Deliberate Freelancer

#185: My First Year of Freelancing after Corporate Burnout, with Abby Nieten

Apr 4, 2024

Abby Nieten, a freelance copy editor, shares her journey from corporate burnout to freelancing. She discusses preparing for freelancing while working full time, getting clients, pricing strategies, and the importance of building confidence. Abby also emphasizes the need for a 'sunshine folder' of evidence of your good work and advises not to wait for the perfect business plan to start freelancing.

31:16

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Episode guests

Abby Nieten

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Starting freelancing without waiting for the perfect plan is key to success.

Honing in on one's strengths and specialization enhances freelance career growth.

Deep dives

Transitioning to Freelancing After Layoffs

After facing a corporate layoff following a restructure in a technology company, Abby Neaton decided to pivot to freelancing due to burnout. Dissatisfied with the fast-paced and high-pressure corporate environment, freelancing offered her the flexibility needed for her family, especially with young kids. This change allowed her to explore a different work setting and avoid returning to the draining corporate culture.

Introduction

4min

Navigating Corporate Layoffs and Transitioning to Freelancing for Work-Life Balance

3min

Transition to Freelance Copy Editing and Proofreading Services

2min

Navigating the World of Freelancing

19min

Maximizing Efficiency Through Existing Technology Tools for Freelancers

4min

Today’s guest is Abby Nieten. Abby lives in the Indianapolis, Indiana, area, with her husband and three sons. A year ago she launched her freelance business, Shining Waters Editorial, where she is a copy editor and proofreader specializing in business content and nonfiction manuscripts.

Abby also recently launched a monthly newsletter called Stream of Confidence, which is for authors, writers and other business professionals who want to create and publish content that impacts other humans. It offers a steady stream of encouragement, inspiration, connection and quality assurance tips to help you publish your work with confidence.

In today’s episode, Abby and I talk about:

How a layoff led to her freelancing career.
Feeling undervalued and burnt out in the corporate world.
How she prepared for freelancing while still working full time.
How she’s getting clients.
Trying to figure out pricing.
Four pivotal lessons she’s learned over the past year.
Why she wishes she had taken a break between being an employee and starting her freelance business.
Just do it — you don’t have to wait until you build the perfect structure and business plan before you start freelancing.
The challenge of finding the right client mix to provide more stability.
The importance of keeping a “sunshine folder” of evidence of your good work.

Biz Bite: Explore the technology you’re already paying for before buying the new “shiny object.”

Resources:

Support Deliberate Freelancer at Buy Me a Coffee
Deliberate Freelancer Facebook group
Abby’s website: ShiningWatersEditorial.com
Abby’s Stream of Confidence newsletter
Abby on LinkedIn
Connect with Melanie on Threads @MelEdits_DC
Connect with Melanie on LinkedIn

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts

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Deliberate Freelancer

#185: My First Year of Freelancing after Corporate Burnout, with Abby Nieten

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Transitioning to Freelancing After Layoffs

Focus on Editing and Proofreading Services

Preparing for Freelancing

Lessons Learned and Business Clarity

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts