Meet Savannah Nelson | Writer and Content Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Savannah Nelson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Savannah, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I’ve never really considered myself a risk taker—I’m more of the rigorous planning and detailed execution-type person.

Once I create a plan, it’s hard for me to stray from it. There are countless examples: I married my high school sweetheart, I mapped out a journalism-to-public relations-pipeline to use my English Writing degree, I found us a home post-college on Colorado’s western slope, we’re raising our dream dog after years of research and preparation; each of these were the result of unwavering planning and goal setting.

However, in 2020, after I lost my job (I worked in the tourism industry) right after buying a home, I had some choices to make. Should I continue to fill out countless job applications, write endless cover letters, and hope and pray for another Zoom interview, while stressing and struggling in between? That’s when something clicked and I decided to take the biggest risk of all: saying goodbye to my plans and instead trusting myself, my skills, my intuition.

I started my content creation business and chose to dive in fully—no more applications, no more freelance writing on the side. I chose to go all in, sink or swim, and trust that I could find ways to market myself, to learn on the fly, to find clients, to created countless meaningful connections and work that would speak for itself.

I never expected any of it. Business ownership was a defining plot twist and has helped to tear down the limits and walls I’ve built around my life and future in the name of goal-achieving.

My risk has paid off, ten-fold.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Sunshine Creatives is a Colorado-based content creation company that provides clients with website blogging, newsletters, social media management, and other branding, marketing, and writing services.

I work with a range of clients across various industries, from insurance to artists to real estate to political organizations to dentistry. I aim to help small, local businesses that make an impact within their communities. I love providing peace of mind, taking tasks off business’ plates (not everyone’s a writer!), and making high-quality content.

While I bring many years of writing experience and education to the table, it hasn’t necessarily been easy to learn and incorporate new-to-me skills into the business (from invoicing to taxes to pricing and nearly everything in between). However, I’ve made it my mission to go above and beyond for each and every project—that’s where my success originates. I’ve trusted myself, made the risks, and have created countless meaningful connections with clients and collaborators.

Though I’ve learned countless lessons along the way (and anticipate just as many to come), a few stick out:
1. A little creativity goes a long way
2. Under-promise, over deliver
3. Remember the value: of you, your time, your skills, your services
4. Ball a little to play a lot – take time to live a life beyond the computer
5. Practice gratitude at every step of the journey

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I live in New Castle, Colorado, which is a small, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it stop off of i70. Though my town is gorgeously surrounded by hogback mountains and a charming downtown, I often recommend spots in nearby Glenwood Springs that cater to tourism.

My go-to attractions are:
-Iron Mountain Hot Springs
-Glenwood Hot Springs Resort
-Glenwood Caverns and Adventure Park
-Doc Holliday’s Grave in the summer, for a quick hike
-Sunlight Mountain Resort in the winter, for small-town, unpretentious skiing
-Hotel Colorado in the winter, for Christmas lights

To eat and drink:
-Casey Brewing and Blending (the best sour beer, possibly ever)
-Glenwood Canyon Brewpub
-Brava
-Grind
-Expresso Hut

For longer trips, I recommend going south to check out other nearby towns such as Carbondale, Basalt, Snowmass (especially for summer/fall hikes), and Aspen.

If we do decide to stick around our stomping grounds in New Castle, we love supporting Drifter’s Coffee Shop, Hogback Pizza, Lazy Bear Café, and the New Castle Liquor Store.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Since jumping into my business, I’ve found support in many ways.

As expected, my husband, immediate family, and closest friends stepped up to cheer me on; they supported my decision, looked over my website, shared my content, gave recommendations, and inspired me to keep going.

My husband Chad especially gave me the encouragement and reassurance to follow this path and that he’d stand behind me 100%. As new homeowners and mortgage-payers, this felt like a really authentic showing of faith in me and my abilities. It gave me the confidence to go all-in.

I also have to give credit to the initial clients, who inadvertently changed my life. I began by sending “cold call emails” soliciting my service to as many small businesses as possible. My very first client, Merry Hill & Co., took a chance on me (even with a nervous and clumsy pitch). That was huge.

Since then, I have worked with 15 additional clients, and there’s no sign of slowing down anytime soon. I have so much appreciation and gratitude for each of my clients, past and present, who’ve trusted me with their businesses.

Website: https://sunshinecreativesllc.com/

Instagram: instagram.com/sunshinewithsavannah

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/savannah-nelson-a28a53104/

Facebook: facebook.com/sunshinewithsavannah

Other: https://sunshinewithsavannah.com/writing-portfolio/

Image Credits
Drop Anchor Photography, Bridgette Wuest Photography, Fiddle + Drum Photography, Bandits + Thieves Photography