Juan Veum

Why this persona fits the audience

He builds automations for small businesses in Manchester using Make, Zapier, Google Sheets, and occasional LLM calls. He has mostly managed models one by one on free tiers or direct vendor dashboards while testing chatbot and summarization workflows for clients.

• Age: 24
• Location: Manchester, UK
• Occupation: Automation freelancer
• Income: £38k freelance gross
• Education: Bachelor's in media production

“There's always a more efficient way to do things, you just have to find it.”

Juan Veum, 24, is a freelance automation specialist based in Manchester, UK, carving out a niche by helping small businesses streamline their operations. Armed with a Bachelor's degree in Media Production, he found himself drawn to the practical problem-solving aspects of technology rather than the creative output of his degree. He discovered no-code automation tools like Make and Zapier during his final year, seeing them as powerful solutions for efficiency that didn't require deep coding knowledge. After graduating, he spent a few months in a junior marketing role, where he quickly identified and automated several repetitive tasks, impressing his superiors but feeling constrained by the corporate structure. This experience solidified his desire for independence. He launched his freelance career two and a half years ago, initially taking on small gigs to build a portfolio. His current focus is on businesses in Manchester, leveraging platforms like Make, Zapier, and Google Sheets, and increasingly incorporating LLM API calls for tasks like content summarization and basic chatbot functionalities. He manages these AI models individually, often on free tiers or through direct vendor dashboards, carefully tracking usage to avoid unexpected costs. His income hovers around £38k gross annually, a figure he's keen to increase. Juan values practicality and efficiency above all else; he sees automation as a direct path to tangible business improvements and, by extension, greater income stability for himself. He’s not driven by status or luxury, preferring to reinvest in his skills and tools. His recent decisions have involved carefully evaluating the cost-benefit of moving certain frequently used LLM functions to paid tiers, weighing the increased reliability against the added expense. He’s also been experimenting with integrating more complex data analysis within Google Sheets to provide deeper insights to his clients, seeing it as a way to add more value beyond simple workflow automation. He views time as his most valuable commodity, both for himself and his clients, and is constantly seeking ways to optimize its use.

Background & daily life

A day in their life

Juan’s typical weekday starts around 7:30 AM with a quick breakfast and a scan of tech news on Reddit. He’s usually at his desk by 8:30 AM, checking emails and planning his day. The morning might involve a client video call to discuss a new automation requirement or a deep dive into building a workflow in Make for the artisan baker. Lunch is a quick affair, often a sandwich at his desk while watching a YouTube tutorial on advanced Google Sheets formulas. The afternoon is dedicated to client work, troubleshooting a tricky Zapier integration, or experimenting with an LLM API for a summarization task for the marketing agency. He aims to wrap up by 6 PM, often feeling a sense of accomplishment but also mentally drained from problem-solving.

Lifestyle

Juan lives in a trendy, slightly scruffy area of Ancoats, appreciating the proximity to independent cafes and music venues. He gets up around 7:30, making a quick breakfast of porridge and scrolling through Reddit before diving into work. He tries to hit the gym twice a week, mostly for stress relief. Weekends are spent exploring Manchester’s photography scene, attending gigs, or just relaxing at home with Chloe, his flatmate, often ordering takeaway and watching a documentary.

Work life

His days are a mix of client calls, deep dives into Make or Zapier, and troubleshooting. He’s currently juggling three main projects: automating lead generation for a local estate agent, streamlining order processing for an online artisan baker, and setting up a customer feedback loop for a small marketing agency. He spends a lot of time on vendor dashboards, meticulously managing API keys and free tier limits, and occasionally experimenting with LLM APIs for summarization tasks. The pressure is on to deliver tangible time savings for his clients, which directly impacts his income.

Relationships

Juan maintains a close but not overly dependent relationship with his parents, who live in a village outside Manchester. His primary social circle consists of a few university friends and his flatmate, Chloe, with whom he shares a friendly, low-drama dynamic. He occasionally connects with other freelancers online for advice and support, finding a sense of community in shared challenges.

How they decide

Juan is a pragmatic researcher. He’ll explore multiple options, read reviews, and watch tutorial videos before committing to a tool or approach. He’s not afraid to try free tiers extensively and will weigh the cost-benefit carefully, often opting for the most straightforward, reliable solution that solves the immediate problem, rather than the flashiest or most feature-rich.

How they sound

Speaks with a clear, slightly measured Northern English accent. Tends to use straightforward language, avoiding overly technical jargon unless explaining something specific to a client. He’s polite and professional but can become animated when discussing a particularly elegant automation solution. He’s not one for excessive slang but might use common phrases like 'sorted' or 'bit of a faff'. He’s careful not to over-promise and often qualifies his statements with 'potentially' or 'it depends'.