The Proofreading Business Podcast

030: After trying a handful of businesses that never quite clicked, Tracey Nichols discovered transcript proofreading -- and it changed everything for her.

In this episode, Tracey shares how she went from working full-time and feeling financially stretched to building a flexible proofreading side hustle that gives her freedom, peace of mind, and steady four-figure months.

You’ll hear:

• The moment Tracey decided to give herself one ...

What if it does work out?

Ever wondered if you could actually make money proofreading? If you’ve been searching for a way to earn income from home -- without giving up your flexibility-- this episode is for you.

I’m chatting with Nerissa Hall, a proofreader, entrepreneur, and mom who went from working at a sheriff’s department to building a work-from-home business on her own terms. Her story proves that success isn’t about luck -- it...

028: Do you feel stuck in a dead-end job and wonder, Can I really build a new career from scratch? If so, you need to hear Sheila’s story.

Sheila joined my Transcript Proofreading Academy while working three jobs…and (spoiler alert!) she was able to quit them all and become a full-time proofreader!

Sheila is no stranger to reinvention and hard work.
✔️ She taught abroad in Japan and Brazil.
✔️ She owned a café with her husban...

027: What if I told you you could have a work-from-home business that fits your life?

We’re so used to (and tired of!) the idea of hustling to make an income while putting our lives, relationships, and happiness on the back burner.

Katie and I are here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be that way!

Today on the podcast, we’re discussing what a relief it is to have a proofreading business that fits aroun...

026: You're thinking about proofreading...but you're wrestling with some serious imposter syndrome.

You keep asking yourself:

What if grammar doesn’t come easily to me? Can I still have a proofreading business? Will my clients take me seriously if they find out I'm not a grammar genius? 

Worse yet, how will I be able to get clients when I'm an introvert through and through and the idea of marketing makes ...

025: If you’re like me, it's hard to start something new and not be instantly good at it. We go-getter people want to jump in and be the best right away. 

Take proofreading, for example. We want to know yesterday how to proofread, set up our rates, and get clients. And not only do we want to know how, we want to be really good at the snap of a finger.

That pressure we put on ourselves to be perfect right from the start? It’s rea...

024: Lisa Eldridge is a transcriptionist and transcript proofreader with over 20 years of experience owning her own freelance business -- and she's a homeschool mom of five!

In this episode,  Lisa shares her journey from being a young mom seeking a work-from-home opportunity to becoming a skilled transcriptionist and later transitioning into transcript proofreading.

Lisa discusses the differences between tra...

023: I have a surprise for you! One that’s been a long time in the making.

I interviewed one of my OG grads on the podcast this week!

That’s right – Renee is one of the handful of students who guinea-pigged my Learn How to Be a Transcript Proofreader course back when it was a live 8-week program! 

But that’s not all!

Renee was also an old-school court reporter! 🤯

From X-ray tech…to cour...

022: Am I the only one who does this weird thing where when you notice yourself feeling happy, you course correct to bring yourself back down?

As soon as you catch a break, experience a win, or have joy show up in your life, your knee-jerk reaction is to tell yourself, Well, this won’t last long.

When we stop to think about it and admit it out loud like that, it does seem silly that we do that, doesn’t it? 
...

021: Have you ever felt defeated after trying something new?

Maybe you felt optimistic about learning a new skill (like transcript proofreading!) or taking on a new job or even pursuing a new hobby.

And then suddenly, you’re slapped right between the eyes with how unnatural it feels.

(Excuse me, but that hobby was supposed to be stress-REducing, not stress-INducing!)

Maybe you even got so frustrated trying to be instantly good that you...

020: English class was always Colleen's favorite class, and she loved reading and being analytical. She went to college for a degree in Literature and even taught English abroad for a couple years in Europe.

When she returned home, she entered the traditional workforce, setting her passion for English aside. She soon found though that she struggled with a 40-hour work week and felt guilty when she needed time off. Her mental an...

019: Can you proofread transcripts even if you live outside of the US?

Kerry Walters, a UK mom and successful transcript proofreader, says YES!

Join Kerry in this episode as we talk about working for US clients while living in the UK!

And beyond that, Kerry shares her transition from full-time work to general editing and proofreading and then to transcript proofreading,  working with a big time zone di...

018: Spoiler alert: Court reporters need (and want!) to work with transcript proofreaders.

Seasoned court reporter Val Melkus joins me on this episode for a frank, honest talk about why court reporters rely on transcript proofreaders and why she considers them an indispensable asset to her job.

She also shares what court reporters look for in a transcript proofreader and what's important -- and not important!...

017: Ever feel like you're stuck in a whirlwind of stress and overwhelm as you hustle to get your proofreading business off the ground? It's a struggle most of us face, and it usually leads to one of two things: either we freeze up or go into full-on panic mode, trying to do everything at once and ending up frazzled.

It doesn't have to be that way though! In this episode, I break down the same steps I take when I star...

016: At 71 years old, Deborah had had an extremely rewarding career she had recently retired from, and she was excited to take life at a slower pace. However, watching Netflix all day was too slow for her. She wanted to travel more with her husband and not worry about finances.

That meant she needed a job she could enjoy but wouldn't pull her out of her retirement lifestyle. She found transcript proofreading, studied ...

015: As proofreaders, we know the difference between "compliment" and "complement."

In fact, as proofreaders, we're experts at making words perfect for our clients. We look to make sure all the right words are used and that there aren't any dropped, flipped around, duplicated, or misspelled words. We want our clients' words to look perfect.

But you know what's just as impo...

#014: Jill had worked 20+ years in the healthcare industry, but her workplace environment was toxic. Instead of loving her job, she regularly found herself crying, angry at coworkers, and feeling unappreciated.

Now in her 40s, Jill had a choice to make. Struggle on until retirement or make a change. And she decided to give herself a chance and prove she could start something new.

The journey to becoming her own b...

#013: Do you dream of traveling the world as a proofreader?

Or maybe globe-trotting isn't your thing, but you'd like to take longer vacations, stay in beautiful venues, and visit places that have been on your bucket list for years.

Loni has cracked the code on the perfect way to make it happen!

As a full-time house sitter and pet sitter, Loni teaches couples how to travel more and live for fre...

#012: Samantha was making minimum wage working nights in retail. Last Christmas, she sold personal belongings to be able to afford gifts for her kids.

She and her husband kept their chins up, but it was tough.

But then Samantha stumbled across transcript proofreading, and everything changed.

She quit her job, had a four-figure week less than two months after launching her own business, and now she can do...