Lessons Learned: Year One of My Dissertation Editing Business
After several years of editing dissertations for students at local universities, I decided in early 2025 to launch my own dissertation editing business and focus on helping students achieve their academic goals. In the 365 days that passed after opening the doors to the Dissertation Editing Lab, I learned quite a bit about what it takes to run a business, how to work effectively with clients, why networking is so important, and how to remain steady during all the ups and downs.
Here are some of those lessons learned:
Investing in your business website is incredibly important. Whether you create your own website or hire a designer, your business website is your storefront. It’s the window that potential clients look through when they’re shopping for an editor. If what greets them is an unorganized, hard-to-navigate website, imagine the impression they are getting about you. You don’t need to invest thousands of dollars on your website, either. All you need is a clean website that clearly spells out your services, how those services can help meet clients’ needs, your experience, and how people can contact you.
Accounting software is well worth the investment. Using Excel to track your income and expenses is sufficient when you’re just getting started, but as your business and bank account start to expand, finding an accounting software you’re comfortable with can definitely make life easier. Switching from Excel to QuickBooks has been life-changing as I can now quickly send invoices, request payments via credit card, track expenses, and run a variety of reports – all from the same easy-to-use platform.
Know your worth and don’t be afraid to share that with others. I understand – this one is difficult, especially when you’re just trying to get your business off the ground. However, when you start doing favors for friends and former work colleagues or dropping your editing rate because “making some money is better than nothing,” this could be setting yourself up for failure. When I’m struggling to create a quote for a client, even though I know I should be charging what my services are worth, I often seek reassurance from the EFA’s Rate Chart (https://www.the-efa.org/rates/) – it serves as a great reminder that I’m actually running a business and should be paid for my time and expertise, just like any other professional.
Find your primetime working hours. I’ve been an early riser (sometimes as early as 3 a.m.) for many years. I enjoy getting a jumpstart to my workday, responding to emails, planning my projects for the day, and getting started with an editing assignment. By the time 3 or 4 p.m. rolls around, my workday is typically done. My old routine was staying logged in until late in the evening, but what works for me now is shutting down my computer in the middle of the afternoon so I can focus on my family, my health, and the rest of my life. And then I can clock back in the next morning, feeling rested and ready to start all over again. If mornings aren’t your thing and you do your best work in the afternoon or after the sun goes down, try to organize your day so you’re maximizing those work hours.
Avoid the comparisons. This is clearly easier said than done, but when you start comparing yourself to those who have been in business for far longer than you have, or maybe those who just seem to do everything right, you can find yourself coming up short. When I start feeling less-than or inadequate, I just try to remind myself that everyone is running their own race and I need to keep my head down, focus on what I can control, and move toward my own finish line.
Networking is necessary. I enjoy being my own boss, making my own hours, and deciding who I want to work with, but I cannot run a business on my own. I need other people’s expertise and perspectives. I need to hear what’s worked and what hasn’t for others in my role. I do this through networking – and it can be anything from sending LinkedIn messages to the growing network I’m developing, interacting with fellow editing professionals during virtual chats, or meeting someone for coffee (yes, people still do this).
Clear and contact communication with clients is key. Before I started editing a dissertation, I always share with clients that they will be hearing from me a lot. I feel strongly about the importance of sending clients multiple progress updates each week, so I include language in all my client contracts that I will communicate how much I’ve edited, what I still need to review, and any questions I have for them. Students are entrusting us with a document they have often spent years crafting – providing updates and maintaining an open line of communication is the least we can do.
Buckle in for the rollercoaster ride. February was by far the busiest month I had since I opened my business, but then early March turned into day after day of me refreshing my email every 15 minutes hoping that would magically send clients my way. There are ebbs and flows in the dissertation editing business, and I’ve learned this past year to stay calm while riding the wave. The stressful times when you have multiple deadlines and more work that you think you can handle will pass. So will the times when you are regretting leaving your corporate job (and the steady paycheck) for small business ownership.
Stay active on social media. This has been a challenge for me, as I overthink and question everything before I post – Did I misspell that word? Is this going to connect with others? But staying active on social media – mainly LinkedIn and now Facebook – has not only helped me *meet* a number of other editors and academic professionals from across the U.S. and around the world, but it has also given me the opportunity to keep my business solutions front and center to a large audience.
At first glance, a dissertation editor may seem like the perfect fit, but by asking the right questions and paying attention to how they interact with you, you might come to a much different conclusion.