I'm Deborah Beckwin
Content Strategist
I help mission-driven people and organizations in healthcare, mental health, and edtech create change and connection through clear, consistent content.
Values
These values guide how I work and ensure that my clients and I both have an excellent experience.
People First
People first, always. We're here to do more than just make money. I believe the more successful our working relationship is, the more successful and prosperous the project will be.
Integrity
Integrity is everything to me. I do my best to make sure my intentions, words, and actions are all aligned.
Effective Communication
I keep you informed of your project's progress in a clear and consistent manner. We co-create goals that help create a successful project from jump.
Joy
It's not just happiness or fun — which I'm sure we'll experience. But it's the joie de vivre — it's that special stuff that gets us up in the morning. We're here to make a difference and there should be joy in what we co-create together.
Ready to work together?
I can help you with content development, management, strategy, copywriting, and more!
Not all who wander are lost...
If you have a moment, take a short drive down my professional memory lane. Like most people in the 21st century, my road to becoming a content marketing professional was a twisty, windy, and uncertain path. But it helped me to focus on the niches that matter to me the most: healthcare, behavioral and mental health, and edtech.
Starting My Journey with a Big Husky Pencil
I truly fell in love with writing in 1st grade. In class, we had time set aside to journal about our feelings. I wrote down my thoughts in a five-subject spiral notebook and a big, green Husky pencil (I’m aging myself here!). I’d draw pictures that went along with my thoughts. My journal became my happy and safe place where I could truly be myself.Taking a Spin Down Dream Drive
When I was about 10 years old, I was already an avid reader. My home was crammed full of books of all sorts—it was like living in a library! I also often went to the local library and the school library. So naturally, I had dreamed of becoming a writer. In my head, I had it all planned out. I’d be all grown up at my desk, sitting in my sunny home office in my PJs, pecking out my latest novel on a typewriter (aging myself again!), drinking a steaming hot cup of coffee. But I didn’t think it was practical. I talked myself out of pursuing writing and looked for a profession where I felt I could help people and have some guaranteed income.Merging Onto the Medicine Motorway
So after abandoning writing, I chose to pursue a career in medicine. I really wanted to be a psychiatrist because I was fascinated with sleep. I wanted to run a sleep lab. But, surprisingly, my parents, both medical professionals, had strongly advised me against it. They thought practicing medicine was a hassle in the 1990s. But, stubborn as I was, I paid them no mind. I was going to follow my dreams! So I went to the University of Chicago, majoring in psychology and taking pre-med classes (which I didn’t finish). It took about 15 years for me to discover that they were right about medicine...Taking a Little Tour on Social Work Street
After I graduated from college, I was a social worker in Chicago, working with people who had a history of homelessness, severe mental health issues, and substance abuse issues. As much as I loved serving “the least of these” and making a difference in my community, it was also unbearably heartbreaking -- and it didn’t pay that well.A Long Sojourn in the Ivory Tower
I still really wanted to be a psychiatrist, so I started working at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. Our group researched children and youth who were in the child welfare system and how they were doing with their mental health. I loved what I was learning and the connections I made. Could I really become a psychiatrist and help kids like the ones I learn about through our research?One Last Loop on Pre-Med Parkway
During my time at Northwestern, I gave pre-med classes one last college try and found, after one quarter of getting C’s, this dream of becoming a doctor finally needed to be laid to rest. Even though this was necessary, I was devastated. I was working in a medical school, seeing all these white coats float around campus. So it took awhile for me to really leave this dream behind. But what would I choose instead?A Right Turn Onto Creative Writing Highway
So after about a year of pondering and researching what new journey I needed to embark on, I thought back to that old dream of mine: me at my typewriter, writing a book. Writing was the old yet new dream. While I was still working at Northwestern, I took a couple of English classes and fell in love with writing again. Then I enrolled in a certificate program that prepared me for a graduate creative writing program. I applied to 10 programs across the country and received an offer for a fellowship at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. A dream was about to be realized!Scenic Stop at Thesis Overpass
My thesis was a memoir of my life, growing up with parents that migrated from Ghana, West Africa, and our familial experience of trying to acculturate to American culture. It was the hardest – and most satisfying – thing I had ever accomplished. I learned so much about myself, my family, and my ancestral roots.Asking for Directions on the Grant Writing Autobahn
Even while I was in grad school, I knew that I wanted to do more than write books. I wanted to make a difference in my community. How could I marry my love for writing with my deep-seated desire to make the world a better place? It started by becoming a grant writer and editor for various non-profit organizations. Then I had a unique experience doing some freelance work for a small business who served research institutions. But once the project was done, I needed to find a new way to support myself and serve others.A Detour Down Adjunct Alley
With my newly minted MFA in Creative Writing, I thought I’d give teaching a shot. I taught English Composition at a local college as an adjunct English professor. I also enjoyed teaching, but in many ways, it was just like social work. You're underpaid, you're overworked, and you feel like you can never do enough to make a difference.Cruising Down Big Dog Boulevard
After I was done with being a professor, I went right back to where I had just graduated—the University of Central Florida. I was a technical writer, writing about amazing technologies and inventions and interviewing researchers. Then I decided to spread my wings at Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, writing safety documentation and manuals. But something was still missing.Destination Reached (For Now…)
I spread my wings again and went into business for myself and I discovered something important. In working personally with growing and established businesses, I could see the difference it made in their lives and how it directly and positively impacted their communities. As their businesses grew, they employ more people in their community, causing a beautiful ripple effect. And I want to help you do the same. If you're a mission-driven organization, I want to support you in your efforts to innovate, help others, and expand minds. Let me help you on your journey.
Deborah worked with us for several months and, in that time, it was easy to see how talented she is. Deborah was able to quickly navigate the extensive content calendar we have, understand our CEO's voice and brand, and get us some quick wins with her targeted messaging. Our business moves fast and Deborah was able to jump right in and handle all the challenges she had in front of her with grace and optimism. In addition to understanding a very niche industry and persona, she's creative, fun, efficient, curious, and super organized (an operator's dream!). With all those qualities and her rock solid work ethic, I highly recommend Deborah.
Erin Cece, MBA, MS
COO & VP, Strategic Partnerships
Get Some Clarity and Help With Your Content! Book A Consultation With Me Today!
If you’re looking to elevate your written content through the power of effective storytelling, contact me for a 30-minute consultation for $199.
Coming up with content for your website, blog, lead magnets, white papers, or social media posts doesn't have to be a headache.
During our consultation, we'll determine if we're a mutually good fit to work together!