You've delivered the guest lecture, presented at the departmental colloquium, and led the professional development session for graduate students—all for free. Maybe you got a line on your CV under "service", or a thank you email. Did you know that same expertise could have earned you $500 to $1,000? Most academics think the only wayContinue reading "The Workshop You’d Teach For Free Could Make You $1,000 This Month"
Your imposter syndrome is lying: you’ve already been CEO
When I first started my business after leaving academia, I thought I was missing something. I thought there was a hidden manual for people who actually knew what they were doing, and I didn't have a copy. Business felt like a foreign language full of words I'd never learned: operations, pipeline, marketing, systems. I'd spentContinue reading "Your imposter syndrome is lying: you’ve already been CEO"
Yes, you can start a business while still in academia (here’s how)
You're sitting in your office after another marathon faculty meeting, staring at the stack of essays waiting to be graded. The thought crosses your mind again: What if there's something else out there for me? But immediately, the guilt sets in. A voice says, "I can't explore other options while I'm still here. That wouldContinue reading "Yes, you can start a business while still in academia (here’s how)"
Your colleagues asked you to edit their work for free (charge them)
The habit of doing unpaid work in academia In academia, generosity is currency. You read drafts, fix grammar, give feedback, and stay up late turning rough ideas into publishable work because that’s what “good colleagues” do. And over time, academia normalizes unpaid work so completely you stop noticing you’re doing it and you stop seeingContinue reading "Your colleagues asked you to edit their work for free (charge them)"
From free labor to fair pay: why academics struggle to charge what they’re worth
The first time I sent someone an invoice for editing work, I stared at the number for a long time before hitting send. It wasn’t a huge amount, but it was my first paid project after years of helping people for free. It felt enormous. It felt like I was asking for something I didn’tContinue reading "From free labor to fair pay: why academics struggle to charge what they’re worth"
Your academic skills are already valuable
How to package them for editing work When I tell people I help academics become editors and coaches, they always ask the same question. "But don't you need training for that? Don't you need a certificate or something?" I understand why they ask. We've been conditioned to think that every new thing requires formal credentials.Continue reading "Your academic skills are already valuable"
You don’t need perfect certainty to leave academia
Most academics don’t wait too long because they lack courage. They wait because they want control. When I spoke with Leslie Wang, her words stayed with me. After nearly a decade as a tenured professor—after building a coaching business that replaced her salary and supported her family—she still didn’t feel 100% ready to leave academia.Continue reading "You don’t need perfect certainty to leave academia"
Why your department won’t miss you
One of academia’s cruelest secrets is that your department won’t miss you when you leave. You’ve poured years into committee meetings, student crises, grant deadlines, and late-night grading. You’ve convinced yourself you’re essential. But when you step away, the silence can be deafening. That silence isn’t proof you didn’t matter. It’s evidence of how theContinue reading "Why your department won’t miss you"
Myth: Your academic job will make you happy (and why it’s a lie)
I spent years living a lie. Everyone told me that if I just finished grad school, landed a tenure-track job, kept my head down and did “all the things,” I’d eventually be happy. And I believed them. Leslie Wang, a former Sociology professor and host of the popular podcast Your Words Unleashed, believed it throughContinue reading "Myth: Your academic job will make you happy (and why it’s a lie)"
7 Academic Skills You Can Monetize Today
We've all been there. You're complaining about academia to a friend, and they suggest, "Well, you could always do freelance editing." You nod politely while thinking about all the challenges that come with that path. Here's what I've discovered through working with dozens of academics who've built successful businesses: editing is just the beginning. YourContinue reading "7 Academic Skills You Can Monetize Today"