Kelsey Lorencz is an RDN who quit her job and became a freelance plant-based writer. In this episode, she shares her story of how she built up her freelance business so she could quit her full-time job.
Season 2 Episode 17 – RDs Who Quit Their Jobs To Pursue Freelancing Ft. Kelsey Lorencz, RDN
More Information About Kelsey
- Kelsey is a devoted mom to two kiddos
- She does freelance writing and recipe developments
- She has a blog called Graciously Nourished
Why Online Work Appealed To Kelsey
During the pandemic, Kelsey realized how many dietitians were successfully making a living online. She wanted to do the same:
- She wanted to be the boss
- She wanted flexibility in her schedule
- She wanted to be at home with her family
- She enjoyed the challenge of trying new things
She remembers first being inspired by Erica Julson, the creator of The Unconventional RD brand and she has an SEO course. Kelsey spent hours scrolling and reading what other RDs were doing online and she knew she wanted to do it too.
What Kind Of Freelance Projects Does Kelsey Do?
The first project she took on was freelance blog writing for other dietitians. She also:
- Wrote supplement product descriptions
- Penned intros for recipes for food brands
- Created content for a new app that was getting ready to launch
- Developing vegan recipes
- Ghostwriting
Kelsey is firstly a freelance plant based writer but she enjoys the variety of projects she works on. She recommends all newbies keep an open mind when they start their freelance journey. She says, “If you decide I’m only gonna do this one thing, you miss out on the experience of all the other stuff”.
Where Can You Find Freelance Jobs?
Kelsey has some tips on where you can find freelance jobs:
- Applied for jobs on Upwork (I made an episode about Upwork and how you can get started today).
- Dietitian Facebook groups
- Word of mouth and networking
If you plan to pitch yourself on Facebook groups Kelsey suggests running it by an admin of the group first. You don’t want to overstep and sell your services in a space that doesn’t appreciate unsolicited posts.
When Did Kelsey Realize She Wanted To Be A Plant-Based Freelance Writer Full Time?
There was a moment in time during the pandemic when workplaces were starting to call workers back into the office. At that point, Kelsey knew she did not want to go back to her 9-5 job (even though she loved it!)
She had fallen in love with the work-from-home setup and did not want to spend hours commuting. Instead, she dreamed of dedicating those hours to her young kids, and she wanted to be available after school to attend sporting events.
Kelsey remembers thinking “I can’t go back. It was January last year, and the wheels started turning, what can I do instead?”
What Steps Did She Take To Make This Goal Happen
When she made up her mind to work for herself full-time Kelsey knew she had to take her business seriously. She took these steps to set her up for success:
- Completed an inventory of her skills
- Updated all her social media and work profiles
- Told people she was a freelance plant-based writer and she was available for work
- Sending emails and pitches every day to prospective clients
- She took Ana Reisdorf’s Freelance Writing For RDs course (I also completed this course, it was excellent! I have an affiliate link if you are interested in signing up).
She knew she was going to be successful because she told herself there is no way she is going back to her FT job.
What Did It Feel Like To Quit?
Quitting your job is very hard to do, especially if it’s a role filled with positive experiences. But for an entrepreneur, it is a necessary step to make space for bigger and better things.
Kelsey had quit her job once before, soon after having her son. She loved the work but she wanted to be at home with her boy so she dropped down to part-time hours. This time she knew she would be quitting entirely.
She had a great rapport with her boss and she remembers saying “Don’t keep me on the payroll! I’m done here! I remember my heart pounding in my chest. It feels like you are letting everybody down and it was very hard.”
Any Regrets?
No!
Freelancing allows Kelsey to make more money and stay home with her family. Despite losing a pension and benefits with her old job she is very happy on her new path.
That’s not to say she doesn’t miss her coworkers, who truly were like family. Whenever she feels sad she reminds herself “My vision of how I want my life to be in three years, five years, ten years from now can’t be possible if I still worked at my old job.”
You can listen to the full interview by clicking the play button below. In the rest of the interview, Kelsey shares how many hours she works, how she maintains a consistent workflow, and what’s next for her business!
Did you miss last week’s episode? You can click here to catch up: How To Find Your Nutrition Writing Voice! Ft. Abby Langer, RD