She Sent One Cold Email in 2006. It Built an Amazing Career.

Published March 2026

Colleen Paulson was a P&G engineer, pregnant with her second kid, and out of ideas. A five-minute email to a Yahoo Finance columnist changed everything.

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In this article: The Cold Email That Started It All · The Analytical Edge · Building 90K LinkedIn Followers · Inside C-Suite Ghostwriting · Ageism in Media and Creative Work · Getting Cited in Major Publications · 20 Years as a Solo Operator · Advice for Making the Leap

In 2006, Colleen Paulson was pregnant with her second child, had just quit her corporate job, and needed to figure out freelancing fast. She had spent five years at Procter & Gamble as a Manager and Technical Engineer, directing production for two manufacturing lines and leading a team of 30. After that, three and a half years as a Senior Marketing Analyst at FedEx, building strategic pricing programs for Fortune 500 customers. She holds a mechanical engineering degree from Carnegie Mellon and an MBA from Pitt.

The corporate path was comfortable. Walking away from it, with two kids under two on the way, was not.

What happened next is one of those stories that sounds too clean to be true, except it is. A cold email to a Yahoo Finance columnist. A two-hour reply. A recommendation to check out Mediabistro. One resume writing contract that turned into a nearly 20-year career consulting practice.

Today, Colleen runs Ageless Careers, a consultancy focused on LinkedIn strategy, executive resume writing, a popular newsletter, and C-Suite ghostwriting, with a particular focus on professionals over 50. She’s a Certified Professional Resume Writer who has helped more than 1,000 clients. She’s been named one of the Top 200 LinkedIn Creators in the US, built a following of 90,000+, and has been cited in The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, Forbes, Fast Company, Business Insider, CBS News, and Bloomberg Businessweek.

We sat down with her to talk about cold emails, ageism in creative industries, and what nearly 20 years of running your own thing actually looks like.

The Cold Email That Changed 18 Years

You cold-emailed Laura Rowley for advice on switching from engineering to writing, and she pointed you to Mediabistro, where you landed your first resume writing contract in 2007. That was fun for us to hear. Take us back to that moment. What made you reach out, and what was going through your head when you decided to walk away from the Fortune 50 path?

In 2006, I had recently quit my corporate job and was pregnant with my second child, getting ready to have two kids in 17 months. I needed to make freelancing work, fast.

At the time, I was a big fan of Laura Rowley’s Yahoo Finance column. My goal was to do what she was doing. But I wasn’t sure about reaching out. Would it seem weird? Would she even reply?

After some hesitation, I sent a simple email. I couldn’t believe it, but Laura wrote back in less than two hours with several tips, including checking out Mediabistro, which I wasn’t familiar with. That one tip led to my first resume writing corporate client and eventually built into the career coaching practice I run today. I had no idea that resume writing was an option at the time. It wasn’t on my radar in any way, shape, or form.

I was actually able to meet Laura in person at AARP Headquarters a few months back. You probably aren’t surprised to hear that she’s as gracious in person as she was online.

From Manufacturing Lines to Career Strategy

You spent five years at P&G managing manufacturing lines, then moved into strategic pricing at FedEx. How does that analytical background show up in the work you do now? Do clients ever find it surprising?

I use my analytical background every day in the work that I do. My clients also appreciate the fact that I get how the corporate world works. I love to use data in my work, whether it’s digging into job market numbers or helping my clients quantify results and impacts.

Editor’s note: Colleen’s analytical chops aren’t just backstory. After leaving corporate, she contributed 175+ articles to The Motley Fool analyzing consumer products companies, and she spent six years as an external reader and interviewer for Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper MBA program, evaluating 1,000+ applicants. 

From 270 Connections to 90,000 Followers

You’ve built a LinkedIn following of 90,000+ with 45 million impressions since 2023, which is impressive. For someone in media or creative work who’s trying to build an audience on that platform, what’s the one thing most people get wrong?

I had 270 connections in 2019, so I was really a late adopter for LinkedIn and social media in general. At some point, I realized that I was going to have to put myself out there in some way, even if it felt cringe at times.

The biggest mistake that I see people make is not thinking about your audience. I see people come on LinkedIn and try to sell right away. It’s such a huge turnoff.

Inside C-Suite Ghostwriting

C-Suite ghostwriting is one of the more opaque corners of the content world. Without naming names, can you walk us through what that engagement actually looks like? How do you capture the voice of an executive who may not think of themselves as a writer?

The biggest thing is understanding the executive’s unique goals. Who are they looking to influence and why? Once we know who they are trying to reach, the process of writing becomes a lot easier.

The Conversation Nobody Wants to Have

Your brand, Ageless Careers, focuses on professionals over 50. Ageism in media and creative industries is a topic that doesn’t get nearly enough honest conversation. What patterns do you see, and what should hiring managers be rethinking?

I was just talking this week with a 50-something woman who has 25+ years of experience in the news industry, but can’t find a role. She’s tried selling her transferable skills with no luck. She’s looking at making a total career switch and I don’t blame her.

What I’m seeing is that folks who are in communications and marketing-adjacent industries are having the toughest time right now. My data shows that 25% of Americans plan to never retire and 90% plan to work into their 60s, so we’ve got to rethink this mindset that 60 or 65 is this magic age where people will step out of the workforce.

Editor’s note: Colleen writes candidly about these patterns in her Ageless Careers Insider Weekly newsletter. In a recent issue, she shared stories from her practice: a Fortune 50 VP who took a five-figure job to pay the bills, a Sales VP who was out of work for 14 months and took a 50% pay cut, and a worker with 35+ years of experience who can’t find anything paying above $20/hour. She also works with clients who land six-figure roles and double-digit raises, but her point is that the market for experienced professionals is deeply uneven right now, and the people in media and communications-adjacent roles are feeling it the most.

How Media Relationships Actually Develop

You’ve been cited in CNBC, Forbes, Fast Company, Business Insider, and others. How did those media relationships develop? Was there a deliberate strategy, or did LinkedIn open those doors organically?

I intentionally started connecting with media sources through Qwoted, Featured, and HARO. I would answer pitches as a way to be cited and get my name out there in the beginning. I also started connecting with folks on LinkedIn.

In the past six months I’ve had reporters from The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, MarketWatch, The Washington Post, and more reach out because they have seen my posts on LinkedIn, so having that online presence is key to being seen today.

20 Years as an Independent Operator

You’ve been running your own consulting business since 2006. That’s nearly 20 years as an independent operator. What’s the hardest lesson you’ve learned about sustaining a solo business over that kind of timeframe?

My business has ebbed and flowed over time. A lot of that has been by design. I am a mom of four and my kids range in age from 11 to 20. There were certain seasons where I stepped back a bit and took on fewer clients intentionally. Flexibility was a key reason why I went out on my own in the first place.

For Anyone Thinking About Making the Leap

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone in a corporate role right now who’s thinking about making the same kind of leap you made, but can’t quite pull the trigger?

Test the waters before making the jump. I didn’t do that and I wish that I had. It would have made the process of moving from corporate a lot easier. I basically quit my Fortune 50 jobs with no plan and it worked out for me, but I would have made life easier for myself if I had tested the waters first.

Frequently Asked Questions

How did Colleen Paulson get started in career consulting?

In 2006, she cold-emailed Yahoo Finance columnist Laura Rowley, who recommended Mediabistro. That led to her first resume writing client and eventually the Ageless Careers consultancy she runs today.

What is Ageless Careers?

Ageless Careers is Colleen’s consultancy focused on professionals over 50, offering LinkedIn strategy, executive resume writing, C-Suite ghostwriting, and career coaching. She also publishes a weekly newsletter, Ageless Careers Insider Weekly, with job search tips and market analysis.

How did she build 90,000 LinkedIn followers?

She started with 270 connections in 2019 and grew by consistently posting audience-first content. Her primary advice: think about your audience and resist the urge to sell right away.

What industries are hardest for experienced professionals right now?

According to Colleen, communications and marketing-adjacent roles are the toughest market for professionals over 50, even those with decades of experience.

What’s her advice for people thinking about leaving corporate?

Test the waters before making the jump. Build freelance momentum while still employed to make the transition smoother.