Crashing and burning, then moving forward

There’s plenty of reasons to become an entrepreneur – a desire to be your own boss or spotting a need in the market are two of the big ones – but some are driven to bet on themselves because it’s their only option.

Elizabeth Idle is one such entrepreneur. Idle is the owner of Idle Transcriptions, a company that offers transcription services to law firms, social services agencies, and court reporters.

Her reason for entering the field was simple: burnout.

“I was a registered nurse for seven years and had obtained my master’s in nursing leadership in 2015. The way the healthcare field was trending made me realize that going into nursing leadership was not what I wanted to do,” Idle said. “Nursing abused me in just about all the ways a person can be abused. In 2018, after developing PTSD from the sheer stress, I realized I needed to change careers.”

Searching for a direction forward, Idle assessed her abilities and decided her “exceptional typing skills” were the strongest asset to forge ahead, so she started looking for entry-level, general transcription work.

She spent two years working for rev.com doing video captioning, then started seeking out her own clients on Upwork.

Idle decided that offering specialized transcription services would help her find more and steadier work. She settled on legal transcription and, in 2022, obtained certification in the field through Transcribe Anywhere.

The company has fostered her journey in multiple ways.

“The support system and the folks at Transcribe Anywhere have been amazing in helping me step forward in my career and running my own business, something I never thought I’d do,” Idle said.

She founded Idle Transcription in December 2022. Despite the name, she’s been anything but idle in facing the challenges of being a business owner and overcoming her fears.

“The biggest (hurdle) to overcome as a new business owner was the fear of rejection. Marketing yourself to potential clients is a huge part of building up your clientele,” Idle said. “It was difficult for me. Cold emailing clients was very new to me and very difficult to do. I had to accept that the worst they could say was no.”

It was a few months after creating the company that she found her first client. Or rather, they found her.

“My first client was a law firm that needed a few depositions transcribed. It was great to make that contact and to know that they found me, read my website, and chose me to do the job,” Idle said.

Her first client led her to another, and Idle Transcriptions grew from there.

Even though her first client found her online, Idle said new business owners working on a tight budget should skip paying for Google Ads and save the money for other needs.

Her advice for other entrepreneurs? Learn to walk before you try to run.

“Don’t doubt yourself. Set small, manageable goals. Don’t expect success immediately. Know who your target audience is and market yourself to them,” Idle said. “Don’t be disappointed if you only get a few clients right away. One client can lead to many through networking and referrals. Keep educating yourself in your field.”

Seen from the outside, it might appear that Idle’s journey is on autopilot – she started her business and built a reliable list of clients, but there’s always room to grow. The trick is taking on the challenges you’re equipped to handle.

What’s next for Elizabeth? Building on her legal transcription training with Transcribe Anywhere and finding success in legal services, she recognized an opportunity to further expand her skills and offerings by taking classes in court reporting. It’s a natural progression for Elizabeth, seeking to deepen her expertise and explore new areas in her field.

Your Turn

Like Elizabeth, you might find yourself at a career crossroads due to burnout or dissatisfaction. By setting small, manageable goals, she started a successful business, and you can too. If you’re ready to take that first step, what short-term goals could you set for your business? Let’s discuss this in the comments!