What Is Transcribe Anywhere About? Is It a Scam? [Full Review]

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The work-at-home trend is growing faster by the day and there's no shortage of online courses to meet the demand. Transcription Anywhere is one of those of courses.  

Is it legit though? You've probably read a dozen Transcribe Anywhere reviews, trying to decide if it's worth it, so I'll not only cover what Transcribe Anywhere is about and if it can help you, but the bigger question of whether transcription work is the best option to invest your time and an money into.

Disclaimer:
This Transcribe Anywhere review has been researched with information and testimonials that are available online in the public domain. Any conclusions drawn by myself are opinions.

What Is Transcribe Anywhere?


Transcribe Anywhere is an online transcription course created by entrepreneur Janet Shaughnessy.

home office

Transitioning from a traditional job to working from home isn't easy, so many of us have a story of how we were finally shaken from our mind-numbing daily grind.

In Janet's case, she was forced to find work she could do from home when her husband became disabled. It was through difficulty and challenge that Janet says she found the lifestyle and balance she was looking for.

Today she is the owner of Zoom Transcription and with her 10 years of transcription experience, has created the only AAERT (American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers) approved online course… Transcribe Anywhere.

Is Transcribe Anywhere a Scam?


Transcribe Anywhere is 100% legit, but I should address this issue, because many online transcription companies out there are borderline scams.

Not all of them… but, the ones that are, not only give in-home transcription a bad name but they also add to the overall negativity and distrust of the make-money-online industry.

If you’re reading this course review because you were wondering if it's a scam, then you know what I mean. It's a healthy skepticism, but with so many false promises these days… who do you trust?

Hopefully I can put your mind at ease that Transcription Anywhere is real… and that there are legit ways to make money from home.

There are some shady transcription companies out there… but as far as this course goes, it's highly recommended if you’re considering a career in this industry (whether a career in this industry is a good idea though, is a different question).

How Does It Work?


More than likely, since you’re reading this, you’re familiar with how transcription works. You’re simply taking recorded audio and/or video and typing out the content of what’s being said.

I say “simply”, but transcription is anything but simple.

The biggest limitation with transcription work is that it's never done. It's like doing the dishes (I just cleaned them 3-and-a-half seconds ago, turned around and…Bam! The sink is overflowing again). 😀

Let me explain…

Taking advantage of the internet means using leverage to create something once and being able to make money from it over and over… sometimes for years.. Transcription work provides zero leverage. For every minute you transcribe, you only get paid once. That's the bad news…

the good news is that Janet provides a referral program so you can also make money when you recommend Transcribe Anywhere. Affiliate programs like these allow you to earn passive income over and above your transcription work.

I don’t know about you, but I prefer to do something once and get paid over and over… a simple strategy I have written about in this article.

It should be mentioned that earning decent money when transcribing demands that you…

  • Can type fast and accurately,
  • Are proficient in spelling, grammar, and punctuation,
  • Have good knowledge of the web, as well as critical thinking and research skills.

Transcriptionists usually work on a per/audio hour rate, with a 4:1 ratio (one hour of audio would take four hours to transcribe).

If you are working for an online transcription company (a transcription farm), pay is often broken down into per/audio minutes or number of words transcribed.

One thing I really like about Transcribe Anywhere is that Janet focuses on the business and marketing of your services so you’re NOT dependent on low paying transcription sites.

She shows you how you can start your business and obtain your own contracts.

To learn more about this check out the Transcribe Anywhere free mini-course HERE.

Live Your Passion Everyday

How Much Does It Cost?


If you’re new to making money online, the price may seem a little steep.

As someone who has paid more than I’m willing to admit for online courses, my opinion is that Transcription Anywhere is a bargain. If you’re serious about transcription work from home and being your own boss… Janet’s course will not only shorten the learning curve substantially, it’ll give you a big advantage over competitors (whether it’s being hired by a company or setting up your own transcription business).

Janet offers two free mini-courses, one for General Transcription and one for Legal Transcription. These aren’t “training” courses, but they do provide a good overview of the industry.

Then there are the two full-courses.

General Transcription (Theory and Practice)

  • $597 for lifetime access to everything including future updates and unlimited support…
    … or you can choose pay as you go,
  • $197 for 30-day access to modules 1 – 2 with limited support options,
  • $362 for 60-day access to modules 1 – 4 with limited support options.

Legal Transcripion (Theory and Practice)  

  • $697 for lifetime access to everything including future updates and unlimited support…
    … or you can choose pay as you go,
  • $197 for 30-day access to modules 1 – 4 with limited support options,
  • $497 for 60-day access to modules 1 – 9 with limited support options.

Both courses are extensive and designed to take you from newbie to professional in 4 – 6 months. These are not simple ebooks or pdf files (I’ll provide the module outlines below), the include videos, practice modules, tutorials, training to market yourself, and a community as well as support.

Transcribe Anywhere is also not a course you can power through in a weekend. At a moderate pace these will take you a few months to complete.

General Transcription Course Outline


Module 1 – Laying the Foundation

  • The Right Equipment for the Job
  • General Transcription Style (Standard vs. Strict Verbatim)
  • Types of General Transcription Jobs
  • Formatting a Transcript

Module 2 – Essential Skills for Excellent Transcription

  • Punctuation Makes Perfect
  • Spelling: The Lost Art
  • Transcribing Numbers
  • Miscellaneous Transcription Conventions and Critical Thinking Skills

Module 3 – Time-Saving Tools for Efficient Transcription

  • Using Text Expanders and Shortcut Keys
  • Shortcut Keys for the Top 102 Most Frequently Used English Phrases
  • Spell Check, Search & Replace, and Modern Usage Notes
  • Commonly Used Transcriptionist’s Notes
  • Using Transcription Templates (includes downloadable templates)
  • Time Coding

Module 4 – Practice Dictations

(Each dictation includes a corresponding answer key.)

  • Level 1 Practice Dictations: Clear audio in simple, short videos
  • Level 2 Practice Dictations: Audio-only Files; Non-American English
  • accents
  • Level 3 Practice Dictations: Transcribing “Strict Verbatim” Style
  • Level 4 Practice Dictations: Transcribing Multiple Speakers
  • Level 5 Practice Dictations: Semi-Poor Audio Quality & Research Skills
  • Level 6 Practice Dictations: Working with Time Codes
  • Level 7 Practice Dictations: Transcribing Poor Audio with Foreign Accents

Module 5 – Building Your Business

(step-by-step guidance to setting up a home-based transcriptionist business)

  • Income Guidelines and Setting Your Rates
  • Developing a Business Plan
  • Customer Service Essentials
  • Connecting with Clients
  • SEO, PPC, AdSense and All the Rest
  • Top Business Directories for Local Marketing
  • Where to Find Contract Work
  • Bonus Marketing Unit: exclusive how-to video content available to

Module 6 – Final Exam and Certification of Completion

Legal Transcription Course Outline


Module 1 – Introduction to Legal Transcription

  • Introduction and Welcome!
  • Legal Transcription: Overview
  • General Duties of the Legal Transcriptionist

Module 2 – Tools of the Trade

  • The Right Equipment for the Job
  • Typing for Speed and Accuracy (includes typing drills)
  • Legal Transcription Style Guide (includes printable guide)
  • Practice Transcription Exercise

Module 3 – Legal Terminology

  • Legal Terminology
  • Latin Legal Terminology
  • More than 80 pages of legal terms and phrases in a downloadable and
  • printable format.

Module 4 – Essential Skills for Legal Transcription

  • Spelling
  • Transcribing Numbers
  • Abbreviations, Capitalization, and Punctuation for Legal Transcriptionists

Module 5 – Microsoft Word for Legal Transcriptionists

  • Commonly Used Transcriptionists' Notations
  • Spell Check, Search + Replace, & Modern Usage Notes
  • Shortcut Keys
  • Screenshots and Video Tutorials

Module 6 – Legal Correspondence & Practice Dictation

  • Introduction to Transcription in the Law Office
  • Letters and Memos
  • Transcribing EBTs (Examination Before Trial)
  • Transcribing Attorney-Client Consultations
  • Property Deeds

Module 7 – The Legal Process and Court Procedure

  • Definition and Descriptions of Types of Law
  • Steps in a Civil Case
  • Steps in a Criminal Case
  • Anatomy of a Court Transcript

Module 8 – Forms and Templates

  • Sample Court Templates
  • Numbered-Line Blank Pleading Paper (Template and Instructions)
  • State & Federal Court Approved Legal Forms

Module 9 – Practice Transcription of Court Proceedings

  • Transcription Guidelines for a Court Transcript (Includes Video Tutorial)
  • Practice Trial Transcriptions

Module 10 – Depositions

  • Guidelines for Transcribing Depositions (Includes Template)
  • Deposition Practice Transcription Files

Module 11 – Law Enforcement

  • Law Enforcement Transcription Overview
  • Law Enforcement Practice Transcription Files

Module 12 – Conferences and Legal Association Meetings

  • Overview of Conference Transcription
  • Conference Practice Transcription Files (with Video Files)

Module 13 – Time Coding for Legal Transcriptionists

  • How to Insert Time Codes in Legal Documents (Includes Video Tutorial)
  • Time Code Practice Transcription Files

Module 14 – Resources

  • Writing and Style Guides
  • Dictionaries
  • Legal Resources
  • Medical Resources

Module 15 – Final Exam

Module 16 – Building Your Business

  • How Much Do Legal Transcriptionists Earn?
  • Customer Service Essentials
  • Developing a Business Plan
  • Advertising (Including Building a Website)
  • Social Media
  • Connecting with Clients
  • Top Directories for Local Marketing
  • Where to Find Contract Work
  • Search Engine Optimization (SEO), PPC, AdSense, and All the Rest
  • Opportunities for Expanding Your Service

There is a lot of material covered in both courses, and the amount of time you’ll save not having to figure these things out yourself will more than make up for the cost. More course schedule information can be found here.  

What I Like About Transcribe Anywhere


  • Learn at your own pace.
  • Teaches you to market yourself, including topics such as developing a business plan and search engine optimization. The business modules could be an entire course on its own, but Janet has chosen to include them.
  • Newbies can shortcut years of experience and jump to the front of the line.

What I Don’t Like


  • This is a debatable topic… but in the not-to distant future the same technology that powers devices like Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa will get very good at transcription. It could be two-years away, or ten… but eventually it’ll happen.
  • Not a criticism of TranscribeAnywhere, but transcription work is not for everyone. I could point to myself as a perfect example… I’ve been writing and typing daily for 30 years, and I still don’t have the speed or accuracy required to be a transcriptionist. My wandering mind doesn’t have the focus for it either.
  • In general, transcription work doesn’t pay great (average rate works out to $15/hr)… although the work-at-home benefits are hard to ignore. Being able to live in a more affordable neighborhood (or city) and not needing a daily vehicle can reduce your expenses enough that $15/hr might be equivalent to $25 or more…)

What Is Transcribe Anywhere Really About?


At the beginning of this review I posed the question of whether transcription work was the best at-home option to invest your time and money.

There's no question that you can learn a ton from Transcribe Anywhere, but more than the mechanics of transcribing audio, Transcribe Anywhere is about building an independent future. 

And, it can be a good starting point.

However, the two biggest issues I see with transcribing are…

  • Even though you're working from home, you're still stuck in the time-for-dollars trap. It doesn't provide passive income.
  • And, as mentioned above, it's only a matter of time before voice recognition technology takes a significant bite out of the transcription industry. How long? It's hard to say, but there's a considerable time and financial investment here for a career that might not exist a few years from now.

Transcribe Anywhere might be a big fish in a small pond… a dreamer with lofty goals trapped in an industry with limited potential. At least, long-term potential.

Even so, you gain a tremendous amount of control and set yourself up for greater security with a work-at-home job. The skills you learn along the way will be there for you, even if the job isn't.

If you do decide this is the right path I definitely recommend Janet's course.

Make Money With An Online Business


If you have a passion for something, like the outdoors or being creative (just as examples) 🙂 you can earn a good income by building a business around your passion. 

By following a simple and effective plan, you can use the internet to leverage your efforts and get paid multiple times for doing something once. It's the strategy I use and share here.

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The views, information and opinions expressed in the blog comments are solely those of the individuals involved  and do not necessarily represent those of Gig Hustlers, its owners, employees, or writers. Gig Hustlers is not responsible for, nor does it verify the content provided by individual commenters.

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17 thoughts on “What Is Transcribe Anywhere About? Is It a Scam? [Full Review]”

  1. I am extremely disappointed with Transcribe Anywhere. I am frustrated more than not. I work full-time and have dedicated hours to learning the information. All I have done so far is sit and read – no real instruction. I had to purchase a program and headphones (more money). I would NOT recommend Transcribe Anywhere to anyone.

    Reply
  2. They definitely offer a service/product HOWEVER not for people who live in California. There is a block here in the state for transcriptions work. I’ve looked into several companies and due to my location, they can’t hire. I spent $700 on this program and can’t even utilize it. No you can’t get your money back, I wouldn’t ask for it anyways, cause the product was offered. The final is shit, the first half will not tell you which questions you get wrong so you go in circles to figure it out. If you email the aids, they give bullshit responses. DONT DO IT! Find another home alternative.

    Reply
  3. I have been looking into transcription for years as I’ve been a stay at home mom. Its always been at the back of my mind for something I could do to earn more income to help out. I feel much more informed about the career after reading this. Thank you for your honest review of this company in particular since its the one I’ve been looking into the most.

    Reply
  4. I’ve been looking into this as well. I’m worried about my speed. I’m not slow but definitely not fast! I’m just wondering if it’s the right kind of work for me. Not looking to make lots of money. Just something to keep my mind in shape after a 20byear career in teaching.

    Reply
  5. Thanks for your extensive research into this. I have also been contemplating this program for months as I am an English native speaking person but living outside of the USA. Is this open to foreigners living overseas? Thank you.

    Reply
    • Hi Trudy, that’s a great question. There are no restrictions to the course that I am aware of (to be on the safe side though before signing up you can send them a quick message HERE). 🙂

      Reply
  6. Would I make more money as a legal or general transcriptionist? I figure if you can do legal you most likely can do general. Would it be more beneficial to invest in the legal because you would be making more money per hour?

    Reply
    • Hi Rebecca, definitely the more specialized your skills the higher rate you can demand. More jobs will be available to you as well. As far as whether you should invest in the legal transcription, it would just depend on your personal situation. Generally speaking it would be more beneficial but each person’s time and financial situation is different 🙂

      Reply
  7. I used to be a legal secretary/transcriptionist before computers were ever used. I am intimidated with the “tech of it all” having never learned anything past doing e-mails and other limited documents on a computer. I am also hesitant to purchase the Transcribe Anywhere course after you stated that… “in the not-to distant future the same technology that powers devices like Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa will get very good at transcription. It could be two-years away, or ten… but eventually it’ll happen.” Maybe I just need to “go for it” and hope for the best that Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa will take years (yet) to “figure” transcribing out. Thank you for the extensive information. I am turning 62 years old in August, 2019 so I hope to either commit to this now or try some other way to catch up with retirement funds. We are not doing the best with saving money after my husband lost countless jobs through the years.
    Thanking you again for all the great information.

    Sincerely,

    Denise

    Reply
    • Hi Denise, happy to help. I think this is something we need to be concerned about in many industries. I was reading an article recently that anesthesiologists will likely be replaced by artificial intelligence in the next 10 years, and of course autonomous driving is another area where jobs may be lost. It’s so hard to predict what’s coming and how long it’ll take but we can’t let uncertainty stop us from moving forward and learning new skills. What we can do though is stay informed and on the lookout for changes in our industries. Try to position ourselves to pivot in a new direction if we have to and be flexible to change. But I think there is always value in having a variety of skills and being able to combine them in unique ways. We don’t always know what that unique combination will be or where it’ll take us, but it’s better to have a diverse set of skills than to not have them.

      I guess what I’m trying to say in a much clunkier and complicated way 🙂 , is what Steve Jobs said during a speech at Stanford…

      “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”

      Thanks for sharing your insight Denise and for reading,
      Jay

      Reply
  8. I, too, have been considering this course for a while now. I believe you have helped me make up my mind. I keep going back to her website, trying to get more information and figuring out how to pay for the course. But now I believe I will just do it. Thanks so much for the review.

    Reply
    • Hi Janet, that’s awesome. Starting something new is never easy. Of course you must consider the cost but doing something for your future and developing new skills is always good in my opinion. Sometimes you don’t know where those skills will take you and quite often it’s in a direction you never imagined, but that’s when opportunity and preparation meet.

      Thanks for reading and for you kind words as well 🙂
      Jay

      Reply
  9. I really enjoyed reading your review. I have been looking into this for several months now and I believe you may have just made my mind up for me. Thank you

    Reply
    • Hi Seleina, I’m glad my review was able to provide some additional insight. Thanks for stopping by and reading 🙂

      Jay

      Reply