B and B2C.

Do you specialise in any particular areas?    

Investing, sustainability, financial planning for women.

Are you happy doing corporate work?

Yes. I’ve done loads of investment writing and content creation for big brands including asset managers, banks, wealth managers and life & pensions providers. Always happy to do more.

How can PRs help you with your work?    

Send me exclusive research that’s meatier than a survey of 1000 people. When you send something out that’s time sensitive, keep your phone on!

Tell us about the pieces of work you’re most proud of, or any recent highlights?   

I’ve done a few case-study led articles for Times Money that I’m really proud of because people were so candid in telling me their experiences. One piece was about whether it’s actually worth paying for critical illness cover and income protection. The story that sticks in my mind is the lady who had sensibly taken out really comprehensive insurance during her time as a single mum to a young child. When she remarried, her new husband persuaded her to cancel it all as he thought it was a waste of money. Just as she was about to cancel, she got a cancer diagnosis. Her critical illness insurance paid out and made her life a lot easier so she could focus on her recovery. That was almost a cautionary tale. The moral of the story is that husbands don’t always know best and you’ll probably only regret the insurance you don’t have. I entered that story for two awards categories this year and won both of them.

When you’re telling a story, what’s the most important thing to remember?    

That it’s not really your story, you’re usually being trusted to tell someone else’s story and that’s such a privilege. 

Congratulations on your success at the 2024 Headlinemoney Awards! How did you feel when you were announced as the winner?

I was so surprised and delighted to win against such amazingly talented competition. And pleased I’d had my hair done.

Why are peer-judged awards such as the Headlinemoney Awards important to freelancers?    

Sometimes freelancing can be a bit of a lonely grind so it’s lovely to get that morale boost that comes from having your work noticed. 

What advice would you give to a new freelance journalist?

Build a network of other freelancers so you have virtual colleagues to support you, and meet them occasionally in the real world. Set money aside for your tax bill. Keep marketing yourself and pitching even when busy so you always have a pipeline of work to get you through dry spells. I think it's tough now to try to make all your income from pure journalism, rates haven’t increased for years on many titles and payment on publication makes it really hard to manage cashflow, so I’d say it’s vital to have more than one string to your bow. That might be copywriting, creating courses, writing books, whatever you can do to diversify.

Sum up your time as a financial journalist in three words:

Sociable. Eventful. Unexpected.

What's something about you that people would be surprised to know?

I’m a crazy cat lady. Not sure how surprising that is.

If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, which would you choose?

Ok, I’m about to out myself as a prog metal geek but it would be Aenima by Tool because every time I listen to that album I feel like I notice something new, it never gets old.

Finally, if you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Really expensive sushi.

View all the Headlinemoney Awards 2024 winners here.