Jeff Stasiuk was used to solving problems. During his 30+ year sales career, he became known as “the fixer” – troubleshooting problems for sales teams across North America.

Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, he managed sales leaders in four time zones, leading to early mornings and late nights. Between Jeff’s demanding schedule and his wife’s frequent business trips, they longed for more free time to travel and pursue their fitness goals.

But planning for the future was always cast aside as work deadlines piled up.

“It was hard to find time to do anything outside of work,” Jeff says. “Once I solved a problem, it was always on to the next crisis. I was staring down the barrel of retirement, but there was always more work to be done.”

A Sobering Moment

When a good friend and business colleague was suddenly forced into retirement, it was an unexpected wake-up call. Jeff watched this vibrant corporate leader become despondent, aimlessly drifting through his days without interests or direction.

“I knew I didn’t want that to happen to me,” he says. “So, I sat down with my wife and asked, ‘what is our retirement going to look like?’”

Jeff and his wife knew they wanted to spend more time on biking and other fitness activities. They also wanted to travel together and have greater control over their days.

Finding the Right Solution

While researching options, Jeff spotted an ad for American Writers and Artists Institute (AWAI) in a retirement magazine.

“It really caught my eye,” he recalls. “I did a little research and by far, AWAI’s programs were the most substantial. Their instructors are not only working copywriters, but they are all experts in their field. When I found I could learn from the best, I was sold.”

“I took my first course, and I was hooked,” he adds. “I realized this is what I wanted to do. I always wanted to write but never had an opportunity to do it in a consistent way.”

Case Study Mastery was Jeff’s first program, followed by The Digital Copywriter’s Handbook and Sales Enablement Copywriting Mastery. Unsure of his copywriting focus, he enrolled in many different programs.

“I was like a kid in Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory – everything looked good,” he laughs.

Always a planner, Jeff took a close look at his strengths and experience and ultimately decided on sales enablement.

“I like advising and training people,” he says. “It’s my background and it’s what businesses need now from a sales perspective.”

Jeff continued to work through programs and began writing sales tools that he knew his teams needed to move buyers along the buying journey.

“The tools they had just weren’t that good. What I wrote was much more effective because of the skills I learned,” he says. “And that made me realize how valuable AWAI’s training is.”

Smooth Transition

Jeff knew he had found the answer for his next phase of life and decided to make the leap to become a full-time copywriter.

“I never really got my feet wet,” he recalls. “The transition was sudden but intentional.”

While training his replacement at his last employer, Jeff landed his first client. He knew this new employee needed effective sales tools and decided to present him with a proposal. Jeff was quickly hired to write over 70 prospecting emails and established an on-going relationship with his former company.

He began to build up his client base by networking with past clients from his corporate days. While setting up his own business, he joined AWAI’s Circle of Success (COS) and relied on its massive library of resources.

“I needed proposal templates, invoices, you name it,” Jeff says. “The resources that COS provides for the whole business side of things really helped.”

“It’s well worth the investment,” he adds. “There are so many things that COS gives you, including the sense of community and the ability to reach out to others. And the mentorship is second to none. COS has helped to propel my career forward in so many ways.”

Just 18 months after starting his first AWAI program, Jeff positioned himself as a sales enablement expert and adviser. With a steady stream of clients, he was able to meet his income goals. And he gave up 12-hour workdays for a new, flexible schedule.

Freedom, Flexibility, and Fun

So, what does Jeff’s writer’s life look like now? Above all, he’s having fun. He frequently joins his wife on her business trips and extends their time to explore new sights.

“We’ve been to Scotland, Baja, Mexico, and Japan,” he says. “She works during the day, and I write from the hotel, then we stay and see the sights for a week or two. Having this freedom has helped us build a new, relaxed life together.”

Jeff and his wife have become more involved in their bike tours and enjoy the ability to spend more time on this shared passion.

“Now we’re out for three or four days on a tour. We’ve been doing it locally, but we’re starting to look at bike tours in other parts of the world,” he says.

With the stress and grueling schedule behind him, Jeff is also enjoying his peaceful days at home.

“I don’t set an alarm clock. I can have coffee with my wife each day. Having that quiet little oasis of time has become really important to us,” he says.

And Jeff can’t wait to get started on his writing each day.

“I love it. Each night I’m thinking about what I’m going to work on the next day. It’s a much more relaxed pace and I can decide when those work sessions are going to occur,” he says.

His expert problem-solving skills led Jeff and his wife to the work-life freedom they were seeking.

“I’ve found the right balance of traveling, spending time with family, and doing work that I love,” he says. “I can still use my expertise to help others solve problems, but now it’s on my terms.”

Ready to pursue the writer’s life?

Learn more about the program that launched Jeff’s career, Circle of Success.