Matheus has been a full-time freelance writer and digital marketer since the beginning of 2017 after finding success on the LinkedIn content production platform, Pulse. After being featured on the LinkedIn Brazilian Top Voices list in 2016, Matheus says his life has changed for the better, and is now loving life as a freelancer!
1) Hi Matheus! It’s a pleasure for us to have you in our Insides series. Could you tell us a bit about yourself and what are you up to right now?
Well, it’s my pleasure. I’m a 27 year-old guy from Santa Catarina, Brazil. I write about entrepreneurship, digital marketing, creativity, and productivity on my personal blog, on HuffPost Brasil and on LinkedIn – where I was recognized as the youngest top writer of the year in its first Brazilian Top Voices list in 2016. I am also a digital marketer freelancer. I am a partner and a Growth Hacker at Crush Design, an award winning startup, focused in digital furniture and open source design. In 2016, we were chosen as one of the most innovative startups among 100 other companies in the state of Santa Catarina.
2) What exactly made you decide to become a writer and digital marketer? And how long have you been freelancing?
I graduated in International Relations with a MBA in Business Management. But, I’ve always hated the corporate world and the working culture of 9 to 5 jobs. So in 2013, after backpacking around Europe, I started a blog. I’ve always loved writing, so it was very exciting. In 2015, I discovered Pulse, a LinkedIn plataform for content production. And here I can tell you that my life changed. I received a lot of amazing feedbacks about my articles and the first freelancing proposals came to me. In the meantime, I was invited to be a partner at Crush Design. So in the beginning of 2017, I quit my full time job in a college and became a real freelancer writer and a digital marketer.
3) You were listed as the 3rd most influential people on LinkedIn Brazil. That sounds amazing. Could you tell us a bit more about that?
When I started writing on LinkedIn, I didn’t know anything about the Top Voices list. One month before the list was revealed, I received an email from LinkedIn telling me that my name would be on the list. It was totally unexpected! The list is a combination of data and editorial signals designed to capture the voices making a mark in their industries. Some of the inputs include engagement (particularly the comments and shares of each post), growth of followers tied to publishing activity, and number of times the writer had been featured in a channel in his or her area of expertise. My life literally changed after that. And seeing my name on several influential Brazilian newspapers was pretty cool!
4) If you would search for your profile on Google, which are the three keywords you would type in the search bar?
Curious; Free; Wanderlust
5) Was it difficult for you to start freelancing and being an entrepreneur? Did you face many problems? Could you share with our readers the most important lessons you learned on the way?
Well, here in Brazil we have a lot of problems with bureaucracy. A lot! This is the biggest difficulty for freelancers and entrepreneurs. I shared in this article some of the important lessons I’ve learned.
6) What do you love most about your work? Is there one particular project that you are especially proud of?
Probably, it is the possibility of working from anywhere that has a computer and an internet connection. I’m very proud of the things we are doing at Crush Design. We are a small startup and we recently launched an online store where we sell not only furniture, but also digital projects.
7) What are you most excited about for your business in the future? Do you have any interesting projects coming up soon?
The most exciting thing is the possibility to work with people from others countries as a freelancer and with Crush Design. It’s amazing! In a few months, I will launch a new startup. The only thing I can say now is that it is about photography.
8) What does your daily work routine look like?
I wake up around 6:30 am. Drink a glass of water, eat some fruit and go for a walk. At 9 am I start working. Most days, I work until 6 pm. I think that having a routine is a good thing. I also use some apps to keep organized, like Wunderlist, Evernote, Slack and Trello.
9) What are the top three books you would recommend for freelancers and entrepreneurs or people in your working field?
The 4-Hour Week, Tim Ferriss
The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg
The Lean Startup, Eric Ries
Freestyle! Is there anything you would like to tell our readers?
Being a freelancer is not an easy thing, but all the hard work is worth at the end. The beginning of this transition is particularly hard, but don’t give up! It’s a cliché, but if it is your dream, follow it! The success will be the consequence.
Where to find Matheus de Souza:
Freelancermap.com profile
Website: www.matheusdesouza.com
Email: eu@matheusdesouza.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/matheusdesouza/
