Today we’d like to introduce you to Codi & Renee Chen.
Hi, Codi and Renee. It’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us. To start, could you share some of your backstory with our readers?
We met at a bar in Seoul, South Korea, and our lives changed forever. It sounds cheesy, but we were immediately drawn to one another and soon became inseparable. We both taught English as a second language abroad and spent a few years traveling and teaching together before returning to the USA.
Once back in America, we started working in different positions in therapy offices and residential treatment centers for high-risk youth in foster care. We are passionate about helping our world evolve and improve, and we poured our hearts into these organizations. However, after several years, everything changed suddenly all at once. Renee went through a scheduled surgery, but due to medical neglect afterward, she ended up on life support for five days. As she recovered, the business we both worked for, which comprised most of our income, decided to close its doors. Before Renee was even cleared to get back to work, we were suddenly without income and insurance, and we were quickly blowing through our savings as we struggled to pay the mortgage we took on the year prior. It was a nightmare.
After endlessly searching for new jobs and feeling like we were screaming into a void, our former employer approached Codi and asked if she had considered expanding her technical writing services to other therapy offices and treatment centers. Soon after reaching out to other facilities, we quickly had enough business to stay afloat, and HeartWorks Writing was born.
Fast forward a few years later, and we sold the technical writing portion of our company! People began approaching us for more creative pursuits, which we were happy to dive into. We now focus on book writing, editing, copywriting, and coaching, as we love helping and guiding creatives with their questions and need for direction. At this time, we offer book coaching sessions at any phase in the writing process, and we specialize in content coaching for those just starting their social media journey or those who need fresh ideas, new directions, or to narrow down their themes.
We genuinely love what we do and have built incredible relationships. We gain most of our clients through personal connections and referrals, which are a privilege. We only work with people and companies that align with our missions of inclusivity and positivity and those trying to make a difference in the world.
Would it have been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been a smooth road toward owning our own business. We were terrified after the company we were working for suddenly closed—all of the stability and confidence we had built over the years was shaken. We supported one of our parents, and we bought our first home in hopes of putting down roots; however, we ended up terrified of that home and the county where we lived in Texas. After experiencing racist and homophobic issues between people and law enforcement in the county, we fled to Austin as soon as we rented out our home. We moved into a small, one-bedroom apartment in a gorgeous city filled with art and diversity, and we were happier and more comfortable than we had been in years.
Owning a business comes with challenges, and it took us some time to break free from the hustle-and-grind mentality. Even before we started our own business, we were juggling side hustles to supplement our income. Like many others, a forty-plus hour workweek wasn’t enough to cover our living expenses. The constant need to hustle felt overwhelming, and we often worked until two or three in the morning.
Initially, this relentless drive felt like a badge of honor. We immersed ourselves in books and followed influencers who offered advice on starting and growing a business. However, as we learned more about the personal stories of these influencers, we realized their paths needed to align with our goals. We wanted a peaceful life filled with activities we loved, not one consumed by endless grinding. Many of these influencers had the advantage of dual household incomes, with one partner carrying the financial burden while the other pursued their dreams. Others relied on unhealthy habits, such as drug addiction, to fuel their relentless work pace—an approach we did not want to adopt.
This prompted us to reevaluate our priorities and the advice we were following. We asked ourselves: what’s the point of achieving our goals if the journey leaves us miserable? We recognized that this approach needed to be more sustainable. Now, we are mindful of the difference between hustling and working hard. We gauge our success by financial gains and our sense of excitement, peace, and alignment with our work. Our primary measure of success is how we feel, ensuring that our business supports a fulfilling and enjoyable life.
Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
We own the business as equal partners, but our roles differ. Codi is the primary writer who works with our clients to complete their copywriting and editing needs. Renee plays more of a background role in the business, helping with core ideas, editing, and project finalization. Codi knew she would be a writer, and Renee is an incredible leader and manager. Our talents complement one another very well, and it has taken years for us to find an outstanding balance, navigating the challenges of being both romantic and business partners.
We’ve also been contracted to ghostwrite someone’s memoir and several children’s books. These clients have incredible stories in their hearts but struggle to put them all on paper or round out the details past first drafts, and we are honored to be entrusted with these stories. In addition to book writing, we offer book coaching to help authors along their book-writing journey. Whether someone is just getting started, stuck in the middle, or figuring out how to end the book, we’re here for you.
Our services cater to a diverse range of clients, including individuals, small businesses, and nonprofits. These clients often have remarkable products and missions, but struggle to articulate their ideas effectively. That’s where we come in. Whether it’s crafting engaging social media posts, informative newsletters, compelling website copy, or other forms of communication, we’re dedicated to helping our clients connect with their target audience and achieve their goals.
Can you talk to us about the role of luck?
Call it luck or fate, but we believe whatever is for us will not miss us. Even during one of the most challenging times of our lives, we still felt guided toward what was meant for us. After the business, we were both working for closed. After we struggled to find other jobs (even with all of our education and prior work experience), we were guided to opening our own business through all of it.
We decided to “learn from joy first during that tough time.” This means we should have listened to our bodies telling us it was time to leave before the business suddenly closed its doors. We were struggling in our work, and things were starting to feel like a dead end; however, we thought if we worked harder or worked more, things would improve. We needed to learn this lesson because we do not stick with things that no longer work. Of course, we try to fix things and make them the best they can be, but if we are consistently miserable in our vocation, we know it’s time for a change.
That’s what prompted us to sell the technical mental health writing business in the first place. We worked a lot, but the work no longer brought joy to our lives. Codi wanted to focus more on the creative aspect of writing, and our head writer was interested in buying that portion of the business at the time. We had big plans and dreams for that section of our business but needed to be more passionate about the work to pursue it. We knew it was time to pass it on and listened to those instincts.
The more we have listened to those instincts, the more rewards we have gained. Renee has started taking on a more permanent role with a nonprofit we work with, Raasin in the Sun, and she loves working with different artists and organizations. Raasin in the Sun is a multicultural arts organization devoted to educating, inspiring, uniting, and regenerating communities through cultural arts and environmental initiatives. We have met more artists and leaders in our area than we would have just by ourselves, which makes us grateful for the power of community. Because we have cultivated our clients intentionally and joyfully, we can be flexible with our work when life events derail us (such as Codi’s father’s passing last summer). This has made us realize that give-and-take is necessary for successful partnerships, and we are fortunate to have found incredible people and businesses to work with.
Pricing:
- Book Coaching: $150 – $2,000
- Content Coaching: $150 – $2,000
- Copywriting: priced per project
- Editing: priced per project
Contact Info:
- Website: www.heartworksw.com
- Instagram: @codielizabeth @dagratitudegangsta @heartworkswriting
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/codielizabeth8 ; https://www.facebook.com/renee.ney.5
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL14Dkz6FK8alVm-ZVMEbxYSgdF7OJcYap
- Other: HeartWorks Writers Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/heartworkswriters
Image Credits
Nicky Tovar, Stephanie Ventura, Leta Harrison
