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Marcy & Gordon

When I started freelancing I found setting aside money for taxes to be a headache and I looked for something that was "set it & forget it". I love Catch because I never have to worry about setting enough aside, it all happens behind the scenes so when it's time to pay quarterly taxes the money is there.

Tell me a bit about what you're each doing for work currently and how you got to where you are today.

Marcy:  I am a digital designer specializing in email marketing and e-commerce for D2C brands and start-ups.I've been working in e-commerce for over 15 years.  Before I began freelancing I was working in house for apparel brands. Gordon works overseas much of the time and after having kids we both agreed it would make sense for me to jump ship and try working for myself. That was about 2 years ago and it's been both terrifying and amazing. I'm so grateful to be able to make my own hours, travel and choose what types of clients I work with.

Gordon: I work in cross border business between US and Asia in the consumer and media / entertainment space. My career has been primarily in management consulting and finance. In 2009, I was recruited to run business development for an entertainment company between the US and China. Since then, I've switched companies but have evolved to more of what I did before with investments, market-entry, and strategy for many US companies entering into the Asia markets. It's still evolving every day and has been such a fun and enjoyable ride. ‍

What do you love about the work you're doing?

Marcy: I love technology, I love e-commerce and I love graphic design so being able to put them all together is super fun for me. In addition to creative design, I also love helping clients with their tech stack, working on the back-end of e-commerce platforms, and helping fix things that are broken.

Gordon: I love the idea of the global economy and how we are so similar despite culture and language. My main focus is working with companies to help build their strategy, partnerships, and approach to enter into a brand new world. There is never a dull day and always a new adventure. ‍

What are some of the benefits and challenges associated with you both working for yourselves?

Marcy: The benefits to working for ourselves definitely outweigh the challenges. We get to see each other much more, spend more time with the kids and don't have to stress about driving in LA traffic (Gordon goes to the office when he's not on lockdown).The challenge is the business side of working for myself. Taxes, accounting, client management, etc. Don't love any of that.

Gordon: The benefits are definitely the freedom and ability to control your own destination and work. Since my work has extensive travel, that has always been a big plus, but I would be lying if I didn't say that I have thoroughly enjoyed my COVID time with the family. I'm working on a schedule adjustment to be more balanced in the future. The challenge is the same as Marcy's. Doing all the "other" things that are not part of your main job is always a challenge to manage properly.

How is Catch helping you to manage your work and the business side of things?

Marcy: When I started freelancing I found setting aside money for taxes to be a headache and I looked for something that was "set it & forget it".  I love Catch because I never have to worry about setting enough aside, it all happens behind the scenes so when it's time to pay quarterly taxes the money is there.

Gordon: Agreed. Having a platform that manages, categorizes, and assists in your personal finances is priceless. ‍

What's one piece of advice you would give to someone just starting out in your field?

Marcy: Treat every client interaction with care regardless of the size of the project or client.

Gordon: Marcy's advice is spot on even when working internationally. That and to be patient - global business has the added challenge of distance, culture, and language; but global business is the center of business in the future.