A tool frequently utilized in presentations at offices and schools has the potential to become a money-making machine if done correctly. One graphic designer has transformed creating PowerPoints into a thriving full-time career.
What Happened: Thanks to an investment in ChatGPT parent OpenAI by Microsoft Corporation MSFT, PowerPoint could be among the Microsoft Office tools to get an upgrade thanks to artificial intelligence.
Microsoft announced earlier this year that OpenAI’s artificial intelligence tools could be better integrated into Microsoft Office apps like Word, PowerPoint and Outlook. This could be good news or bad news for 33-year-old Courtney Allen.
Allen turned a graphic design degree and a passion for creating presentations using PowerPoint into a full-time job that generates millions.
Allen said that her senior portfolio at Boise State University was done with “all PowerPoint,” something that was criticized by the class, as reported by CNBC.
“What sort of job are you going to get just doing PowerPoints for a living?” Allen recalls being asked by the class.
Allen traveled the world after graduating from college and worked as a contractor for various companies, making PowerPoint presentations.
In 2015, Allen grabbed work through the marketplace Upwork UPWK, offering her services to those who needed presentations.
Allen said the first few months on Upwork were slow.
“It’s hard to break in when you don’t have any reviews or experience on the platform.”
After working on numerous projects through Upwork, Allen created her company 16X9 in May 2017.
Through her own company and contract work, Allen has made over $2 million from creating PowerPoint presentations. This includes working for major clients like Cisco, Adobe and Yelp.
After years of working 80 hours per week, Allen has also taken a step back in the hours-worked department, thanks in large part to the success over the years and a steady stream of clients.
“That’s when I decided I needed to start bringing in contractors.”
Allen has since brought on a team of people, including those she worked with on previous projects.
The entrepreneur is now working around 25 to 30 hours a week.
Related Link: We Learned It In Elementary School But This Entrepreneur Makes $2M A year Teaching It On TikTok
What’s Next: After years of success working with PowerPoint, Allen and her co-workers have expanded to include presentations for companies using platforms like Keynote and Google Slides as well.
The company counts companies like Bloomberg and Microsoft as clients.
“70% of our clients are long-term,” Allen says.
Allen mentioned that another area of interest for her is developing educational content on crafting presentations using PowerPoint and other similar tools.
“We’ve gotten a lot of requests for training.”
A new company called "What the Deck" that will offer educational material is expected to launch in the future.
For more stories like this, check out stories of success from entrepreneurs and investors as part of Benzinga Inspire.
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