Case Study

Ted’s 9-to-5 Comeback After a Writing Business Setback

Here’s why going back to the corporate world made him happier and wiser

Research and technical writing have been Ted’s passions since he graduated with a science degree in the medical field. The dream of becoming a celebrated book author and public figure had lingered in his psyche for many years. He was waiting for the opportune time to realize his dreams.

This reasonable time arrived after his 20th year in a corporate position when he discovered the enticing path to realize this aspiration.

In the tumultuous sixth month of the year 2020, Ted, a seasoned medical researcher, yearned for greener pastures beyond the confines of his 9 to 5 job with encouragement from his friends who earned substantial money from their side hustles and left their corporate jobs.

With uncertainties, the pandemic ignited a spark in him to explore the writing world as his side hustle, first aiming to be a freelancer and then an entrepreneur. He believed he was ready to turn his writing into full-time employment opportunities as his own boss.

Driven by a dream of financial independence, Ted boldly stepped into the online writing business world without preparation by resigning from his full-time job, which he was conducting from the comfort of his home office in 2020.

Armed with over two decades of medical research experience, hoping it would be sufficient for him to navigate the unchartered territories, he bid farewell to his stable six-figure job in the corporate world.

His boss couldn’t believe Ted’s decision as they planned to promote him due to his excellent service to the corporation for two decades.

I’d like to summarize Ted’s journey from corporate lanes to uncharted writing paths and get back to his previous position to provide valuable takeaways from this unique case study.

While this narrative may carry a tone of melancholy, its constructive conclusion serves as a valuable life lesson, reflecting the nuances of reality.

Creating a Dream Platform

Ted invested significant time and money in his newfound passion. His journey commenced by investing in this education, like undertaking courses on writing, blogging, SEO, copyrighting, ghostwriting, editing, and social media marketing, costing him around $10,000. He believed this investment would be adequate to start earning income soon.

After his education, eager to establish his digital presence, based on advice from his business coaches, Ted splurged over $5,000 on a professionally designed SEO-optimized website as his dream platform to make him a content development entrepreneur.

His vision was grand — a million-dollar income within a year or so, as promised by his ambitious coaches. He was exhilarated at the prospect of generating a decade’s worth of income within a year through his entrepreneurial pursuits via his dream platform.

However, reality struck hard within the first 12 months. Despite his best efforts, his many well-written blog posts on valuable medical topics published on his site struggled to garner over 50 views, rendering the site ineligible for lucrative advertisements, which he was hoping for.

Traffic Boosting Efforts for Content and Affiliate Marketing

Undeterred after 12 months, Ted purchased and subscribed to web-boosting apps, hoping to attract the elusive traffic that could turn his venture around. The results remained meager.

Regrettably, his second aspiration, involving affiliate marketing, went unnoticed in the competitive online domains. He couldn’t generate a single dollar from his affiliate links.

Furthermore, his attempts to boost visibility through social media fell flat, as his posts struggled to surpass 100 impressions, often coming from dubious accounts, leaving him unable to forge meaningful connections with his social media audience.

Even resorting to paid advertisements to drive traffic to his website proved fruitless, resulting in no financial gain and a few hundred dollars down the drain.

Using Writing Platforms

During that time, Ted came across a few writing platforms to diversify, diligently contributing two well-researched articles daily for several months.

He enjoyed the interactions with some readers, but promised views and financial returns from his online coaches did not happen.

For example, he only gained around a thousand followers for his valuable content on two large writing platforms until the end of 2022.

The financial returns, however, were far from the promised paradise. Earnings trickled in, amounting to a paltry $300 from one platform and a meager $5 from another in the second year.

Trying Freelance Writing Gigs

In addition, Ted tried to get private writing clients through various freelancing sites. He was excited to find his first client, who was impressed by Ted’s ghostwriting skills.

This client offered him $25 per 500-word article. But it was the only gig he found for 12 months despite his marketing through social media. After five articles, this client also stopped using his service.

He couldn’t get more writing gigs. So, his five writing gigs earned $125 for an entire year. But he kept writing to generate more income using different avenues.

Writing Five E-Books

Over two years, Ted, by repurposing his content, dedicated his time to compiling five e-books to create a passive income stream.

However, despite his efforts in writing, formatting, editing, and marketing, he sold only around 100 copies, earning him less than $500.

The return fell significantly short of justifying the substantial time and effort he had invested.

Multi-Media Endeavor

Guided by his coaches’ advice, Ted attempted to repurpose his content into videos, webinars, and podcasts despite these mediums not being his strong suit. He enjoyed learning new skills and going outside of his comfort zone.

He ventured into creating educational materials in a desperate situation, but unfortunately, monetizing these efforts proved elusive.

Summary of Two Years’ Effort

After two years of relentless effort, at least eight hours a day, Ted’s dream of a substantial income shattered. Instead of the anticipated $2 million, his total earnings hovered around $1000 per year.

In steadfast adherence to his convictions, Ted meticulously followed advice, invested the necessary time and effort, and remained open-minded to emerging opportunities.

Ted’s Fallback Position

Faced with the harsh reality of unmet expectations, Ted pivoted in mid-2023 with humility and wisdom. He sought solace in a research job, now paying $120,000 annually with a potential promotion to a leadership role.

The lure of greener pastures lost its charm as he welcomed the wisdom gained from a rollercoaster journey for two years as valuable learning experiences and life lessons. Surprisingly, Ted found contentment in the familiar lanes of structured employment.

A “fallback position” is a secondary or alternative plan or course of action that one can resort to if the primary plan or effort fails.

It is a strategy and position that we can retreat to or rely on when facing challenges or setbacks. It serves as a safety net and contingency plan in case the initial approach does not succeed.

Conclusions and Takeaways

While his love for writing and interacting with readers persists, it has gracefully transitioned into a cherished hobby through which he maintains meaningful connections with readers.

He plans to sustain and nurture this valuable connection, and when the time is right, he may consider venturing into entrepreneurship again.

Ted’s journey is a cautionary tale for aspiring writers and bloggers, emphasizing the importance of having a fallback position before starting significant risks for greener pastures.

Ted’s financial reserves from 20 years of investment sustained him for the two years of setbacks. However, this level of preparedness may not be feasible for everyone.

The path less traveled may be enticing, but success demands more than passion. It requires strategy, planning, preparation, a realistic understanding of the terrain, and adaptability. I documented my perspectives on self-employment in a previous story.

The path to financial success is rarely swift, often requiring sustained effort and strategic planning unless one is fortunate enough to experience an extraordinary stroke of luck.

Reflecting on the past, Ted acknowledges that what seemed like a glaring mistake at the time has become a priceless life lesson. Embracing the journey, complete with its inevitable errors, has enriched his life with newfound wisdom.

Even when accompanied by missteps, pursuing a goal adds a layer of experience that fosters personal growth. Ted recognizes that without this perceived misstep, he might have harbored a persistent longing and a sense of fulfillment. He enjoyed a similar conclusion I made in this story.

Related to Ted’s story, I recently documented an experiment with monetizing my blog posts through advertisements without compromising the readability of my content. Findings might surprise you as they are against the hype on social media.

Related to Ted’s story, you may also enjoy an inspiring piece by Clayton Moulynox titled Four Ways to Balance Your Content Creation Obsession.

As a content strategist for five decades, I documented my experience and perspectives in numerous stories that might guide aspiring writers and bloggers.

Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.

To inform my new readers, I wrote numerous articles that might inform and inspire you. Some topics I cover are brain and cognitive function, significant health conditions, valuable nutrients, ketogenic lifestyle, self-healing, weight management, writing/reading, and humor.

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