How I Found Happiness by Becoming My Own Boss

I recently wrote an article for Trusted Choice® about how to start your own business. I was able to speak from experience having starting my own business, MS Editorial Services, two years prior. For me, quitting my job and pursuing a career as a freelancer was a leap of faith that has been paying off ever since. I will never get rich doing what I do, but I enjoy my job and find it more fulfilling than any other job I’ve done since I accepted my first paycheck-earning job in 1986.

For years I’d heard advice such as “the key to happiness is finding a job that you enjoy” and “discover what you love and let it kill you.” I tried out several different careers since graduating from college. I’d done everything from patient registration in an Emergency Room to working as a COBOL programmer (this despite having only taken one computer programming class in college.) I spent ten years working for a large, multi-national financial services company and five more working for a small community bank.

Truth be told, I’ve always loved noodling around with numbers. I actually supplemented my English major with a minor in mathematics because it was “fun.” I majored in English because I loved reading, analyzing and writing. Twenty years out of college, I still had not used my English degree in any way.

After my second child was born, I stayed home with the kids for a few years but found it necessary to return to work. However, my first priority was my role as a parent. This made it necessary for me to work part-time; and, if you have ever looked for part-time work, you probably know that it is very difficult to find a job that is both flexible and fulfilling. After five years doing my part-time job, was unhappy and, at times, frustrated. 

Becoming a business owner and taking on the responsibility of being my own boss was not something I’d spent years dreaming of doing. Rather, it was an idea given to me one day in casual conversation. I had befriended, through the powers of Facebook, a man by the name of Kent Westmoreland, whose debut novel Baronne Street had impressed me greatly. In a discussion with him one day, I mentioned, “I should have been an editor. Maybe in another life, I’ll do that.”

He responded with a surprisingly eye-opening question: “Why wait for another life? Why not just do it now?”

Why not indeed? I picked up a few books including The Copyeditor’s Guidebook and Copyediting & Proofreading for DUMMIES® and learned as much as I could about the art and business of copyediting. I also spoke with two friends from college who had experience working as freelance editors. 

When I was certain that this is what I wanted to do, I met immediately with a tax advisor to learn what I needed to do to go about setting up a business. And then, I jumped in with both feet.

Initially, I’d thought that I’d be happiest editing fiction, but soon found that non-fiction editing appealed to me more. Later, I found myself writing as well and I composed a number of articles for the insurance industry. That’s the thing I like best about my freelancing job. It allows me flexibility so I can follow whatever path my heart leads me toward. 

I love my job and I am extremely happy that I made the decision to be my own boss.