In 2019, I was a political science professor who was fed up with the stress and hostility of academia–not to mention the low pay. I left my tenure-track job and went from barely surviving to thriving as a freelance academic editor. Today, I own Acadia Editing Services, an editing and coaching business that brings in six figures a year.
In this podcast, I’ll discuss the challenges of academia, what academic editing involves, and what life as a freelancer looks like. If you’re willing to jump outside your comfort zone, it IS possible to find joy, true flexibility, and a profitable and rewarding career as an academic editor.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In 2019, I was a political science professor who was fed up with the stress and hostility of academia–not to mention the low pay. I left my tenure-track job and went from barely surviving to thriving as a freelance academic editor. Today, I own Acadia Editing Services, an editing and coaching business that brings in six figures a year.
In this podcast, I’ll discuss the challenges of academia, what academic editing involves, and what life as a freelancer looks like. If you’re willing to jump outside your comfort zone, it IS possible to find joy, true flexibility, and a profitable and rewarding career as an academic editor.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
👉 Ready to level-up your business by hiring a business coach? Connect with me on LinkedIn or email me (paulina [AT] acadiaediting [DOT] com) and let's have coffee (on Zoom). I'd love to get to know your business and see if we're a good fit to work together.
Think the only way to grow your editing or coaching business is by taking on more clients or becoming a marketing guru? Think again.
In this episode, I’m sharing the uncomfortable truth: if you want to earn 6 figures, your beliefs—not your rates or resume—are what's standing in your way.
Most academics-turned-editors undercharge, overdeliver, and wonder why they’re burned out and still broke. They think more clients or more credentials will fix things—but it never does.
This episode walks you through the mindset shifts, pricing experiments, and systems that actually work when you're trying to scale to $100K. I'm sharing boundaries, business experiments, and real talk about what’s keeping you stuck undercharging and overworking.
These exact strategies helped me grow from side-hustling freelancer to fully booked CEO of a six-figure editing and coaching business. And it’s not just me—plenty of other editors and coaches are doing it too.
By the end of this episode, you’ll understand the core identity shift required to grow your academic business into a profitable, sustainable career.
👇 MENTIONED TOOLS & RESOURCES:
The EFA rate chart: https://www.the-efa.org/rates/
Episode 20: 5 Tools to Edit Faster and Earn More Money: https://youtu.be/ipJSNA-XytQ
Episode 38: Two Things Keeping Editors Stuck at $20/hr: https://youtu.be/cOkUjIGMB9c
🧠Map Your Academic Business (Free Workbook): AcadiaEditing.com/map
🧰 Want to end burnout and become an academic editor or coach? Go to AcadiaEditing.com/BecomeAnEditor
00:12 - Common misconceptions affecting business growth.
00:33 - Shift thinking to reach income goals.
01:10 - Transition from freelancer to CEO mindset.
01:58 - Reactions to earning $100,000 are revealing.
02:20 - Beliefs shape income potential.
02:59 - Skills are not the main barrier to six figures.
03:22 - Academia encourages overwork for low reward.
04:04 - Cultural narratives diminish perceived value.
05:24 - Let go of distorted beliefs about earnings.
06:51 - Set boundaries; do not work for free.
08:10 - Minimum charge for coaching: $100/hour.
14:22 - Price based on value, not hours.
18:20 - Invest in your business for growth.
18:47 - Seek out a business coach for support.
19:09 - Build connections with industry peers.
20:20 - Commit to earning $100,000 by a set date.
21:11 - Regularly raise your rates without fear.
21:51 - Embrace discomfort as a part of growth.
22:06 - Make decisions as the six-figure version of yourself.
22:31 - Join a supportive community of entrepreneurs.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.