Having the right mindset is crucial when starting a business.
You might be stuck at the starting line, not even able to begin because you think you can’t learn a new skill.
You might fall at the last hurdle because you let the fear of finding clients stop you from marketing yourself.
Confidence is an innate personality trait for some people; for others, it’s a learned skill that requires effort and practice.
Getting out of your comfort zone by intentionally putting yourself in situations that make you uncomfortable will force you to grow.
Kari nearly let negative self-talk stop her from marketing her business. Once she changed her mindset and started putting herself out there, not only did her business start to grow, her confidence is on the rise, too. One even bigger bonus: her mental health has improved!
Keep reading to find out more about her story!
Q: Welcome to the blog, Kari! Tell us a little about your background. What did your life look like before you crossed paths with PA?
When I found Proofread Anywhere, I had been a stay-at-home mom for ten years. I had been searching for ways to make money from home because my husband worked a lot, and I wanted to spend more time with him. Just before my fourth pregnancy, I found the course. But I was hesitant. I waited until the end of my pregnancy to start taking the course. I wish I had started much sooner.
Q: When did you start proofreading, and what made you decide to learn how to proofread transcripts?
I actually started proofreading when I started taking the course. I was always finding errors in books, blog posts, and social media, but I never did it professionally. I had no idea I could turn that into a business. What made me decide to take the Transcript Proofreading course was the many positive reviews I found. I’m a skeptic by nature, so I searched and searched for something negative about it. My search results were positive every time.
Q: So many people don’t realize they can put their eagle eyes to work and earn money from proofreading! What was the most challenging part of getting started?
For me, it was my mindset and working through my depression. I had to work on that a lot at the start because I was basically sabotaging my efforts with negative self-talk. It kept me from marketing my business for a long time and is the reason it took me so long to find my first clients. Mindset is huge when starting any business. I learned that the hard way.
Q: What was the most valuable thing you learned during the course?
It’s hard to pick just one thing! I think one of the most valuable things for me was the section of the course about finding clients. Caitlin explains exactly what to do. You just have to actually do it 🙂
Q: Exactly! I can tell you how to get clients, but I can’t make you take action. That’s up to you! How long did it take you to find your first client? And how many clients do you have now?
Like I said earlier, it took a while because of my mindset. Once I actually started marketing, it was maybe a week before I found my first client through my own efforts. I was scared to put myself out there. If I had just buckled down and done what I knew I needed to do, I would’ve saved myself a TON of time! Now I have three regular clients and a few who only send me work occasionally. Even with just those three regulars, I’m able to earn around $700 a month on average. My goal now is to get two more clients and raise my monthly income.
Q: Good for you, Kari! Getting into the right mindset is a huge part of creating a successful business. How long did it take you to recoup the cost of the course?
Once I started getting regular work from my own clients, it took about two months.
Q: What advice would you give anyone thinking about enrolling in the course to learn how to proofread? Is it worth the money?
I would say don’t do what I did in the beginning! Don’t wait to find clients. Don’t be scared to put yourself out there! Without a doubt, it is worth every penny. Taking this course has changed everything about my life. Not only has it allowed us more margin in our budget, but it has done wonders for my mental health. Starting my own business has helped to heal my depression. That was definitely an unexpected blessing. One of the side effects of putting yourself out there is confidence. I’ve actually started a new blog, Mom for More, where I put myself out there even more. Crazy how that happened!
Q: I’m stoked the course has had such a positive effect on your life. What does your life look like now as a working freelance proofreader?
It’s great! We are able to do things we couldn’t do before, like take family vacations, pay off debt, and not worry about unexpected expenses. We just took a trip to Destin, FL, after having to replace the back window of our minivan. It was all paid for with cash. Before PA, replacing that window would’ve been a financial emergency, and there would’ve been no vacation.
Kari’s beautiful family (Photo credit)
Q: It’s awesome how using your skills to earn extra money can take the pressure off your budget. Anything else you’d like to share with the PA community?
I just want to say thank you SO much to Caitlin for creating this course. I had searched for years for ways to make money from home so that I could continue to stay home with my babies. Nothing spoke to me the way this course did. It has been a huge blessing for my family. Thank you! I also want to mention the Facebook group for graduates. It’s priceless in the support, encouragement, and help everyone gives. I don’t think I’d want to do this without that group of amazing people.
Our Take
There’s no better feeling than watching my students overcome their mindset issues and succeed. I’m so proud of Kari for not letting negative self-talk stop her from putting herself out there. Now that her confidence is blossoming, there’s no telling how far she can go.
Your Turn
Are you in the same boat as Kari? Are you looking for ways to make money from home? Check out my free 7-day intro course to see if proofreading could be the right fit for you!