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How I escaped the corporate rat race

How I escaped the corporate rat race

Brandon Storey
January 30, 2026

Only two spots left in my February 1:1 coaching. Reply with “February” now to apply.

Feeling trapped in your 9 to 5?

No time? No freedom? No flexibility?

And feeling like there’s no way out?

Well, I know exactly how you feel. Because that was me.

That is, until I made my escape.

Here’s how I went from trapped in a 12-hr/day dead end job…

To earning $10-15k months in just a few hours a day as a copywriter.

It was 10 years ago.

2015.

I just got married.

Married the girl of my dreams.

But, there was one problem:

I was a pizza boy making $12/hour.

I tried college years before, but ended up dropping out.

Why?

I had no purpose or direction.

I was aimless.

My bank account?

Negative.

My savings?

Non-existent.

My debt?

Racking up daily.

My hourly wage?

Pitiful.

How could I provide for my wife and future kids?

So, I tried dropshipping.

And failed.

I tried bookkeeping.

And failed.

I tried dropshipping again.

And failed.

I tried service arbitrage.

And… I failed, yet again.

It wasn’t until late 2018 when I finally snapped.

I couldn’t take it anymore.

Something needed to change.

At this point, I was making more money.

But I felt trapped:

Commuting for one hour to work (and one hour back)
Under-appreciated by my boss and co-workers
Always feeling like a needed a vacation (but no ability to take one)
Promised more money, remote work, and flexibility (but getting none of that)

I had no way out of this trap I found myself in. And if I didn’t do something, the next 50 years would be the same: stuck with no time and no freedom and living in regret.

So, I found a new business that seemed promising:

Freelance copywriting.

I saw tons of other people online making $10k+/month doing it…

And working for a few hours a day, travelling when they wanted, working whenever they wanted, on their own schedule, setting their own rules.

I wanted that.

I was skeptical about it, but I didn’t have many other options.

So, I dove in, head first:

Every morning I’d write.
In the afternoon, I'd handwrite sales letters
Every night, I’d devour copy books and courses

I even used my commute to work (1+ hours both ways) to listen to business and marketing podcasts.

Learning from other people who had done it successfully was crucial to staying hopeful.

And despite working 12 hour days at my day job…

I always found the time to make it work.

Then…

It happened.

6 weeks after I started learning, I landed my first client.

I couldn’t believe it.

I made my first dollar online.

3 months in, I was making enough, so I quit my job.

And got my wife to quit her job too.

And we moved halfway around the world to chase our dreams.

7 months in, I had my first $5,000 month.

I did it.

It actually worked!

We had enough to survive.

The next month, I made $7,000.

Then $8,000.

At month 12 I made $9,000.

And since my second year…

I’ve consistently made $10-$15k/month…

…All while working just a few hours a day (usually done by lunch time), waking and working whenever I want. And it’s allowed me to live and travel around the world to places like Thailand, Australia, Malaysia, Italy, Canada, US, and more.

Just like that.

Within 12 months.

Everything changed.

And I was finally living life on my terms, not my boss’.

For years I watched as my friends:

Went to college (and stayed in college)
Got their diplomas and degrees
Landed their career jobs

All while I sat on the sidelines, “falling behind.”

But, now, I don’t envy them and their corporate rate race jobs one bit.

As a copywriter, I get to:

Work from home or coffee shops
Travel and live anywhere in the world
Spend more time with my wife and kids
Have autonomy with the projects I work on
Ditch the "3% raise" for complete income control

If you want to create a new life for yourself.

There’s no greater opportunity in 2026 than becoming a copywriter.

You don’t need to stay stuck in your job…

Or "trapped" in a hopeless situation.

You can make a new life for yourself.

I’m living proof of it.

So, are you going to make 2026 your year?

And kickoff the year strong?

Or, are you going to let another year go by…

Stuck on that endless hamster wheel, bowing down to the wishes of your boss, and pushing your dreams aside?

If you want a new life…

Just remember this:

No one’s going to change it for you. You have to be the one to make a change.

-Brandon “rat race escapee” Storey

P.S. Only two spots left in my February 1:1 copywriting coaching program.

If you want to hit your first $5,000+ month in 6 months (guaranteed), then reply to this email with the word “February” to learn more.

In my paid 1:1 coaching program, I’ll personally mentor you to learn copy, land clients, hit your first $5,000 month, and scale.

We’ll do this through a structured, step-by-step system used by 750+ of my students, and you’ll get weekly coaching calls with me and daily writing feedback to reach your goals fast.

This is NOT for you if: