SIC’s Career Spotlights: Natalie Arney
Natalie Arney is an SEO and Growth Marketing consultant based in Brighton. She also runs her own blog, and regularly appears on podcasts.
A photo of Natalie Arney. She is a white woman with ginger hair, which is pulled back apart from her fringe. She has one hand to her neck in a pose, and is in a black shirt. She’s wearing eyeliner and is against a sepia background which is blurred.
What motivated you to set up your company?
I had been working for others for years but had never worked for myself. However, the draw of being able to work my own hours, for better pay and potentially less stress, was what motivated me to set up my own company.
Before moving into SEO I was a Business Studies and ICT teacher and ended up leaving my job for a number of reasons, including my physical and mental health. Finding something that I could transfer my skills and interests over to led me to working in Digital Marketing, then specialising in SEO, and after working in agencies and in house for a number of years, I felt it was the right time to work for myself.
How do you think being chronically ill has changed your approach to business?
I would say that there’s two main approaches that I certainly put down to being chronically ill. The first is around flexibility of time. I know my own capacity and how long I can work, so I set my own hours. If I need to finish my work early because of my body, then I do so. If I have a bad day, I try to move things around as much as possible so that I can give my body a break.
The other main point with my chronic illness is about boundaries; however I don’t think it’s something that should be just limited to those with chronic illnesses and disabilities. It’s really important, especially as a consultant, to set boundaries about timing; and I’d say that includes not just when clients can contact you, but reasonable levels of contact, and the amount of work that you can do for them.
What is your career advice for those who aspire to do a similar role?
First and foremost; be yourself! No-one else can be you!
I also recommend sticking to your beliefs. Not everyone is going to like you, or like what you have to say, and that’s ok.
Ableism is rife everywhere still, unfortunately, and I’ve experienced my fair share of it in my working life. Sticking together with people who understand you and your needs is so important; there’s definitely power in community.
In terms of SEO in particular, a lot of us have imposter syndrome because it’s a competitive industry, but also because things are always changing and you always need to be on top of the latest news. Make sure to keep up with SEO news (I get most of my SEO news from Twitter) and also make sure to keep on learning - I really like learningseo.io for this; it’s a website set up by Aleyda Solis and groups together lots of different learning materials for SEO professionals from all over the web, it’s super handy!
Did you experience any set-backs when you started your business, due to your disability? How did you overcome them?
I would say managing expectations about timings and getting things done; however I think once I got more confident about setting those expectations and boundaries I was able to curb those issues pretty quickly. That’s not to say that I don’t have to deal with those problems now, because I still do, but I have the confidence and skill set to manage the situation better now.
What do you envision for your company in five years time?
I’d still like to be working for myself, but I don’t think I would commit to any very long term goals for my business, as things are constantly changing.
Are there any specific projects that you are particularly proud of?
Hm, that’s a tough one! I’m proud of growing my own knowledge, experience and being able to work with people; something I once found difficult when working on the agency side! Now I get to work with people I like, which definitely makes it easier.