Home Office Life: Anthie Koukiou – Copywriter and Creative Director

This is a series of interviews with people who work from home and share their great (and not so great) experiences. If you would like to get featured, please fill out the short questionnaire here.

What’s your name and where are you from? Where do you live currently?

My name is Anthie and I am from Greece. I’ve been living my whole life in Athens and this is where my home office is based (for the moment!).

What is it you do?

I am a Copywriter and Creative Director, working on various projects that involve creative writing, fancy design, scripts, disruptive concepts and ideas of all kind of things for my clients.

How long have you been working remotely?

I decided to go solo in 2015. That was a milestone year. I started feeling trapped in an office environment which felt toxic and claustrophobic and realized that the only thing that was about to change, was me.

I felt completely detached and I knew I had to take a leap of faith and move on with my work life. So I quit my full-time job.  A short while after, I got a call from a leading cable network that needed a freelance copywriter for the promo trailers of their cinematic channels. That clearly marked the beggining of new worklife!

Are you employed or a freelancer? If employed, what is your arrangement and how did you convince your boss?

I was employed with a two-year freelance contract – so then, I didn’t really have to convince my boss since they were searching for a freelancer, but when that contract ended I continued to work with advertising agencies, film production houses and clientele of my own on various projects.

It is never easy to convince a prospective boss that you can work remotely, especially here in Athens where pretty much everyone is working inside a cubicle.

Any project you want to share?

Every project is a creative challenge for me. That fuels my imagination and my urge to express myself in the best possible way while fulfilling my clients’ needs.

A favorite work that I want to share is the production of a corporate video for Polyeco Contemporary Art Initiative, a non-profit organization that aims to communicate a complicated concept for a good cause. They raise environmental awareness through a unique art program inspired by the critical issue of waste management. I came up with the concept, the direction,and art-direction of the video, music and script. You can take a look here:

You can also browse more samples of my work at www.anthiekoukiou.com, which btw is designed by yours truly. 🙂

If there is such a thing, how does a normal workday look for you?

I start my day at Anthie o’clock, so I get out of bed at no exact time but usually around 9 a.m. depending on my deadlines or morning calls with my clients. First thing I check is my emails on my mobile, then I write a to-do- list with the daily tasks and calls. I put on my favorite music which is either one of my own playlists on youtube or spotify, I drink tons of coffee, and I dive into my inspiration!

Can you think of a time you were really happy to be working remotely?

I think of it all the time. Working remotely is the best thing that happened in my life and I have zero regrets. I guess I discovered the secret of happiness. That simple.

What’s your biggest achievement/ milestone regarding remote work?

Freedom. Peace of mind. Balance. Far away from toxic work environment and office gossip. Priceless.

What is your biggest struggle with working remotely?

The feeling that you are completely or on your own. No army of team players supporting your work against a client. You have to win your own matches, stand brave, win your clients, buil your own trustworthy relationships.

What do you do to deal with it?

Keep up the good spirit, have positive attitude, find ways to promote my work and fuel myself with daily inspiration.

How does working remotely affect your stress levels?

Stress is something I’ve never dealt with since I started working remotely.

Was there a specific reason why you wanted to work remotely?

I needed a change and an uplift for my spirit. Most of all, I needed freedom of expression.

What’s the most important skill that helped you make it?

For starters, the writing itself. It is a skill you can practice remotely from any place in the world. And most of all, determination and belief in myself.

Are there any essential apps or tools you use daily?

I use Skype for meetings with my clients, Vimeo and Designspiration for inspiration and viber/whatsapp for long-distance calls. And my music which I always listen to while working.

Apart from your computer, what’s the most important item in your office?

The space itself I’ve created. It makes me feel safe and calm. Its my own private little castle.

What’s your favorite 90s jam?