From Art School to Science Writing: How I Built a 6-Figure STEM Business by Breaking All the Rules

In 2012, I sat at a crossroads. I was torn between two wildly different worlds: arts and science.

Everyone told me I had to choose one.

So I left art school and enrolled in life sciences because it felt like the “safer" path. The “smart” choice. The “real” career.

But deep down, I knew the two weren’t mutually exclusive. I just hadn’t seen many people blending them successfully yet.

That tension became the seed for building the FLAS Foundation, which stands for For the Love of Arts and Science, and is a creative, strategic ecosystem for STEM professionals who don’t fit in neat little boxes.

Being a multi-passionate, I was never able to choose one path. I've always built my own and created my own rules along the way.

Fast forward to today: my BioRender templates have been downloaded 20,500+ times by scientists around the world. And I’ve helped dozens of freelancers turn their hybrid skills into thriving, values-aligned businesses.

In 2018 I Moved Across the World With No Plan… Just a PhD Offer and a Gut Feeling

I was 26. Freshly heartbroken. And desperate for a fresh start. I had been juggling five jobs to pay off student loans and scrape together enough money to move 5,825 km away from home and start a PhD in Spain.

People told me I was making a mistake:

“You’ll never get funding in Europe.”
“That scholarship sounds too good to be true.”
“You’re not serious about research—you’re never in the lab.”

Those comments stung, but I realized something important:
Those weren’t my beliefs. They were reflections of others' fear, not mine.

So I tuned out the noise and leaned into my intuition.

Here’s what happened next:

1. I emailed the founder of a prestigious research organization and landed a scholarship that changed my life.
2. I met my husband two months later.
3. We moved into a penthouse that became the first home for our children and a hub for our friends.
4. I finished my PhD without grinding in the lab 24/7 and used the free time to build skills in scientific writing and communications.
5. After graduating, I landed freelance work in medical writing almost immediately and I haven’t looked back.

Want to find your own high-paying, fulfilling freelance path?

👉 Download my free guide: 60 In-Demand STEM Skills for Freelancing & Consulting
It’s packed with practical ways to monetize your academic strengths.

What Being a Multi-Passionate Has Taught Me

For most of my academic and early career life, I thought being multi-passionate was a liability.

I couldn’t just pick one thing. I was drawn to both cellular biology and digital design. Reproductive medicine and visual storytelling. Behavioral ecology and branding.

In traditional career paths—especially in STEM—there’s a lot of pressure to specialize. To become the expert in one narrow field and follow it forever. But the truth is, being multi-passionate isn’t a weakness. It’s a powerful advantage.

A multi-passionate is someone who genuinely thrives when exploring multiple interests, disciplines, or creative outlets. While some people perceive this as being scattered, I think about it as being integrative. Seeing connections others might miss. Bringing fresh perspectives into spaces that desperately need them.

In the world of science, where communication gaps are everywhere, my background in art helped me turn dense data into clear visuals that resonated with real people. My curiosity about design made me a better science communicator. My love for storytelling gave me the tools to translate research into something relatable.

The blend between arts and science, logic and intuition, structure and creativity are just what set me apart and have helped me build two business by 33 years old.

So if you’ve ever been told you’re “too all over the place” or “need to focus”—I call BS.

Your ability to bridge seemingly unrelated fields is exactly what makes your voice, your service, and your story so valuable.

The Truth No One Tells You About “Playing It Safe”

If I had followed the traditional path, I’d probably still be working toward tenure in a lab, underpaid and undervalued.

Instead, I now run two businesses that let me:

✨ Support my family debt-free
✨ Fund my kids’ education
✨ Help researchers, clinicians, and life science companies tell powerful stories through science
✨ Teach other STEM professionals how to do the same

I’m not saying it was easy.

But I am saying that courage pays off.

You Don’t Need to “Pick One Path”

Science and creativity are not mutually exclusive. Neither are business and purpose. And you don’t have to choose between structure and freedom. The trick is building a personalized strategy that lets you blend your gifts your way.

I had no idea back then that the blend between artistry and analytical thinking would become the foundation of my thriving medcomms business. 

And that the creative-scientific crossover would become my niche expertise. Heck, I had no idea scientific/medical illustration was a thing when I was in art school.

 If you’re feeling stuck, scattered, or ready to scale but unsure how—you're not alone.

That’s why I created the Sure Strides Society: a mentorship membership for freelance STEM writers who are ready to build sustainable, values-aligned businesses.

👉 Learn more + join us here.

Ready to go bigger?

This year, I'm leading a powerful hybrid mastermind experience called Techtonic Ascent, built for STEM women who are ready to expand beyond hourly gigs and into thought leadership, digital products, and high-value strategy work.

It includes a high-touch retreat, expert-led training, and deep support in developing your unique roadmap to multi-6-figure impact.

👉 Explore the mastermind here.

Your Path Doesn’t Have to Make Sense to Anyone But You

If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the past 13 years, it’s this:

✨ The most expansive growth comes from doing things that feel uncomfortable, risky, and completely misaligned with the status quo.

You don’t need permission to pivot or be a multi-passionate entrepreneur.

You just need clarity, support, and a little momentum.

And that? I can help you build.