We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Rosalind Stefanac. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Rosalind below.
Rosalind, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
When I decided to leave my full-time job to pursue a freelance writing and editing career I had my doubts about whether I could make it work. I knew I had the skills and contacts in place to make the transition, but I needed to earn a full-time income on par with my previous salary and I wondered if the work would be steady enough. I took the risk and within in a year, I was drawing in a decent salary from freelance work and building a roster of regular clients. Life was good!
Then in my second year of entrepreneurship, I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to undergo five surgeries and many grueling months of chemotherapy. I couldn’t help but think about how much less stressful life would have been if I had had a regular job and the ability to take sick leave, without fear of losing my clients. It was a dark time in my life but with the support of family and friends, as well as an ongoing desire to be my own boss and create my own career path, work became my solace. It was the one place where i could have control, even if it meant taking on fewer assignments with longer lead times. It turned out I was able to keep many of my clients, and the ones I lost have been replaced by new ones. I also branched out into travel writing (something I was going to reserve for when I was closer to retirement). This has enabled me to take many adventures, including paddle boarding in Arizona and cattle driving on horseback in Colorado.
I’ve been a freelancer now for 12 years. Taking risks has been part of the journey all along and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I was a journalist at a major media company in Toronto—and a speech writer with the provincial government—before I started my own business as a freelance writer and editor. I thrive on deciphering complex topics into accessible information and enjoy profiling interesting people and places I discover along the way.
I’m proud of being able to provide some compelling articles on a variety of health and business topics to readers. I’m also thrilled to be able to travel to places off-the-beaten path and share those experiences with others, including tips on how to make their travels even better.
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
I wish I had connected with other freelance business writers and creators earlier on. With social media and the internet, it is easy to connect with others who are running similar businesses and likely facing similar challenges. Connection is key and can remind you that you’re never truly alone on your journey.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
As a business owner, I am the master of my time and energy. The customer is not always right. In an effort to make clients happy I often pushed myself beyond my limits and suffered the consequences long after I’d successfully delivered on a project. Now I try and listen to my own inner voice telling me when a client or project is no longer serving me well.
Contact Info:
- Website: rosalindstefanac.com
- Instagram: @rosalind.stefanac
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rstefanac/
- Twitter: [email protected]