pdf

Use my resume and our previous chats to give me some ideas to become self-employed and earn 100k a year.

Apr 3
Synthesized background and brainstormed seven self-employment pathways

Just a heads-up — I don't have access to our previous conversations since your memory isn't enabled in settings. But your resume gives me plenty to work with! Here are some strong paths to $100k self-employed, tailored to Mark's specific background:

🎯 Self-Employment Ideas for Mark Rudio

1. Freelance Technical Writing (Fastest Path)

Your 20+ years of experience — especially in financial services (Wells Fargo, Lafayette FCU) — makes you premium-tier. Financial services and fintech technical writers command $85–$150/hr. At just 15-20 billable hours/week, you hit $100k+ easily. Target banks, credit unions, and fintech startups who need compliance documentation, policies, and procedures — your exact specialty.

2. Fractional Communications Director

Nonprofits and small-to-mid businesses need a seasoned communications leader but can't afford a full-time hire. You've already done this twice (DRi, VNA of America). Package it as a retainer service: 2-3 clients at $3,000–$5,000/month each. Your performing arts and nonprofit network is a ready-made pipeline.

3. AI Documentation Consultant

This is a wide-open niche right now. You're already fluent in Claude, ChatGPT, Copilot, and Gemini — most companies deploying AI have no one to write AI usage policies, train staff, or document AI workflows. Position yourself as the person who bridges AI tools and enterprise documentation. Charge $150–$200/hr.

4. Compliance & Regulatory Documentation for Credit Unions / Community Banks

You own this niche. Credit unions are heavily regulated and chronically understaffed in documentation. There are 5,000+ credit unions in the U.S. who need exactly what you've been doing at Lafayette FCU. A few ongoing retainer clients in this vertical alone could hit $100k.

5. Content Strategy Consulting for Professional Services Firms

Law firms, financial advisors, consultancies — they produce thought leadership content but rarely have someone who can build the strategy behind it. Your white paper, blog, and editorial experience (Shared Assessments, Trimble) translates directly. Packages of $2,500–$5,000/month per client are common.

6. Technical Writing Courses & Templates

You've been building and refining documentation systems for decades. Turn that into digital products — templates for policy writing, SharePoint governance guides, compliance documentation kits. Sell on Gumroad or your own site. Lower ceiling solo, but excellent passive income layered on top of consulting.

💡 Mark's Biggest Differentiators to Lean Into

  • Financial services + compliance — very few writers have this depth
  • AI tools fluency — rare among experienced writers, huge market right now
  • Both strategic and executional — you can lead and write, which commands higher rates
  • Performing arts/nonprofit network — a warm pipeline for fractional work

The most realistic fast track to $100k would be combining options 1 and 2 — a few freelance technical writing retainers plus one fractional communications client. Want me to help you build a rate card, a service menu, or a LinkedIn positioning strategy to start landing clients?

Yes please - all of it.

Apr 3
Architected comprehensive business toolkit with three integrated sections

V

visualize show_widget

Everything is in there across four tabs — flip through them and use the copy buttons on the LinkedIn text to grab it directly.

A few things worth noting given your specific background:

The AI documentation niche is the one I'd push hardest on right now. Most organizations adopting Copilot or ChatGPT have no one who can write the policies, training guides, and workflow docs around it — and your combination of AI tool fluency plus formal documentation experience is genuinely rare. That's a $150/hr conversation, not $85/hr.

The $100k model tab shows you can get there working roughly 26 hours a week, which leaves real room for business development without burning out. The key is landing that first fractional client — it anchors your income and your schedule.

For LinkedIn, the biggest unlock is the Services section (under your profile's "Add section" menu). It makes you searchable by people actively looking to hire consultants — most writers don't know it exists.

Want me to help draft the outreach messages to former colleagues, or build a simple one-page website/PDF you could send to prospects?

Yes please

Apr 3
Strategized dual deliverables: outreach messages and polished website

Let's do both. First, the outreach messages — a few different scenarios:

Now the one-page website:

Created a file, read a file

You've got everything now:

Outreach messages — four variants covering the key scenarios: casual warm reconnect, direct referral ask, credit union cold outreach, and nonprofit cold outreach. Customize the bracketed fields and send.

Website — a full one-page HTML site you can download and either host yourself or hand to a developer. It's clean, professional, and has all five service offerings, your experience timeline, and a contact section. To publish it, you can drop it into a free host like Netlify Drop (literally drag the file) and have a live URL in under two minutes — no account required.

One tip on the outreach: the credit union cold email will probably be your highest-converting message. Credit union CEOs and COOs are findable on LinkedIn by searching "CEO credit union [state]" — and most of them have no dedicated documentation staff at all. That email speaks directly to the pain they already know they have.

Mark rudio website
Code · HTML 


Claude is AI and can make mistakes. Please double-check responses.

Mark rudio website · HTML

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<!DOCTYPE html>
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<html lang="en">
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<head>
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<meta charset="UTF-8">
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<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
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<title>Mark Rudio — Technical Writer & Communications Consultant</title>
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<link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Playfair+Display:wght@400;500&family=DM+Sans:wght@300;400;500&display=swap" rel="stylesheet">
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<style>
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*, *::before, *::after { box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0; padding: 0; }
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:root {
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--ink: #1a1a18;
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--ink-mid: #4a4a45;
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--ink-light: #8a8a82;
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--ink-faint: #e8e6e0;
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--cream: #f8f6f0;
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--warm-white: #fdfcf9;
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--accent: #2a4a3a;
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--accent-light: #e8f0ec;
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--rule: #d8d4cc;
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}
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html { scroll-behavior: smooth; }
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body {
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font-family: 'DM Sans', sans-serif;
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font-weight: 300;
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color: var(--ink);
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background: var(--warm-white);
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font-size: 16px;
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line-height: 1.7;
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}
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/* NAV */
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nav {
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position: fixed;
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top: 0; left: 0; right: 0;
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z-index: 100;
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display: flex;
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justify-content: space-between;
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align-items: center;
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padding: 1.25rem 3rem;
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background: rgba(253,252,249,0.92);
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backdrop-filter: blur(8px);
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border-bottom: 0.5px solid var(--rule);
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}
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.nav-name {
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font-family: 'Playfair Display', serif;
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font-size: 16px;
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font-weight: 400;
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letter-spacing: 0.02em;
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color: var(--ink);
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text-decoration: none;
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}
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.nav-links { display: flex; gap: 2rem; list-style: none; }
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.nav-links a {
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font-size: 13px;
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font-weight: 400;
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color: var(--ink-mid);
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text-decoration: none;
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letter-spacing: 0.04em;
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transition: color 0.2s;
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}
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.nav-links a:hover { color: var(--accent); }
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/* HERO */
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.hero {
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min-height: 100vh;
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display: flex;
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flex-direction: column;
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justify-content: center;
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padding: 8rem 3rem 4rem;
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max-width: 1100px;
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margin: 0 auto;
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}
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.hero-eyebrow {
77
font-size: 11px;
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font-weight: 500;
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letter-spacing: 0.15em;
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text-transform: uppercase;
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color: var(--accent);
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margin-bottom: 1.5rem;
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}
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.hero h1 {
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font-family: 'Playfair Display', serif;
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font-size: clamp(2.8rem, 6vw, 5.5rem);
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font-weight: 400;
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line-height: 1.1;
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color: var(--ink);
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max-width: 820px;
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margin-bottom: 2rem;
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}
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.hero h1 em {
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font-style: italic;
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color: var(--accent);
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}
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.hero-sub {
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font-size: 17px;
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font-weight: 300;
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color: var(--ink-mid);
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max-width: 560px;
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line-height: 1.75;
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margin-bottom: 2.5rem;
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}
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.hero-cta {
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display: inline-block;
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padding: 12px 28px;
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background: var(--accent);
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color: #fff;
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text-decoration: none;
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font-size: 14px;
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font-weight: 400;
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letter-spacing: 0.06em;
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border-radius: 2px;
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transition: background 0.2s, transform 0.15s;
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}
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.hero-cta:hover { background: #1e3a2c; transform: translateY(-1px); }
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.hero-rule {
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width: 48px;
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height: 2px;
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background: var(--accent);
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margin-bottom: 2rem;
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}
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/* SECTION COMMON */
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section { padding: 6rem 3rem; }
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.container { max-width: 1100px; margin: 0 auto; }
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.section-label {
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font-size: 11px;
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font-weight: 500;
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letter-spacing: 0.15em;
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text-transform: uppercase;
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color: var(--ink-light);
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margin-bottom: 0.75rem;
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}
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.section-title {
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font-family: 'Playfair Display', serif;
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font-size: clamp(1.8rem, 3.5vw, 2.8rem);
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font-weight: 400;
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line-height: 1.2;
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color: var(--ink);
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margin-bottom: 1.5rem;
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}
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/* ABOUT */
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#about { background: var(--cream); }
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.about-grid {
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display: grid;
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grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr;
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gap: 5rem;
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align-items: start;
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}
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.about-body {
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font-size: 16px;
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color: var(--ink-mid);
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line-height: 1.85;
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}
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.about-body p + p { margin-top: 1.2rem; }
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.about-stats {
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display: grid;
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grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr;
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gap: 1.5rem;
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}
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.stat {
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border-top: 1.5px solid var(--accent);
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padding-top: 1rem;
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}
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.stat-num {
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font-family: 'Playfair Display', serif;
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font-size: 2.8rem;
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font-weight: 400;
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color: var(--ink);
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line-height: 1;
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margin-bottom: 0.25rem;
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}
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.stat-label { font-size: 12px; color: var(--ink-light); letter-spacing: 0.04em; }
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/* SERVICES */
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.services-grid {
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display: grid;
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grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr);
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gap: 2px;
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margin-top: 3rem;
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border: 0.5px solid var(--rule);
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}
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.service-item {
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padding: 2rem;
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border-right: 0.5px solid var(--rule);
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border-bottom: 0.5px solid var(--rule);
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}
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.service-item:nth-child(3n) { border-right: none; }
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.service-item:nth-child(4), .service-item:nth-child(5) { border-bottom: none; }
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.service-num {
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font-family: 'Playfair Display', serif;
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font-size: 11px;
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color: var(--ink-light);
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margin-bottom: 1rem;
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}
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.service-name {
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font-size: 15px;
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font-weight: 500;
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color: var(--ink);
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margin-bottom: 0.75rem;
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line-height: 1.4;
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}
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.service-desc { font-size: 13px; color: var(--ink-mid); line-height: 1.7; }
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.service-price {
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margin-top: 1rem;
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font-size: 12px;
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font-weight: 500;
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color: var(--accent);
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letter-spacing: 0.03em;
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}
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/* EXPERIENCE */
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#experience { background: var(--cream); }
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.exp-list { margin-top: 2.5rem; }
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.exp-item {
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display: grid;
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grid-template-columns: 200px 1fr;
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gap: 2rem;
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padding: 2rem 0;
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border-top: 0.5px solid var(--rule);
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}
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.exp-item:last-child { border-bottom: 0.5px solid var(--rule); }
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.exp-meta { font-size: 12px; color: var(--ink-light); line-height: 1.7; }
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.exp-meta strong { display: block; font-size: 13px; font-weight: 500; color: var(--ink-mid); margin-bottom: 2px; }
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.exp-title { font-size: 15px; font-weight: 500; color: var(--ink); margin-bottom: 0.5rem; }
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.exp-body { font-size: 13px; color: var(--ink-mid); line-height: 1.75; }
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/* CONTACT */
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#contact {
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background: var(--accent);
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color: #fff;
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}
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#contact .section-label { color: rgba(255,255,255,0.5); }
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#contact .section-title { color: #fff; }
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.contact-grid {
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display: grid;
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grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr;
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gap: 4rem;
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align-items: center;
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margin-top: 2rem;
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}
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.contact-body { font-size: 15px; color: rgba(255,255,255,0.8); line-height: 1.85; }
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.contact-details { display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 1rem; }
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.contact-row {
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display: flex;
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align-items: center;
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gap: 1rem;
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font-size: 14px;
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color: rgba(255,255,255,0.9);
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text-decoration: none;
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}
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.contact-row:hover { color: #fff; }
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.contact-icon {
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width: 36px; height: 36px;
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border: 0.5px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.3);
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border-radius: 50%;
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display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;
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font-size: 14px;
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flex-shrink: 0;
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}
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.cta-white {
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display: inline-block;
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margin-top: 2rem;
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padding: 12px 28px;
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background: #fff;
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color: var(--accent);
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text-decoration: none;
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font-size: 14px;
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font-weight: 500;
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letter-spacing: 0.04em;
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border-radius: 2px;
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transition: opacity 0.2s;
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}
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.cta-white:hover { opacity: 0.9; }
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/* FOOTER */
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footer {
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padding: 2rem 3rem;
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border-top: 0.5px solid var(--rule);
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display: flex;
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justify-content: space-between;
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align-items: center;
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}
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.footer-name {
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font-family: 'Playfair Display', serif;
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font-size: 14px;
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color: var(--ink-mid);
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}
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.footer-copy { font-size: 12px; color: var(--ink-light); }
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@media (max-width: 768px) {
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nav { padding: 1rem 1.5rem; }
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.nav-links { display: none; }
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section { padding: 4rem 1.5rem; }
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.hero { padding: 6rem 1.5rem 3rem; }
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.about-grid, .contact-grid { grid-template-columns: 1fr; gap: 2.5rem; }
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.services-grid { grid-template-columns: 1fr; }
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.service-item { border-right: none; border-bottom: 0.5px solid var(--rule) !important; }
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.exp-item { grid-template-columns: 1fr; gap: 0.5rem; }
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footer { flex-direction: column; gap: 0.5rem; text-align: center; }
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}
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</style>
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</head>
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<body>
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<nav>
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<a href="#" class="nav-name">Mark Rudio</a>
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<ul class="nav-links">
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<li><a href="#about">About</a></li>
313
<li><a href="#services">Services</a></li>
314
<li><a href="#experience">Experience</a></li>
315
<li><a href="#contact">Contact</a></li>
316
</ul>
317
</nav>
318
 
319
<section class="hero">
320
<div class="container">
321
<p class="hero-eyebrow">Technical Writer &amp; Communications Consultant</p>
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<div class="hero-rule"></div>
323
<h1>Clarity is a <em>competitive advantage.</em> Let's build yours.</h1>
324
<p class="hero-sub">Senior communications professional with 20+ years helping financial services companies, nonprofits, and technology firms translate complexity into content that works.</p>
325
<a href="#contact" class="hero-cta">Start a conversation</a>
326
</div>
327
</section>
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329
<section id="about">
330
<div class="container">
331
<div class="about-grid">
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<div>
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<p class="section-label">About</p>
334
<h2 class="section-title">Documentation authority. Content strategist. Communications leader.</h2>
335
<div class="about-body">
336
<p>I help organizations turn operational complexity into clear, audience-appropriate content — from regulatory compliance documentation to award-winning editorial writing.</p>
337
<p>With a background spanning financial services (Wells Fargo, Lafayette Federal Credit Union), nonprofit communications, technology writing, and performing arts marketing, I bring both strategic vision and hands-on execution to every engagement.</p>
338
<p>I'm fluent in AI tools — Claude, ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini — and I help organizations not just use them, but document, govern, and communicate around them.</p>
339
</div>
340
</div>
341
<div class="about-stats">
342
<div class="stat">
343
<div class="stat-num">20+</div>
344
<div class="stat-label">Years of experience</div>
345
</div>
346
<div class="stat">
347
<div class="stat-num">1K+</div>
348
<div class="stat-label">Published pieces</div>
349
</div>
350
<div class="stat">
351
<div class="stat-num">5</div>
352
<div class="stat-label">Industry sectors</div>
353
</div>
354
<div class="stat">
355
<div class="stat-num">2×</div>
356
<div class="stat-label">Award-winning blog</div>
357
</div>
358
</div>
359
</div>
360
</div>
361
</section>
362
 
363
<section id="services">
364
<div class="container">
365
<p class="section-label">What I do</p>
366
<h2 class="section-title">Services</h2>
367
<div class="services-grid">
368
<div class="service-item">
369
<p class="service-num">01</p>
370
<p class="service-name">Fractional Communications Director</p>
371
<p class="service-desc">Senior communications leadership on a part-time basis. Strategy, writing, team management, and brand voice — without the full-time overhead.</p>
372
<p class="service-price">$4,000–5,500 / month</p>
373
</div>
374
<div class="service-item">
375
<p class="service-num">02</p>
376
<p class="service-name">Compliance &amp; Regulatory Documentation</p>
377
<p class="service-desc">Audit-ready policies, procedures, job aids, and documentation frameworks for credit unions, community banks, and fintech companies.</p>
378
<p class="service-price">$5,000–15,000 / project</p>
379
</div>
380
<div class="service-item">
381
<p class="service-num">03</p>
382
<p class="service-name">AI Documentation &amp; Adoption Consulting</p>
383
<p class="service-desc">Usage policies, training guides, and workflow documentation for organizations rolling out Copilot, ChatGPT, or Claude enterprise-wide.</p>
384
<p class="service-price">$150 / hr · $6,000+ / project</p>
385
</div>
386
<div class="service-item">
387
<p class="service-num">04</p>
388
<p class="service-name">Thought Leadership &amp; Content Strategy</p>
389
<p class="service-desc">White papers, blog series, newsletters, and editorial strategy for consulting firms, associations, and professional services companies.</p>
390
<p class="service-price">$2,500–4,000 / month</p>
391
</div>
392
<div class="service-item">
393
<p class="service-num">05</p>
394
<p class="service-name">Documentation Audit &amp; Library Cleanup</p>
395
<p class="service-desc">Assess, reorganize, and rewrite your documentation library. Deliverable: a clean, versioned repository with a governance guide.</p>
396
<p class="service-price">$3,000–8,000 / project</p>
397
</div>
398
<div class="service-item" style="background:var(--accent-light);">
399
<p class="service-num" style="color:var(--accent);">→</p>
400
<p class="service-name">Not sure what you need?</p>
401
<p class="service-desc">Every engagement starts with a free 30-minute discovery call. I'll give you an honest read on where your documentation or communications gaps are.</p>
402
<a href="#contact" style="display:inline-block; margin-top:1rem; font-size:13px; font-weight:500; color:var(--accent); text-decoration:none; letter-spacing:0.04em;">Book a call →</a>
403
</div>
404
</div>
405
</div>
406
</section>
407
 
408
<section id="experience">
409
<div class="container">
410
<p class="section-label">Background</p>
411
<h2 class="section-title">Selected experience</h2>
412
<div class="exp-list">
413
<div class="exp-item">
414
<div class="exp-meta"><strong>Lafayette Federal Credit Union</strong>2022 – Present · Rockville, MD</div>
415
<div>
416
<p class="exp-title">Senior Technical Writer</p>
417
<p class="exp-body">Organization-wide documentation authority. Established standards, style guidelines, and SharePoint governance. Produced compliance procedures, job aids, annual reports, press releases, and executive speeches.</p>
418
</div>
419
</div>
420
<div class="exp-item">
421
<div class="exp-meta"><strong>Wells Fargo Bank</strong>2002 – 2016 · San Francisco Bay Area</div>
422
<div>
423
<p class="exp-title">Project Manager / Business Process Analyst</p>
424
<p class="exp-body">14 years across Treasury Management, Real Estate Records, and Client Services. Managed internal innovation program, conceptualized a multi-million-dollar Customer Information System, and developed communications strategy for 47-product portal integration.</p>
425
</div>
426
</div>
427
<div class="exp-item">
428
<div class="exp-meta"><strong>DRi / Development Resources, inc.</strong>2020 · Arlington, VA</div>
429
<div>
430
<p class="exp-title">Interim Communications Director</p>
431
<p class="exp-body">Managed editorial operations for award-winning nonprofit executive search firm. Submitted winning proposals for Howard University and ACLU of Texas.</p>
432
</div>
433
</div>
434
<div class="exp-item">
435
<div class="exp-meta"><strong>Visiting Nurse Association of America</strong>2016–2017 · Arlington, VA</div>
436
<div>
437
<p class="exp-title">Interim Director of Communications</p>
438
<p class="exp-body">Developed and managed all internal and external communications for national trade association — website, marketing materials, newsletters, and member communications.</p>
439
</div>
440
</div>
441
<div class="exp-item">
442
<div class="exp-meta"><strong>A Beast in a Jungle</strong>2009–2020 · San Francisco Bay Area</div>
443
<div>
444
<p class="exp-title">Writer / Designer / Curator</p>
445
<p class="exp-body">Founded and produced nationally recognized performing arts blog. SF Weekly Best Arts & Entertainment Blog (2016). SF Bay Guardian Best Arts/Music Website (2014). 1,000+ published pieces. Credentialed by 100+ organizations.</p>
446
</div>
447
</div>
448
</div>
449
</div>
450
</section>
451
 
452
<section id="contact">
453
<div class="container">
454
<p class="section-label">Get in touch</p>
455
<h2 class="section-title">Let's work together.</h2>
456
<div class="contact-grid">
457
<div>
458
<p class="contact-body">I'm currently taking on a select number of freelance and fractional engagements. If your organization needs documentation authority, communications leadership, or AI adoption support — I'd love to hear from you.</p>
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Available for remote &amp; select on-site work
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<span class="footer-name">Mark Rudio</span>
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<span class="footer-copy">Technical Writer &amp; Communications Consultant · 2026</span>
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