About Me — Mehdi Jouay
SEO Copywriter | EFL teacher | Content Strategist| Voracious reader | Anime fanatic.
Hey, you! My name is Mehdi Jouay. Call me MJ.
I’m 30 years old. I’ve been a writer on Medium for almost a year now (still basically new). I’ve enjoyed every second of it.
I teach English for a living. I’ve been doing that for 6-ish years. Teaching will always be the beginning of my professional journey. Prior to that, I was an extremely shy person. I struggled with being myself. Through teaching, I was able to go beyond my expectations and face all my fears. Now, I love a good challenge and I no longer falter in the face of adversity; rather, I embrace it.
My Background
I was born in Marrakech, Morocco. I’ve lived here all my life.
I got my Bachelor’s degree in English literature and then did my Master’s in Linguistics and Advanced English Studies (why? don’t ask…). None of it was to my liking to be honest, though I’ve always loved English.
I am the oldest of three boys. Both my parents are English teachers (talk about “it runs in the blood”); my father is a retired university professor; my mother, like me, is a full-time EFL teacher at the American Language Center — my workplace. Actually, it is there that my love for learning and teaching English was born.
You know you’re doing something right when your teachers become your colleagues. If it wasn’t for them and the support of my parents, I wouldn’t be the person I am today.
Why I became a writer
Doing something, anything, besides teaching, has always been in the back of my mind. It’s not that I hated teaching, it’s just that I wanted to develop other streams of income: a side hustle or an online business that I can turn into a full-time career.
Something’s off if you’re in the same place you were in 3,4 or 5 years ago.
Tell me about it 😒.
I discovered personal development through a student of mine. That and after getting married to the most beautiful girl in the world, life stopped being the same; I read books, became highly ambitious, and, with a fresh set of eyes, I realized my true potential and the missed opportunities that slipped by. Seriously, reading personal development books is not a cliché.
How I became a copywriter
Online courses, whether free or paid, are the real deal. I knew nothing about writing. It took a few courses and YouTube videos, believe it or not, to decide that this is it for me; I wanted to have my professional freelance writing business.
Enter: copywriting.
If you know nothing about copywriting, it’s the art/psychology of selling through words (ads, landing pages, sales pages, blogs…).
I wanted to become a copywriter because 1. it’s fun, conversational, and simple writing (my jam… grew tired of academic writing), 2. it’s SUPER lucrative (seriously, look it up) 3. anyone can be a copywriter; you don’t need a degree, just the will to learn and practice. 4. you can scale it the more you do it, get better at it, and then turn it into a full-fledged writing business.
Who wouldn’t want that?
The more immersed I was in digital marketing, the more I was convinced it was right for me.
Cut to now: I have a copywriting website I use to show my clients the work I do for them. I write long-form blogs about the life coaching industry.
Let me be clear about one thing
I haven’t monetized my writing business just yet (that will soon change and I’ll come back here and re-edit this paragraph); I say I am a copywriter because I regularly research, study, learn, and practice copywriting. So I know a lot about it and I can do it. But as some of you may know, getting that first client is always the hardest step. On the other hand, I’ve done a good deal of writing on the web: guest blogs, articles, self-published articles, etc.
I chose the coaching industry because It’s the second-fastest growing industry on the planet. Not to mention, I’m a big fan of personal growth, self-improvement, and the inspiring work coaches do. That’s why I decided to help them with their online businesses and sell more through long-form blogs, which is what I do best (for now).
And that’s how I became a copywriter.
My Hobbies and Interests
1- Reading
I’m an avid reader. I like to read 3 kinds of books:
- Fiction or Non-fiction
- Personal Development
- Business and Marketing
I think it’s important to nurture your brain with fun stories you enjoy reading, things you can implement in your life and be better, and things you can use to grow your business (or start one).
2- Anime
I’ve watched all the good Japanese anime series out there (unless you can prove me wrong in the comments…). As a result, I met amazing and fun Anime fans. There is power in community. Getting together every Saturday to unleash our inner geeks was the most fun I’ve ever had.
3- Video games
I always say: once a gamer, always a gamer; you never really grow out of it. I enjoy playing video games just as much as I used to when I was a child. The difference now is the guilt; it sinks in when I play too much.
Video games were a big part of my life. I grew up playing: God of War, Metal Gear, Prince of Persia, Assassin’s Creed, Splinter Cell, Hitman (brings back memories), etc.
P.S. Can’t wait to get my hands on the new PS5.
4- Exercising
Our bodies are made to move. Exercising is a free visit to the doctor. Now more than ever, I make sure I work out 3–5 times a day, if not at the gym, I use my dumbbells at home. Or, I go for a 30-minute run (or walk). It clears my mind and helps me be more proactive.
