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Hi Everyone,

I have been very busy lately, so I have not had time and quite a while to post.  So, my apologies.  Tax write-offs, as usual for me as a self-employed sole proprietor of my transcription and digital scoping/editing business, again garnered me a rather tidy sum that I will be getting back.  Not only that, my business is booming as there are a lot of court reporters seeking scopists and transcriptionists.  I am working solely on my terms, enjoying it immensely, and digging the perfect work/life balance that this industry can provide you.

Look folks, in today’s unstable work environment, high costs of living, gas prices soaring, traffic getting worse, and traditional jobs becoming harder to find, there is no better time than now to get started on a career working for yourself, at home, or anywhere you choose.  Let me remind you, that although it is interesting, transcription and digital scoping is work and something you need to be disciplined for.  Any career that is legit takes effort, discipline, training, follow-through, and effort.  That said, if you have to work, do something that you enjoy and that can give you the freedom to work on your own terms and for yourself.

Click on the link to read my story on how I have leveraged this industry to build a profitable business, one that provides a great work / life balance.  Note: I would have posted the article rather than linked it, but my website platform can’t support that feature quite yet.  Scoping and transcription are my forte, coding and computer programming, not so much. LOL

Oh, for those on the fence about purchasing one of our courses at TranscribeAnywhere, please follow the link in my story below.  TranscribeAnywhere provides a free online workshop that introduces you to the world of transcription, going over what it is, what you need, gives you insight into the industry, and well help you to find out if it is a good fit for you. Janet, the founder of TranscribeAnywhere and the owner of Zoom Transcription is the presenter for the free workshop.  I think you will find it — and what she has to say — enlightening and interesting.

One more thing: I am providing you with my coupon, so if you decide to purchase a course, will give you a 25% discount.  Yes, it looks like my name, but it has coding that is recognized by TranscribeAnywhere, which when you enter it into the coupon box if/when you decide on a course, will reduce the tuition by 25%.  Even without the coupon, our rates are a great value and certainly won’t break the bank.

The workshop is free. There is no hard sell, no gimmicks are ridiculous promises. If you want to pursue one of TA’s courses, great. You will be welcomed with open arms.  If you want to wait, that is fine as well.  If you find that transcription is not for you, we understand and would be relieved that you are not laying out hard-earned money for a career that is not a good fit.  That said, there is only one way to find out, click on the link to my article.  Remember to take the coupon with you.  Just copy and paste it, which will put it onto your clipboard.

EDWARDWILLIAMSON

http://www.transcribeanywhere.com/a/2148193778/PnLxY5jT

Now, I am not going to pretend that making money and potential earnings is not an important consideration; it most certainly is.  After all, not much else matters if you can’t afford to eat, put a roof over your head, clothes on your back, health care, and have means and transportation to get yourself from place to place.  It is even more so if you have a family to provide for. So, yeah, it is important, and anyone who claims to the contrary is either fooling themselves, detached from reality, or flat out lying to you.  However, as important as money is, it is important to figure out a way to make that money in a way that helps you to maintain a good work/life balance.  Happiness and fulfillment, as well as doing something you are passionate about are just as important simply because anything worthwhile and legitimate takes honest work and effort and has to have value to others.  If one is passionate about their line of work — their career —  then working and putting in the requisite effort to make it pay dividends becomes a valued part of who you are. Work becomes something pleasant, sometimes a challenge to better yourself and become more productive, gives you a purpose, and fills you with a sense of pride and the feeling that you are contributing to something greater then yourself.  Now, what that passion is is what becomes most important.

Hopefully, I have at least whetted your appetite to further expound upon that which you might be passionate about.  It certainly is my passion. I have absolutely fallen in love with transcription as well as digital scoping.  I am celebrating my fifth anniversary as a self-employed, sole proprietor of EJWillTranscribeIt, which is my general and legal transcription and scoping business.  While I am not fabulously wealthy, I do earn a comfortable living and have no worries about putting food on my table, a roof over my head, clothes on my back, and I have good healthcare.  I also have the freedom to set my own days and hours that I choose to work, and I do so out of the comfort and convenience of my own home.  I have clients, not employers.  I am self-employed and am the sole employee, so I do not have to deal with employees or with workplace drama, bs, or politics. Rather, I focus upon the work that I am passionate about, and that is transcription and scoping.  Most of the audio and video files that I transcribe or the legal transcripts that I scope are interesting, which makes my work enjoyable. Yes, there are instances where I will get a legal case that is a dull or a general transcription job that is tedious, that is life.  You make the best of it.  However, I have reached the point in my journey now that I can choose the work that I wish to do.

Okay, now about your earning potential should you choose to follow this same path and make transcription your vehicle for making a living.  First, set aside any grandiose plans of striking it rich and becoming fabulously wealthy. That is not going to happen. This is a legitimate career, not some false or shady promise of easy on-line riches and passive income streams.  The only people getting rich with that are those who make those promises and bilk hard-earned money from those that actually work.  Those schemes will do one of three things for you: rip you off and leaving you bare-assed broke, waste your time and energy, or worse yet, land your backside in jail.  Anything legitimate takes learning, effort, and work.  Transcription does just that.  It provides an opportunity, not a silver spoon.  Transcription is a time-honored and respectable industry and one that can provide a great work/life balance.  The majority of our industry is performed remotely, almost exclusively from the comfort of our own homes — our your home away from home if you happen to be traveling, but this part is for a later blog.  Also, as far as income, it is important to keep in mind your raw earnings versus your expenditures related to any career field.  Remember what I said, the vast majority of the transcription industry takes place remotely from the comfort of your own home.  You see where I am going with this? Let’s discuss this further.

It is no secret that most people drive to their place of employment and do so five days a week — some maybe four days a week on 10-hour workdays.  The average American worker spends about 27 minutes on a one-way commute for a distance of 27 miles — don’t you just love the symmetry here — for a total of 54 minutes and miles per day.  Oh, and gas isn’t getting any cheaper my friends, nor are the highways and byways becoming any less congested. Over the course of a work week, that can be as high as 220 miles driven. The average price of gas in the US is about $3.20 per gallon.  The average miles per gallon of an American automobile is 26 miles per gallon.  Basically, an average American is paying around $64 per week for gas. This does not include wear and tear expenses, insurance, tires, and maintenance.  Many back east might mitigate that cost through public transportation, but that also is not free.  Anyway, one can expect to pay about $200 per month in gas, and that is not taking into account gas for life outside of work.  I like to compare those figures with my commute ( and the commute of my fellow transcriptionists).  My commute consists of walking from my bedroom, to the kitchen for a cup of coffee, and down the hall to my home office.  No traffic, other than maybe a pesky miniature pinscher; no wasted time or hassle.  Oh, no wear and tear on my car.  My gas expense per month is less than a third of what the average American worker pays.  I often go a whole month without filling up the tank.

Besides the comfort, convenience, and lack of commuting, working from home has other cost-saving perks. My home office is a big tax write-off.  My coffee and the food I eat for lunch is also a tax write-off.  So is a percentage of my utilities.  My internet bill, because I use it mainly for my business, is also a write-off.  My software for transcription is a write-off as are my website and costs for advertising.  Any purchases I have to make — headphones, printer ink, trips to the computer store for equipment are all write-offs.  You get generous tax write-offs when you have an at-home business. You combine that with other expenses, and you find yourself receiving income tax refunds that you may not have been getting before.  Yes, it is important to keep accurate and honest records and bookkeeping and keep receipts and invoices of all expenses.  That is not difficult for a transcriptionist, as our work requires us to be organized anyway.  The bottom line is that working from home adds to your bottom line.  In other words, working from home saves you a lot of money when it comes to  work-related expenses — oh, and the dress code is fantastic.

Prior to becoming a transcriptionist and legal scopist in 2020, I enjoyed a 33-year career as a teacher.  I spent the majority of my career as an elementary school teacher. Additionally, I taught high school English for one semester and high school choir and band for one semester.  When I retired in 2018, I was at the higher end of the pay scale, so I was making a decent salary.  I loved teaching, but I was not enjoying the increasing workplace politics and all the hoops one had to jump through in order to navigate the changing educational regulatory landscape and the infusion of politics.  Not to blather on, making a short story long, I decided to launch a new career, one that I could operate and thrive at from the comfort and convenience of home sweet home.  Having a BA in liberal arts, along with a minor in English and graduate work in curriculum and instruction and writing, I decided that transcription, proofreading, and editing would be something right up my alley.

So, after much due diligence and careful research, I discovered TranscribeAnywhere — and yes, the name is correctly formatted.  Being a lifelong educator, I was impressed with their curriculum and training methodology.  Janet Shaughnessy, the owner and founder of TranscribeAnywhere and the owner of Zoom Transcription, along with Marsha, who is a retired teacher, built a world class, e-platform training school for legal and general transcription.  When you enroll as a student, you become a lifelong member of TranscribeAnywhere, benefiting from our exclusive social media platform where other TA transcriptionists discuss all things transcription related.  This allows you to make connections, get advice, and share experiences and ask questions.  The curriculum is well construed, organized, interesting, and effective.  As an educator with decades of experience in curriculum and instruction, I can vouch for the training and education you will receive from TA.  The program is pedagogically sound and correct, mixing the right amount of theory, content learning, with practice and working on real-life transcription skills.  It is rigorous, to be sure. Anything worth its salt must be in order to be effective.  It is also interesting, enjoyable, and it gives you the confidence you need as you progress through the course.  The course normally takes about four to six months to complete, though if you push through, it is possible to finish in two months.  Along the way, you get all the help and mentoring that you need.  There are people always willing to answer questions and dispense effective advice.  Just one week after I graduated in November of 2020, I acquired my first private client and signed on with a busy transcription firm that specialized in employment hearings associated with the railroad industry.

In January of 2023 I began taking a free course to become a digital scopist.  A scopist is a person that uses enhanced software — in my case Autoscript — that you upload audio files into, and the software than generates a rough transcript.  Using specialized tools within the software, you finalize the formatting, listen and proof to audio, and make edits, corrections, and check punctuation.  After I earned my certificate in digital scoping I landed two court reporter clients and have never looked back.  I do not work with an agency.  I have my own clients.  I retain one general transcription client — and at times, I will transcribe a file if called upon — while retaining four digital court reporter clients.   I have all the work I want and need to keep me busy, pay my bills, and to have enough to put in savings and for entertainment and other odds and ends.  I do this from the comfort of home.

So, how about yourself? Do you dream of having a business of your own, one where you do not have to come up with a large investment of money to start and hope that you can make it pay off?  There are a lot of options, of course, and you need to find what works for you.  Also, you need to do your due diligence.  Ignore any advertisement that promises riches and an easy street lifestyle.  Those don’t exist.  Study and do your research, ask questions, and decide what it is that aligns with your interests, talents, and skill set.  I want you to think about work-life balance, too.  You want to be happy, and you want your at-home business and career to lighten the stress in your life, not add to it.  Otherwise, what is the point.  Find out about the industry that you choose; find out as much as you can so you can make an informed decision before plunking down hard-earned money on courses, equipment, merchandise,  and technology.  Look for options that have free workshops or seminars where you can get yourself informed and educated.

Speaking of free workshops, as in the case of TranscribeAnywhere, which has a free online workshop delving into the industry of transcription and being a self-employed, independent transcriptionist, why not see for yourself as to whether or not you are suited or a fit to become a transcriptionist.  TA’s online, free workshop takes about 35 minutes of your time.  Janet, the owner and founder of TranscribeAnywhere and the owner of Zoom Transcription, conducts the workshop.  It is very informative, and it is interesting.  Janet, besides being a wonderful and talented mentor to all of us who had the privilege of studying and training under her, is also a very talented presenter.  She does not believe in arm twisting or hard-sell tactics.  I bet she will answer the questions that you are seeking answers to.  You will come out of her workshop with the necessary knowledge and understanding of the world of transcription and will have the information and idea as to whether being a transcriptionist is the right fit for you.  Then you will know whether or not to invest in one of TA’s outstanding courses.

I have provided the link that you need to go to our landing page where you can find out more information, and if you choose, take the free, online workshop.  You can take it at any time that is convenient for you.

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

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.