I have three new, full-time employees. They each had a hand in turning a dream into a reality, and each has a story to tell. Their unique perspectives will inspire you to pursue your own goal of becoming your own boss.
The Writer
For the past few years, I’ve been writing a freelance book on Amazon Kindle every month. Each book takes about 10 hours to write and research, plus two hours to edit. On average, I earn about $3,000 per year from my books.
As a writer, you’ll most likely need to become competent at several platforms. Fortunately, I’ve been able to maintain proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel, as well as keep up with the tech changes in my field. One of the biggest perks of being a writer is that you get to choose your own hours, so you can fit yourself into a full-time job whenever you want. Weekends and evenings are often the best times to work, as you can often find clients online willing to negotiate some flexible hours.
The Creative
After graduating with a business degree, I landed a job as a corporate lawyer. A few months later, I took on a project managing executive role in the legal department at a mid-sized company. A year later, I transitioned to a leadership role in a non-profit organization. Around this time, I started volunteering my services as an expert witness in discrimination cases, and started presenting legal seminars on workplace issues. (More on this role later.)
As a lawyer, I dealt with contracts and legal issues for many of my clients. This work gave me valuable experience that I’ve been able to put to use since transitioning to my own firm. When it comes to contract negotiations, my ability to analyze and synthesize complex information has been crucial to securing the best possible results for my clients. Similarly, my legal knowledge has allowed me to effectively convey complex information to jurors, judges, and other lawyers, which has also been crucial to securing my clients’ fates as many verdicts have been heavily influenced by my arguments and analyses. While I no longer have clients, I continue to find myself giving legal advice and guidance to friends and family whom I believe will value my opinion. (More on this role later.)
The Manager
When I decided to transition from corporate lawyer to solo entrepreneur, I knew I would need someone to help me run the business, so I looked to my fellow lawyers for support. I quickly found a few who shared my interest in entrepreneurship and offered their services pro bono. In addition to being a manager, part-time consultant, and occasional freelance writer, I also serve on the board of directors of a non-profit organization. This role gives me the opportunity to help others and to give back to my community. While I love my solo professional life, I also enjoy helping other entrepreneurs develop the skills they need to succeed. Some of my employees have even become friends, which has made the transition easier.
How I Found My Feet in the Internet Law World
I’ve been writing for the past few years, but it wasn’t until I had a chance to meet one of my freelance editors that I found out I was pursuing a passion for which I had no formal training. During my first interview, my editor asked me about three topics: my familiarity with digital media and the law, my familiarity with brand marketing and communications, and my familiarity with project management. (You can probably guess where this is going.)
For someone whose education and experience were in the fields of business and corporate law, I was able to show him that I knew exactly what he was talking about. I was able to confidently explain how I would approach each aspect of his project. My training as a lawyer and my experience in the corporate world proved to be invaluable in securing this job. He was so impressed that he offered me a full-time position, with benefits, on the spot.
Over the last few years, I’ve been fortunate enough to work with some fantastic clients. Whether I’ve been helping a major brand develop a social media strategy, or helping a small business establish itself online, every case has been uniquely challenging and has required a steady hand and sound judgment.
Since my last corporate job, I’ve been searching for my own niche in the legal world. I’ve taken on a few small legal cases here and there, but I’ve mainly been looking for opportunities in the areas of brand protection and marketing, competition law, and procurement law. I’ve even considered applying for a legal aid clinic position, where I could help low-income clients with civil legal matters. While I feel I have a lot to offer, especially since I can bill multiple hours per day, the field of internet law seems to be where I finally found a home. (More on this role later.)
From Paralegal to Entrepreneur
You might be wondering how you got here, reading a blog post about three people who landed a job by writing a book. I suppose the path from paralegal to entrepreneur is one that is full of twists and turns, but after you’ve been there, done that, and lived to tell about it, it’s not really that strange. (More on this role later.)
When I decided to become a full-time freelance writer, I knew I had to start small then build my way up. Thanks to platforms like Upwork, I was able to build a small portfolio of work then use that to pitch to big-name publications. After securing several media placements and a contract with a major publisher, I was able to move into bigger and better things. (More on this role later.)
Why I Chose to Write a Book
It’s not every day that you find a job you love, especially one that affords you so many opportunities for professional growth and expansion. Still, as happy as I am to have found my dream job, I enjoy my role as a lawyer more than I enjoy my role as an entrepreneur. There’s still something about having a nine-to-five that I find appealing. (More on this role later.)
Since my last corporate job, I’ve been searching for my own niche in the legal world. I’ve taken on a few small legal cases here and there, but I’ve mainly been looking for opportunities in the areas of brand protection and marketing, competition law, and procurement law. I’ve even considered applying for a legal aid clinic position, where I could help low-income clients with civil legal matters. While I feel I have a lot to offer, especially since I can bill multiple hours per day, the field of internet law seems to be where I finally found a home. (More on this role later.)
Since 2010, I’ve been writing a book every month, and between those books I’ve written two screenplays that are now being developed into films. While the first two books were largely self-paced projects, I quickly learned that I needed to find a way to make the writing more convenient if I wanted to continue writing. Thanks to a Kindle Unlimited membership, I was able to find the right tool to do just that.
As I mentioned, my first two books were largely self-paced projects. While I enjoyed the flexibility of being able to work on my own schedule, with very little direction from the publisher, in hindsight, I would’ve preferred to have a higher degree of supervision over the content of those books. Since then, I’ve learned a lot about the industry and have been able to grow professionally in a way that I never could’ve dreamed of. (More on this role later.)
It’s been a wild ride so far, finding my way from corporate lawyer to entrepreneur, and now to my own boss. I’m only just getting started though, and I have plenty more planned for the future. Still, as long as I continue to learn and grow, I know I’ll be able to adapt and flourish in any role that I choose. (More on this role later.)