A Look Into How I Became a 6-Figure Food Blog Writer
/Learn more about my journey from a broke college student to making 6-figures working from home writing about food.
I could start with a dramatic intro like, “It all started in March of 2019.”
And that would be kind of true. But if I’m being honest my journey to becoming a 6-figure freelance food blog writer was fairly slow and almost by accident. While a few events, like lockdowns, did speed up my progress, my journey wasn’t all that dramatic.
However, in a world of seemingly overnight successes and instant gratification, I think it’s important to share.
So, let’s get into it….
Broke College Student: Where It All Started
Growing up, I always dreamed of becoming a lawyer or somebody with a fancy-sounding title. I was a straight-A student, involved in sports, and generally overachieving.
Which is how I found myself sitting in a 2-hour lecture at 8 am on a Monday. I was attending Indiana University with every intention of graduating early and moving on to pursue a Master’s degree.
However, it turned out that the Hollywood version of college I had grown up with wasn’t all that accurate. Don’t get me wrong. I loved college and would do it all again in a heartbeat.
However, the work was hard, most of my classes were boring, and I often found myself scrolling online instead of listening to lectures. (I still graduated with Honors, it was fine.)
As a result, I stumbled across an internship opportunity working with a nutritionist on her social media account. The world of Instagram and influencing was fairly new and I knew very little. I applied anyway, not expecting to ever get a response.
However, before I knew it I was being interviewed and got the job! I wasn’t being paid, but I was pumped. I threw myself into the work after classes and found that I loved it. And I was pretty good at it, too.
Before long, I progressed beyond the other interns and was offered a job.
Lockdowns Launched My Career
I continued to work for this nutritionist for years, getting promotions and bonuses eventually bumping my pay from $15 to $30 an hour. Which was a lot at the time!
However, I never really saw it as a long-term career. Instead, it was more of just a fun side gig.
Enter: COVID. I graduated in 2019, right before the world went to shit. And, like many graduates, I struggled to find a job.
So, I worked at a restaurant during the day and did freelance work in the morning and at night. Then, everything closed down.
For many, this was the end of the world, and I don’t want to gloss over the seriousness of the situation for most. It was a scary time, and we still feel the effects today.
However, for me, it was a blessing in disguise. As more and more people found themselves with nothing to do but scroll online, the world of digital entrepreneurship took off.
With that came referrals and more work than I knew what to do with. I quickly started earning a real paycheck and realized maybe I didn’t have to go the traditional route.
Fast Forward: Building a Business Today
As I gained more clients, I began to pick up more skills and build my confidence. Admittedly, I continued working as a freelancer, scared to actually start a real business much longer than I should have.
However, once I filed my LLC I never looked back. I have pivoted several times eventually moving away from VA work and into freelance writing, but with each challenge has come immense growth. I’ve had days and months with no inquiries coming in and periods of sobbing on the floor due to burnout and overwhelm.
But I wouldn’t change any of it for a second. While business and life continue to have ups and downs, I’ve gotten to learn and experience more than I ever thought possible. And I make far more than I ever would working in corporate. Plus, I do it writing about food. How cool is that?
Whether you’re currently an entrepreneur or are curious about diving into the world of online service providing, I hope this article provides encouragement. If I can go from being a broke college student making exactly zero dollars an hour to someone bringing in six figures without any corporate training so can you.
If you have questions on entrepreneurship or freelance writing, please feel free to leave a comment below or reach out. I’m always happy to help!