To ask you to share how you did it

[Moneymanifestor]

Not a TAAT but inspired by one and a comment from another MNer. I'm a prolific name changer but I predate penis beaker.

I've seen a few threads lately about marrying rich, high earning husband's etc. and I thought it was time to ask the high earning women here to share how they did it. I'd would put a high earner at 70k and above.

I'm a business owner and my company makes multi 6 figures a year. I sell digital courses and consultancy. I have 1 virtual assistant and my business model is very lean. My salary to myself is 250k.

I left school at 17 with no qualifications. I didn't go to university. I worked in admin for 10 years before deciding I'd had enough of earning 25k. I did a course for 1 year part time despite struggling to afford the tuition. I bought a domain for £25 a year and set up my website. I wrote my first course based on what I had learned and started to sell it. The first year I made 50k and it's grown each year. My business is 3 years old!!

My username is a positivity anchor for me. I had to do a huge shift in mindset and it's one of the ways I remind myself that business isn't a zero sum game. I want to hear from other high earners that didn't start from a position of privilege because I want other women to see that with today's technology anyone can start a business for less than 100 quid.

Nothing vague about the OP - there are lots of people creating courses online in areas they have experience/expertise.

@CherylCheshire

Bit spiteful of you.
I think the OP is interesting and not bragging at all. Why scorn those who are successful?

Lots of inspiring stories here! Mine’s a lot duller. I earn more than £70k in my early 30’s and with time I’ll hit 6 figures. I went to uni and got a degree in a core subject, got a job in London on graduating and haven’t moved at all - I just happened to find an employer that suited me, and have worked hard at my job. I’m never going to be an ultra-high earner but I’ve got a secure, comfortable job that values me and pays me well.

I'm really hoping I'll get close to these figures one day; I've been studying for a degree for the last four years around full-time admin jobs, and have place on the civil service fast stream (a graduate scheme) to train as an accountant.

I'm 99% sure I know who you are.

I think you're very inspiring, I didn't go to Uni either and feel like it's held me back. You're proof that it doesn't need to. What you need is a good idea and a lot of hard work

Congratulations btw

Op, to synopsise :

You worked ten years in admin
From this experience, you wrote and developed your learning courses
You now sell these online

That's what I understand?

I'm still working my way through this fantastic thread so I haven't read everyone's stories yet. But thank you so much for starting this op.

I'm not a high earner at all but decided a long time ago that I would encourage my kids to consider earning potential when they're at the age to choose their future careers. I don't think that many people are happy in their job anyway so you may as well be paid well for it and also I think a lot of people are encouraged to think in quite a linear way ie I liked babies so a suggested career was a midwife. A more realistic approach I think is to consider the lifestyle you want and your skills and interests and then look at careers that intersect.

Anyway I'm reading every contribution carefully as I think this is one of the most interesting threads I've read on MN.

This is a great thread. I am not a high earner. In fact, I'm not earning anything at the moment as I'm setting up a business following redundancy on my maternity leave. I hope my business is a success (product business), but it's a massive risk and I've put a lot of money into it. Eek!

Previous to all this, I jumped around a bit and then landed in the property business. I kind of fumbled along and didn't go down the route of qualifying as a surveyor. Big mistake. Didn't seem I had anywhere to go. Anyway, I'm mid 30s now with a 2 year old and hopefully another baby in future. Feels like all my friends earn good money now and I'm the lone one who is still broke. On paper, I should be a high earner. I went to a top Uni for undergrad and have a masters from a top business school. I think I've been held back by lack of direction and lack of confidence. Also, no idea how to get from A to B career wise. I feel I've totally failed at my career and I'm hoping this next go around as a business woman will be a totally different story!

It's very inspiring to hear of other people's success. It's hard to grasp your earning potential as an entrepreneur when you are used to earning a salary.

That's absolutely amazing, you must be so proud of where you are! I on the other hand I'm no where near and think I'll probably go to my grave never earning quite enough or reaching my full potential. I currently earn around around 12k, each month is a struggle with 2 dcs. I've got dreams though, maybe one day.

I do love a good success story.

I don't know if I am qualified to answer since I didn't come from nothing. My family wasn't rich per se but both of my parents are university educated, we were privately educated and I suppose comfortably middle class.
I earn 6 figures and I did it by strategically choosing a degree and masters' which would prime me for a career in The City. I didn't actually apply for one of the coveted milk round positions (starting salary for uni grads milk round jobs are around £60k I think these days), but I did start in a relatively entry level role in a Tier 1 investment bank with a salary of £30k as a desk assistant. Was promoted after 2 years to a front office role and the associated salary increases. It wasn't difficult and I would say anyone with half a brain could do it. I know people love to banker bash but the job is quite stressful and you work hard for the money. I was up at 4.45am for years to be on the desk for 6am. Client entertainment was all part of it, often til one or two in the morning, waking up still drunk and having to head to work was a weekly occurrence.
I can't say I've had much career satisfaction, in fact I dislike finance and have no interest in the financial markets ironically but I have had lots of choice on the back of it, met my husband and generally have a very nice life.
But I don't think I am anything special and do anyone could do it if they were a bit strategic about degree choices and was prepared to work hard etc.

Op - it does sound very MLM-y. Very life/nutritional coach-y.

I am a highish earner- self employed- I don't take a regular salary but took the equivalent of about £150k PAYE for each for the last 8 years and could have taken more - the business is very cash rich at the moment (downside no final salary pension, sick pay etc)

I am early 50s. I have a degree and then worked in industry before retraining when 1st child was born. After 2nd child our childcare costs were more than I earned but it was shortish term and if I had quit then wouldn't have got my career back. My DH has always seen childcare as a joint financial responsibility.

Went back to work when each of my 3 children were 13 weeks old as there was no paid maternity pay then and we needed the money.

Worked in public sector for about 14 years (was TUPED to a quango type organisation which was a turning point salary wise as suddenly less salary limits) and then headhunted to private for 2 years and then went alone. What I did at the time was very niche and I had a relatively high profile in the industry- what I do now is much more generic and low profile. Won a large contract within 3 months. Only typically have 2 staff but I sub contract as well. Never advertise- all word of mouth- turn down work if I dont have time or dont think that I can do it well.

Work 6 days a week- 12 hours a day minimum most days Mon-Fri and a bit less on Sundays. Take Saturday off (this started about 2 years ago). Go on lots of holidays- typically work when away.

I am very entrepreneurial and can usually see a way to make money. I work 10% minimum pro bono which is a really diverse portfolio of work which I enjoy.

Having staff reliant on you is hard- I am the fee earner basically. I haven't had a sick day since 2007 except 3 days when in hospital having a pretty major operation.

200+ nights in hotels last year- mixture holiday and work travel. Often leave home on Sunday and stay in 5 hotels before getting back at 9pm on Friday night. It isn't glamorous or fun!

I was recently in the USA working and got chatting to a young woman at the hotel attending a conference who asked what I did and we chatted for a while. She was really wow - talking about role models etc. Here there seems to be something shameful about being a successful woman (or people on Mumsnet say that you are lying!)

Pulls on big girl pants and prepares to be pulled apart.

I am wondering too whether OP’s area is diet/nutrition. I am thinking of an American woman who has a keto diet website, offers keto diet courses throughout the year, ebook diet plans, YouTube videos, podcast etc. Fair play to you whatever it is!

OK I'm on the lower end of the 'high earners' but over 70k -
Anyways work wise I started from the basic - degree, masters, internship (was lucky to work for someone very well known) which opened doors for a good paid position. Worked myself up a few titles up to 38k and then opened my property business which I sold 3 years later for a profit. In these three years I had a child so decided that a less stressful job would work better whilst he's this young, so took a pay cut and took a 30k a year role (with up to 15k a year bonus).
On the side however Whilst I sold the property business I kept buying properties, so have a solid rental income of over 40k a year (pre tax). I bought my first in 2008 zone 2 London. It grew very quickly in value, remortgaged and bought another. That too grew in value, remortgaged and bought another two etc it's not majorly inspiring, but it has worked for me.

Sorry, I'm 33

@stanski, may I ask how you got the money for a deposit for your first house in 2008 when you were only 22?

@birdsandroses a little help from family and a lot of work. My parents had their business and at 15 told me that if I wanted pocket money I had to go work for them on weekends. So I did until 19, then moving to London and working full time in a pub whilst doing full time uni. I rented a very cheap £300 bills inclusive underground room and saved everything I got from work. The rest of the deposit came from parents as 'I had earned it, in their eyes'. Once I had it (three bedrooms) I got myself two lodgers / one paid the mortgage, the other was extra for me and by 2012 I had overpaid each year and the flat simultaneously more than doubled in value so that's when I remortgaged and got the next and replicated minus lodgers.

I'm a high earner (around £120k Inc bonuses) and I'm not sure I can pinpoint exactly how or why particularly. I have a mediocre degree and am not from an impressive background.

I remember having my first ever promotion / appraisal and my then boss said I was tenacious and i had to nod and agree without actually knowing what it meant, but I looked the word up after and would have to say, if anything, that quality is what has got me where I am.

I attribute that tenacity to watching my mum struggle as a single mum on benefits and threatening us that if we ended up like her she'd kill us . She wasn't a violent type but I could almost physically feel her determination to have us do better than she had.

I

Since selling the business I had, I am relatively stress free. Whilst I could jump into a higher paying job (about 45k
Give or take) fairly easily, in my current role I never get stressed, get ace results and I don't have to put myself through hours on the tube. I drive there in 20 mins. So for the time being I'm staying put where I am, and will look to change once my little one is in school.

Pretty standard middle class route.

Good GCSEs but not outstanding.
Straight A’s at a level.
1st class degree from RG university.
Training contract with Big4 and gained ACA whilst working in Audit. Degree was non relevant to accountancy but was both numerate and literate.
Few career moves and moved into corporate finance in London.
10 years on and £110k ish in London

Super massive respect to the awesome ladies running their own businesses. I know I could never have that drive or creativity to find a niche.

Wow, what Ann interesting thread, thank you OP

I disagree that the starting salary for most milk round grad jobs is £60k - a couple of investment banks offered roles paying £60k for the first time this year.
The average is £30k and many schemes pay less than this.
The civil service accountancy scheme starts at £28k, and from student forums I've spoken to people offered graduate trainee accountant places at Big 4 companies with a lower salary than that (although obviously a potentially greater earning potential in future).

Great thread! Well done to all who have had the gumption to get up and do it.

I'm about to relaunch my website, and wondered if OP (or others) had any tips as to how to really nail SEO. I've never really got to grips with it, but want to turn that around. Are there any go to resources you would recommend?

@Tolleshunt I actually bit the bullet and hired an SEO expert to do it for me.
Cost about £400 but I knew that they would do it far more effectively than I ever could and the amount of time I'd burn trying to learn it would add up too.

There's loads of people offering it on Fiverr. Com and PeoplePerHour. Com. Make sir eyou read the reviews first.