Minakshi Desai Shoulders Pepper’s Projects With Decades of Experience

Minakshi’s freelancing journey started after her years-long stint as an interior designer. Her passion for writing was always lurking under the surface. She found her calling about 20 years ago.

“No matter what I did, words never left me. Stories used to form in my head, even when I was asleep. I always knew something worthwhile was bubbling inside,” says Minakshi.

Soon after, she enrolled in a writing course from UK-based The Writer’s Bureau. She spent the next two decades writing for print media, specifically design magazines. Now, at the age of 66, she’s actively helping clients at Pepper with her incredible writing skills.

Her Tryst with Writing

Minakshi remembers reading a lot of Enid Blyton growing up, which kindled her interest in writing. She started writing her first book when she was in the sixth grade, but that never came to fruition. Nonetheless, this love for writing stayed with her and materialized when she started freelancing in her 40s.

Among her many accomplishments is having written for Good Housekeeping. During that time, she had the opportunity to interview the likes of Malaika Arora Khan and Sonali Bendre. It helped her groom her communication skills, setting her on the path of self-development.

“It has been a wonderful journey. I was compelled to come out of my comfort zone and grow,”

Overcoming Struggles

Minakshi has weathered many a challenge in her personal as well as professional life. But the toughest one was losing her husband in 2019. It came as a shock and brought a lot of turbulence to her life.

“When he was alive, I never stepped out of my comfort zone. Now that I’m on my own, despite the grief, I feel more self-reliant,” she explains.

Minakshi was looking for ways to move on and start the next chapter of her life. Now that she was alone, she had to work harder to make ends meet. 

A New Beginning

“In 2020, I kept coming across Pepper on different platforms. I knew it had something to do with writing. But I was struggling with spinal problems, so I couldn’t go through with it on my own,” Minakshi recalls.

Fortunately, her nephew knew someone from the Pepper team and helped her start the sign-up process. “I was not too tech-savvy back then. I remember being jittery about all sorts of things, such as closing the tab accidentally or failing the test altogether,” Minakshi shares. Within just seven to eight months of joining, she has seen tremendous improvement in the way she works digitally. 

Apart from content writing, she also dabbles in creative writing. In fact, a piece she wrote with a fun take on metaphors even got published on a literary site. Minakshi now aspires to get her fictional work published on international platforms. 

Growing With Pepper

Minakshi writes for the travel, lifestyle, and home improvement niches at Pepper. She has earned about a lakh in the last six months from the platform. 

Minakshi prioritizes self-care in her daily routine. Her day starts with yoga and a healthy breakfast. Then, she gets to work. Since work hours are flexible in freelancing, she is also able to do other things. 

Message to Aspiring Writers

According to Minkashi, you should write for the end reader and not just the client. Her top advice to writers is that they should continuously polish their skills. She also believes that they should take proactive steps to manage their work.

“You will have a lot to offer if you can draw on your inner strength. Don’t give up, and view everything as a battle to be won,”

It’s a huge motivation for us to be able to help creators like Minakshi thrive doing what they love. At Pepper, it doesn’t matter when you find your passion; all that matters is that you do. If you feel you’ve found yours as a creator, our doors are open for you.