Today we’d like to introduce you to Codi Chen.
Hi Codi, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I grew up in Southwest Michigan, surrounded by many lakes, farms, and forests. I loved exploring the outdoors and going on secret adventures in my mind while walking in the woods. My friends and I would have total privacy back there, investigating the tree canopies, open meadows, and ponds while sharing our secrets and dreams for the future. Nature has always been a source of inspiration for me, and I was lucky enough to be surrounded by it growing up.
You could usually find my nose in a book when I wasn’t with my friends. I loved mystery and romance novels, and by middle school, I was itching to advance from my beloved series (The Baby-Sitters Club, Nancy Drew, and The Boxcar Children) to authors such as Sidney Sheldon, Nora Roberts, and Nicholas Sparks. My favorite activities in school were getting blank books and writing my own novel, complete with basic illustrations. My favorite class in school was consistently AP English; I always knew I would be a writer as an adult. I thought I might dabble in a few other interests, such as also becoming a lawyer, powerhouse business owner, professional soccer player, ASL interpreter tour guide, or teacher. But always, in the end, writing would be the ultimate career.
I imagined writing articles and columns for my favorite magazines, traveling, writing books, teaching workshops, and living this beautiful, free life. I didn’t see anyone else following that path but dreamed it could exist. When I went to college, I wasn’t really interested in pursuing a degree in Journalism, English, or Creative Writing. At the time, I just knew that I would write for the rest of my life, regardless, so maybe I should get a degree in something I could actually make money with (the narrative of the starving artist is strong in society!). I started out toward a degree in Business Management but quickly changed directions when I saw that the most fantastic major was available to me: Travel & Tourism. In 2009, I earned my BS in Geography with an emphasis in Travel and Tourism and a minor in International Communications from Western Michigan University.
I knew that I could find basic jobs throughout the world, especially after spending a semester on a ship circling the globe. Everything felt open to me, and I was eager to leave my hometown and make the world my new global address. I started by moving to a luxury ranch in the White Mountains of Arizona, where I was a seasonal fine dining server and lived on the intensely beautiful grounds. Afterward, while living in Denver, I earned my CELTA certification from Cambridge University. Finally, I accepted an English teaching position in Seoul, South Korea.
I moved across the world and met my future wife there a month after settling in. We stayed in the country and traveled extensively for a few more years before returning to the US and settling in Texas. I started freelance writing different travel articles while also keeping up with my personal blog. I learned technical writing and transcribing, which I eventually turned into a business with my wife, Renee. We worked with treatment centers serving high-risk youth in the foster care system, as well as therapy offices working with those on probation.
We sold assets to the technical writing company in 2021, and we now work more creatively with small businesses, nonprofits, and authors!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Owning your own business can often be a “feast or famine” type of feeling. We created the mental health technical writing company and jobs out of something that didn’t officially exist before. Our business only spread by word of mouth, and clients were initially skeptical of the true importance of our work. However, our reputation preceded us, and we quickly grew our client base. However, a few months into the pandemic, our business and clients were impacted in ways no one anticipated. Some people couldn’t afford to pay our invoices, and we had to eat that loss while we paid our contract workers out of pocket.
This year, my father was sick and required several hospitalizations. He lived across the country from me, which made it difficult for me to help him and concentrate on our work. This summer, I temporarily relocated to Michigan to help my father and work remotely. Sadly, he passed in July, and it has been difficult to fully concentrate on my daily work tasks as I navigate the technicalities, grief, and loss of a parent. I’m so blessed to have an amazing support system and work with understanding, compassionate people who have given me the time and space necessary to heal.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about HeartWorks Writing?
Our company, HeartWorks Writing, seeks to design a safe and creative space for individuals, writers, and business owners to speak their truth in an authentic and engaging way. Your words are our priority.
Since the sale of our mental health technical writing business, our current services include Book & Content Coaching, Instructing, Copywriting, Content Writing, Editing, and Ghostwriting. We work internationally with individuals, small businesses, and nonprofits, helping them with their writing needs. Given our diverse degrees, experience, and background (Renee is Chinese Jamaican and has degrees in Economics and International Business), my wife and I are able to relate to our clients on many levels, both personally and professionally.
We are always on the lookout for inspiring people and organizations we can collaborate with, as we understand that we can make a more significant impact on the world together. Our passion and focus lie in writing, creativity, art, mental health wellness, human rights, and travel. Please reach out if you are interested in collaborating with us!
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
A huge thank you to all of my friends, family, and clients for supporting me during the difficult passing of my father. This has been a challenging year with his declining health, and I couldn’t have asked for better people to work with and surround myself with during this time. All of the well wishes, hugs, notes, and gifts have meant the world to me. I couldn’t do this work without you all.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.heartworksw.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/codielizabeth/ ; https://www.instagram.com/heartworkswriting/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/codielizabeth8/ ; https://www.facebook.com/groups/heartworkswriters
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/codichen/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL14Dkz6FK8alVm-ZVMEbxYSgdF7OJcYap
Image Credits
Leta Harrison
Stephanie Ventura
