Isabella’s post-PhD glow-up: how to build a thriving freelance medical writing business.

In the fall of 2024, Isabella Koprivec walked away from academia and into business for herself, right after finishing her PhD.

Isabella always knew she wanted to do something science-related as a profession, but wasn’t sure exactly what that would be at first. She liked the idea of creating a niche, choosing to work on projects she’s passionate about, and sharing her knowledge with others. “I always dreamt of starting my own business at some point,” she said. “I want to work with people who share my values and want to create positive change in the world.”

When asked what her ideal lifestyle would be, Isabella described working from home or cafés, and having plenty of flexibility. “I’ll plan my schedule around enjoying my creative hobbies, such as writing, photography, or ceramics. A few times a year, I’ll travel to a distant destination I haven’t visited before. I’ll spend quality time with loved ones and go on smaller trips at the weekend.”

“I like the idea that, as a medical writer, you just need your laptop and your mind and you can do anything.”

Isabella was very drawn to the altruistic nature of entrepreneurship, and the work-life balance it can permit. “I’ll wake up excited to work on interesting projects, share new findings on social media, and support related causes I believe in,” she said. “Then, I’ll scale my business when I feel ready, which will ultimately lead to a broader impact—something I feel passionate about.”

In October 2024, Isabella enrolled in The ‘Thriving & Free’ Medical Writer Program™ to build her freelance medical writing business from scratch. “When I stumbled upon one of Sophie Ash’s posts, I immediately felt like this was the missing step I’d been looking for,” she said. “I’d learned about medical writing as a career option a few years prior, but it wasn’t until I saw Sophie’s profile and started connecting with other ESL medical writers on LinkedIn that I realized I could actually do this on my own. It was a whole mindset change for me, and I never looked back.”

As well as resonating with the Founder’s story, Isabella chose to work with Prospology because of its comprehensive curriculum and community-based approach to business development. “Prospology’s program offers valuable information about various aspects of business, such as finding clients, negotiating contracts, and branding in medical writing, which are crucial for success but cannot be learned elsewhere,” she explained. “I also like that you learn all this in a supportive group with high-quality mentorship.”

Isabella joined The Prospologers Community with a broad vision of how she wanted her business to look, in need of guidance. With an interest in oncology, women’s health, and innovative therapies, her first few Prospology Assignments helped her refine her core service offering, and get clear on who her ideal clients are and how to serve them. “It’s been great! It’s so liberating and fun to think about what I want to do and how I want to do it. Thinking about everything based on your core values creates such a beautiful and empowering start to business development.”

As Isabella continued making her way through the curriculum, she began integrating her work and personal life much more organically. “I got two Assignments approved last week! My bios are amazing—I just LOVE how they turned out! I’ve also incorporated a new habit where I do something fun on Monday morning (I always had a ton of meetings at that time). It’s a nice reminder that I get to control my own schedule now!”

The more personalized feedback Isabella received, the more everything started to make sense in her business. “I had no idea where I’d get these tips and tricks if not for being in this program,” she said. “It keeps exceeding my expectations. I like the interview format of the training videos a lot because I often get this ‘OMG, me too!’ feeling when former students share their struggles. And there’s always a solution at the end.”

“Sophie does things as if she’s never heard of the word ‘impossible’ and her approach has already saved me years of trial and error.”

In December, Prospologers celebrated the approval of Isabella’s business registration papers, and she began sharing more wins within the program’s private platform. “The community aspect is better than I expected,” she said. “The people are really nice, it’s very active, and it feels more like friendship than just a professional group. I dreaded the idea of networking when I was just starting out because it sounded fake and exhausting. But Prospology’s Pop-Up Events have a nice, casual feeling. I love the atmosphere Sophie has created.”

One of the major challenges Isabella had to overcome within the program was letting go of the academic formalities she had become accustomed to in her style of communication. “I always had this idea that I had to be super professional and write everything down like an essay. That’s what I was used to in academia.” Sophie quickly identified that this would cause problems, and worked closely with Isabella to help her find an authentic, informal voice to use in her business.

As Isabella adapted her communication style to the medcomms industry, she was ready to take on her first freelance client in May of 2025. “At first, I was just pretending to be a person who writes these sorts of emails. Now, I can approach communications in a way that doesn’t feel unnatural.” Not long after, she secured her second US client, and her entrepreneurial journey was well on its way.

Another observation Isabella made was how stress-free her life has become, now that she’s officially a freelance medical writer. “When you work for others, somebody else decides if a problem is going to be solved or if it’s just going to stay there, and you’re left to just handle it the best way you can. Now, if I have an issue, I can resolve it, so I don’t really feel stressed. Even if something happens, I have the power to change it. I don’t have to just sit there and wait for it to go away, which is a great feeling. I really love it.”

When Isabella received positive feedback from her first US-based client, it all started to feel more real. “I had a subtle fear that people would say, ‘we don’t want to work with someone who’s not from an English-speaking country.’ But my mindset has completely shifted around that,” she said. “Now, instead of worrying that they don’t want me because they aren’t responding right away, I’m not stressed about it. Even one US client is enough for me, in Croatia. Everything else is a bonus—because I like working with these people.”

Isabella’s lifestyle soon matched the one she’d set out to create from the outset of the program. She shared a specific moment in The Prospologers Community in May 2025: “I finished all of my client work ahead of time and spent my Tuesday working from a cafe on my portfolio pieces. After that, I had lunch with a friend, went to see the latest art exhibition, and just walked around the city in peace. After working 24/7 for years, I still have to pinch myself to believe that this is my reality now.”

“My friends are like, ‘you’re literally glowing. What’s going on? We’ve never seen you like this!'”

In her last couple of months in The ‘Thriving & Free’ Medical Writer Program™, Isabella completed all 20 of the Assignments to a high standard, with over 60 submissions along the way. “Now, when somebody reaches out, I’ll just have everything ready so I don’t have to think about it, which is great,” she said. “Looking back, I’m really happy with how everything has turned out, from my first branding idea to today. I’m really proud of myself for creating something beyond all of my expectations.”

The best part was, it didn’t even feel like eight months. “I was just thinking about how quickly the time passed in the program,” said Isabella. “I wasn’t even aware of how much I did until I graduated. I was like ‘when did that happen?!’”

Now a Lifetime Member, Isabella sees The Prospologers Community as a valuable ongoing resource. “Many times, I’ve gone to the group with a question and found someone had already asked it, so the answer was there. Over time, it’ll be an even better resource because so many answers will already be available.”

There’s nothing but excitement and fulfillment in Isabella’s future, and she’s already living her own freedom-focused lifestyle. “Thank you so much for everything, Sophie. This was truly a transformational journey. You’ve helped me carve out my dream path and it’s changed my life to the point where it feels unreal. I’m looking forward to staying in The Prospologers Community and seeing you all at the Pop-Up Events.”

✨ If you’re ready to create a freedom-focused lifestyle as a freelance medical writer, fill out an application. If successful, the next step will be a one-hour video interview with Prospology’s Founder, Sophie Ash to assess suitability both ways and discuss timelines, the required investment, and available payment plans.