Thea de Gallier’s Post

Persistence (and a fondness for weird little animals) pays off 💪 Ever since I saw a WaterBear Network ad at a tube station with its tardigrade logo, I was intrigued by what they do. I’m a big advocate of making things happen, so I connected with a few employees and messaged them to introduce myself. I’ve done this a lot: I make personal intros to people at companies that excite me, letting them know what I do as a freelancer. Some say outreach, others say pestering. Potato, potahto. Sometimes it doesn’t elicit a response, other times it kicks off a chain of things falling into place. A freelance opp opened up at WaterBear, I followed up on my initial approaches, and now, a few months after first seeing that tube ad, I’ve joined the team to work on social media and digital content 😎 I’d like to think it was my offer to dress up as a giant tardigrade for content purposes that clinched it. Quick PSA: I’m still freelance, but with reduced availability, so I’m open to ad-hoc, one-off projects rather than contract roles at the moment 💻

She’s not just flexing for LinkedIn - Nat is one of the most thorough and knowledgeable writers/editors I’ve worked with, and a pretty awesome person too. Anyone needing a science/health writer, hit her up 👇

Really like what Ganni is doing here - encouraging trading in unwanted clothes and making preloved and old season stock into a destination with its outlet in Christianshavn, Copenhagen. Much more fun than just selling stuff on depop or giving clothes to charity! It would be great to see more brands embracing circularity like this and making it a seamless part of their identity, especially in light of the new sustainability policies around fashion in the EU

Support independent artists (and Sophie, who is great)

Let’s get real about digital nomad life! I’m currently in the snowy Alps after a beautiful scenic train journey from Zurich - Andermatt (pics below - quite the upgrade on British train trips!) It’s easy to make freelancing and digital nomading sound like the ultimate dream, and it’s important that those of us who can do this recognise our privilege. So I want to be a bit more real - the truth is it can be hard to fit the best of both worlds in! It’s amazing to be able to work from anywhere but it can mean that there’s less time to see all the sights of the destination. I’m sure it’s not just me who has moments of worry: 🧳 “Should I have just stayed at home when I haven’t got much time for sightseeing?” 🧳 “Is it worth an expensive trip when freelance income can be unreliable and I’ll have to spend a considerable amount of time working in a hotel?” 🧳 “Is my work going to suffer because my attention is split between holiday mode and work?” 🧳 “Am I going to feel compelled to turn my trip into content, and give myself a hard time if I can’t pitch a story about some aspects of it?” 💤 Bonus worry because I’m also a chronically ill girlie - “Am I going to get enough SLEEP to be able to make the most of it all?” Ultimately I decided it WAS worth it after taking these worries into account (and this isn’t my first working holiday so I’ve got a bit better at planning). Does anyone else find digital nomading can be a bit more complex than “the dream” it’s sold as being? 🌏 On a sustainability note (according to a free online calculator) my flight to Zurich emitted 0.14 tonnes CO2, my train from Zurich - Andermatt was 0.03t. I’m getting a train from Andermatt - Hamburg on Friday with emissions of 0.04t - a flight would’ve been 0.33t, so I’m saving 0.29t. The cost was about the same as a flight, so while it’ll take a few more hours I’m glad to be making a tiny difference ✨

Are you even freelance if you don’t indulge in a bit of solo travel and digital nomading? Next week I’m off on a jaunt from Andermatt to Hamburg to Copenhagen, and while I’m flying to and from the UK-mainland Europe, I’m catching trains between those places. I don’t just write about carbon emission reduction, I try and practice it IRL too 🚅 Thanks to networking through LinkedIn and Creatives for Climate I’ve got two in-person meetings lined up while I’m away. The internet has made networking super fast and accessible but nothing beats a face to face coffee and chat, in my opinion! ☕️ I’d love to do another coffee or two on my travels, so if any content pros - especially in sustainability - wanna meet, message me. Bonus points if you’re looking to work with a versatile freelance content creator (hello, that’s me) but that’s not essential. Talking, learning, and sharing ideas is just as valuable as winning more clients. I’ll mainly be in an Alpine sauna in Andermatt but I’m open for meetings in Hamburg and Copenhagen! Unrelated pic from a previous trip to Reykjavik (I have much less hair now).