I spend a lot of time networking on social media with women who work from home. I love to share stories with my blog audience of women who have found a way to balance motherhood while earning an income from home. Also, I love if these women have a way to help you do the same. I met Chelsea Flint in one of my networking groups and she has many years of experience to help you learn how to become a transcriptionist! I recently interviewed her and thought I would share with you her success story and advice to help you find a job you can do from home.

What is a Transcriptionist?

A Transcriptionist is a professional typist who listens to audio files and converts what they hear into text. They transcribe medical, legal, or any record that has been spoken into the written word.

Meet Chelsea Flint

Tell us a little about your background and how you started this blog/job?

I first got into transcription several years ago when my husband was getting his grad degree and we had young kids. I wanted a way to earn money from home that was flexible but that paid more than working the night shift at a store. I taught myself how to transcribe using online resources and spent a few years becoming a transcriptionist.

I had many friends and people asking how I made money working from home and so I created my first Udemy transcription course and then added my other a couple of years later. I’ve transitioned out of paid transcription work as I’ve focused on teaching my Udemy courses.

What is your career/education background? Did you need it for your position now?

I have a bachelor’s degree in health science. I’ve never formally used the degree, and it wasn’t a requirement to become a transcriptionist or a Udemy instructor. However, I don’t think that education is ever wasted and it’s comforting to know I have that degree to fall back on if I ever need to or if I want to pursue a graduate degree in the future.

What was your motivation behind wanting to work from home?

When my husband was returning to school, I knew that money would be tight. We had two young kids, and I wasn’t sure how working outside the home would work with my husband’s school schedule. Plus, I wanted to be home with my kids.
In the past, I had taught piano lessons. But our new apartment didn’t have room for a piano and I knew it would be hard to find new students. So I started looking for other ways to earn money from home. That’s when I found transcription.

What was your journey like to become a course creator?

I started researching ways to earn money from home and read about transcription. I thought it would be a good fit because I’m good at grammar and editing, am a fast typist, and have a good ear. So I learned how to transcribe by reading different transcription blogs and forums and practicing with audio files. I gained some one-time transcription work and then started applying to companies. I signed on with a well-paying company and started working from home as a transcriptionist.

A few years later, I decided to teach transcription on Udemy. This was due in part to many people asking me how I earned money from home. I also had the desire to create something that people would purchase and to challenge myself.

I put together my first course “How to Become a Transcriptionist” and then a couple of years later put out my next course “Transcription Skills.”

Can you give us a ballpark figure on how much you make each month or per hour?

Most Transcriptionists make $15-$30 an hour. The United States Department of Labor reports that the median annual salary of full-time medical transcriptionists is $33,480, which translates to an hourly rate of $16.10.

I’m averaging $1,000-$1,200 passive income a month with my courses on Udemy with only working a few hours. I put in a lot of hours in the beginning when I’m creating my courses. Once they’re made, my time investment dramatically decreases. Even though my courses don’t bring in as much as some higher-income bloggers, they require very little time and continue to bring in money.

What tips do you have for balancing working at home and taking care of your children?

I still struggle with balancing motherhood and working from home and at our family business. But I try to spend time with my kids after they get home from school or on the weekends. I think it’s good for my daughter to see that I work and that I’m a mom at the same time.

What’s the best advice you would give to someone who is thinking of working from home?

There are many ways to earn money from home. So I would encourage women to find the best job that fits their specific skill set, their experience, and their family life. If you put in the time and improve your skills you can make money from home. Just have confidence in yourself and don’t settle for jobs that pay less than minimum wage when you calculate everything out.

To Learn More about how to become a transcriptionist check out Chelsea’s courses on Udemy by clicking below.

How to Become a Transcriptionist focuses on how to get started in the transcription industry, craft the right type of resume, and successfully apply to companies.

Transcription Skills focuses on learning the technical aspects of transcription, including advanced techniques.

For topics on how to work from home check out :

Become a Virtual Assistant and Be Your Own Boss!

How I got my first Work from Home job.

How to start a blog and start making money