Laura Briggs's remarkable career trajectory began with a simple Google search and has since blossomed into a successful freelance writing business. In an exclusive feature for Business Insider, Briggs shares her personal story, which includes the challenges and triumphs that have shaped her professional life.

During her academic journey, Laura met her now-husband while she was completing her master's degree and preparing to enter a doctoral program in public administration and policy. Initially, her ambition was to become a university professor and impart knowledge to future generations. Meanwhile, her husband was immersed in medical school, committed to a career in healthcare.

However, the realities of military life soon intruded upon their plans. With her husband serving in the Navy, he would return to active duty shortly after their wedding. Recognizing the demands of military service, Laura made the difficult decision to pause her academic aspirations, knowing that pursuing a tenure-track professor position would be impractical as long as he was in active service. This meant stepping away from graduate school and seeking alternative career paths.

Military families often face the challenge of frequent relocations; Laura and her husband moved seven times over the 14 years he served in the Navy, which included both enlisted and officer roles. This constant shifting made it increasingly difficult for Laura to secure employment, even in secondary education, as she would need to navigate the complexities of relicensing and job searches that aligned with their moving schedule.

Despite these obstacles, Laura discovered a new career path that ultimately proved to be a blessing in disguise. She turned to freelance writing, initially as a side project, while working as a marketing associate at an insurance brokerage to ensure financial stability. This venture began with her leveraging Google to explore remote career options, inspired by a college professor who had once praised her writing skills. Seeking resources and mentors well-versed in freelance writing, Laura embarked on her new journey.

In the beginning, bolstering her freelance career was a challenge. Laura juggled her full-time job while working late nights and weekends to build her freelance portfolio and expand her professional network. Without any formal business training, she learned everything from scratch through hands-on experiences, which included crafting work samples, pitching her services, managing client relationships, and establishing her pricing model.

After a year of dedication and hard work, Laura reached a significant milestone: she was successfully earning enough income to leave her full-time job and pursue freelance writing as her primary career.

Lauras experience is not an isolated one; many military spouses struggle with high unemployment rates and face discrimination in traditional workplace settings. Statistics indicate that the unemployment rate for military spouses is at least 22%, which is considerably higher than the national average. This reality is a reflection of the unique challenges faced by military families.

Transitioning to a full-time freelance career was not without its difficulties. Like many military spouses, Laura found herself redefining her professional identity after marrying her husband and leaving behind her previous ambitions. Yet, her determination propelled her forward. Within just two years of making the switch, she had scaled her freelancing business to six figures by increasing her marketing efforts and diversifying her services to include project management, marketing strategy, and roles such as a fractional chief operating officer and chief marketing officer.

Although leaving her original academic aspirations was challenging, embracing freelance work opened up opportunities Laura had never envisioned. To date, she has collaborated with hundreds of companies, been a keynote speaker at Upworks annual employee kickoff, delivered three TEDx talks focused on freelancing and remote work, and authored five books on business and career development.

Additionally, Laura has ventured into areas she may not have encountered otherwise, including hosting and producing her own podcasts and acquiring advertising strategy knowledge from Facebooks team.

Today, Laura's husband has transitioned to civilian life, but their military connections have provided them with a vibrant community of active-duty service members, veterans, spouses, and caregivers, with whom they continue to engage and support.

Throughout her journey, Laura has not only focused on her success but has also actively mentored fellow military spouses striving to enter freelance or remote work. She has offered free entrepreneurship support to those in need, fostering a sense of community and empowerment.

In a personal twist to her narrative, despite having left her doctoral program years ago, Laura made the decision to return to graduate school in 2022. She is now diligently working on her dissertation, which explores the motivating factors and risk management strategies employed by full-time freelancers as part of her pursuit for a doctorate in business administration. This endeavor reflects her commitment to lifelong learning and personal growth.

Laura Briggs is now a well-respected freelancer and author of five books, including notable titles such as How to Start Your Own Freelance Writing Business and Six Figure Freelancer.