Maggie Waters’ journey from confused medical school hopeful to fourth-year medical student to six-figure sideline worker allows anyone to monetize everyday problems with a little creativity and a little determination. It proves that you can turn it into a viable solution.
Initially overwhelmed by the complexity of the medical school application process and faced with multiple rejections, Water’s determination led her to seek out helpful resources and make a more informed second attempt. This effort resulted in 15 interview requests and 10 acceptances from him, a stark contrast from a few years ago.
Waters has put what he learned from his rejection experience into Road to Acceptance, a digital course aimed at demystifying the medical school application process to others.
Now in her final year at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, Waters has managed to find a balance that allows her to pursue her passions, fueled by the income she earns from her side hustle and the confidence that she will graduate debt-free.
Her journey shows that with the right approach, it is possible to turn challenges into opportunities, not only for personal accomplishment, but also to help others on their path.
a spark ignited
Navigating the complicated maze of medical school admissions with little guidance, Waters initially found herself adrift. “When I first applied to medical school, I didn’t know anything about the whole process and made countless mistakes,” Waters regrets.
She applied late to several schools and secured one interview at Case Western, but ended up being waitlisted and ultimately rejected.
Far from discouraging her, this initial stumble ignited her determination to not only reapply with a solid strategy, but to ensure others don’t have to face the same hurdles alone.
“After that initial setback, I discovered Dr. Gray,” the former U.S. Air Force flight surgeon turned podcaster says of the application process. “His advice was a game-changer for me,” Waters said. Newfound resources changed her approach to re-applying to medical school, despite her below-average GPA.
This time, her efforts paid off: out of 28 applications, she received 15 interview invitations and ultimately 10 were accepted.
This transformation inspired The road to acceptancea comprehensive digital course designed to demystify medical school entrance exams for other pre-med students.
Waters’ mission was to create an accessible and affordable resource, especially for non-traditional and first-generation applicants.
“We wanted to provide the kind of support that was sorely needed when applying,” she said. Throughout the course, Waters leverages her own experience to provide a pathway for MD/PhD students to ensure they have the tools and knowledge to go through the application process more smoothly. Masu.
“Creating ‘Road to Acceptance’ was about turning my struggles into a roadmap for others. See how it’s helping students achieve their dreams of getting into medical school It’s very rewarding,” Waters said.
That’s Life, by Maggie
A journey into the world of Waters side hustle began with a moment of inspiration when she was preparing to reapply to medical school.
“Before Road to Acceptance, there was ‘It’s Life, by Maggie.’ My journey began when I stumbled across Sophia Lee’s blog post,” Waters recalls.
Lee’s post, which details how she made $12,000 in one month from her blog while in college, opened Waters’ eyes to the possibilities there. Ta. start a blog.
“I was surprised. Until then, I had never heard of people making money from blogging. And she was just a college student!”
This revelation led Waters to enter the digital world himself. “That day I thought, ‘If her girlfriend can do it, so can I,'” she said.
Motivated by this newfound belief, Waters her blog The Instagram account centered around medical school admissions, the MCAT, and pre-med advice, and laid the foundation for what would eventually develop into a substantial side hustle.
Balancing this commitment with the demanding schedule of medical school required a strategic approach. Ms. Waters employed a variety of productivity strategies and time management techniques to succeed in her studies and business without compromising either.
“Learning about productivity strategies early on allowed me to build routines and habits that allowed me to balance both worlds,” Waters explained.
Her discipline and ability to delegate tasks effectively has enabled her to manage a rapidly growing business while ensuring she meets her academic responsibilities.
“While medical school and my business can easily take up a lot of my free time, I am all about being intentional and creating balance in the process. has continued to make time for many of the things she loves: CrossFit, getting back into horseback riding, lots of traveling, camping and outdoor adventures, and of course, her wonderful husband George, adorable pup Oakley, and our family. This is Maroon the cat.”
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Create courses, master marketing, and financial impact
While the success of her blog, “It’s Life, by Maggie,” laid the foundation, it was with the development and marketing of “Road to Acceptance” that things started to take off for Waters.
Launched in April 2021, the course quickly became a profitable endeavor. By 2022, her business had earned her $81,000 in revenue, and in 2023, revenue had jumped to her $190,000. This shows the rapid success and far-reaching impact of her flagship course in just a few years.
“Creating an engaging and effective online course was uncharted territory for me,” Waters admitted. Her willingness to learn and adapt led her to explore different platforms and tools essential to course creation. She “works on everything from content strategy to technical setup, aiming to create courses that not only inform but also engage participants.”
Waters attributed much of her success to Amy Porterfield Digital Course AcademyEspecially when it comes to setting up free live webinars, which she later turned into free Evergreen Webinars. Here she learned about various platforms that are often associated with creating and selling knowledge courses: Teachable, EasyWebinar, and Thrivecart.
Waters’ approach to marketing his courses was similarly strategic. Social Leveraging the power of her media, especially her Instagram, she leveraged her ever-growing follower base to promote the “Road to Acceptance.”
“I found that providing free value upfront, through workshops and webinars, was key. It helped establish trust and demonstrated the quality of my courses,” she explained. did.
Her marketing strategy was not only to promote the course, but also to build a community of like-minded people. “Engagement on Instagram, driven by authentic content and interaction, is critical. It’s about more than just selling courses. It’s about building a network of support and mentorship for MD and PhD students.” Waters said.
“The journey from the first few sales to over six figures has been both exhilarating and humbling. Every time I hear words of gratitude from participating students, I realize that this is more than just income. It’s about making an impact and making a difficult process a little easier for others.”
Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs
Waters’ journey from initial setbacks to entrepreneurial success is paved with valuable lessons and insights, especially for aspiring entrepreneurs. Create and sell digital products.
In discussing the Road to Acceptance approach to marketing, Waters emphasized the power of combining real value with strategic promotion.
Her most successful tactic was offering free workshops and special courses at the end of them. “The key to attracting students to my courses was first providing practical, free content that demonstrated value right away,” she explained.
She leveraged Instagram and leveraged Manychat to automate responses to comments and streamline the process of directing interested followers to her workshops. “Engagement on social media platforms was very important. It’s not just about making a sale. It’s about building a relationship with your audience,” Waters added.
One of the big hurdles she faced was aligning her marketing strategy with her values. Investing $20,000 in a course that insisted on forgoing free advice didn’t sit well with her ethos.
“I once followed advice that didn’t align with my vision, and it felt disingenuous. I quickly realized that my approach needed to resonate with my values.” recalled Mr. Waters.
Ultimately, she advises aspiring education entrepreneurs to stay true to their principles and focus on delivering real value.
“Find your niche, share authentic information, and don’t be afraid to start small. It’s not just about the income, it’s about the impact,” Waters suggested.
Her experience highlights the importance of authentic and value-driven content in building brands that make a real difference in students’ lives.
about the future
Looking to the future, Ms. Waters is passionate about expanding her influence and support for the Premedian community.
Despite the looming and often grueling tasks associated with residency, she plans to launch a new online course aimed at those with two to four years left to enter medical school, which will help students prepare for medical school. We aim to fill a critical gap.
Additionally, a digital planner designed specifically for preschoolers is also in development, with the hope that it will help students manage their demanding schedules more effectively.
“These projects are close to my heart because they extend the support I can provide to medical and doctoral students at various stages of their journeys,” Waters said in farewell.
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