Ever had that moment when you look around and realize—this can’t be it? That’s exactly where Rachel found herself not too long ago.
After 14 years in the classroom, teaching kids with autism and first graders, she loved her students—but she didn’t love the life that came with it. Between curriculum changes, endless paperwork, and constant burnout, she was tired. Not of teaching itself, but of missing the mom and woman she wanted to be.
“I was happy teaching. I just wasn’t happy with the mom I wanted to become,” Rachel said.
Sound familiar? Let’s dive into how Rachel went from being a burned-out teacher to building a thriving freelance business from home—and the mindset shifts that made all the difference.
The Moment Everything Changed
For years, Rachel would come home after a long school day, collapse in bed, and scroll on her phone—searching for something else.
“I’d literally type, ‘what can teachers do instead of teaching,’” she laughed. “I did that for years on end.”
Then, in 2023, while scrolling Instagram during Christmas break, she stumbled upon my Live Free Academy crash course.
It was her 40th birthday, she was in Mexico, and she made the decision that changed everything:
“If I don’t change my life, I’m the one in control of it. And if I don’t change it, nothing’s going to change.”
So she signed up, packed with nerves and hope, and got to work.
Facing the Fear of Starting Over
Rachel’s biggest fear? Failure—and what others would think.
“I didn’t want my family to think I was giving up,” she shared. “I was afraid people would say, ‘you spent all this money on your degrees,’ or think I couldn’t handle it.”
But here’s the thing she realized—and what I want you to remember too:
You can’t live your life based on other people’s expectations.
They’re not living your life. They’re not waking up in your shoes.
So Rachel chose courage over comfort. She renewed her teaching license “just in case,” but mentally, she was all in on freelancing.
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Building Her Business from Scratch
Rachel started the course in January 2024, waking up at 5 a.m. before school to go through lessons, make her mood board, and design her brand.
“I’d get up early, do the course before work—it was my favorite part of the day,” she said.
By February, she’d told her school she wasn’t coming back.
By May, she was officially a business owner.
Her first project? Booking 40 airline tickets for a retreat company—thanks to a simple Facebook post announcing her new business. From there, she landed more projects through the Live Free Academy Job Board and local networking.
Today, she works part-time with four retainer clients, including a therapist, a florist, and even a perimenopause podcast.
“I could be full-time if I wanted to be,” Rachel said. “But I’m choosing not to right now. I want to enjoy the summer with my kids.”
Freedom looks different for everyone—and that’s the beauty of freelancing.
Finding Confidence and Community
Like so many moms, Rachel struggled with imposter syndrome in the beginning.
“I cried a lot,” she admitted. “But I listened to podcasts, walked, read self-help books, and reminded myself I’m capable of anything I put my mind to.”
She leaned on the Live Free Facebook community and joined accountability challenges to stay consistent.
“Having that group and those challenges—that’s what really helped me get my momentum.”
A New Kind of Work-Life Balance
Now, Rachel’s days look completely different. She walks her kids to the bus stop. She works from home or a coffee shop. She goes to the gym when she wants. She volunteers in her daughter’s classroom.
No rushing out the door, no exhaustion by 4 p.m., no missing out.
“I’m not grumpy all the time anymore,” she said. “It’s just a slower pace of life. I don’t feel like a hundred people are relying on me—I get to focus on my family.”
Rachel’s Advice for Moms Thinking About Freelancing
If you’ve been watching from the sidelines, wondering if this could work for you—here’s Rachel’s advice:
You can go at your own pace. There’s no deadline, no semester schedule—you set the timeline.
You’re stronger than you think. You can feel scared and still move forward.
Don’t wait until “someday.” That day will never come unless you make it.
What’s Next for Rachel
Rachel’s planning to grow her business even more once her kids are back in school. She hopes to eventually hire help and maybe even build her own small team.
But for now? She’s soaking up the summer—on her terms.
Rachel’s story is such a powerful reminder that you’re never stuck. Whether you’re a teacher, a nurse, a stay-at-home mom, or anyone else craving flexibility and freedom—if you want change, you can create it.
It might start with a leap of faith, a 5 a.m. wake-up, or a single online course. But just like Rachel, that small step could be the start of a whole new life
The Live Free Academy
If you have read Rachel’s story and feel inspired to learn more about freelancing and how it can help you make a flexible, stable income from home. Please reach out, and ask me any questions about getting started or what it could look like for you to become a freelancer!
Send me a message on Instagram @micala.quinn, I’m happy to chat through that with you!
As always, if you want to become a freelancer and are ready to get started, the most hands-on way I can help you is through my program, The Live Free Academy!
LFA will walk you through the exact steps to build your business and land clients. There are templates and tools to help you implement every step of the process. Plus, it comes with my trifecta of support–weekly coaching calls with me, monthly challenges to help you land clients, and the student community to connect with and build relationships with other women building their businesses!
There are job leads and skills training in the top freelance services businesses are hiring for as well. Sign up for The Live Free Academy course here!
