Throughout the dozen years I spent working as a writer and editor for various magazines, I often wondered what it would be like to cut the corporate cord and go out on my own as a freelancer.

Working from home (in my pajamas, if I cared to). No commute. No asking permission to make a doctor’s appointment or take a vacation. It sounded like a sweet setup. But for all of the liberties freelancing would afford me, going out on my own just wasn’t a risk I was ready to take. How would I find work? When would I get paid? Would everyone in my network forget about me? Intimidated by what a future in freelancing might look like, I banished the idea to the back of my mind.

Until the spring of 2015, that is, when my senior-level editorial job at a fancy national publishing company fell victim to a second round of layoffs in as many months. Suddenly, I was flailing around in the proverbial deep end with nary a floatie in sight. By no means do I consider myself particularly brave, but in that moment, rather than panic I thought, This is it! It hadn’t happened as I’d imagined it might, but my opportunity had arrived.

Fast forward nearly two years, and I’m still a happy, home-based freelancer running what is, essentially, a one-woman business. When I’m not busy working on 17th South, I’m networking, marketing myself, interviewing story sources, writing, bookkeeping, traveling and enjoying the independence that I’d craved for so long. The risk, albeit forced, was worth the reward.

Given that harrowing experience, I’m excited to introduce you to 11 women who are forging their own paths in our city’s business community (“A League of Their Own,” page 33). Whether in the entertainment, retail, beauty or manufacturing industries, the depth of knowledge that these women possess knows no bounds. When our team first planned to feature Atlanta businesswomen in this issue, we didn’t set out to focus solely on entrepreneurs. But as we narrowed the field, it’s one characteristic that they all shared. And considering that these women are responsible for not only their own livelihood but also that of their staffs, I’d say they’re plenty brave, to boot.

Lindsay Lambert Day
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF