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Oh, what a year this has started out to be, no?  Of course, as all of you that frequent my blog page — and I do thank you for that — know, I do not discuss politics, but I do have to say that it has become increasingly clear that the workplace dynamics seem to be reverting back to the ‘good-old days’ of trudging into the office bright and early.  Working from home, if you have been reading the scuttlebutt bandied around the news outlets, seems to be morphing into some kind of economic and societal boogeyman where employers increasingly are turning back the clock on the work-from-home dynamic that has become increasingly popular, particularly as it applies to the tech industry.  Being one who fully supports the work-from-home dynamic, I am not going to launch myself into a hyperactive screed denouncing an unelected political/economic influencer, but rather I just want to shine a light upon a particular industry that thrives and is far more suited to working remotely from the comfort of your own home — or even someplace else where you might be traveling.

As you all know, I am the sole proprietor of EJWillTranscribeIt.  I am a transcriptionist and digital scopist.  I began my transcription journey in March of 2020 just after the start of the pandemic. Now, I had already retired from my 32-year teaching career in June of 2018, but I continued to substitute teach until — you probably guessed it — March 0f 2020 when the services of substitute teachers was no longer needed.  Even sans the pandemic, though, I needed to find a way to earn a living from home; I needed a platform on which to establish a business that could help support my wife and I , while at the same time, working at a business that I enjoyed.  Oh, I thought about bookkeeping, virtual personal assistant, customer service, blah, blah…  Well not to make a short story long, I happened upon an absolute gem of an opportunity; one that did not promise instant wealth and prosperity or an easy-peasy, sipping-drinks-by-the-pool, pie-in-the-sky social influencer-type ‘business’.  Let’s get real here; those simply don’t exist. Any business that is legitimate and honest requires effort, work, discipline, along with the requisite learning and training. The “Learn so you can Earn” paradigm is the path to real and continued success in any new endeavor.  Success has always been, continues to be, and always will be, predicated upon learning, working, discipline, drive, and patience.  Also, success also depends upon one being realistic, as well as choosing a field in which you are suited for and interested in.

So, back to that gem that I discovered on my journey down the highways and byways of the remote-work world.  Well, I spent a bit of time scoping that out, to be sure, so now I will transcribe for you what that journey led me to.  TranscribeAnywhere (TA) is the top-rated, online school for anyone who is interested in launching a successful and stable career in the growing and ever-evolving field of transcription, be it general transcription, legal transcription, or both.  What really captured my attention when I read an article about this organization is that it did not gloss over the fact that one needed to actually first train and learn and prepare to engage in honest and legitimate work with patience, practice, and discipline in order to be successful in the industry of transcription. Janet Shaughnessy, the founder and creator of TranscribeAnywhere and the owner of Zoom Transcription Services, built an award winning online transcription course that prepares her students to succeed in the dynamic and interesting field of transcription. Being a retired teacher who did my graduate work in curriculum and instruction, I can attest to the solidity and effectiveness of TranscribeAnywhere’s training. It is pedagogically sound, combining theory, content learning, with the correct amount of practical training. Janet, whose expertise was honed by decades of successful experience in the transcription world, along with assistance from Marsha Schnipper, a retired teacher, researched and built this world-class transcription training organization, one that continues to thrive.   This was, of course, my first stop; it was the place that I embarked upon my journey down the highway and byway of transcription, and later, digital scoping.  And it can be yours, too.

I have built a successful transcription and digital scoping business for myself.  While I am not independently wealthy, and yes, I do have to work, but at the same time I am doing work that I enjoy and one that does provide me freedom.  I set my own hours; I take on work that I want to and when I want to.  I work from the comfort of my own home in my home office.  I enjoy and benefit from the tax breaks and write-offs as a self-employed business owner — you can refer to an earlier article about those benefits, which are abundant — and I do interesting work — oh, did you know that through TranscribeAnywhere (TA), I also became a digital scopist through TA’s partnership with The Court Reporting Academy, free of charge?  That is available to all incoming students as well, by the way.  Again, this is legitimate work that takes legitimate effort to be successful in.  Like anything in life, you get our what you are willing to put in.  My bottom line is that I have been able to replace my income as an educator as a self-employed, work-from-home transcriptionist.  It took the proper training — which I received in spades through TA — I worked at it continually and patiently, and as I continued to hone my skills and gain experience, I have acquired my own clientele that pays well.  Am I fabulously wealthy?  No, of course not.  That is not reality.  Am I comfortable and not worried financially, that is a big ‘yes’.  I have plenty of work, and I have the freedom to choose that work and do so on my terms and my schedule.  That is all I need, and I have a great work-life balance.

Now, should this, be the start of your quest?  Do you want to transcribe your own journey as you scope the highways and byways of the remote world? Are you ready to transcribe and scope out your future? First, let me give you a small but very important slice of advice, make sure that you are committed and ready.  Like any new endeavor, and particularly one where you have to pay hard-earned money for, you want to be sure that transcription is the right fit for you. Janet is adamant about a few things first before one decides to embark upon their transcription journey. One of them is that that they understand just what it takes to become successful in this industry. Second, that it is the right fit. Third, that one is willing to put in the effort and buy into the ethos of “In order to earn, you have to learn.”  She is not interested in your tuition; she is already successful. She cares deeply about each and every student and invests a lot of time in their training and in their success. That is why she has created a free, no-pressure, no-hard sell introductory online workshop that will give you the skinny, the in’s and out’s of the transcription industry. This free introductory workshop is about 35 to 40 minutes and can be taken at your convenience.  This way, you can decide of purchasing one of our transcription courses is the right fit for you before you lay out your hard-earned money.  For me, it was money well spent.  Now, I encourage you to take the free, one-time workshop to see if it will be money well spent, as well as the right fit, for you.  Here is the link:

https://www.transcribeanywhere.com/a/2147542252/PnLxY5jT

Hello friends,

Again, I wish to thank you all for stopping by. Today I have some very exciting news regarding TranscribeAnywhere (TA), particularly for those of you who are interested in working for yourself, running your own at-home remote business. As I have harped on for a long time on my website blog page and here on my FB page, one absolutely must learn to earn. In other words, you need to be equipped in order to have that chance of long-term success. That takes some form of formal training, along with an enthusiasm and a passion for building your own business and future, and a healthy dose of self-discipline.

Oh, yeah, it takes an investment not only of your time, but there is a financial consideration. There always is. You see, you get what you pay for in life. Nothing worthwhile is free. Anything worthwhile takes work, discipline, dedication, training, and learning. Success is never achieved by believing pipe dreams and in the myriad get-rich-quick or succeed-without-effort schemes and promises that abound on the internet. You have to work for what you want in life. But you also need to have a passion about what you are working for and for what you are doing.

Back to cost. I started my journey in transcription and scoping several years ago through TA. I took the free workshop where Janet laid it all out on the line. Her insistence that one must earn success, learn and train, and be determined and disciplined in how you attain success., and that it doesn’t occur without time and effort. Life is that way. She also says that you need to choose something that you are interested in and passionate about and something that others will need. That is why I chose transcription.

I spent over $1000 for both the General Transcription: Theory and Practice and Legal Transcription: Theory and Practice courses. When I was finished, I absolutely was prepared. It was money well invested and spent, and within a short time I not only paid off my tuition, I started earning enough to make a difference in my lifestyle. Granted, I am not going to become fabulously wealthy, but I am earning a comfortable living and doing so on my terms.

Many of you hesitate to sign up. I know from the stats here and on my website, that many of you have been looking into TranscribeAnywhere and have even visited the landing page to the free online workshop, and several of you have taken that workshop. In today’s economic situation, it is understandable why you may hesitate to go all in and purchase a course or two. $597 for General Transcription, $697 for Legal Transcription, or $997 for The Copywriter’s Framework is a lot of money. Some of you probably want to be able to purchase the combo General and Legal course, which runs $1097 — a good bargain, actually, but still a lot of money. So, what would you do if these courses were discounted to a previously unheard of price that would allow you not to purchase just one — which is okay of course — but two or three courses for less than one of the courses offered at regular price?

Well, I do have exciting news for you. Starting tomorrow, at 12:01 a.m. PST, we are offering the largest discount that we have ever done in TA’s history. For one course (any of the three courses) it is only $199. For a combo of two courses, it is $299, and for a three course combo, it is $399. This is our Black Friday/Cyber Monday discount week. From Tuesday, November 26 to Monday, December 2 at 11:59 a.m., you can get these courses for a price that is not likely to occur again for a long time. Yes, we have specials throughout the year, but nothing like this. Isn’t it time to take that step? Success doesn’t just happen on its own, you have to take the reins, learn and work for it. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity. The link is here:                                                                        https://www.transcribeanywhere.com/a/2148003898/PnLxY5jT

What a time to be a self-employed, home-based transcriptionist and scopist. I am having would-be clients asking for my services now. It took time, and I had to put in the work, but the effort was enjoyable and beneficial. You see, I love what I am doing. I have been transcribing interesting files, and I am always looking forward to another. So yes, one must work as nothing is given or owed to us. But why not work at something that you want to work at. If you are going to work hard, why not enjoy it? Working and having fun are not mutually-exclusive choices.

Of course, to establish yourself, there is always going to be an investment of some sorts. Certainly there is a financial investment. For any legitimate start-up business there is a cost. There is no sugar coating that. The promises of making six-figured incomes for simply sending out links, posts, and emails is just that — a promise, and sadly, an empty promise. It is a scam. In order to succeed in business, one must put in time, effort, and money. You must also become one with the age-old adage, “You must learn in order to earn.” And what better time than now to invest in that adage and learn and train to be a transcriptionist where you can work from home, free from commuting, free from office politics, and free from overbearing bosses. Discipline and hard work? Yes. But it will be on your terms, your time table and schedule, and in the comfort of home.

Helping to make this dream reality, we at TranscribeAnywhere (TA), are running a 40% discount on all of our courses. But this sale only lasts until 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, October 16th. Our regular prices are a fantastic value as not only will you learn about and train for a career in transcription, but also you will have the opportunity to learn scoping by utilizing AI. It is included in the transcription courses. However, like anything that you are investing hard-earned money for, you want to make sure that transcription is the right career for you. You want it to be a good fit and something that you want to do. It is imperative and highly recommended that you first enroll in our free, no-obligation, no-hassle, no-hard sell, interesting and informative on-line workshop. There Janet will introduce you to the ins and outs of the transcription industry, what you need, the business model, and what you can expect to earn and how to find work. I am providing you a link to that workshop. Don’t worry, the link doesn’t automatically enroll you, it just takes you to the landing page where you can decide to take the first step. Again, there is no cost for the workshop nor is there any obligation to go on. We would love you to as it would open up new opportunities, but either you want to or you don’t. It is up to you, but if you do, you will be happy that you did. Here is that link:

https://www.transcribeanywhere.com/a/2147978725/PnLxY5jT

Hello fellow transcription entrepreneurs,

I am happy that you found your way to my blog page at EJWillTranscribeIt. If you made it here, that means you most assuredly have an interest in finding out more about this wonderful and rich-with-work-and-opportunity industry. The vast majority of transcriptionists work remotely from the comfort and convenience of their own homes. First of all, I would like you to take some time to read all of my articles, particularly my “Two-Year Anniversary,” “To Commute or Not Commute,” “Have You Had Enough of Working on an Employer’s Terms,” and “You Need to Work to Be Successful,” articles.

These articles should give you an overview of what this industry entails from my point of view and through my lens as a self-employed transcriptionist. And yes, I do provide links that will take you to our course offerings and to the link for our free on-line workshop that shouldn’t take any more than 45 minutes of your time. If you are considering signing up for one of our self-paced courses — or more than one — it is essential to take the free workshop. You need to know if this is an industry that would be suitable for you before you purchase a full course. Janet, the Founder of TranscribeAnywhere (TA) is wonderful, and she presents this workshop in an interesting and objective manner and goes through what transcription is, what it entails, what you need as far as equipment, and about how to find work, and what it takes to succeed in the transcription world.

TA is very much like a family. When you enroll, you become part of a dedicated and caring fraternity of transcriptionists who are very passionate about our craft. We have our own exclusive social media section where we correspond with one another and with the staff at TA, so you are supported, advised, encouraged, and engaged with others in our industry. You become a life-long member of our family. I can tell you that it is something special. Are we fabulously wealthy? No. Do we do what we love, make a comfortable income, work on our terms and schedule, and benefit from running our own businesses? You bet.

Now, go ahead and get a jump-start on your transcription journey by reading the articles on my blog page, particularly the ones I mentioned in the first paragraph. I have live links, so please use those — Yes, I am an affiliate who does get a commission on any courses one signs up for when using my links. If you are ready to check out the free workshop right now, go ahead by hitting the link here.  https://www.transcribeanywhere.com/a/2147542252/PnLxY5jT  I would be honored, however, for you to read through my suggested articles. The more information that you have at your disposal, the better you will be equipped to make a decision. I hope to see you soon in our program if that is what you choose.

I love being a transcriptionist. I am a naturally curious person who revels in learning new things. Oh, and I really enjoy the fact that I can do so while getting paid to do it. How great is that? Now, don’t get me wrong; I still have to work, and if you aspire to start your own transcription business, so will you. Those are word of truth. Remember, anything worthwhile and honorable in business takes work and effort. No matter what the hucksters may tell you, there are no shortcuts–other than a very lucky and not-so-likely lottery win or Vegas jackpot — and no this-is-the-easy-life model. We have to make our own way in this world, but we can, if the desire and ambition is there, do so on our own terms. With those truisms in mind, I set out to start my own business just prior to the pandemic’s genesis in March of 2020.

In my first set of blogs, I already noted my journey, but I will start with April of 2020 as that is when I decided to dive into the 7-Lesson Free Mini-Course through TranscribeAnywhere. For me, it was an easy choice. Being a retired teacher and having had graduate work in curriculum and instruction, I found that the courses were not only interesting, informative, thorough, and well-paced, they were pedagogically sound and structured with the correct balance of theory, instruction, demonstration, and practical work. It is an all-encompassing program that prepares you to go out and set up your own business. TranscribeAnywhere becomes a ‘family’ that you become a part of. One in where you receive continuous support, enjoy rapport with other TA graduates, and with that training, you have the power, influence, and credibility that TranscribeAnywhere carries when you have your certificate in hand. I graduated with my certificate in General Transcription: Theory & Practice on November 21, 2020. I added Legal Transcription: Theory & Practice about a year later–though I have been so busy that I have not had time to complete it just yet.

Shortly after graduating, I had two gigs with a couple of transcription companies and landed a small, temporary client. I now am completely independent, having four of my own private clients. I work when I want, and I take on as much as I want. Since I find the work to be enjoyable and fascinating I do take on quite a bit. But, who is my boss? I stare at him every morning while brushing my teeth in front of my bathroom mirror. I don’t sweat commutes; after all, my commute begins at the edge of my bed, then down the hall to the kitchen where I snatch a cup of coffee and an apple, and then back up a few feet to my home office. My dress code is business comfortable, which could be code for pajamas and slippers on some cold mornings. I take a generous break after a couple of hours, maybe catch up on an around-the-house project, if that is on my daily docket, work a while longer, depending on deadlines. Then my wife and I will go to the gym or pool for exercise for a few hours or meet up with another couple for lunch or cards. After dinner, my wife and I might watch a show or play Maj Jong before I go back to my office to finish up work.

The point is, I have a schedule, but depending on TAT’s (turn around time) and workload, it is fluid. Probably the most important part of planning a schedule is to be both disciplined while being fluid. When you decide to sit down at the desk to work, you focus on the work. I do have a schedule that I plan out based upon my week’s workload. I plan it; it is not mandated by a company boss. I am the boss; I am the employee; therefore, I am both.

Understand something, a caveat if you may, you are probably not going to become a millionaire as a transcriptionist. It is not a golden parachute. It takes work; it takes discipline, and it takes dedication. You can make a comfortable living if you invest your time and effort. I retired after 30+ years as a teacher in June of 2018. I was near the top of the pay scale in my district. My business does not replace my salary dollar to dollar in a ledger sense. However, I was commuting 14 miles per day, five days a week. I averaged just for work, about $130 per month in gas, not to mention wear and tear on my vehicle. For a teacher on a roughly 10-month work year, that is about $1300 dollars. At 70 miles per week, 4 weeks per month, and 10 months in the school term, I rounded to 2,500 miles per year for work. That is one less oil change and various other maintenance costs which I came up with a savings of around $300 dollars a year. Since I drive far less miles now, my insurance company lowered my rate $350 per year. My clothing maintenance was not high, but it is much lower now only to the tune of about $100. I spend less on food also. Then because my office in my home is dedicated to work, that is a write-off on my income taxes. The coffee I buy and some of the groceries for lunch is a write-off. My home office space is a write-off, a significant write-off. All of my supplies and equipment for my transcription business are write-offs, and so are the health premiums for my wife and I. We received a refund from both Federal and State of over $3000, most of it due to not only smaller earnings, but also the many write-offs self-employed people enjoy.

Then there are the intangibles that one must consider. First, there is quality of life. While I enjoyed my teaching career immensely, I also had to deal with stress, workplace politics, employee-employer relations, parents, and a lot of paperwork. The hustle and bustle of a regular work week and everything that that entails was something that can consume time, energy, and also cause stress. You are also on a schedule–most likely not one of your own choice–that you must adhere to. Meetings, conferences, paperwork, training, travel, HR issues, workplace politics, issues with colleagues or with employees that you might supervise or managers that you must answer to. All of that disappears when you work for yourself. As a transcriptionist, you will work for yourself; you will be self-employed. Some of you may wish to be an independent contractor with a transcription company or with two or more companies; some of you may elect to only serve your own private clientele, and others might choose a hybrid work model where you might contract with a company while retaining a private client or two. Whatever model you choose for your business, you are the one that decides your schedule. I now only serve my own clients. For me, that is what I chose. I found that that model provides me with the greatest independence.

I hope you are interested in at least taking a peak into transcription as a business. I know that I am happy that I did. This is not a career that you just dive into without training and expect to become successful. It takes more than being a fast typist. You need to acquire the proper training, one with the right balance of theory and practice; one that balances learning the underpinnings and foundations of the industry with practical application and practice as a transcriptionist; one that is of high caliber; one that sets the industry standard. Only one transcription school and training curriculum checks all of those boxes, TranscribeAnywhere. Starting Friday, November 25th, all of the courses: legal, general, and legal/general combo courses are being offered at a 50% discount with our “Black Friday” event. It costs absolutely nothing to first enroll in our free mini-course. By doing that, you will get a thorough introduction to the world of transcription. You will learn about the industry, what you need, the equipment, what it entails, and about how to establish yourself in the business. The free course will also help you to determine if transcription is a good fit for you before you actually lay out money to purchase a full course. Go ahead and click on the link below. Doing that is absolutely free as well. There will be no hard-sell tactics, no BS, no pressure. We are only interested in teaching and training those who are interested in pursuing transcription as a career. If that describes you, we will be thrilled to have you at least take a peak.

Best wishes in all of your endeavors.

EJ

https://www.transcribeanywhere.com/a/2147524276/PnLxY5jT

https://www.transcribeanywhere.com/a/15058/PnLxY5jT

Don’t get me wrong; I enjoyed my 30-year teaching career immensely. Well, at least the teaching part, my wonderful students, friendships with my colleagues,and especially knowing that I had the chance to inspire children to enjoy learning and growing as a person. The politics of the workplace; the useless mandated busywork, and in particular, the rat race of the crowed commute I could have done without. So, that is what I decided to do–Do with out. And wow! If there was a better time than now not to be commuting, it is now. Six-fifty per gallon for gas, really? Sinking hard-earned coin into a sinking–literally–401K or 403B account? What inspiration to stay on the job until I am 67 is that? So, do I plod on for six more years? That was the next question. One that I answered with a resounding and emphatic, “No!”

Perhaps you find yourself pondering your career future. Let’s face it, particularly if you are or are approaching middle age — I’d say that being 61, I have about eclipsed that demographic — facing another decade or more ‘cruising’ the parking lots many of us call freeways and searching for that two cents cheaper gas station, waking up at the crack of dawn, and reversing course at the end of the work day, that you just might start wondering why you can’t earn your living with a shorter commute. How short should it be? Well, for me, that was easy. A commute of 60 feet seemed to be a rather advantageous compromise. You see, my commute begins from the edge of my bed to the kitchen, where I fuel up with a cup of , and ends with a few more feet into my home office where I sit down and slide myself ensconced in my comfortable chair to my computer. Oh, yeah. Did I mention what time I need to leave in order to reach my destination? That is a rather easy answer. It depends on my mood and what I scheduled myself for the day. If I wish to indulge in a bit longer of a shut-eye session, so be it. My work is not going anywhere; nobody is watching what time I arrive, and unless my dogs aren’t dancing around my feet for a treat, I am not worried about navigating a crowded thoroughfare.  Oh, it is Friday. Should I stop on the way home to spend $100 to fill my tank? Oh, that’s right! It hasn’t been two-and-a-half weeks yet; no need to even look at a gas station, or for that matter, at the ominous and ever-rising prices so prominently beckoning your car for it’s fill. My transcript is not due until tomorrow, and the Angels are playing a Thursday matinee game. I almost feel bad for some of my friends–well, on second thought…  Later that evening, I go though my bills that arrived — as they always do — like clockwork. Car insurance for the year is due. No need to wonder, “Should we just carry liability now that the Lexus is paid for?” I respond to myself, “Why. As we are driving far less now, our insurance rates actually dropped by one-third.” Needless to say, I couldn’t be happier. No real commute; fewer stops to refill my wheeled friends, I realize that in gas, insurance, and wear & tear, that I am saving around $400 in transportation costs per month.

I don’t wish to convey that working for myself out of the comfort of my own home is in anyway the picture of commuting down the golden highway called Easy Street. Like any legitimate method of making a living, working from home and having your own business, and where you are your own boss, can be hard work; it requires due diligence. You do have to be disciplined; you must be organized, and at first, you will most likely need to be creative with budgeting — at least for the near future. It takes commitment; it takes patience; it takes follow through and meeting your obligations. If anybody tells you that you will get rich quick and float around with golden parachutes, they are lying. You have to work. That is the nature of business, whatever your business may be. Anything worthwhile, including financial and career success, must be earned. What working for yourself provides, though, is freedom to do so on your own terms. The more you put into your business, generally, the more it grows, the more money you make, and the greater satisfaction you derive. You have the control over your future; you call your shots. You are not making someone else wealthy. You get to enjoy the fruits of your labors. Yes, you must work, but who says it has to be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.? Maybe you wish to work late at night or split up your time around other events or recreational pursuits. So long as you meet your obligations, it isn’t about when you do your work, but rather when you choose to finish it while meeting your obligations or needs.

I know this sounds — and is — cliche, but it is also a very time-proven truth: you find what your passion is, what is it that you have an aptitude for and desire to do? Then go for it! Realize that a business must be built. Understand that you may have to tighten the budget belt a bit at first. Remind yourself, there is no golden parachute or easy road to riches. You do not get something for nothing. The world doesn’t work that way. So, unless you are that less-than- 1% of humans on this rock we call Earth that either inherited millions, won a huge lottery, or are blessed with professional caliber major sports talent — and they have to work hard at their craft, by the way — you will have to work to make a living. Choose what you enjoy and what will bring you happiness, and what you are passionate about. It helps greatly, of course, if it fits your talents. And no matter how talented and smart you are, proper training and education in your choice of a home-based business is vital. Do your research; don’t dive head first into something just because it initially piques your interest or curiosity. Do some homework, ask questions, make a list of what you want out of your business. Be sure that you can survive on less than what you might be making now. That doesn’t mean that you will not be successful and make more money than you were previously. It just means that your present salary may not be reached or eclipsed right away, or maybe, not at all. Plan for the long term and have clear-cut goals in mind. Make those goals achievable. Be sure to set a few benchmark goals early on so you get the feeling of moving forward and towards your bigger goals. There is no better time than now to begin that process. Every venture needs a starting point. First, though, you must be committed. You cannot enter upon the journey of creating your own business and being self-employed unless you are decisive, patient, and willing to jump in with both feet and understand that it is going to take work. Often times, success is incremental, but so long as you move forward, the path becomes easier.

By all means, do not fear failure. That doesn’t mean, of course, that failure is your goal. We don’t set out to fail. That said, most successful business owners treat failure as merely a stepping stone. Our failures are often professorial — in other words — failure can be amongst the most important teachers. The trick of it all is to learn from Professor F. Otherwise, rather than becoming successful, we become insane. After all, as Dr. Einstein opined, “Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity.” As a teacher, I hated when a parent would blurt out that inane proclamation, as if he or she were some type of modern-day Socrates, “Failure for my child is not an option!” Translated out, that simply means, “I will do Timmy’s homework if that is what it takes.” Failure is not an option, of course, is future code for “My 40-year-old kid lives in my basement eating cheap pizza and ramen noodles while playing XBox all day, thinking he will be crowned, ‘Tycoon Timmy, The World’s Richest and Greatest Gaming Guru.'” Thomas Edison was one of the greatest of inventors, and we have him and other like-minded individuals to thank for us not having to carry candles and heed Mother Nature’s call via the route of the chamber pot late at night. As with all these august inventors, they experienced as many failures as successes. But what successes they did achieve. We don’t — nor should we — set out to fail. That is certainly not our goal. But that teacher is not one to be feared either. We respect and learn valuable lessons via Professor F’s counsel, and when we learn that one lesson, it should not be repeated but learned from. Well, it is not for me to indoctrinate you with philosophical musings, but as a self-employed business owner or free lancer, whatever label you wear, the important thing is to keep growing and moving ahead.

As for me, when I retired from the classroom in June of 2018, I decided that I wanted to keep working. Oh yes, really there was no choice. While the commute, the growing amounts of paperwork, and the workplace politics were a major impetus of my decision, it was becoming necessary to be at home full time. My dear wife — also a retired elementary school teacher — battles MS. It was no longer safe, practical, or feasible for her to be at home for me to work a full day at school. While she can drive, getting out to our garage for her on her own is difficult. She enjoys going to a therapy pool and to a gym that is for disabled people every weekday. I go with her to be her helper and also to work out. We enjoy that time together. We tossed around the idea of me staying in the classroom as I was bringing in a good salary and the health benefits were very good with no employee costs. However, having a home-health aid is very expensive. So, we decided upon me retiring and starting an at-home business that could help replace my income. My wife has a retirement pension, but it would be difficult for us to make ends meet on her salary alone. I do have an IRA with a tidy sum, but since I am not quite at medicare and social security age, I need to protect my IRA.

The hardest part of any new endeavor is just to start; the second hardest is, “At what?” I knew that there were freelance writing gigs on several online platforms. Having taught language arts and having a degree in the humanities, writing, proofreading, and editing are things that I can do well. However, writing adds about steam presses was not something that inspired me. Education jobs for teachers are quite numerous, but I was looking for something that I could do as my own business. Something where I set the schedule, where I could have flexibility, and a business that had potential to grow and had support systems and online training. Here are the top four that I think are the most useful, employable, in demand as far as clients, and that are perfect for someone who either wants to set up a sole proprietorship or LLC: Bookkeeping, Virtual Administrative Assisting, Proofreading, and Transcription. Each of these businesses had good online training courses with free introductory mini-courses that introduced you to that particular business. Each one interested me, and I learned as much as I can in order to best choose the one that most aligned with my skill set and talents, and, of course, the one that I knew that I would be most passionate about. I am elated to have made the correct choice, transcription. Finding TranscribeAnywhere online was an absolute godsend. I was hooked the moment I began with the first lesson on the 7-Lesson Free Mini-Course. I have not looked back since.

Are you ready to find out all about transcription. Here are some links that will introduce you to general and legal transcription. I have taken both courses, but now there is a program that combines both, which is really an ambitious, but very worthwhile endeavor. Anyway, the Free 7-Lesson Mini-Course is just like it states in its title — free. In fact, Janet does not want anyone signing up for the full course until they take the free course. It introduces you to the business of transcription and will help you decide if it is right for you. Then you will be able to make an informed decision before you pay tuition on the full course as to whether transcription is a fit for you. Anyway, the Free 7-Lesson Mini-Course is interesting; it will answer a lot of questions; it will go over equipment, and it will give you a preview of what the life of a transcriptionist is, and what the full course entails. There is no strong-arm tactics. Transcription is either for you, or it isn’t. That is for you to decide.

Black Friday to Cyber Monday Event. All Courses 50% Off

https://www.transcribeanywhere.com/a/2147524276/PnLxY5jT

You heard me? You understand that there is no magical, Easy Street formula, via the internet, for instant wealth and early retirement. Those schemes and promises are legion, but they are false. That said, with the options available to all who seek them and are willing to be patient, put in the work, and who realize that success does take effort, the sky is the limit. Forget about all the ads that promise easy wealth with claims that you can earn limitless wealth simply by posting websites and achieving passive income. Generally speaking, those are scams. There are no ‘golden parachutes’ to easy wealth; the only ones who get rich via those schemes are the ones that cook up those advertisements, knowing that many folks are easy dupes to such preposterous schemes. So, unless you are one of the very few who are the scion of a billionaire family, most of us understand that we need to work to make a living. We need a career in which we devote the better part of our lives working 40 hours a week with a not-long-enough annual vacation in order to finally retire, and hopefully, live out our golden years enjoying the hard-earned fruits of our labor. While there is nothing wrong with that, and it is honorable, there are ways of being a productive member of society while enjoying a profession of your liking, of being your own boss, working on your own terms, enjoying what you do, and achieving independence and control of your work life.

Now, it is certainly no secret that in order to be successful being self-employed, you need to find a business and business model that works for you. It needs to be legitimate; it needs to be something that you are interested in and can be passionate about, and most of all, it must be able to be sustainable, practical, and have the capacity to provide you with a livable income. While there is a plethora of choices of businesses one can operate and build from the comfort of home, it is important to find that niche in which checks all of the important boxes: Does it fit my talents, and is it suitable for me? Can it be something that I can do from my own home office? Does it have the potential for growth? Will it, through discipline and work, cover my financial needs, and does it allow me the flexibility to balance work, leisure, and family life? Also, for some people, does it have the ability for me to take it with me should I choose to travel?

Now, as I mentioned in the first paragraph, one must keep in mind not only a type of business that lends itself to being a home-based model, but one that you have an interest for and that fits somewhat into your skill set. For me, I researched transcription, bookkeeping, and virtual assisting. There are excellent training programs for each of those, and there is a need for those professions — did I mention the fact that you might want to choose a business in which there is a need for your service or product? — Anyway, through research and doing some homework, I settled upon transcription. When I came across “Transcribe Anywhere,” I knew that was the avenue for me. First, the founder and teacher, Janet Shaughnessy. the owner of Zoom Transcription, and the founder of Transcribe Anywhere, has developed the industry gold standard training course. One that is pedagogically sound, combining a solid curriculum that adroitly fuses foundational theory with interesting and vigorous practical transcription real-life training.  “TranscribeAnywhere offers affordable, high quality, proven transcription education. You can learn to transcribe with excellence, and you can do it from anywhere. With our programs, you get it all: a solid e-learning platform with multimedia training tools, videos, practice, templates, quizzes, and thorough how-to marketing tutorials that aren’t available anywhere else. Combine all of that with lifetime updates and support, and you’ve got the perfect combination for success.” – Janet Shaughnessy, https://www.transcribeanywhere.com/about

What sold me on this program was the fact that Janet does not promise easy wealth and easy, sitting-in-coffee-shop model that is often times presented on many internet sites. She emphasizes that in order to be successful as a transcriptionist, one must be prepared to put in the work, learn, give your best efforts, exercise discipline, and that it will take time and patience. However, if one is willing to put in the work, time, and commitment, they can get to the point where they could make a good living as a work-from-home transcriptionist. Like any business endeavor worthwhile and legitimate, once must put in the effort to learn and be trained, have the drive to work diligently, and realize the road to success will take time, patience, discipline, and a strong work ethic. If one is willing to invest themselves, well, the sky then is the limit. Depending on whether you chose General Transcription or Legal Transcription — there is an option to do both–once you finish the course and pass the final test, you receive your Certificate of Achievement. Whereupon finishing, you then can either apply to be an independent contractor with a transcription company or begin looking for private clients or have a combination model of both. At that point, you are in charge of your own success. You decide how much you want to work, structure that work around your schedule, work as much or as little as you want, and continue to hone your skills as you build your business. Let me reiterate: you have to put in the effort; this is a legitimate business, not some fly-by-night internet get-rich-quick scheme. You get out of it what you are willing to put into it. You can have success if you are willing to continue to grow in skill; are willing to put in the time and effort to be successful, and you understand that success and financial freedom takes learning and training, time, perseverance, and effort. Also, before you can take the full course, you will need to first take the free 7-lesson mini-course. This part if absolutely free, and nobody is going to twist your arm to get you to buy the full course. What it does do is that it introduces you to the transcription business and if transcription is right for you. Janet only wants those who are truly invested, interested, and ready before laying out money to take the full course.

I will tell you this. I am thrilled that I chose to become a transcriptionist. I trained in both general transcription and legal transcription. I love my work; I enjoy owning my own stay-at-home business. I get paid to learn new things. And yes, it takes work; it takes effort; it requires discipline and follow through. Anything legitimate and worthwhile does. I didn’t make a lot of money at fist, but after three months, I had surpassed what I paid for tuition and equipment and started making a livable income. Now, I am making a comfortable income, and I am doing it on my terms from the comfort and convenience of home. I am so grateful for choosing TranscribeAnywhere. Janet and Martha — Martha is the Director of Education — are first rate. The curriculum is pedagogically solid and well constructed; it is a perfect combination of theory, practice, and real-world application.

I encourage you to take the free course. It costs nothing, other than some of your time. There is no hard sell, no obligation, but I assure you, the free course is interesting, enlightening, encouraging, and it is both fun and informative. After finishing the free course, you can then make an educated and informed decision before laying down hard-earned coin on any of the course packages. I purchased both the General Transcription;Theory & Practice, which I did first, and the Legal Transcription; Theory & Practice, which I purchased about a year later. It would have saved me over $300 if I purchased both as one package. Anyway, you can’t go wrong with any course option. But, please, first register for the free 7-lesson transcription course. Click on one of the icons below for more information, or you can look at each one if you so desire. You are here now; you took the time to read this blog. Why not take a peak? If you are like me, you will be elated that you did.

Note: The Free Mini-Course is the same for both general and legal transcription.

The different types of transcription will be described during the mini-course.

To access the mini-course, simply click on the link 

below the two banners. The banners themselves are not live links.

https://www.transcribeanywhere.com/a/15058/PnLxY5jT

Feel free to comment or ask me questions in the Comments section. Thank you for visiting.

I first want to reiterate my stance that I do not delve into the political arena.  Remember the maxim that is one of the pillars of my business, my profession, and one is a central tenant of my being: What is between you and I remains between just us: everybody else is on a need-to-know basis, and they don’t need to know.  I did mention at that end of my last blog that I would next write about my daily schedule, a sort of, “A day in the Life of a Transcriptionist”-themed blog. That topic will be the theme of an upcoming blog, but due to extenuating circumstances, I have put that on hold as I really want to make it top-notch in quality with pictures, routines, and interesting content.  Therefore, I want to expound upon the important values that we as transcriptionist should adhere to, and the values that should be if the bedrock-variety foundational to our society.  Today I am going to introduce my next series. Hopefully, after this series, I will have my ducks in a row as it comes to my blog on, “A Day in the Life of a Transcriptionist.”  In the light of what is transpiring in our politics; our daily lives; in the professional world. and with the mores of society as a whole, I wanted to delve into the opportunities that we have in our profession of transcription to make a real difference and hopefully to foment positive change.

One of the most enjoyable writing activities I loved  teaching and exploring with my students was the writing of acrostic poetry. It is a fun way to improve one’s creativity with words and an efficient means to meld both creativity and thematic structure while stating a personal philosophy and a way of looking at things. I have come up with an acrostic which will be the basis for the theme of this series of blogs. I did mention in my previous blog that I would be presenting an article about my daily routine, but as I have had extenuating events that have slowed me getting my house and my home office in the format that I want, I am going to delay that article for a couple of weeks. So, today I will begin a new series, and it will be called Incredible. I am using this word as an acrostic so that each letter represents a particular value that is important to transcriptionists and the values that we hold sacrosanct in our profession.  I chose Incredible because the word transcription is an incredible career and industry. You get the opportunity to get paid to learn and experience new knowledge and subject material.  It has an incredible impact on many other industries, and we as transcriptionists have an incredible opportunity to promote positive change. Ghandi said, “You must be the change you want to see in the world.”  We can do our part as transcriptionists to do this by living the change

This article introduces a new series and will be presented as an acrostic that introduces each value.  Each subsequent article will then delve deeper into each value and how it applies to the art of transcription and the life of a transcriptionist. Today, I will introduce the series of blog topics. Each blog will be shorter than normal, or I might combine two of the lettered values.  Anyway, I will begin the series with an brief introduction and overview of the series.

I – Integrity.  You need to keep your promises, meet your obligations to your clients, operate with fair and honest business practices, and you need to uphold and guard the reputation of your TA family and the transcription industry.  Show gratitude for the help colleagues give you and be willing to do the same when colleagues need it.

N – Nuance.  We can’t change the spoken word as at the heart of transcription you write what is said and; what you heard. Therefore, we make sure that with homophones and homographs that the right spelling and correct word is chosen, and we help to give voice and the intended nuance to the text by using solid, fundamental, and creative use of punctuation.

C- Confidentiality.  Many clients are trusting us to keep audio and/or video content confidential and often require disclosure agreements.  We are precluded by both ethics and law from divulging information to others.  Confidentiality is sacrosanct in our industry.  A great deal of trust is placed upon us.

R-Research and Review.  Often times we may not have heard about a particular location, landmark, building, city, village, invention, scientific term, trade deals, a particular historical event, a person, yet we are tasked with spelling and punctuating these terms correctly and in a professional manner.  It is imperative that we are good and efficient researchers. We also review our transcripts for errors and completeness, and compare our written transcript by reading it one last time while listening to the audio.

E – Ethics.  We don’t cut corners or short-change or clients. They pay an agreed upon price for services rendered, or we have contractual agreements with a transcription company and are obligated to meet those obligations.  We do not use text, trade secrets that we hear and learn about during the course of a transcription assignment to benefit monetarily, steal intellectual property, or brag, and certainly we do not gossip to others about what we learned. We are fair; we don’t poach clients from transcription companies, and we don’t undercut our colleagues or underprice our services to where it affects the ability for our colleagues to make a comfortable and honest living.  In addition, we have an obligation and responsibility to our colleagues and mentors to protect the reputation of our industry and the TA name.

D – Discipline.  It takes an incredible amount of discipline to make your home-based transcription business succeed.  You should have realistic goals and a plan on how to achieve those goals.  You have to be able to sit and concentrate on your work.  Have a schedule and stick to it, but also do so creatively so that you can also enjoy the freedom of being your own boss.  Freedom and flexibility do not have to be diametrically opposed to discipline.  Practicing these values correctly, they will support each other. Set your schedule with preordained times to work, have breaks, go places, for recreation, for eating and relaxing. Find what works for you, but then follow that religiously.  By all means, it is important to avoid that demon whose name is Procrastination.  Be clean with your workspace, be very organized, and have a daily plan of action and stick to it.

I – Income.  This is something we all think about, dream about, and certainly is one of the key motivators.  Let’s face it, we have bills to pay, mouths to feed, and our future to save for.  Let’s not make it our number one priority, however.  We are not hedge fund managers. If we have integrity, discipline, practice proper ethics, the income will grow and take care of itself, most often to a greater degree than if that was our only focus.  Set reasonable prices and fees, yet avoid setting below-market ones as that devalues the market, cheapens our profession, and cheats yourself out of your hard earned dollar. Again, be fair in your pricing but set them a little bit higher. Many of our potential clients are well off and expect to pay for professional services a professional wage.  Truth be told, they become suspicious or concerned when prices are too low figuring that a transcriptionist is poorly trained, untalented, or not serious about their profession.  Pricing yourself too low is counterproductive.

B – Build.  You must build your business and work diligently at it.  Success just doesn’t happen, it must be earned. Build to gain experience; build your client base; build your confidence; build a business that you can be proud of and enjoy doing. Also, don’t forget to build a system of contacts and referrals as that will help to sustain your business during times of low ebb, and it will help to continue building it during times of prosperity.

L – Love.  Love what you are doing, otherwise why do it? Have a love of words and a love of language. Love to learn, because you have a tremendous opportunity to learn as a transcriptionist. Love what there is out there to learn about. Love being curious.  Love improving your skills and business acumen and certainly while being serious about your work, love thinking about it as an adventure to be enjoyed and treasured. Love and respect your colleagues, clients, and your own determination, fortitude, and achievements.

E – Enthusiasm.  Start each day with a generous dose of enthusiasm.  Have enthusiasm for life; for relationships; for your freedom; for your opportunities, and certainly have enthusiasm for your work as a transcriptionist.  Find all the positive attributes for transcription and your business, of which there are many, and focus on them. Enjoy what you are doing,  and as you ethusiastically, professionally, and ethically grow your business, have enthusiasm for the fact that you are helping others succeed in theirs.

As transcriptionists, we have an opportunity to make a difference in society.  By demonstrating and promoting professionalism, a strong work ethic, care for our clients, and most importantly, integrity, we are putting our stamp of endorsement on these important bedrock values.  We can do our part to change the world by being that change.

I love this new career of mine as a general transcriptionist. I have the freedom to set my own schedule, I get to stay home with my wife, I get paid to learn new and interesting knowledge, and I can see my efforts bearing fruit.  I am part of a fantastic and talented TA family where we support one another and continue to learn. I am forever grateful to have found Transcribe Anywhere, and to have received the valuable mentorship of Janet and Marsha, two individuals who epitomize the values I have expounded upon. Their hard work, innovative curriculum based on solid pedagogue, and the human investment they put into the success of their students and graduates cannot be priced. I now have the tools to be successful and make a comfortable living, on my own terms, as a transcriptionist. It is now up to me to make it work and grow my business. It is a journey, that while takes work, focus, and discipline, is one of adventure and wonder and chock full of opportunity.  I sincerely hope that you would consider transcription for yourself. If you have the sincere desire, are willing to work hard, you don’t expect instant gratification and the promise of easy wealth, and have the perseverance necessary to make transcription your choice for business, then I invite you to click on the live link and find out if transcription is right for you. If you do take that step, promise me that you will give it a fair shot and finish the free mini-course.

https://www.transcribeanywhere.com/a/15058/PnLxY5jT