Today we’d like to introduce you to Mandy Aspey.
Hi Mandy, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
[Okay, David. I get a little preachy here so feel free to take what is important! I discussed my business as well as my involvement in Penny Luck Pole Dance. 🙂 I got passionate. Lol.]
I taught high school English for about 7 years before I decided the workplace politics, unfair treatment of teachers, and the good ol’ boys club that surrounded the profession were a deal-breaker on their own. However, the final straw was when I had been asked to write curriculum for the English department, which included units, example lessons, and tests.
It’s no secret that teachers really don’t earn a livable wage. So, I had dabbled in creating resumes, writing cover letters, etc.- really, anything to make extra money on the side. I knew enough about how much writers were paid to know that the school district was absolutely taking advantage of us teachers, commissioning us for a laughable pittance to spend hours outside of work hours to write curriculum from scratch.
So, I leaned into freelance writing and decided to quit when I was able to match my monthly teacher income with what I was making as a ghostwriter. Working for myself and the thought of not receiving a set salary each month really freaked me out at first. I had divorced my ex-husband just a couple of years before quitting teaching, so the thought of maintaining a mortgage, car payment, bills, and being a single pet mom was intimidating to say the least.
In November of 2021, I submitted a formal email out of respect stating my intent to finish out the school year but not return after the summer for the following 2022-2023 school year. The way I was treated after that email only reinforced my decision to leave. I was badgered for using my sick time, repeatedly ignored or brushed off when I raised valid student concerns, and ultimately iced out altogether. I still have close friends from those days, but it was clear from how I was treated that I was no longer considered a team member.
To ease the transition out of teaching and into the world of freelance writing, I took on a part-time corporate job until I could trust that I could rely on myself, and only myself, to bring in that monthly income and pay the bills. Even while working that part-time job, I had nightmares that clients would stop ordering my writing services and I would fall behind on bills. It never happened. Eventually, I quit that job too and stepped out on my own as a fully self-employed ghostwriter.
I registered Ghostwriter.ink as an official business, and have been adding writing services every year since and I have earned 1000+ 5-star reviews to date. My most purchased services are resumes, cover letters, biographies, search engine optimized (SEO) website content, eBooks, social media content, and (surprisingly) wedding vows. I have also added in more graphic design-type services, including brochures, flyers, invites, etc.
After a few years of working for myself, I realized I really missed that team mentality of a healthy workplace. So, I looked into pole dancing. Actually, I started taking classes at Muse Pole Fitness in Columbia, MO because they had chair dance classes that caught my eye. Within a few classes, I was taking Pole 1 classes and purchasing my first pair of heels (Pleasers). I was hooked. The atmosphere, comradery, and support from like-minded individuals that can be found at a pole dance studio is unmatched. Mallory Barnes (the owner of Penny Luck Pole Dance in Gladstone) was one of my very first pole instructors in Columbia!
This past June (2025), I sold my home in Columbia, MO and moved to Kansas City, Missouri with my fiance (Hannah Wankum). We purchased a historical home in midtown, where I feel inspired everyday to write for my clients. After writing numerous novels for others, I decided this year to write one for myself and have been pursuing that alongside my projects.
My friends are my family, and so moving away from Columbia (where I had lived since 2008 having attended Mizzou for my undergraduate and graduate degrees), was heartbreaking on some level. I knew I would see them often, but not being able to hop in my car and meet my best friend for coffee in 5 minutes on any given day has been quite the adjustment.
Not long after moving, Mallory Barnes reached out to me to let me know she was planning to eventually open her own pole studio in KC. It was amazing watching her make her dream come true and transitioning a plain commercial space to a dazzling pole dance studio, complete with mood lights, a disco ball, and unmatched vibes. I now teach Intro to Pole and Lucky Cheeks (Twerk) at Penny Luck Pole Dance, and have been enjoying this new creative pursuit as a pole instructor alongside my copy and creative writing business.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I wouldn’t say it has been a smooth road, but I will say that the things that happen to me in life feel like they are happening for a reason. It was hard to stand up for what I value in a workplace and leave Education, but I now know that transition had to happen so that I could focus my energy on my writing. I would have never had the time or energy to write for others, or even myself, if I had stayed a high school English teacher.
It was hard to tell my friends and family that I was divorcing my husband at the time, but I knew deep down I was not living a life authentic to who I really was. There were very few minor hiccups when it came to selling my home in Columbia, moving to KC, and unexpectedly purchasing a home within 4 months, which makes me believe I am exactly where I need to be.
Some of the struggles along the way were the result of my own imposter syndrome and not believing I was capable of success as a self-employed individual. I went through a tough first couple of years as a business owner, constantly afraid that any dip in business meant I would lose my home within a few months. Over time, I began to trust the ebb and flow of my work, knowing that if I experienced a “slow” few weeks, a busy season was never far behind.
I’ve also struggled with what I now know is an anxiety around money. I grew up in Wheatland, Missouri, a small town by the Pomme de Terre Lake. Most families in this area live well below the poverty line, and my family was no exception. Having grown up with financial instability, I often feel anxious about unexpected expenses or losing my sense of security. That anxiety intensified when I went from what my brain perceived as a stable job as a teacher to a more unpredictable career as a ghostwriter.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Copy & Creative Ghostwriter:
I answered some of these in that first long answer, but I’ll touch on a few highlights here. I specialize in writing career documents (resumes, CVs, cover letters, LinkedIn bios, etc.), eBooks, novels, social media content, wedding vows, etc. I have also added some graphic design elements to my services that accommodate my writing services, such as brochures, flyers, social media graphics, invitations, etc. I do this work mostly on a ghostwriting-basis, where the client doesn’t necessarily want it out there that I wrote the content for them. However, I am the listed editor on the book “Mural Money’ by Andrea Ehrhardt along with a few other projects.
Pole Instructor:
At Penny Luck Pole Dance, I teach Intro to Pole, where students new to pole dance are introduced to the craft. In this class, we build the flexibility and strength needed to safely enter and exit pole moves, while also learning foundational or “core” movements that help students build confidence and feel empowered. I also teach Lucky Cheeks, a twerk class. I became twerk certified through Vertical Joes and genuinely enjoy teaching choreography. I look forward to continuing to build my skills and adding more classes as I become qualified to teach them.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
When it came to writing, I didn’t have a mentor. I do now offer mentor services to help people start the process of building their own freelance business, and I also offer mentor services for those wanting guidance on writing their own books!
For pole dance, I would recommend finding a reputable pole dance studio that has great vibes. If you live in a bigger city, keep trying studios until you find a place that makes you feel supported, seen, and valued. Your pole mentors and instructors should never make you feel bad about your body or less-than for your level of progress.
Whether it’s through my writing or teaching pole, I enjoy helping people achieve their goals and follow their passion. For both industries, TikTok and Instagram have been great sources for Networking.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ghostwriter.ink
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mandysaspey?igsh=d3lhejJpZzBiNW4w&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1DCzggvFwF/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-aspey-19284b215/
