Monica Coleman wasn’t looking for anything in particular as she was going through her mail one day after work. But she was always open to new opportunities — and one letter captured her attention.

She had recently moved to Washington, D.C. and launched her own business as a strategist and political consultant. She was making great money and loved her job, but her intuition told her something was missing.

So when Monica opened the letter, she was intrigued. Inside was an invitation to take a writing test from a content creation company called Writer’s Access. She loved writing and thought it might be fun to do on the side, so she took the test — and passed.

Writer’s Access immediately hired Monica as a freelancer to write articles in the business and political niches. But after a few assignments, the staff recognized she needed more training.

They handed her a copywriting “cheat sheet” created by Paul Hollingshead — the owner of Writer’s Access and co-founder of American Writers & Artists Institute (AWAI).

“They told me to rewrite my assignment using the tip sheet and bring it in the next day,” Monica says. “They loved my revision so much, they gave me a bonus! That’s when the lightbulb went off. I could use copywriting to advance my new consulting business. So I knew I needed to check out AWAI.”

Achieving All Her Goals — and More

In addition to growing her business, Monica also wanted more personal fulfillment, time with her family, and flexibility to support her favorite charities — things she struggled with in her previous career as a busy financial advisor and broker.

But when Monica switched gears to pursue her love of politics, she continued to trade one goal for another. Her family lived in Baltimore, Maryland, but she needed to be in the bustling political environment of Washington D.C. to get her career off the ground.

It seemed Monica was at a crossroads — until her son announced he was moving to D.C. to pursue his master’s in law. His decision meant Monica’s family could stay together — and it brought her other desires within reach.

Once in D.C., everything fell into place. And after learning about AWAI, she realized copywriting was the last missing piece she needed to pull all her goals together, both personally and professionally.

“Everything about copywriting felt like home,” Monica says. “I absolutely loved it. Plus, I knew if I learned effective copywriting, my work would have a bigger punch for my clients. It was different and gave me another way to really help people get to where they wanted to be. AWAI was perfect for me — and I never looked back.”

She immediately signed up for AWAI’s Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting (now The Accelerated Program for Seven-Figure Copywriting). Shortly after, she joined Circle of Success (COS), which gave her access to AWAI’s full library of programs and free admission to AWAI’s Fast Track to Copywriting Success Bootcamp and Job Fair.

For Monica, it was a no-brainer to go all-in from the start.

“COS Members have a golden opportunity to be ahead of the line,” Monica says. “The programs are great and you can move quickly. And it’s not stagnant. COS is constantly evolving as the industry changes and new opportunities arise.”

Breaking Down Barriers with AWAI

Over the next year, Monica slowly expanded her consulting business to include non-profits, crisis management services, cause marketing, and a political campaign training program.

But she had one last roadblock to overcome in order to add copywriting services to her growing business — marketing her newfound skills.

She worked with high-profile individuals and organizations, so she couldn’t show prospective clients samples of her work. Plus, she needed to clearly understand each copywriting technique to avoid mistakes that could ruin her career — or someone else’s.

Fortunately, AWAI was with her every step of the way. While attending Bootcamp, she explained her dilemmas to AWAI’s leadership team. In no time, they had a plan in place.

“My first AWAI Bootcamp was overwhelming – by that I mean overwhelmingly wonderful,” Monica says. “The copywriting lessons were so helpful. And I met numerous people with the same goals as me. Best of all, AWAI’s president, directors and staff were readily available and gave me exactly what I needed to move forward. It was a game changer for me.”

The leadership team encouraged her to shift focus and start The AWAI Method™ for Becoming a Skilled, In-Demand Copywriter. There, she could learn how to write various online projects, solidify her skills and quickly build a portfolio of samples. Then, in her spare time, she could continue working on The Accelerated Program, which focuses on long-form sales letters.

The plan worked. Monica became increasingly confident in her skills and began integrating them into her business. Even better, she now had samples to show potential clients that needed copywriting services.

Between her COS membership and experience at Bootcamp, Monica had everything she needed to thrive.

“AWAI took the time to help me succeed,” Monica says. “They’re dedicated to the people they’re teaching. If you’re struggling, they get in there and make it happen. I’ve been in many companies in my life and worked with a lot of organizations. I’ve never seen anybody as on the ball as AWAI. They’re amazing.”

Freedom and Happiness With Copywriting

Today, Monica’s business is booming. She has a steady stream of clients from the business, political, and nonprofit worlds. In fact, her company has grown to four divisions and 10 employees, with one division dedicated strictly to copywriting services. She even has more than 100 freelance contractors on her roster to help keep up with demand — and she’s just getting started.

Monica plans to expand her business further, particularly in her copywriting division. She’s earned several AWAI specialty certifications with more to come. Ultimately, she wants her company to specialize in direct response and SEO copywriting so she can maximize results for her clients.

But for Monica, the greatest reward of all has come on a more personal level.

She’s living the life of her dreams, completely fulfilled and content with her circumstances. What’s more, she has the freedom and flexibility to pour into to her family and those in need, whenever and however she wants to. Her favorite activities include exploring D.C. with her husband and son and supporting nearby churches and the homeless community through meals and donations.

Overall, she views copywriting as the gift that keeps on giving – to herself and the people around her.

“Copywriting makes me happier than any other career I’ve had,” Monica says. “It’s given me everything. I can help people in their careers — and make six figures — without working all day. I can take time off to be with my family, or engage in philanthropy, or just enjoy myself. Best of all, I’m making a difference in the world. It doesn’t get any better than that.”

Ready to pursue the writer’s life?

Learn more about the program that launched Monica’s career, The AWAI Method™ for Becoming a Skilled, In-Demand Copywriter.