Teachers Make the Leap

Inside Britney’s First Six Months as a Copywriter

• Hillary Gale • Episode 61

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Hillary:

Welcome to this episode of Teachers Make the Leap. Today, Kristen and I have a very special guest with us. Brittany Mathieson, who is a wonderful student of ours now Brittany is a copywriter for sustainable living brands Brittany works with brands that value ethical material sourcing and manufacturing, low waste living, shame, free marketing, inclusion and equity and progress over perfection. And Brittany actually just recently left her teaching job And so we're so excited to chat with Brittany about what her journey has been like so far, and just kind of give you a behind the scenes peek at what it really looks like to go from teaching to starting a business. And in particular, a copywriting business.

Britney:

Thank you so much for having me. I'm so excited to be here.

Kristin:

Brittany, we're so excited to chat with you today. First of all, thank you so much for Coming on the show. Um, this is kind of a cool moment, I think, because, and I hope we get here in your story, but I think that you stumbled across Hilary and I from the podcast and now you're on the podcast, gonna share your story, um, about, your experience teaching and what it's been like making the leap and transitioning out of the classroom. So again, just want to extend my welcome. We're so excited to get into it.

Hillary:

Yeah, we can't wait. So we would love, Brittany, if you would just start by telling us a little bit about your background, maybe what you were doing as a teacher, and ultimately why you decided teaching was no longer the right career path for you.

Britney:

Absolutely. So I had been teaching for seven years, uh, grew up in Minnesota, came to Des Moines, Iowa to go to school at Drake university. I got my teaching degree there with an endorsement in gifted and talented education, which was something that, typically was for, you know, an opportunity for graduate students, but I took it as an undergraduate, um, and then got a gifted and talented specialist position right out of school. And so I was coming into this specialist position as a fresh teacher, and I was split between two different schools. So I taught gifted and talented education, also some talent development and, screening for high ability learners, uh, kindergarten through sixth grade. So I was working across seven different grade levels, across two different buildings, and I loved it. I loved, working with the different grade levels. So working with five year olds all the way to 12 year olds. I loved working with multiple content areas. the parents, the families were phenomenal. I love my colleagues. the students, the colleagues, the families were all, Great and reasons that it was really hard to make the decision to leave. Obviously, like, over those seven years, lockdown, our time teaching online and everything happened right smack in the middle of that. So it was just a really, tough transition into teaching, but I knew burnout was, you know, the burnout rate was three to five years. I hit five years and I was like, okay, I've got this. Uh, but unfortunately, the, burnout, just kept growing for me. And every year I would have like just kind of a little inkling that maybe teaching wasn't going to be something that I could continue for the long haul. However, I had just this optimism that Maybe my workload would decrease. I would be able to just be at one school or, that I would get some more professional development opportunities that would just help me grow in that position. but yeah, every year I would have a little bit of just like, I don't know if this is right for me, but I just figured that was part of the teacher journey and I mean, that would fade. It would pass, it would come back again, but it would pass. And so October of 2023, I remember I was on a video call with my counselor and I was just in tears and I said, I don't want to be a teacher anymore. And she just said, okay. And I kind of like, uh, it was a little bit, I was taken aback and I realized like, oh my goodness, that is an option for me after being seven years in teaching and I had this whole dream of, you know, maxing out my pension and, and being a career teacher because it is such a valuable job and I really do love the gifted and talented population, the elementary kids. so yeah, it just was the first time where I really thought, okay, maybe There is something different out there for me, but that was October. Of course, the feeling kind of passed. I made it to winter break, which is kind of like, I mean, you've talked about it before on your podcast where like sometimes teachers are just living for the breaks. And so I'd made it to winter break and it was, it was a January by the time that those feelings came back. Like, you know, I got into winter break, I felt things ease a little bit, but then it was already early January where This time, you know, more tears. I was on my way into work on a Friday and just had, what I would later realize was dread a lot of dread. I called my partner and I said, I just don't want to go. And he then recommended teachers make the leap podcast. He just said, you know, give it a listen. Uh, and he didn't point me to any specific. Episode or anything. So I ended up taking a half day that day. I got a sub for the afternoon and Went home and I listened to the silver lining of teacher dread. That was the first episode that I heard and it was just uh, really affirming to know that The experience that I was having and the way that my body was telling me that something wasn't right for me personally was, it was just really affirming to hear. and then it was also very hopeful, you know, what I took away from it was that whole concept of, uh, the fear of the unknown versus the dread. Um, kind of this idea of like, I've been here for seven years and I've loved a lot of it. And there have been Enough times now where my body has told me we need to look into something different. So I started listening to the podcast and I thought online business Absolutely not. I am not a business owner. I don't think that I could do that. but I ended up then talking to, there is a, company in the area that helps people who are going through transitions kind of find different job opportunities. So I talked with them and I realized that the earning potential through those positions were not what I wanted I would be making less working months in a year than I was like actively working nine months in the year. And so at that point I realized, okay, well, that's not an option and staying in teaching right now is not an option. and so I started seriously thinking about starting an online business. And I listened to a few more of those episodes. you all have a free workbook that's kind of Figuring out what, what could be right. Because I, I had done some soul searching and like, what am I missing in my current teaching job? What is it that I feel like I need? So I realized that there were a couple of things that I really needed in order to be successful in any career. And those two things were community and So it really was a no brainer. I set up the discovery call with you two, and it was just a lovely time talking with you. And it really just felt right. I shared with you in that. Session or that time talking with you guys that I had driven past a literal sign that said, believe you can. And so then I was like, okay, I'm in Kristen and Hilary are awesome. Like, I know that I'm going to have the mentorship that I need. I know I'm going to have the community that I need. I had already discovered like that copywriting was the Business, the avenue that I wanted to go. Uh, so then yeah, it was a no brainer. I think I got in like at the last minute and then I just took off, I guess. and I don't mean that like everything happened really fast. I just, put the work in a little bit every day because I was still teaching full time. and that was difficult to like, yeah, still be teaching full time while having all of a sudden this like brand new thing that I was really excited about. yeah, that was kind of my, My journey going from seven years of really enjoying what I was doing, you know, this dream job I never really knew I wanted, and enjoying the majority of it and realizing that just with me and who I am, the burnout was making it so that I knew I needed something different for me, but also I really felt like. The kids, the students, deserve someone who is all in.

Kristin:

Brittany, I enjoy your story so much just because it's so honest and it's, it's so relatable. Like it is so, so relatable. I would love to ask you a follow up question just about, um, about the transition you're making in general, because I know you are, you're in the thick of making the leap, right? and just for our listeners, I think you had submitted your resignation just a few months ago. This is your first summer, you know, not having the teaching job to go back to, and you are actively building your copywriting business and actively in kind of client acquisition mode to get your first paying clients right now. you're like in the Point of pivot like you're in a point of transition in your life, and I think no matter What that transition is Transitioning change, you know like leaving one thing and going after another Having no answers and only questions, It's kind of a tough place to be emotionally So I wonder if you can't just say a little bit more about what it's been like to be making this transition Transition, and like to be in summer between your teaching job and building your copywriting business. What does that feel like?

Britney:

absolutely. So back up a little bit, I made the decision that I was going to leave teaching probably mid January. I told my parents mid February that I was making a change. I just told them I'm leaving teaching. I'm not ready to share yet what I'm doing. and that was. I just remember after making the decision, I felt a weight off. I noticed a change like in my sleep even, I just felt a lot more calm. Um, and of course that kind of, you guys talk about the rollercoaster and uh, that has ebbed and flowed. but yeah, so I, felt some relief at first, a lot of just that fear of the unknown. for having me. Uh, at first it was really easy to put all of that energy into LaunchPad, like if I was ever, anxious, I would just do another module and get kind of that fire again. And then, I told my parents what I was doing in mid March. I told them that I was Starting an online copywriting business and they were thrilled. They were so excited. Of course they had some questions, but it really got real. Yeah. I, I submitted my resignation pretty early. Um, I was kind of thinking about the right way to do it. I didn't know if I should. Well, and I think it's different for everybody, but for me, I really wanted time to grieve with my families and with my colleagues, I wanted that time to say goodbye and make sure that everything was. set for the next person. So that's how I chose to do it, but there was a lot of grief, and there still is, and I'm sure that come September there will be grief. But then it was my first, you know, day where we weren't in the building, and or I guess that first real weekend, I just felt, again, a weight lifted, and I realized there were so many moving parts pieces that I no longer had to juggle and that felt just, yeah, a weight lifted. It felt like I was able to breathe a little bit deeper. I no longer had to manage you know, other little people's emotions anymore. And I got to really just focus on me and where I needed to go in order to be. The best me that I could be. and so looking back, I had once described it as an act of radical self love, like just being able to say, this is what I need. And I don't know what that's going to look like. Uh, I don't know how I'm going to get clients or, what my timeline will be. but I know that I need to do this for myself. So June was actually pretty just wild in that, I mean, my first, you know, day, my first full day on the job, um, was pretty overwhelming. Just in that I realized, even six hours a day was a lot to like sit down and make my own schedule and choose my own tasks. That's been, kind of overwhelming, but the idea of like, this will only work if you do. I wanted that for myself just to kind of, I don't know, give myself a challenge and prove that I could. And so it's yeah, it's been challenging. this is maybe a little tangential. But I had At one point when I was Nervous about going to school and just didn't you know, wasn't really sure if I wanted to be there I got myself the book Actually, one of my friends gifted me the book pigeon has to go to school. It's the pigeon series picture book series Um pigeon has to go to school and I would like put that up and remind myself like you have to go to school Uh, but at the end of the school year, I got myself the book Pigeon will ride the rollercoaster and I like swapped out those books and so like Pigeon doesn't have to go to school anymore. I don't have to go to school anymore, but I will ride the rollercoaster. know, and in the book it's, a little bit of a spoiler alert, I guess, but Pigeon is manifesting. He's, preparing himself for this experience of riding the rollercoaster. And I just yeah, it was this, this act of radical self love where I was going to get myself. Ready for this journey. I was going to manifest the things that I wanted for myself. yeah, so it has been an emotional rollercoaster. I have felt incredibly excited at some points, some of this like, Oh my gosh, a month of full time work has passed and I am still working on getting, you know, my first paying client, but I do one of the things that you guys talked about Talk about a lot is celebrating wins, the daily wins, weekly wins and all of that. So I just have to remember the things that have happened this far and how they've gotten me that much closer To succeeding, I guess. and, and realizing that I already have, I've done, like, I made a list of things that I've done in the past six months and it's just incredible to go back and look at my wins, to realize that like, Oh, I've, I've actually, you know, I sent my first cold email and then I got my first response and then I got my first no. And I got my first, yes. Um, I got my first test project and I got my first testimonial, like all of these things that I'm able to. Go back and realizing that I've done quite a bit so far.

Hillary:

yeah, Brittany, I would love to dive into that a little bit more with you, like thinking back between, the moment that you, well, it could be the moment that you decided, yeah, I'm going to join launchpad, um, thinking back to that moment and up to this moment, it's been roughly six months. Let's go through, like, what are all of the things that you have now that you didn't. Have then

Britney:

Yeah, I think that in teaching, I really felt like there was path for me, and that felt really comfortable, uh, that felt secure. And so to say seven years of teaching this degree that I have this, you know, the benefits, the pension, the steady pay, all of that, to say, I'm going to set that aside, you know, say, thank you so much for the experience that I've been on teaching is always something that I can go back to. I'm still planning on tutoring and maybe subbing for some of my friends and that kind of thing. Yeah, so making that decision to kind of step outside The comfort zone the this clear path that I had don't I don't think that I could have been where I am now without Launchpad, just because I do need the structure. I do need the mentorship. I do need the community. I found it really helpful to go through each of the modules and start with just kind of the why and why am I doing this for myself? What are my values? How can I? Create the life that I want for myself. And Launchpad really helped me with that. and having, you know, enough mentorship that I can lean on and the community to lean on, but also enough freedom to really make that journey my own. So I was able to just kind of start with, my ideal client, which I'm still like all of these things that. all of the modules. I'm going back and revisiting and realizing, okay, I want to tweak this. I want to change this here. But it's been all about imperfect action and just kind of making that next step forward. Um, it was really fun to start saying that I'm making a career change or that I am starting my own business. Uh, so it's been, yeah, it's been fun to kind of change that verbiage a little bit from, I'm a teacher, too. I'm starting my own business, too. I have started my own business kind of like trying to make even those little shifts, uh, started talking about the business a lot more and that it's just been so fun. Like it's been helpful for me to kind of clarify what it really is that I do and how I serve people by talking about it. Um, I've been able to make some connections. I go and talk about. Copywriting, there's someone who, like I met someone who is a story brand expert at a bookshop and I was just, well, I was looking at Donald Miller's stuff and he was like, you know, I've actually worked with Donald Miller. And so we were able to set up a call and he even like circled back and checked in with me. Um, so it's just starting to make some of those connections. I realized then also my ideal client, after looking kind of like Um, I realized that I think my ideal client might be a little bit closer to home. And so just realizing that I might want to work more with local companies in the Des Moines area. but kind of keeping all of that open, I was able to, make a website. So that was something that was imperfect action where I was able to get all of the things that I wanted to say on a website was waiting for it to be a little bit more. Um, Perfect. I guess I've struggled against that perfectionism mindset, but, on one Feedback Friday call, Hillary just said, Just publish it. Like, it's, it's good the way that it is. you can always go back and tweak it, so just publish it. And so I did, and then I was able to, like, link that to cold emails, and, Yeah, just, I was able then to go on to LinkedIn and really, I guess I haven't used it a ton, but get onto LinkedIn and kind of just start figuring out how I want to use the different platforms. So whether that's LinkedIn, I also made a business Instagram where I'm following potential clients and just kind of seeing what they're talking about, where I could potentially make more connections. so yeah, some of those things like making my first Instagram post or posting for the first time on LinkedIn, it's just little baby steps here and there that are actually pretty big steps.

Kristin:

Brittany, every time I hear you speak, I'm like, of your perspectives, and your actions, they just, to me, like, there's so many signs that you're going to be just an amazing entrepreneur. Like, it feels to me innately, like, this is a space that I'm like, of course you were drawn to this space I feel like you fit here, like, just even chatting with you, right? Um, and I felt that ever since our first conversation, and I guess I'm kind of curious to ask you this question. maybe there's two sides to it. So a what drew you to this space? Initially, we talked a bit about why teaching felt like something you maybe had been growing away from. And I'm wondering what about entrepreneurship really drew you like what felt attractive about it. And then my second question, and I'm breaking the cardinal rule of like only asking one question at a time, but I also am very curious to know what qualities do you think you have that will make you a successful entrepreneur?

Britney:

So after realizing that a nine to five W2 job might not give me the earning potential that I want for my life. I realized that I wanted to at least try to be the one who was in control of that. I also realized that I didn't want to, I didn't want to do the nine to five. I want to be able to kind of work with my natural energy. Spikes and dips and Just set my own schedule I wanted to be home with my dog And I just more realizing like that. Yeah, I wanted to be a little bit more in control of How much I was making how much I was working my relationship with work I think that that was a huge thing that I had to realize Was unhealthy that I really felt like work was A chore and, and I know that like, work is important. We have to provide for ourselves. but I really wanted to have a healthier relationship with work in general and, making an income providing for myself. So being in charge of my earning potential, having a little bit more control of my schedule and how and when I can work really drew me to Entrepreneurship and the skills that I think are going to help me be successful with that I think just like a innate faith that I can do it, a belief in myself and, just the, the willingness to get up every single day and try again. So I have this planner that I'm using and I don't use it every single day, but at the The very beginning, it has like a message to myself and then it's something I'm looking forward to. And I like, I'm so grateful that I get to write work in the thing that I'm looking forward to now. Like I get to, I get to work, I get to talk to the people that I'm excited to talk to. So I think, so, um, like, a belief in myself and the willingness to just keep moving forward and trying again. I think also. I love talking to strangers. I love making friends wherever I go. And so I think entrepreneurship is great for me. Just that I, I can talk to anybody. I love talking to everybody, and really want to make a difference somehow. And right now that looks like helping the businesses that I believe in grow.

Hillary:

I'm so proud of you for answering that question. Like Kristen, that's a tough question to answer, but I just want to echo all those qualities that you just spoke of. I mean, I see those in you a hundred percent. Check, check, check. I think that underlying self belief of like, you know what? I can make this work. And also I've explored other options that I don't really love. And so I am going to make this work. I think that is the mindset that I had when I started my business. I know that's the mindset that, that Kristen had and. Obviously it's, it's served us so well and I know it's going to serve you just as well. so Brittany, as we kind of come to the end of our conversation here, one of my favorite questions to ask is if you could put yourself back into October, Brittany, where you said to your counselor, I don't think I want to be a teacher anymore, but then. You know, didn't really see the way out at that point. what would you tell that Brittany from where you are now?

Britney:

Yeah, I think that for me, everything happens on its own timeline. I think saying to my counselor that day, I don't want to be a teacher anymore, was me voicing what I was feeling. And I mean, in that moment, I wasn't ready. And so I think that I would just, you know, the same way that my counselor just said, Okay, like that. If that's how you're feeling, then, you know, we can talk about it. And if in two days you change your mind, okay, like that's, that's where you're at right now and it's okay to be there. And when you're ready to take the next step, we'll figure it out. We will find resources. We will find options and, we'll just, we'll move on from there. So I think that in that moment, I wasn't ready to. that I was going to try something new. And then once that happened, my whole family knows that like, once I set my mind to something, it's pretty hard to talk me out of it. and nobody ever tried, like my family was just so supportive. Um, so I'm really, you know, grateful for their support, but yeah, it's, I think, um, just kind of reminding myself that. Things will happen in their own timing and that when I'm ready, it'll happen and, just keep, keep pushing forward.

Kristin:

I can relate to that a lot, like looking back on my own journey as you're talking, I'm like, yeah, the first step for me was also just being honest, like out loud. Because I think for a long time, I was wondering if, if a new chapter was something I would pursue, but I was too afraid to say it out loud. I was too afraid to admit it to myself, I think, And, was wondering, you know, is this going to mean You know, my degree is something that I wasted my time for, like all the thoughts you brought up and, course others too. and I've told the story before, but I'm pretty sure it was in an office with Hillary and a few other friends of ours. And I was like, guys, I think I'm going to start a copywriting business, you know, like, and that was like kind of the first out loud, conversation I had really had with my people about it. Yeah. and I, I'm just so grateful that Hillary was like, cool. Like tell me more, you know, because that support really does mean everything when you're just getting started on a new idea and your counselor just saying, okay. Like that, that support is so important to the process of change. because we feel like we have permission almost and it's, it's like, okay, things are going to be okay. I can follow kind of my heart and my intuition. And I think that's really important.

Britney:

yeah, the intuition part is so important to where I think, in that moment of saying, I don't wanna be a teacher anymore in that capacity. Like, that wasn't necessarily me deciding to say those words. you know, having the thought, deciding to say it out loud, it just came out. I have learned to really trust my instincts and go with what my body is telling me. And just, yeah, take the next step forward and see where that leads because how I had envisioned this all playing out way back in February, it looks a lot different, but it looks a lot better. So I'm really excited about that.

Hillary:

It never looks the way we plan, but. That's okay. That's part of the fun. And we're just, we're just so happy that, that you're here and walking this journey with us, Brittany. So last question, if anyone wants to learn more about you, uh, where can they find you?

Britney:

Yeah, so I am on Instagram and LinkedIn. I also have a website. My website is Mathen Content and copy. Dot com.

Kristin:

Amazing. Well, we'll go ahead and link to all that stuff, Brittany, in the show notes in case anybody wants to pop in and take a look. If you're listening, I highly encourage you to Check out Brittany's website, it's gorgeous, um, it's brand new, and Brittany we can't thank you enough for just kind of being such an open book and sharing your story and sharing what has been hard so far and what you're excited about. This is why we're here on this podcast to explore this transition, um, and what it's like to make the leap from teaching, so. Heartfelt thanks so much for being here and thank you so much to all of our listeners. We'll catch you next time on the next episode of Teachers Make Believe.