Labber Stories: Nik Bhatia

“While not the primary function of a trader and strategist, my notes were a platform to express my opinions on markets.”

I’ve always been a global macroeconomics fanatic and have long known that my career would be in the investment-management sphere.

After years of building a successful career as a fixed-income trader and interest-rate strategist, I noticed how much I enjoyed writing market commentaries and research notes.

While not the primary function of a trader and strategist, my notes were a platform to express my opinions on markets.

The transition to becoming a writer started with market commentaries, but quickly evolved into something much greater.

I was presented with an opportunity to teach fixed income at a business school and decided to completely change the angle from which I deliver on my passion as a global macroeconomic thinker—I left my job as a trader/strategist to pursue a life of teaching, writing, and speaking about finance.

At that moment, I started my own writing projects, but also found a LinkedIn listing for Copylab that jumped out at me.

As a freelance writer on financial and investment topics, I could potentially find a way to deliver quality copy to end-clients while still pursuing independent academic research.

Joining Copylab’s roster was a great opportunity that quickly converted into a significant contract with one of their main clients.

My work with Copylab has been a perfect complement to my overall pursuit of writing and teaching about fixed income and global macroeconomics.

I contribute to both the fixed-income and ESG teams, which brings to me to my favorite part about being on the Copylab roster.

While the ESG research and writing I do for Copylab’s clients falls outside of my immediate area of expertise, I find the content exciting and even inspirational and am able to expand my horizons as a participant in the financial industry.

Working for Copylab clients as a work-from-home freelancer has been very easy—onboarding remotely was a smooth process, and regular Zoom meetings with people around the world has made me feel like a true part of the organization, while still retaining Copylab as an advocate.

There is even a solid Copylab contingent of writers within the team that look out for each other, an additional aspect of community that has been nice.

I always feel like both the client and Copylab are in constant communication about the quality of my work and whether or not I am happy and intent on continuing in the current situation.

While I haven’t had any negative issues on which Copylab would be required to mediate, Copylab has assisted in logistical adjustments to my contract and in communicating to the client regarding my work preferences.

I have secured contracts from additional clients, so I know from experience that Copylab is always trying to advocate for the writer, putting them in a position to succeed in the context of well-communicated expectations.

I have learned a lot since joining Copylab: about myself, about the work-from-home era in which we all live, and about the marketing side of the investment-management industry.

Managing a remote lifestyle has been an exciting challenge that has made me a stronger writer and more responsible individual. Most importantly, it has cemented my mentality as self-employed.

Working with Copylab has been fantastic, but I am still able to maintain a freedom that is priceless.