The Copywriter Club Podcast #468: Unanticipated Change with Dani Paige
Host: Rob Marsh
Guest: Dani Paige
Aired: October 14, 2025
Episode Overview
This episode centers on navigating unanticipated change as a copywriter, personally and professionally. Rob Marsh welcomes Dani Paige, a seasoned copywriter and coach, whose journey embodies pivots, business evolution, and powerful lessons about resilience. They discuss Dani’s unconventional path from pro hockey to the copywriting world, how she’s built a thriving business, the reality of launching programs, coping with unexpected life events—including her son's health challenges—and how to persist, adapt, and find community as a freelancer.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Role of Resilience in a Copywriting Career
[00:00–03:44]
- Not all change can be anticipated; success is about adapting and planning for when things go wrong.
- Many copywriters switch careers or adjust offerings when their original plans falter.
- The episode aims to explore on-the-fly adaptation, unplanned changes, and the skills needed to thrive.
2. Dani’s Unconventional Journey: Pro Hockey to Copywriting
[03:44–06:52]
- Started her career as a professional women’s hockey player in Europe before spending a brief stint in corporate.
- Her move into copywriting began with a $35 blog post: "My first job was a $35 blog post, and I was still working corporate. And I was like, okay, one person has paid me. I know other people will. And that was all I needed. I took the jump." (Dani, [04:12])
- Significance of leveraging initial opportunities and building from them, even if they’re small.
3. Building a Career—Then and Now
[07:09–09:52]
- Early growth came through Facebook groups and relationship building—turning small opportunities into recurring work.
- If starting today, Dani would "lean into relationships and connections," especially amidst the current "trust recession" online.
- The "trust recession" in online business: today's buyers are increasingly wary, making authentic relationships more valuable than ever.
"Connections are everything. With the whole trust recession and everything going on online, that's what I think people are really falling back on."
— Dani, [08:14]
4. The Transition to Strategy and Launches
[10:16–14:17]
- Quickly pivoted from blog writing to sales pages: more impact, real-time results, greater satisfaction.
- Created programs like Sales Page Prep School, evolving towards mentoring copywriters.
- Emphasizes the necessity for copywriters to move beyond "just words" and bring strategic thinking to clients.
"We need to be able to just bring more to the table and be able to help our clients make more impact and really help them move the needle a little bit more."
— Dani, [12:27]
5. Developing Strategic Skills & Confidence
[13:04–16:32]
- Dani helps copywriters realize they’re often already doing strategy, but lack confidence in owning or packaging it.
- Distinguishes between order-taking (easily replaced by AI) and strategic, value-adding work that clients pay for.
- Importance of recognizing and communicating the hidden strategy in everyday writing, from welcome sequences to sales pages.
"You're probably doing more strategy than you think you are. You're just not packaging it up properly and selling it as strategy and undercharging and undermining yourself."
— Dani, [15:04]
6. The Ongoing Learning Process
[16:48–18:07]
- Dani’s skill development: part formal education (programs, coaching), part trial-and-error.
- Open to continuous learning, feedback, and adapting to trends—never considering her education "finished."
7. Relationships & Community as Keys to Growth
[18:07–20:27]
- Connections continue to fuel new, higher-ticket projects (vs. cold pitching or random online groups).
- Recommends showing up in communities and programs, asking questions, and engaging with mentors and peers.
- Peer mentorship and small accountability or support groups can provide not just business but emotional support.
8. Evolving into Mentoring and Course Creation
[20:27–24:57]
- Early product success attracted course creators, but over time copywriters became her primary, most profitable audience.
- Realized the value of niching down and aligning time and energy with where income and passion converged—especially post-motherhood and in response to AI’s effect on the industry.
9. Validating—and Failing—with New Offers
[24:57–26:28]
- Stresses the importance of validating offers by polling her email list, running webinars, and building programs live, using real feedback.
- Shares honestly about failed launches that lacked validation and the value of learning visibly.
"Half of being an online entrepreneur is, like, not 'failing,' but just learning as we go."
— Dani, [25:48]
10. Building & Leveraging an Email List
[27:19–29:53]
- Dani advises copywriters to start an email list early, even before having anything to sell.
- Growth strategies:
- Partner collaborations & summits (her own and as a guest)
- Email list swaps with aligned business owners
- Guest speaking in others’ programs and communities
- Value-driven pitching: focus on what you can give to someone else’s audience, not just what you want.
11. Authentic Networking and Authority-Building
[29:53–32:29]
- Don’t ask for favors; instead, deliver value to others’ audiences by understanding their needs.
- Relationship-building with leaders/mentors should feel genuine—show interest, reference previous interactions, and seek mutual benefit.
12. Motherhood, Unplanned Life Changes & Rethinking Success
[32:29–38:56]
- Becoming a mom (and facing her son Archie’s serious health complications) forced Dani to ruthlessly prioritize time and business efforts.
- Niching down, saying no, and focusing intensely led to higher productivity, even with minimal available hours.
"I'm only working maybe 10 to 15 hours a week right now. And I truly believe that I am getting more done in that focus time than I was when I had the 40, 50 hours a week."
— Dani, [33:27]
- The experience fundamentally changed her perspective on what’s important, both in work and life.
"He came out very unhealthy. We had massive complications… We didn’t think he was going to make it, and he finally did…but we did get some really heartbreaking news at birth. He was diagnosed with cerebral palsy."
— Dani, [36:46]
13. Resilience Through Grief, Adjustment, and Purpose
[38:56–42:55]
- Dani shares her process—ongoing therapy, grace for herself, and refocusing on what she can control and take joy in.
- Avoiding comparison (in parenting and business) as a key to maintaining joy and forward progress.
"Comparison is the thief of joy… we just all have to realize we're on our own timeline and… focus on what we're doing and finding the good in that."
— Dani, [41:35]
14. What’s Next: Focused Growth and Live Engagement
[43:54–44:38]
- All-in on her new live-driven program, Lead the Launch, supporting copywriters in becoming launch strategists.
- Website overhaul underway, but primary focus is on real-time interaction and supporting her existing and future community.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On starting and persistence:
"One person has paid me. I know other people will. And that was all I needed. I took the jump."
— Dani, [04:12] -
On “trust recession”:
"Every time I get online, I'm wondering, oh, is this actually a real person that I'm talking to? Is this just automated? Is this person even there? Do they even care?"
— Dani, [09:09] -
On failing forward:
"I've had a lot of offers...I put it out there and like, crickets. So that's probably why I'm so huge on validating things, because we often see things completely differently than our clients."
— Dani, [25:09] -
On life changes:
"He’s our little miracle baby. But we did get some really heartbreaking news at birth. He was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. And it has been so, so tough. You just never expect to have an unhealthy baby."
— Dani, [36:46] -
On joy and comparison:
"Comparison is the thief of joy… I’ve totally thrown those milestones out the window, and I’m focusing on how amazing the Archie is in front of me."
— Dani, [41:35] -
On finding focus as a working parent:
"I'm only working maybe 10 to 15 hours a week right now. And I truly believe that I am getting more done in that focus time than I was when I had the 40, 50 hours a week."
— Dani, [33:27]
Timestamps – Segment Highlights
- 00:00–03:44 — Introduction, the inevitability of change, and setting up Dani’s story
- 04:12–05:41 — Dani’s leap from corporate to copywriting, first paid gig
- 09:09–09:52 — The "trust recession" and the importance of showing up live
- 10:16–12:38 — Pivoting to sales pages; embracing strategy and mentoring
- 13:04–16:32 — Copywriters’ hidden strategic skills, how to own and market them
- 18:07–20:27 — The necessity of relationships for business continuity and opportunities
- 20:47–22:56 — Niche evolution: from course creators to mentoring copywriters
- 24:57–25:48 — Learning from failed launches and the value in sharing imperfection
- 27:19–29:53 — Concrete tactics for building and leveraging an email list
- 32:29–34:54 — Motherhood, strict prioritization, business model shifts
- 36:46–41:35 — Son’s diagnosis; reframing expectations, gratitude, and resilience
- 43:54–44:38 — What’s next: Lead the Launch program and live strategy
Resources & Where to Connect
- Lead the Launch Program: leadthelaunch.com/registration — Next live webinar updates
- Dani’s Instagram: @danipageonline
- Dani’s Email List: Highly recommended for both inspiration and practical business lessons - danipage.com
Closing Sentiment
This episode spotlights not only Dani’s business acumen, but her willingness to adapt, share authentically, and show up bravely in challenging circumstances. It’s a must-listen for any freelancer or copywriter navigating change—expected or otherwise—and a reminder that behind every shiny business is a story of perseverance, connection, and continued learning.