25 Years of Corporate Job Before Lisa Finds Seven-Figures as Copywriter

Starting a career is full of hopes and aspirations, apart from the rewards that come with it. Certain aspects of Lisa’s life have been sacrificed many times, such as time with family, friends, and relatives. During those moments, she always believed that there must be a way out. “I’m a good little girl who took the corporate job and worked my way up the corporate ladder because that’s what I was always told to do,” says Lisa Christoffel.

At a certain point in her career, she desired more than what the corporate world had to offer. Each time this conflict crossed her mind, she always told herself it was time, not only to think but also to take action. She said, “I missed my kids’ birthdays, concerts, baseball games, anniversaries, and everything.”

The Path to Success in Copywriting

Lisa is a risk-averse person, so she wanted to have a sense of control over how she transitioned from her corporate job to a business that offered freedom and a better quality of life. She began exploring other avenues alongside her corporate job at Kodak. She invested in some financial products and dabbled in a coffee business. It was during this time that she stumbled upon copywriting. That’s when she decided to give it a try. She realized that copywriting could potentially replace her corporate job, even with little or no prior experience.

“Mark Ford had a newsletter called Palm Beach Group, and one of the features in his newsletter was side hustles. There was a small Call-To-Action from the American Writers and Artists Institute (AWAI) that said, ‘Hey! Can you write a letter like this? “I had never heard of copywriting before, and I had no experience in it. But I thought, I can write. This sounds like a great opportunity. I’m going to try it,” she said. That’s how she began her journey in copywriting.

She started investing in AWAI courses, including “How to Make Money as a Social Media Marketing Expert,” AWAI Bootcamps, “How to Write Your Own Money-Making Websites,” and many more. Lisa explained, “The enthusiasm of Katie, Rebecca, and the opportunities they shared about copywriting, as I went through the courses, finally convinced me. I think what ultimately pushed me to complete the Accelerated course was learning about the incredible opportunity in addition to mastering the skills.”

She believed in herself and the encouragement and opportunities in the copywriting business. She secured her first paid copywriting job through Upwork, even though the payment was significantly lower than what she should have charged. However, it boosted her confidence and provided her with more experience and copywriting samples for her portfolio.

Lisa continued to expand her network, updated her LinkedIn profile, and maintained her websites. “I’ve found all my clients through personal networking and connections, just by being where the clients are. I invest my value and time in my network, and then my clients come to me,” Lisa said.

A Life of Fulfilment and Breakthrough

Lisa received a call from Pam Foster, the AWAI Director of Training. Pam asked, “Would you like to be the B2B Writing Success Managing Editor? You have acquired the skills needed to get the job done, and we believe you can help our members advance their careers.” Before this offer, AWAI was Lisa’s primary client. Now, she has numerous copywriting job opportunities to choose from and more time to spend with her family.

One of the reasons for her success, she concluded, was that she remembered, “I write every day; I write business emails, make presentations, and persuade people. As a Global Contact Center and IT system services professional, persuasive communication was crucial to secure funding for the company. So, to keep it funded, persuasive presentation and communication were important.” Starting her copywriting journey, Lisa had to unlearn and relearn everything she knew about writing.

She began her copywriting courses with AWAI’s “Six-Figure Copywriting” and “Seven-Figure Copywriting.” While working full time in her corporate job, it took her some time to complete these courses. She emphasized that Katie and Rebecca’s companion series of the programs were very helpful in guiding her through the material.

She continued to enroll in various AWAI Copywriting live events and courses like “B2B Copywriting Mastery.”

More Fun, More Time, and More Freedom

In June 2022, Lisa and her husband celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary with a trip to Greece and France, which they had missed two years earlier.

She said, “I’ve been to Florida twice this year already, for a combination of events and vacations. I also just returned from Kentucky. “Lisa Christoffel loved her role and performed well for the entire 25 years of her corporate career. Her decision to transition into copywriting has paid off. She now enjoys freedom, more time with her family, and a better quality of life.

“Working a lot fewer hours, not having to travel unless I want to. I can go wherever I decide to go,” she said. This allows her to follow her “To-Do list” at her convenience without pressure from a boss or tight deadlines.

These are the perks and the lifestyle that a copywriting business can offer, and Lisa is living it! She recently started a coaching business to assist female entrepreneurs in building their businesses. She aims to empower more women to succeed and be free in their chosen business endeavors.