So many of my students are moms looking for a way to 1) contribute to their family’s income, 2) be able to stay at home with their kiddos, or 3) both!
Bethany falls into category #3. She discovered PA while she was still pregnant with her little guy, and since graduating she’s been rocking her freelance transcript proofreading business while raising her son.
If you’re in the same boat as Bethany and looking for that golden opportunity to live your dream, be sure to check out her story below.
Q: Hi there, Bethany! Tell us a little bit about your background. What did your life look like before you crossed paths with Proofread Anywhere?
When I discovered PA, I was nearly eight months pregnant, working at least 45 hours a week. I had realized during my pregnancy that I wanted something different, something I could really love doing that would also let me stay home with my new baby. Since I live in a small town, there are few opportunities for a change in career.
I found PA and combed through the website for any sign of a scam. I looked at online reviews and read (and reread!) the information Caitlin recommends before you enroll. I’m sure I am not the only one, but her history really resonated with me. Like her, I have a bachelor’s in communication but have always loved reading and proofing. I also have a story about being fired from a job that taught me valuable lessons. I enrolled in the course and immediately knew I had found a way to get what I was looking for.
Q: We have a lot in common! I’m so happy you found PA when you did. So when did you start proofreading, and what made you decide to learn?
I had not yet been an “official” proofreader, but I used my natural skills in college and in my career after graduation. And I wanted to learn the specific art of transcript proofreading because it is such a niche market. I was confident I could take any natural ability I had and apply the training to finally have my dream job!
Q: Having that natural ability to spot errors is crucial to being a successful proofreader! What was the most challenging part of getting started/finishing?
Here’s a little secret: I thought I could start the course at 36 weeks pregnant, have my baby, and resume studying as soon as I got home from the hospital. HA! I wasn’t able to have the mindset to resume the course until my little boy was nearly 3 months old. And even then, I had to start over again. I would feel guilty when I didn’t work on it in my free time, but I also wanted to be able to watch my son grow during his first year, so the course was put on the back burner until I could commit to it the way I wanted. On January 1, I set a goal to finish in a certain amount of time. And I did! The most challenging part for me when I started again was working on the PTs when I really wanted to turn my brain off or sleep. Some days, sleep won.
Q: With a new baby in the house, I can imagine sleep won sometimes 🙂 What was the most valuable thing you learned during the course?
This course taught me that I don’t know everything, and it takes hard work to learn a marketable skill. I also learned that it was fine to feel defeated and frustrated, but I didn’t need to stay that way. I am the only person in charge of my success, and I alone determine how I define it.
Q: LOVE that mentality, Bethany!! So how long did it take you to find your first client? And how many clients do you have now?
I started marketing toward the end of August and found my first regular reporter the first weekend of September. She is still my most steady client. I have had several one-off clients and a few repeats, but just two regulars so far.
Q: What advice would you give anyone thinking about enrolling in one of the courses to learn how to proofread? Is it worth the money?
I can tell you from a true skeptic’s perspective, this course is worth it. If you are willing to work hard and apply yourself, you will learn everything you need to know to start a transcript proofreading business. But you have to be prepared to feel frustrated when you make mistakes, and also be ready to move past those frustrations and keep going. Always remember, you don’t know everything and there is always something more to learn.
Q: What does your life look like now as a working freelance proofreader?
I have had to organize my time much better than I used to. With a full-time job and a toddler, I only get small chunks of time to focus on proofreading, so it needs to be used wisely. I have lost some sleep balancing it all, but it is so worth it to me!
Our Take
I am SO impressed with Bethany’s attitude toward growing and learning. She just gets it. Working toward your dream will always present challenges — it’s how you overcome those challenges that will get you back on the road to success. And Bethany definitely has the drive (and humbleness) to continue living her dream!
Your Turn
Want to join Bethany and start living your dream? Check out my FREE 7-day course and see if transcript proofreading could be the ticket to that dream 🙂
I’d like to know is it hard getting used to proof reading 1,000’s of pages over a months time?
Nicole
As another graduate of the course, you definitely get used to reading larger amounts over time. When I first started, getting a 300-page transcript was overwhelming. Now, a year and a half later, it’s just another transcript and doesn’t take me anywhere near as long as it did at the beginning! Some people, though, are able to jump right in in the beginning with a large workload. Everybody works differently! 🙂
How did Bethany market herself? I have finished and passed the course, but I am not sure how to now find clients.
Hi, Andrea, congratulations on passing the exam! Tons of marketing information is within your course.
Glad to have read this post.
I also started this class while pregnant, but during my first trimester. So it took me a about two months to complete in between keeping up with my toddler son and exhaustion and sickness. But I officially started marketing in the beginning of January – a few days later I got my first three clients! I’m so thankful I took the class during a hard season. It has been worth it so far.