My Business Degree Catalyzed My Decision to Quit My Corporate Job and Freelance Full-time

I pursued a Marketing degree to join the corporate workforce without looking back. Six months into my first corporate role, that same Marketing degree was the motivator I needed to quit my job and start freelancing full-time.

I couldn’t have built a $5000 per month writing business within my first three months without going to business school.

As utterly derailed as I felt by not pursuing an English degree in college, I wouldn’t change any decisions I made while in school.

The truth is that freelance writing requires much more than writing.

I spend maybe 60% of my week writing and copy editing. The rest of my time is spent finding new jobs, pitching potential clients, drafting proposals and contracts, taking care of my current clients, and analyzing my business.

After dedicating much of my education and all of my corporate employment to adapting these tasks for others, I was more than ready to start executing them on behalf of my own business and income. My business degree reminded me that I could do these things for myself.

When I first considered writing full-time, I felt ill-equipped due to my lack of formal training and education. As I watched other freelancers boast about their degrees and credentials, I felt like a fish out of water.

Over time, though, I learned that the more important credentials of successful writers involve curiosity, courage, and hunger. As soon as I realized that freelance writing is as much about business savvy as it is about talent, I felt more at home.

Through my business education and owning a small business, I’ve pitched ideas, negotiated terms, professionally corresponded via email and phone, collected and presented relevant research, and successfully managed projects, timelines, and teams. Because of this, I can provide these things to my clients — better. This is where I’ve learned to marry my skill and service offering.

My writing talent and passion will always exist; it’s been a part of me since my first short story at age nine. Today, my variety of business experiences has enhanced my writing skill and allowed me to offer a well-rounded, professional freelance service.

Every day, I’m learning to be I’m thankful for my business background and how it’s only helped me make better content for my clients.