Burned out, overworked, and secretly Googling "alternative careers for PhDs"—but not sure what you actually want to do next? This episode is for you.

In this conversation, I sit down with Jen Polk, one of the most well-known and trusted post-academic career coaches, to talk about what it really takes to figure out your next move after academia.

Jen has been doing this work since 2013, and she has helped dozens of PhDs—from postdocs to full professors to tenured department chairs—find career clarity and build lives they enjoy.

Here's what we get into:

🖋️ Why so many tenured professors (not just grad students) are leaving academia right now

🖋️ The #1 mistake academics make when starting a job search—and why "converting your CV to a resume" is a symptom, not a solution

🖋️ The self-reflection question that Jen uses with every single client (it's deceptively simple yet powerful)

🖋️ Whether you need coach training to become a coach—and Jen's honest, no-BS answer

🖋️ What Jen's PhD Career Clarity Program looks like and who it's for

🖋️ Why small-group coaching can be more powerful than one-on-one support (backed by what actually happened in her program last week)

If you've been feeling lost, stuck, or like academia has wrung every last bit of joy out of you, this conversation will remind you that you're not alone—and that there's a way through.

👉 Subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Resources Mentioned:

Jen Polk's PhD Career Clarity Program: https://fromphdtolife.com/

Jen Polk on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-polk-phd/

Want to end burnout and become an academic editor or coach? Go to AcadiaEditing.com/BecomeAnEditor

2:40 - Academic Background to Coaching

7:00 - How Coaching Changed Her Life

10:00 - The Rise of Post-Academia

14:00 - Why Tenured Faculty Leave

18:00 - Global Higher Ed Challenges

22:00 - Finding Your Next Career Path

27:00 - What is "Flow" State?

31:00 - Resume vs. Clarity

36:00 - The Power of Community

42:00 - Coaching vs. Mentoring

47:00 - PhD Career Clarity Program

53:00 - Finding Your True Calling

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

💡 When you're starting your freelance editing or coaching business, the instinct is to offer everything to everyone. But what if niching down is what gets you more clients?

In this episode, I walk you through the counterintuitive truth about developing a profitable niche—and why your credentials aren't what's going to sell your services.

What You'll Learn:

💡 Why "being for everyone" is actually limiting your income

💡 The common mistake I made when I started my business

💡 How emotions—not analytics—drive hiring decisions

💡 Why your first niche WILL change (and why that's okay)

💡 How to journal your way to discovering the people you're obsessed with helping

💡 The 6-month feedback loop: when to expect clarity on your niche

Key takeaway: Your niche isn't about your credentials. It's about the collection of people who hear what you say and feel hope. It's the people drawn to you because of how passionate you are and the real solutions you've discovered. This is what you should lead with in your marketing to land consistent clients.

Resources Mentioned:

Map Your Academic Business Workbook – Download at AcadiaEditing.com/map

BAE Program – 12-week live cohort for academics becoming freelance editors or coaches

Want to end burnout and become an academic editor or coach? Go to AcadiaEditing.com/BecomeAnEditor

2:14 - Stop Being for Everyone

4:32 - Why Broad Messaging Fails

7:02 - Credentials Don't Sell Services

9:26 - Emotional Connection Drives Hires

11:30 - How to Start Niching Down

14:05 - Map Your Academic Business

16:27 - Journal Your Ideal Client

19:19 - The Non-Traditional Scholar

22:17 - Burnout Mom's Struggle

24:20 - Find Relief Through Your Services

27:40 - The Messaging Feedback Loop

31:07 - Listen to Your Customers

33:51 - Refine Your Messaging

36:30 - What People Truly Want

40:24 - Offering Hope and Relief

42:33 - Your Unique Solution

44:20 - Be Real Be Passionate

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when everything looks perfect on paper but your life feels like it's falling apart?

Today's guest, Daniel DeRock, was a successful assistant professor of international political economy at a "dream" university—yet he walked away. Why?

In this episode, Daniel shares the truth about burnout, the hidden costs of chasing credentials, and how he's now building a thriving freelance business that finally honors all of who he is.

In this conversation, you'll hear:

☑️ Why Daniel left academia despite appearing to "have it all" on paper

☑️ The moment he decided to quit (spoiler: it was sudden and definitive)

☑️ How health problems and work-life balance pushed him to the breaking point

☑️ Why he's now doing a fiction book coaching certification alongside academic editing

☑️ How to build a business around what you actually want, not what you "should" want

☑️ The power of claiming your full identity when you leave academia

Daniel's journey is a reminder that success in academia doesn't equal happiness. He was doing everything "right"—defended his dissertation, got the postdoc, landed the faculty job at the university where he'd studied abroad. Yet the constant task-switching, budget cuts, isolation, and unsustainable workload made him reach his limit.

What's beautiful about Daniel's story is that he didn't just escape academia—he's actively building a business that brings together both his academic expertise AND his passion for fiction writing and the literary world. He's not abandoning his credentials; he's leveraging them in a completely new way.

This episode is for anyone who's been told they should be grateful for their academic position, or who's struggling to admit that their "dream job" isn't actually working for them.

If you're considering leaving academia or starting an editing/coaching business, watch this episode. And if you're ready to take the leap, check out my program, Becoming an Academic Editor or Coach—a 12-week group coaching program paired with lifetime access to the course materials.

Resources Mentioned:

Daniel's website: flowstateediting.com

Connect with Daniel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-derock-988883302/

Want to end burnout and become an academic editor or coach? Go to AcadiaEditing.com/BecomeAnEditor

[2:30] Daniel's Academic Background

Double major in political science and English, studying in the Netherlands

[5:45] Graduate School Journey

Master's degree and PhD in Amsterdam, field work and teaching experience

[9:20] Burnout During PhD

Teaching full-time while finishing dissertation and applying for jobs

[12:15] Landing the Dream Job

Assistant professor position at his study abroad university

[15:40] Health Deterioration

Stress-related health problems and work-life balance issues

[18:30] Budget Cuts and Increased Workload

Doing the work of multiple people without support

[21:00] The Decision to Leave

Abrupt departure from academia after reaching breaking point

[24:45] Early Interest in Editing

Proofreading for colleagues, freelance editing during PhD

[28:20] Discovering the Path Forward

Finding Paulina's course and realizing editing could be viable

[32:10] Starting the Business

Registering Flow State Editing, first clients from colleagues

[35:50] LinkedIn as Marketing Platform

Returning to LinkedIn and building presence

[38:40] Types of Editing Work

Copy editing, developmental editing, coaching for academics

[42:15] Expanding into Fiction Editing

Interest in creative writing and book coaching

[45:30] The Challenge of Niching Down

Balancing academic editing with fiction editing interests

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎯 SETTING BOUNDARIES AFTER ACADEMIA: Why Freelance Editors & Coaches Struggle (and How to Fix It)

When you're in academia, you're trained to sacrifice---your time, your health, your family, your peace.

You're made to do more with less.

You're "voluntold" to serve on committees and take on projects, all without extra compensation or appreciation.

But here's the problem: when you leave academia to start your own business, those harmful patterns don't magically disappear. You bring them with you.

In this episode, I walk you through:

✓ Why academics struggle so much with setting boundaries

✓ The specific boundaries every freelance editor & coach needs

✓ How to charge for extra work without guilt (yes, that second revision round counts)

✓ What to do when clients push back or ask for "just one more thing"

✓ Real talk on sustainability: why boundaries aren't selfish, they're essential

✓ How to communicate boundaries without over-explaining or apologizing

✓ The difference between boundaries rooted in fear vs. boundaries rooted in clarity

If you've ever:

🎯 Worked way beyond what you promised (and not charged for it)

🎯 Felt paralyzed by guilt when setting a boundary

🎯 Over-explained yourself to a client

🎯 Taken on rush jobs you didn't have time for out of fear they'd leave

Felt obligated to respond to emails immediately

🎯 Stayed on a call longer than you planned because you didn't know how to end it

...then this episode is for you.

Your worth doesn't come from the amount of time you work. It comes from your expertise, your skills, and your labor. You deserve to be paid well for the value you provide. And you deserve a business that serves your life, not the other way around.

To use your skills to build a rewarding and profitable academic business, join the next cohort of Becoming an Academic Editor or Coach (BAE): AcadiaEditing.com/BecomeAnEditor

To grow your existing academic business, join The Academic Entrepreneurs Studio: AcadiaEditing.com/Studio

2:45 - The "voluntold" problem in academia

5:30 - When obligations become exploitation

8:15 - Sacrifice myth perpetuates exploitation

11:00 - Unlearning academic patterns after leaving

13:45 - Boundary #1: Set your work schedule

16:30 - Using your calendar as boundary

19:15 - The vacation trap: never taking time off

22:00 - Why real rest keeps business sustainable

24:45 - Boundary #2: Stop over-delivering work

27:30 - Permission to be "good enough"

30:15 - Scope creep: "just one more thing"

33:00 - Charging for work beyond contract

35:45 - Boundary #3: Don't undercharge clients

38:30 - Why nervous energy repels quality clients

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You’re overworked, underpaid, and doing way too much "service" for zero recognition. Burnout isn’t a surprise—it’s the system. So what if the real problem isn’t you, but the way academia exploits your labor?

In this episode, former professor Rachel LaTouche shares how she went from a traditional tenure-track path to launching a thriving consulting business. She didn’t even know what "consulting" was at first—and now she's booked out, well paid, and finally working on her own terms.

Rachel started small—on Upwork. But one client turned into a department-wide contract, and that pivot away from free labor in academia led to a sustainable business. Her story is proof that you don’t need it all figured out to begin.

If you’re finally realizing that you've been unfairly giving away your time and energy for free, this conversation will open your eyes to what’s possible outside academia. Consulting might be the post-academic path you didn’t know you needed.

🎧 Listen now to hear:

How Rachel realized her "side projects" were actually consulting gigs

The questions she asked to get started—without a website

How she booked her first clients (and how you can, too)

The difference between B2B and B2C consulting—and how to choose

Want to end burnout and become an academic editor or coach? Go to AcadiaEditing.com/map

Resources mentioned:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rlatouche/

https://www.hireraretalent.com

Registration for Rachel's program opens Feb 1, 2026! Go to her website for more info!

2:17 - Researching Workplace Culture

4:29 - Why Grad Students Need Support

5:20 - Faculty Life Challenges

6:17 - Discovering Consulting

8:37 - Navigating the Pandemic Pivot

10:17 - Landing Your First Client

13:57 - Evolving Your Consulting Business

18:57 - The Consulting Futures Lab

20:34 - Program Structure & Goals

22:08 - Embracing Your New Identity

24:05 - Valuing Your Expertise

25:12 - Setting Business Boundaries

26:34 - The Power of Talking About Yourself

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You just got your first client inquiry—congrats! But now what?

If your excitement is quickly turning into panic, you’re not alone. Many new freelance editors and academic coaches freeze when it comes time to respond professionally and quote their first project.

In this episode, I walk you through exactly what to do (and what to avoid) so you can handle that first inquiry with confidence.

I’ve helped dozens of editors and coaches go from overwhelmed to fully booked—and it all starts with this one moment.

What You’ll Learn:

✔️ What information to collect from a potential client

✔️ How to read between the lines to understand what they really need

✔️ How to price your services—even if you’ve never done it before

✔️ What to include in your first quote

✔️ How to follow up, close the deal, and set boundaries early

📣 Ready to turn your skills into a flexible, fulfilling academic business?

Go to AcadiaEditing.com/map

4:20 - Understand Client Needs

8:40 - Decipher What Clients Truly Need

13:00 - Gather Essential Project Details

17:20 - Assess Client Personality & Style

21:40 - Draft and Deliver Your Quote

26:00 - Pricing Your Services Wisely

30:20 - Manage Client Relationship Steps

34:40 - Crafting Your Letter of Agreement

39:00 - Deliver Exceptional Client Experience

43:20 - Gracefully Close the Project

47:40 - Reflect and Document Your Work

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🎓 Should You Leave Academia for Industry or Business?

If you're standing at that crossroads—wondering whether to jump into industry or build something of your own—this episode is required listening.

💡 In this conversation, Tory Wobber shares how she went from a Harvard PhD in biology to a leadership role in data science at Facebook and Google… and eventually became a sought-after coach helping other academics make the leap.

Here's Your Problem:

You’ve done everything right—grants, publications, multiple job market seasons—and it still feels like you’re losing.

When Tory faced this, she set a boundary, walked away from academia, and found a path that gave her both impact and freedom.

Her coaching program, Academic Exit, has helped over 100 PhDs (especially in the social sciences) transition successfully into industry jobs they actually enjoy.

In this episode, you’ll learn how to:

🔑 Decide if industry or entrepreneurship is right for you

🔑 Translate your PhD into real-world skills

🔑 Avoid the biggest mistakes academics make when leaving

🔑 Build a career rooted in your actual goals—not just survival

Whether you’re curious about data science, career coaching, or just desperate for a way out—this one’s for you.

Resources:

Join Tory's program, Academic Exit:

VictoriaWobber.com

AcademicExit.com

Connect with Tory on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-tory-wobber-phd-cpcc-0364682b/

Recovering Academics group:

Message Gabrielle Filip-Crawford on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabriellefc/

Ready to explore academic editing or coaching? → AcadiaEditing.com/map

4:27 - Tori's Journey From Harvard PhD to Industry Leader

7:07 - Academia's Unreasonable Expectations

10:18 - The Data Science Leap to Facebook

14:25 - Navigating Corporate Culture Shock

18:00 - Finding Your Fit Beyond Academia

22:30 - The Power of Career Coaching

26:00 - Avoid the Spray-and-Pray Job Search

30:00 - Your Next Career Chapter

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

💰 How to Make Money as an Academic Outside Higher Ed (Even If You Feel Guilty Charging)

Burnt-out from academia but still struggling with guilt about charging for your skills?

In this episode, I challenge the beliefs that keep academics underpaid and overworked—and show you what’s possible when you embrace your worth.

I share how I went from tenure-track burnout to running a six-figure editing and coaching business. You'll also learn how not being perfect in your marketing can actually help you grow, and why higher pricing doesn’t scare good clients away—it attracts them.

If you’ve ever felt uneasy about charging for your work or feared being “one of the bad guys” for making money, this episode will change your mind.

🎧 Listen on your favorite podcast app or watch on YouTube.

Want to end burnout and become an academic editor or coach? Go to AcadiaEditing.com/map

04:04 - Academia's pressure to work without financial reward.

06:15 - The belief that good people don't care about money.

10:56 - Sharing knowledge builds respect and encourages payment.

11:32 - Common misconception that lower prices attract more clients.

13:18 - Price perception affects perceived value.

15:14 - Good people can also accumulate wealth.

16:16 - Wealth brings the ability to help others.

17:17 - Abundance allows for increased generosity and freedom.

18:12 - Fair exchange for knowledge without guilt.

18:51 - Authenticity earns trust more than polish.

21:57 - Reflection on personal limitations and guilt about pricing.

23:24 - Confidence is developed through overcoming past fears.

25:02 - You deserve to be paid well for your knowledge.

25:46 - Encouragement to make 2026 a year of change.

26:05 - Invitation to connect for support in building a business.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🔥 Burned out in academia? Wondering how to turn your PhD into a flexible, fulfilling business?

Cara Jordan did just that—and in this episode, she reveals how she went from freelancing for artists in NYC to founding Flatpage, a thriving academic editing agency and publishing house.

So many academics feel stuck, exhausted, and unsure how to market themselves beyond word of mouth.

Cara shares exactly how she marketed her editing services, grew a team, and expanded into publishing—all while navigating relocation, burnout, and the challenges of marketing to academic clients.

Today, Flatpage serves a wide range of humanities and social science scholars. Cara teaches in the UCSD editing certificate program and co-edited the fabulous book, The Art of Academic Editing.

In this episode, you’ll learn how to attract clients, overcome fear of visibility, and build a sustainable editing business—even if you're starting from scratch.

Resources Mentioned:

Flatpage: https://www.flatpage.com/

UCSD Copyediting Certificate: https://extendedstudies.ucsd.edu/certificates/copyediting

Book: The Art of Academic Editing (affiliate link): https://amzn.to/48uH30u

Want to end burnout and become an academic editor or coach? Go to AcadiaEditing.com/BecomeAnEditor

00:01:00 - Cara's Academic Background

00:02:30 - Early Freelance Experience

00:04:00 - Transitioning from Academia to Freelancing

00:05:30 - Initial Client Acquisition

00:07:00 - The Importance of Word of Mouth

00:08:30 - Marketing Strategies for Editors

00:10:00 - Overcoming Marketing Hesitations

00:11:30 - Networking and Community Engagement

00:13:00 - Challenges of Marketing to Academics

00:14:30 - Creative Approaches to Finding Clients

00:16:00 - The Importance of Niching Down

00:17:30 - Growth of Cara's Editing Business

00:19:00 - Starting Flatpage and Team Expansion

00:20:30 - Differences Between Copy Editing and Developmental Editing

00:22:00 - The Value of Formal Editing Training

00:23:30 - The Role of Academic Background in Editing

00:25:00 - The Need for Professional Development

00:26:30 - Advice on Working for Free

00:28:00 - The Decision to Add Publishing Services

00:29:30 - Advocacy Through Publishing

00:31:00 - Final Advice for Aspiring Editors

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Burnt out by content creation? Glued to your phone, cranking out posts that barely get engagement? You're not alone—and there’s a better way.

Academics starting their businesses often fall into the trap of chasing social media trends—thinking they have to do Reels, show up daily, and perform for the algorithm.

In this episode, I walk you through a step-by-step system that simplifies content creation by drawing on your academic strengths—writing, planning, and strategic thinking.

This is the exact system I've used to create a month of content in a few hours—and stay off the content hamster wheel that leads to burnout.

You’ll learn how to brainstorm blog topics, batch-write posts, repurpose them for social media, and even delegate to AI (ethically and efficiently). If content has ever felt overwhelming, this is how you can simplify.

🎧 What You’ll Learn:

Why Instagram-style content isn’t effective for academic businesses

How to repurpose blog content into multiple social posts

A 3-step batching system that saves hours of time

Tips for using AI tools (like Claude and ChatGPT) without losing your voice

How to avoid burnout and still show up online

📚 Resources Mentioned:

Ep 39 of my podcast with SEO expert Laura Jawad

📣 Want to end burnout and become an academic editor or coach? Go to AcadiaEditing.com/BecomeAnEditor

00:00 - Target mindset shift away from fleeting social media engagements.

03:40 - Choose where to spend time online based on ideal client presence.

04:02 - Brainstorm topics based on client questions to improve SEO.

05:14 - Create a list of five to ten questions, select the top four.

06:27 - Draft short blog articles, aiming for 1000-1500 words each.

11:48 - Avoid task switching; focus periods for each content creation step.

13:24 - Repurpose blog posts into social media content for consistent messaging.

15:07 - Use excerpts from blog articles for engaging LinkedIn posts.

19:05 - Use AI tools for drafting social media posts based on articles.

21:14 - Expect low visibility; only a small percentage of followers will see posts.

25:38 - Schedule blog articles in advance for consistent content delivery.

30:05 - Implement a systematic approach for efficient content creation over time.

31:26 - Protect your energy; pace content creation to avoid burnout.

32:57 - Focus on platforms that resonate with your target audience.

35:02 - Success isn’t based on follower count but on client conversion.

36:17 - Prioritize driving engagement toward your email list for control.

37:17 - Understand that building a brand takes time and effort.

37:55 - Practice will help refine your brand voice and messaging.

39:02 - Utilize support resources like coaching when growing your business.

39:44 - Explore educational opportunities for aspiring academic editors.

39:52 - Each step in content creation contributes to your professional growth.

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