Founder: Lianna Patch and James Turner
Business: SNAP Copy
Revenue/Month: $10K
Founders: 2
Employees: 0
Website: snapcopy.co (Currently on hiatus)
Location: (Currently on hiatus)
Founded: May 2016

In the competitive world of professional writing services, SNAP Copy has carved out a unique position with its innovative approach to delivering high-quality copywriting. Co-runners Lianna Patch and James Turner have built a business that addresses a persistent pain point for marketing agencies, small businesses, and e-commerce shops: accessing exceptional copy precisely when it’s needed, without the constraints of traditional service models. 

Unlike conventional copywriting services that operate on project-by-project bases or monthly retainers, SNAP Copy has pioneered a flexible “Copy Credits” system. This arrangement allows clients to purchase bundles of credits that can be redeemed over a six-month period for various copywriting needs as they arise. 

“Our value proposition is straightforward yet powerful,” explains Patch. “One credit covers a Facebook ad, four credits will optimize a landing page, and our menu of options extends well beyond these examples.” 

The system’s brilliance lies in its adaptability. Patch and Turner pride themselves on thinking creatively to address client needs that might fall outside standard copywriting categories. 

“This flexibility reflects our fundamental philosophy,” Turner notes. “Passion must underpin business operations—work that doesn’t inspire eventually leads to burnout and the desire to abandon ship.” 

A Serendipitous Partnership Forged Through Shared Vision 

In today’s fast-paced business environment, meaningful professional connections often prove elusive. Yet for Patch and Turner, their meeting represented a perfect alignment of values, timing, and opportunity that would ultimately reshape their professional trajectories. 

The seeds of SNAP Copy were planted in 2015-2016 when both founders participated in the inaugural copywriter mastermind group led by Joanna Wiebe, the respected mind behind Copy Hackers. Their first face-to-face encounter occurred at a conference in early 2016, sparking an immediate recognition of complementary sensibilities. 

“We discovered we shared both an irreverent approach to our craft and a steadfast professional ethic,” recalls Turner. “It was one of those rare moments when you just know you’re dealing with all-around good eggs worth collaborating with.” 

Fate intervened when Wiebe announced plans to discontinue the original iteration of SNAP Copy—a concept she had created and structured with its distinctive credit-based offering. Rather than letting this innovative business model disappear, Patch and Turner approached Wiebe with the intention of proposing a takeover. 

“Before we could even make our pitch,” Patch explains, “Wiebe surprised us by offering SNAP Copy directly. She simply asked, ‘Do you want it?’” 

Their affirmative response set in motion a generous handover process. Over the following month, Wiebe dedicated her time to transferring the SNAPcopy.co domain, sharing creative assets, and guiding the new owners through the operational framework—though appropriately withholding the existing customer list. 

“We never wanted to abandon our established consultancies,” Turner points out. “Punchline Conversion Copywriting and Turner Creative remain our primary businesses. We strategically positioned SNAP as a complementary ‘side hustle’ for both of us, embracing gradual organic growth rather than pursuing aggressive expansion.” 

This arrangement created perfect symbiosis between their businesses. While their individual consultancies typically involve lengthy booking timelines and strategic depth, SNAP offers immediate accessibility. 

“Clients can purchase credits instantly, submit projects through an automated system, and receive completed smaller projects in as little as 48 hours,” Patch emphasizes. “We’ve created a service spectrum that addresses varied client needs across different urgency levels.” 

Engineering a Client-Centric Business Model 

Transitioning an existing business presents unique challenges that differ significantly from launching a startup. For Patch and Turner, inheriting SNAP Copy meant carefully balancing preservation of its distinctive value proposition with their own vision for its future—a delicate dance of continuity and innovation that would shape their approach to the marketplace. 

The transition from concept to operational business demands both strategic vision and practical implementation—particularly when inheriting an established framework. For SNAP Copy, this process focused less on reinventing systems and more on refining the existing credit-based model to align with the new owners’ vision and values. 

“Stepping into stewardship of an existing business presented us with a unique challenge,” Turner explains. “Rather than building from scratch, we needed to determine how we would shape SNAP Copy’s future while preserving its distinctive value proposition.” 

The credit-based system—allowing clients to apply prepurchased credits toward whatever copywriting services they needed—remained the cornerstone of their business model, offering flexibility that traditional project-based or retainer arrangements couldn’t match. 

“Potential clients need concrete examples to visualize themselves using a service,” Patch points out. “This insight drove our approach to marketing, focusing on two complementary aspects: articulating the practical benefits of having credits at your disposal and demonstrating the tangible outcomes of using those credits.” 

One of their most effective retention strategies emerged in the form of a simple automated monthly email. This message checks in with customers holding unexpired credits, reminds them of their credit balance and expiration dates, and offers assistance with any ongoing copy projects. 

“The gentle nudge often prompts clients to activate dormant credits,” Turner notes. “Sometimes the most effective customer engagement tools are also the most straightforward.” 

The business launch was notably understated—more of a soft opening than a splashy debut. Even before officially offering credits for sale, SNAP Copy had secured its first customer. 

“That client remains with the business today,” Patch adds proudly, “highlighting the durability of relationships built on our service model.” 

Operating SNAP as a complementary venture alongside their individual consultancies allowed Patch and Turner to embrace gradual, organic growth rather than pursuing aggressive expansion targets. 

“This measured approach was facilitated by the credit model’s favorable cash flow structure,” Turner explains. “Customers purchase credits upfront, meaning revenue arrives before the primary expense of paying writers. With minimal overhead costs, the business could develop at a sustainable pace aligned with our vision.” 

Customer acquisition has followed clear patterns, with public speaking engagements and podcast appearances by Patch—the more public-facing member of the duo—serving as the primary channel for new business. 

“Referrals provide the second most significant source of new clients,” Patch shares. “We support this through both internal incentives, like bonus credits for existing customers who refer new business, and external rewards.” 

“We offer Amazon gift cards for non-client referrers,” Turner adds with a laugh, “though we should probably revisit the legal advice that prompted this specific approach.” 

Notably, many referrals come from fellow copywriters—professionals who might conventionally be viewed as competitors. This collaborative spirit reflects the connected nature of their corner of the copywriting world, where mutual support often replaces cutthroat competition. 

“SNAP’s constant availability and accessibility to projects of any size represent crucial differentiators in our market,” Patch emphasizes. “Many top copywriters maintain lengthy waiting lists. The ability to submit a project immediately after purchasing credits—and potentially receive completed work within 48 hours for smaller jobs—transforms minor writing tasks from nagging responsibilities into quickly resolved items, creating tangible value for time-pressed clients.” 

Strategic Evolution Through Accessible Entry Points 

Even the most successful business models eventually confront limitations that necessitate fresh approaches. For SNAP Copy, recognizing when to expand their offerings proved crucial to sustaining growth and creating new pathways for client acquisition—a challenge they tackled with characteristic ingenuity in 2022. 

Business growth often requires breaking free from self-imposed limitations—a lesson the team at SNAP Copy embraced after five years of operating within a rigid business model. This shift represents a pivotal moment in the company’s development and sets the stage for future expansion. 

“The decision to introduce SNAP Video Audits marked a significant strategic pivot for us,” Turner explains. “Prior to this innovation, prospective clients had only one pathway to working with the SNAP team: purchasing credit packs.” 

By creating a lower-investment entry option, Patch and Turner effectively lowered the barrier to entry while showcasing their expertise. The video audit format allows potential clients to experience the team’s insight and approach before committing to larger projects. 

“It’s essentially a try-before-you-buy strategy,” Patch says, “and it has proven exceptionally effective.” 

This new offering has quickly gained traction, particularly among first-time customers seeking expert analysis of their existing copy. More importantly, it functions as an effective conversion tool, guiding prospects toward larger credit purchases once they’ve experienced the value SNAP delivers. 

“The structured progression from low-cost initial engagement to more substantial investment represents classic sales funnel optimization,” Turner notes with satisfaction. 

Looking beyond product offerings, the founders have identified key insights about customer acquisition and business sustainability throughout their entrepreneurial journey. 

“Our experience confirms that personal connections and referrals consistently outperform advertising in generating qualified leads and loyal clients,” Patch emphasizes. “The closer and more personalized our client interactions, the better our business outcomes—reinforcing the value of relationship-based marketing in professional services.” 

Perhaps most revealing is their observation about organizational health. The weekly founder’s meeting—maintained religiously for over six years—has proven essential to SNAP’s stability and success. 

“Interestingly, these standing Tuesday meetings often venture beyond immediate business concerns,” Turner admits, “yet their consistent occurrence creates a foundation that supports both the company and our partnership.” 

“When these meetings have occasionally lapsed,” Patch adds, “the business has invariably experienced increased strain and stress.” 

This regular touchpoint serves multiple functions: it reinforces their mutual dedication to SNAP, strengthens their personal friendship, and makes challenging business obstacles feel more manageable through shared responsibility. 

“The practice illustrates how structured communication can function as organizational infrastructure,” Turner reflects, “particularly in partnerships where responsibilities are divided.” 

The Power of Personal Connection and Purposeful Work 

In an era dominated by automation and digital interfaces, the enduring value of human-to-human relationships remains a cornerstone of sustainable business success. This principle has proven fundamental to SNAP Copy’s growth trajectory and offers valuable guidance for emerging entrepreneurs seeking to build lasting and fulfilling ventures in competitive service industries. 

For those launching or developing service-based businesses, Patch and Turner emphasize one cardinal principle above all others: authentic personal connections form the foundation of lasting success. 

“While technological advances offer efficiency and scale, we’ve discovered that meaningful human relationships drive our most significant business outcomes,” Patch explains. “This insight applies with particular force to businesses built around unique personal expertise or distinctive service delivery approaches.” 

“When only you can provide what you offer in precisely your way,” Turner adds, “direct human connection becomes your most powerful business asset.” 

Their advice reflects both philosophical perspective and practical strategy. Making interpersonal connections a genuine priority means allocating adequate time and attention to relationship development rather than treating it as a secondary concern. 

“This approach runs counter to the prevailing emphasis on rapid scaling and automation,” Patch acknowledges, “but aligns with research consistently showing that customer retention and referrals drive profitability more effectively than constant acquisition efforts.” 

Beyond relationship-building, the SNAP founders highlight an equally essential factor for entrepreneurial sustainability: genuine passion for the work itself. 

“Our experience demonstrates that businesses thrive when their leaders find intrinsic satisfaction in core activities,” Turner states. “For us, this manifests as genuine enjoyment in analyzing websites, landing pages, emails, and advertisements to enhance both conversion rates and reader experience.” 

“This enthusiasm creates a positive feedback loop,” Patch elaborates. “The more we engage with these tasks, the more skilled we become, and the greater satisfaction we derive.” 

This combination of meaningful connections and inherent work satisfaction has enabled SNAP Copy to maintain momentum and growth through six years of operation as a side venture for both founders. 

“Our experience offers a refreshing counterpoint to conventional startup wisdom focused on disruption, scaling, and venture funding,” Turner reflects. “Instead, we’ve built a profitable, sustainable enterprise through methodical attention to fundamentals.” 

“Delivering exceptional service, nurturing relationships, maintaining consistent communication, and finding joy in our craft—these are the principles that have sustained us,” Patch emphasizes. 

The SNAP Copy story illustrates how entrepreneurial success often springs not from revolutionary ideas but from exceptional execution of proven concepts. By honoring the core principles of connection and purpose, they’ve created a business that serves clients effectively while supporting the founders’ professional and personal aspirations. 

Success Factors: Why Did SNAP Copy Succeed? 

• Innovative business model – Their “Copy Credits” system provides flexibility that traditional project-based or retainer arrangements can’t match, allowing clients to purchase credits for use as needed over a six-month period. 

• Complementary partnership – Patch and Turner share both an “irreverent approach to their craft and a steadfast professional ethic,” creating a strong foundation for their business relationship. 

• Strategic positioning – They maintained their individual consultancies (Punchline Conversion Copywriting and Turner Creative) while positioning SNAP as a complementary “side hustle,” creating perfect symbiosis between their businesses. 

• Client-centric approach – They focus on articulating practical benefits and demonstrating tangible outcomes, while providing accessibility for projects of any size with rapid turnaround times. 

• Effective customer retention – Their automated monthly email reminder system for clients with unexpired credits has proven to be a simple yet powerful retention tool. 

• Favorable cash flow structure – The credit model brings in revenue before the primary expense of paying writers, with minimal overhead costs. 

• Personal connection-based marketing – Public speaking, podcast appearances, and referrals (especially from other copywriters) drive their business more effectively than advertising. 

• Strategic evolution – The introduction of SNAP Video Audits as a lower-cost entry point created a new pathway for client acquisition and conversion. 

• Consistent communication – Their weekly founder’s meetings, maintained for over six years, have proven essential to SNAP’s stability and success. 

• Genuine passion for the work – Their intrinsic satisfaction in their core activities creates a positive feedback loop of skill development and enjoyment. 

• Focus on fundamentals – Rather than pursuing rapid scaling or venture funding, they’ve built a sustainable enterprise through “methodical attention to fundamentals: delivering exceptional service, nurturing relationships, maintaining consistent communication, and finding joy in their craft.” 

Key Lessons to Learn 

1. Find innovative solutions to market pain points – SNAP Copy identified a gap in how copywriting services were delivered and created their “Copy Credits” system to address clients’ need for high-quality copy on demand. 

2. Partnerships thrive on complementary skills and shared values – Patch and Turner’s successful partnership stems from their compatible approaches and mutual professional respect. 

3. Business models can facilitate work-life balance – By structuring SNAP as a complementary venture to their individual consultancies, they created sustainable growth without burnout. 

4. Passion prevents burnout – Their philosophy that “passion must underpin business operations” recognizes that work without genuine interest leads to eventual burnout. 

5. Personal connections outperform advertising – Their experience confirms that relationship-based marketing consistently generates better leads and more loyal clients than traditional advertising. 

6. Consistent communication is organizational infrastructure – Their religiously maintained weekly meetings provide stability, even when discussions venture beyond immediate business concerns. 

7. Lower barrier entry points can drive conversion – The introduction of SNAP Video Audits created an accessible way for new clients to experience their value before committing to larger purchases. 

8. Customer experience drives retention – Their focus on making copy projects “quickly resolved items” for time-pressed clients creates tangible value. 

9. Sustainable growth often beats rapid scaling – Their methodical, organic growth approach runs counter to conventional startup wisdom but has created a profitable, sustainable enterprise. 

10. Favorable cash flow structures reduce pressure – By receiving payment before delivering services, they created financial stability that supported their measured growth approach. 

11. Simple systems can yield powerful results – Their automated monthly email reminder about unused credits exemplifies how straightforward tools can effectively drive customer engagement. 

Opportunity Matrix 

Founder Background 

• Lianna Patch: Established conversion copywriter with Punchline Conversion Copywriting 

• James Turner: Experienced copywriter with Turner Creative 

• Both participated in Joanna Wiebe’s inaugural copywriter mastermind group (2015-2016) 

• Connected at a conference in early 2016, discovering shared values: irreverent approach to craft and steadfast professional ethic 

• Both maintained their individual consultancies while operating SNAP Copy as a complementary venture 

Problem Identification 

• Marketing agencies, small businesses, and e-commerce shops struggle to access exceptional copy precisely when needed 

• Traditional copywriting service models (project-based or monthly retainers) lack flexibility 

• Top copywriters often maintain lengthy waiting lists, creating delays for clients with urgent needs 

• Minor writing projects become nagging responsibilities for businesses without access to on-demand writing services 

• Small copywriting tasks often don’t justify the overhead of hiring a full-time writer or engaging a consultant 

Market Opportunity 

• Growing demand for flexible, high-quality copywriting services without long-term commitments 

• Market gap for services that can handle varied project sizes with different urgency levels 

• Opportunity to provide immediate accessibility for copywriting services (within 48 hours for smaller projects) 

• Potential to create a business model that bridges between full consultancy services and ad hoc copywriting needs 

• Chance to acquire an established business concept (SNAP Copy) from its original creator (Joanna Wiebe) 

Competitive Landscape 

• Traditional copywriting consultancies operating on project-by-project bases 

• Monthly retainer agencies requiring ongoing commitments 

• Freelance marketplaces offering varied quality levels 

• Top individual copywriters with lengthy waiting lists 

• Notable competitor advantage: Many competitors (other copywriters) actually refer clients to SNAP Copy 

Market Research 

• Direct insights from founders’ experience in their individual consultancies 

• Understanding gained through Joanna Wiebe’s copywriter mastermind group 

• Knowledge of client pain points from direct interaction with businesses 

• Recognition that clients need concrete examples to visualize themselves using a service 

• Identification that personal connections and referrals consistently outperform advertising in their industry 

Business Model 

• Credit-based system allowing clients to purchase bundles of credits redeemable over six months 

• Credits applicable to various copywriting needs (e.g., one credit for a Facebook ad, four credits for a landing page) 

• Favorable cash flow structure: revenue arrives before primary expense of paying writers 

• Complementary to founders’ individual consultancies, creating service spectrum across urgency levels 

• Later evolution: Addition of SNAP Video Audits as lower-investment entry option (2022) 

Initial Capital 

• Minimal startup costs due to acquisition of existing business framework 

• Domain transfer and creative assets provided by original owner (Joanna Wiebe) 

• Operating as “side hustle” alongside established consultancies reduced financial pressure 

• Credit-based model provided upfront revenue before service delivery costs 

• Low overhead costs facilitated sustainable growth without significant investment 

Product/Service Development 

• Inherited and refined credit-based service model from original SNAP Copy concept 

• Focused on articulating practical benefits and demonstrating tangible outcomes 

• Marketing emphasized both flexibility of credits and concrete results they deliver 

• Automated monthly email system to remind clients of unused credits 

• Strategic addition of Video Audits as entry-level offering after five years 

Marketing Strategy 

• Primary channel: Public speaking engagements and podcast appearances (particularly by Patch) 

• Secondary channel: Referrals from existing clients and fellow copywriters 

• Incentive structure: Bonus credits for client referrers, Amazon gift cards for non-client referrers 

• Focus on demonstrating flexible application of credits to various copywriting needs 

• Emphasis on relationship-based marketing over advertising 

Milestones 

• Acquisition of SNAP Copy from Joanna Wiebe 

• First customer secured before officially offering credits for sale (client still with business today) 

• Consistent weekly founder meetings maintained for over six years 

• Strategic pivot with introduction of SNAP Video Audits in 2022 after five years of operation 

• Sustained growth as complementary venture alongside individual consultancies 

Scalability 

• Credit model supports scalable operations through systematic allocation of resources 

• Automated systems for client credit management reduce administrative overhead 

• Entry-level Video Audits create pipeline for conversion to larger credit purchases 

• Business designed for gradual organic growth rather than aggressive expansion 

• Favorable cash flow structure supports sustainable scaling without external funding 

Potential Risks and Challenges 

• Dependency on founders’ time and attention while operating alongside individual consultancies 

• Potential burnout if passion for the work diminishes 

• Risk of discontinuity if weekly founder meetings lapse (noted to increase strain when missed) 

• Challenge of maintaining credit pricing relative to market value and inflation 

• Balancing growth ambitions with intentionally measured approach to expansion 

Key Performance Indicators/Metrics 

• Credit sales volume and redemption rates 

• Customer retention and repeat credit purchases 

• Conversion rate from Video Audits to credit purchases 

• Referral generation (both from clients and fellow copywriters) 

• Time from credit purchase to project completion 

• Customer satisfaction with delivered copy 

• Project distribution across different credit values 

• Efficiency of weekly founder meetings in addressing business needs