I Took Baby Steps to Go From Corporate Zombie to Business Owner

A Facebook ad opened my eyes to new options.

In the spring of 2019, I thought I landed my dream job working for a health care company. I was ready and raring to get started doing the best possible job for my new employer.

Unfortunately, my working experience wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Instead of taking advantage of my writing skills, my employer gave me menial, busy-work tasks to fill my time when I wasn’t taking notes in meetings. After nearly a year with that company, I realized I needed to make a change.

Making a change, however, was hard — even though I strained at the handcuffs my current job slapped onto my wrists, I knew those handcuffs were made of gold. I had great benefits, a good salary, and a part-time teleworking option.

So, instead of taking one big leap, I started with baby steps. I explored other career options, I took a good long look at why I was unhappy at my current company, and I started practicing my writing skills. I remembered what I had loved about other jobs I’d had, and I tried to envision what my perfect career would look like.

That’s when the answer found me.

A Facebook ad opened my eyes to new options.

I knew I wanted to do something involving writing, I knew I wanted to work with others, and I knew I wanted to leverage my epidemiological and health care background. I also knew I wanted a flexible working environment, and I was really interested in being my own boss — but I wasn’t sure how to bring all of that together.

Then, one day, a Facebook ad popped out at me. It seemed to be speaking directly to me, asking if I wanted more freedom, if I wanted to write, if I wanted flexibility, if I wanted work-life balance, if I wanted control over my own career path. Yes, yes, yes, yes.

That’s how I learned about the world of copywriting, something I’d never known much about before. Opening my own copywriting business could give me the freedom, flexibility, creativity, control, and confidence I craved.

But, of course, leaving a stable job to start your own business is scary.

Baby steps helped me make the big leap.

So, I took those baby steps. I started by purchasing an online copywriting course, followed by books about copywriting and content marketing. I studied copy, practiced my own craft, connected with the copywriting community, and quietly started beefing up my LinkedIn presence.

Later, I chose a copywriting niche (health care), identified my mission, and built a website. I made a list of potential clients identified through news articles, blog posts, and LinkedIn. I started writing and publishing blog posts here on Medium to build my portfolio and gain further practice crafting concise, engaging copy.

Then came the larger steps: I established an LLC. I set up a business bank account.

These baby steps occurred over the course of 4–5 months. By not overloading myself too fast, I was able to calmly carry out the tasks needed to start my own business as well as shift my mindset. I wouldn’t be an employee anymore. I would be a business owner — the boss.

Everything was in place for me to make the leap —there was nothing left for me to do but quit my full-time job and dive headfirst into my new career adventure.

I still hesitated, but my moment of truth came when I realized my current employer was prioritizing my entire life, to the point where I felt chained to my computer, constantly anxious, and undervalued. I knew it was time for a change.

My business, one year later…

Quitting my full-time job was terrifying, but as soon as I closed my company-issued laptop for the last time, I felt lighter and freer than I had in over a year. I channeled all that positivity into consistently improving my mindset and continuing to work on my business and practice my skills.

With my mindset right, my brain focused, and the time to really invest in myself, I was able to find clients fairly quickly. After two months, I had a great client on retainer; after a few more, I had nearly replaced my income from my previous job. Now, nearly one year later, I can say with absolute confidence that quitting my job was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I get to make my own schedule, work on my timeline, interact with wonderful clients, and engage myself in truly interesting projects. I get to use my writing, graphic design, and storytelling skills, and my confidence has soared.

Best of all, my stress levels have plummeted to nearly zero.

My main steps to success:

• Invest in yourself: This can mean so many things, from purchasing online courses and books to taking the time to practice your skills, network with potential clients and other business owners, and simply learn.
• Get comfortable self-promoting: To be a business owner, you need to get your mindset in a good place. If you want somebody to hire you, you first have to be secure in yourself and understand what you have to offer. As a freelancer, that means not shying away from self-promotion, even though it can feel uncomfortable at first. If you’re confident in yourself, others will be, too!
• Lean on your background: I picked a niche that aligned with my education and my previous work experience, which helped me kickstart my business quickly. That’s not to say you can’t pivot and focus on an entirely new subject matter, but starting with what you know can definitely grease the wheels.
• Understand your own worth: I started my business with high rates and kept them high. I didn’t let people talk me down to less than I was worth. It may seem ridiculous to ask for what you deserve, but trust me — people pay for quality.
• Lean on your support system: For me, this meant talking things through with my family, accessing health insurance through my husband, dipping into sufficient savings as needed, and leaning on friends and former coworkers when appropriate.

Is starting your own business right for you?

I’ve talked to many prospective business owners who are interested in the path I’ve taken. For me, founding my own LLC was the absolute best choice — but I was able to take a chance on myself thanks to the support of my family (including the ability to get health insurance through my husband), several months’ worth of savings, and the academic and work background to buttress my copywriting expertise. I also was fortunate to have a comfortable home office setup where I could focus, which, during a pandemic, was no small feat.

In short, I would tell prospective business owners to do what feels right. Sometimes, what feels right is definitely scary, as it was for me. Other times, it feels like the most natural choice in the world. At the same time, you should make the responsible choice. If you don’t have the support or savings you need right now, consider staying with your current employer until you’re comfortable enough to make the leap. I know plenty of people who worked on their business on the side until they’d drummed up enough income to be able to confidently quit their jobs. It’s absolutely possible — as cheesy as this sounds — if you just believe in yourself and what you can do.