In this episode of the Live Free Podcast, I’m chatting with Jackie, a mom of five, mini-farm enthusiast, and now a thriving Online Business Manager (OBM) for interior designers. Jackie shares her inspiring journey of leaving behind her 40-hour office job and a home daycare business to finally build the flexible freelance life she dreamed of. After an initial attempt to go through the Live Free Academy didn’t quite stick due to timing, Jackie came back determined—and this time, everything clicked...
Jun 30, 2025•28 min
Hey there, and welcome back to the Live Free Podcast ! I am so excited to introduce you to Britnee—an inspiring mama, former second grade teacher, and Live Free Academy alum. In today’s episode, Brittnee shares her journey from the classroom to freelancing and how she’s built a business that allows her to be home with her two girls. After struggling with postpartum anxiety, unpredictable work as a sub, and the emotional toll of not being the one home with her daughter—even with support from fami...
Jun 23, 2025•28 min
Welcome back! In today's episode, we sit down with Sarah, a former special education teacher who transitioned from the structured world of classrooms to the flexible, fulfilling life of freelancing—all while navigating new motherhood, pregnancy, and the realities of being a full-time work-from-home parent. After spending six years teaching elementary special education, Sarah made her first big shift into a leadership role as an education director at a tutoring company. It was there that she unex...
May 26, 2025•39 min
In today's episode, we sit down with Ben, a veteran of the audio and music world who spent over 15 years building a successful freelance career across a wide range of creative services — from composing music for commercials and online content to editing podcasts, performing at events, and even designing immersive sound for virtual reality experiences. Ben shares how freelancing in a gig-based industry forced him to become endlessly adaptable, constantly learning new tools, skills, and systems to...
May 19, 2025•52 min
On today’s episode of the Live Free Podcast, I’m chatting with Rachel — a former teacher who said enough is enough and took the leap into freelancing. Rachel taught for 14 years, but like so many of us, she hit a point where her career no longer aligned with the mom she wanted to be. She shares what finally pushed her to explore a different path, how she found the Live Free Academy during a scroll session over Christmas break, and what gave her the confidence to invest in herself — even on her 4...
May 05, 2025•39 min
Hey there, and welcome back to the Live Free Podcast! I'm your host, Micala Quinn, and I’m so excited you're tuning in today. In this episode, I'm thrilled to introduce you to Liz, an incredible Live Free Academy alum. Liz shares her inspiring journey of how she's been supplementing her corporate income through freelancing over the past ten months. She’s made incredible progress paying off debt, creating financial stability for her family, and laying the groundwork for an amazing future. We also...
Apr 28, 2025•35 min
Welcome back to the Live Free Podcast! In this episode, we are joined by Brittany Long, an award-winning educator turned freelancer, who shares her inspiring journey of pivoting through various phases of her career and embracing AI to revolutionize her business. Brittany is now an AI trainer who works with ambitious entrepreneurs to automate and scale their business with AI for a regret-free life. Brittany walks us through how AI, especially ChatGPT, transformed her perspective on copywriting an...
Mar 31, 2025•45 min
Welcome to the Live Free Podcast! So happy you are here! In this episode, we welcome our very own Staci Mink, a talented copywriter and freelancer, who shares her journey from corporate marketing and PR to running a thriving six-figure freelance business. With over six years of experience, Staci reveals how she transitioned from a traditional 9-to-5 job into a career that offers her both financial security and the flexibility to be present for her girls. Staci chats about her early days in freel...
Mar 17, 2025•47 min
Welcome back to the Live Free Podcast! I am so excited for this short and sweet episode that will walk you through how to help potential clients who want/need to hire a freelancer but aren’t sure what to delegate. In the last couple of years, I have noticed the growth of traditional businesses and local brick-and-mortar businesses hiring freelancers. This demographic of business owners are generally smaller operations and they are overwhelmed with all of the things. They need to hire help but do...
Mar 03, 2025•19 min
So happy to have you here at the Live Free Podcast! I am thrilled to bring to you another student success story! Today, I am chatting with Jenna Dee. Jenna is a former teacher turned freelancer who has found a way to have it all. Jenna transitioned from the classroom to freelancing in less than six months. After signing up for The Live Free Academy in July, she took action and landed her first client by the end of August. Jenna is now a thriving social media manager/virtual assistant who helps b...
Feb 24, 2025•48 min
Happy Monday and welcome back to the Live Free Podcast! I am so excited to have this week’s guest, Kara Charron. Kara is a growth expert who has over two decades of experience helping businesses grow as a service provider. Now, she has started another business where she is using her expertise to empower women to create intentional, joy-filled lives and businesses. She is also the creator of the Monday Motivation newsletter and the host of The Design Your Dream Life podcast. Don’t miss this episo...
Feb 10, 2025•51 min
Happy to have you back to The Live Free Podcast! Today we have another student success story! Maggie joins me to talk about her start as a Tech VA turned web designer. After moving across the country and needing a career change, Maggie knew there had to be a way to be home with her girls while also earning a reliable income using skills she acquired in her previous job. She landed a client on her own before joining The Live Free Academy but she knew she wanted the added support that came with LF...
Feb 03, 2025•44 min
Welcome back to The Live Free Podcast! I am so honored to have you here. Today, I wanted to talk about something I experienced when I first became a mom and something I have been hearing a lot more in emails. What happens when the job you love(d) no longer fits with your lifestyle as a mom? There is a better option through freelancing. You can use your skills, talents, and strengths while having a healthy balance between work and family life. Listen to today’s episode if you are ready to find a ...
Jan 27, 2025•30 min
Hi Everyone! I am so excited to bring back the Student Success Story Series! Today, you are going to get to meet Kerry Komarov. Kerry is a former middle school teacher of 10 years turned entrepreneur and Creative Business Strategist. Kerry was able to resign from teaching by exceeding her income goals, working 20-25 hours a week. She made this shift while taking care of a toddler and a newborn. If you are looking for a way to be the “never miss a moment” mom while exceeding your current income w...
Jan 20, 2025•45 min
Happy Monday! I am so excited to share with you this 2 part series brought to you by Natalie Gingrich over at the Ops Authority. Natalie gathered some of the top leaders in the freelance and service-based industry to reflect on 2024 and look ahead to 2025. Today you will be listening to Part 2 where we chat about what is coming ahead in 2025 and what we expect the landscape to look like for freelancers and service providers. I hope this episode provides you with inspiration and motivation on wha...
Jan 13, 2025•1 hr 14 min
Happy New Year and welcome back to the podcast! I am so excited to share with you this 2 part series brought to you by Natalie Gingrich over at the Ops Authority. Natalie gathered some of the top leaders in the freelance and service-based industry to reflect on 2024 and look ahead to 2025. Today you will be listening to Part 1 where we chatted about the good, the bad, and the ugly of 2024. We cover the trends we noticed, what worked well for freelancers and service providers, and what didn’t go ...
Jan 06, 2025•56 min
Hey guys! Happy Monday! In today’s episode, I'm chatting with Kaitlin Christensen about how she built a flexible freelancing career while managing motherhood and narcolepsy. Kailyn has a background in marketing, but her medical condition, narcolepsy, forced her to leave the traditional workforce. After being a stay-at-home mom for five years, Kaitlin was eager to find something flexible that allowed her to manage her health while contributing financially. In August 2023, she found LFA through a ...
Nov 04, 2024•27 min
In this episode, I’m chatting with Renee Herren, who transitioned from a 10-year corporate career to freelancing after being laid off. With a husband who works crazy hours as a chef and two toddlers at home, Renee was drawn to the flexibility of freelancing. While her journey wasn’t fast—taking four months to land her first client—once she did, things quickly snowballed, and she landed three more the following month. Renee shares how she overcame discouragement by staying consistent, leaning on ...
Oct 28, 2024•29 min
Hey guys! Happy Monday! Today, I’m chatting with Tana Goosic, who transitioned from working 40 hours a week to working just 40 hours a month—all while replacing her income and working from home with her babies. In this episode, Tana walks us through how she got started freelancing, the niche her ideal client works in, and how she lands clients through the OTO job board, direct outreach, and referrals. With baby number three on the way, Tana also shares her plan for managing maternity leave while...
Oct 21, 2024•45 min
Dawne, a former labor and delivery nurse of 18 years, made the leap into freelancing in November of 2021. Within just a week of enrolling in the course, she landed her first client, and by January of 2022—only 12 weeks later—she was able to quit her nursing job entirely. Now, Dawne works 20-25 hours a week, makes 53% more than she did as a nurse, and enjoys the freedom and flexibility to live life on her own terms. In today's episode, Dawne shares how she got started, the strategies she used to ...
Oct 14, 2024•38 min
Hey there! Happy Monday! Today we’re chatting with Jenelle Rawlins, a former ELA teacher who launched her freelance business and replaced her income while teaching full time. Jenelle enrolled in the Live Free Academy in November 2023, spent December going through the course, and by January 2024, she had landed three clients through a monthly Land Your First (or next) Client challenge! Jenelle shares how she balanced freelancing and teaching full-time, how she landed her clients, and the services...
Oct 07, 2024•28 min
Hey there! In today's episode, we're catching up with Hayley Lame, a former school counselor who took a huge leap last spring by quitting her job before reaching her income goal. Fast forward a few months, and she’s now fully booked, replacing her previous salary while working just 20-25 hours a week! Hayley originally shared her story back in June on Episode 290 , and today, she’s back with an exciting update. Check out the show notes for more information and any links or resources mentioned in...
Sep 30, 2024•19 min
Hey there! Happy Monday! In today’s episode, we chat with Chesney, who went from enrolling in Live Free Academy to quitting her job in just 90 days! Chesney's freelancing journey is nothing short of inspiring! After enrolling in April, she landed her first two clients within a month during our "Land Your First (or Next) Client Challenge" and by July, she had quit her job. Now, she gets to work from home with her almost 8 month old! She replaced her previous income and only works 15-20 hours a we...
Sep 23, 2024•34 min
In today’s episode, we’re featuring Tiffany, a seasoned freelancer who has been working with social media influencers for SIX years! As a stay-at-home mom of three, Tiffany has turned freelancing into a stable, long-term career that fits her family life perfectly. When Tiffany first started, she was earning an extra $2,000 a month working part-time hours. That extra income made a huge difference for her family! But now that all of her kids are in school, Tiffany has taken on a few more clients a...
Sep 16, 2024•22 min
Hey guys! Happy Monday! This week, we’re celebrating a major milestone – 7 years of helping moms like you find flexible ways to work from home. In today’s episode, I’m recapping some recent success stories from Live Free Academy students and giving you an inside look at what it’s like to be part of the program. I’ll walk you through how I can help you build your business and the support you will receive every step of the way. If you've been considering freelancing, now is the perfect time. Our a...
Sep 02, 2024•22 min
As summer ends and the back-to-school season begins, the fall hiring boom is upon us! In this episode, I’m sharing three tips to help you land freelance clients right now. Learn how to tap into local brick-and-mortar businesses, leverage word-of-mouth referrals, and stay consistent to achieve your income goals! Check out the show notes for more information and any links or resources mentioned in today’s episode! SHOW NOTES: www.micalaquinn.com/episode301 Thanks for listening! Connect with me on ...
Aug 26, 2024•17 min
Happy Monday! In today's episode, Amanda Hiler shares how she transitioned from being a high school English teacher to a successful freelancer. After struggling to balance her teaching with being a wife and a mom, Amanda decided to make a change. She now works just 25 hours a week as a virtual assistant and makes 33% more than she did as a full-time teacher! Tune in to hear how Amanda transitioned from teaching to freelancing, how she landed her first retainer client while still working full-tim...
Aug 19, 2024•46 min
Happy Monday! Today, we're chatting with Stephanie Loesel about how she built her freelance business and left her full-time job after just 1 month. Stephanie launched her freelancing virtual assisting business with the goal of having a side hustle until she booked enough clients. However, she quickly scaled to five clients in just five weeks and was able to stay home with her daughter almost immediately! In this episode, Stephanie shares how she landed her clients in the holistic wellness indust...
Aug 12, 2024•55 min
Today we’re chatting with Samantha Hogge about her transition from being a stay-at-home mom to a freelancer. Samantha’s family of 6 recently moved from Kansas to New York for her husband’s medical training, and Samantha turned to freelancing as a way to help her family stay on top of the expenses of New York living. Samantha shares how she incorporated her love for crocheting into her freelancing business. She discusses the strategies she used to land her clients, the types of tasks she handles ...
Aug 05, 2024•37 min
Today we’re chatting with Kaleigh Tracy, a mom to four kids under 6, about how she successfully works from home while managing her busy household. Kaleigh shares her journey into freelancing, which began unexpectedly when she lost her childcare during maternity leave. She tried to find another option for childcare so she could go back to her corporate job but everything in her area was either full or wasn’t able to accommodate all four of her kiddos. With no other option, Kaleigh turned to freel...
Jul 29, 2024•42 min
