Three years into running my own business, I’ve had countless conversations with friends, former colleagues, and curious onlookers asking what it’s really like to leave corporate and go solo. In this episode, I’m sharing the most important lessons I’ve learned during my transition from corporate leader to self-employed entrepreneur.

This isn’t a step-by-step guide or advice disguised as expertise. It’s simply my lived experience—what I’ve had to unlearn, the surprising truths about building a solo business, and what I wish more people understood before taking the leap.

We talk about why the 40-hour workweek doesn’t translate, how managing your energy is more important than managing your time, and why the concepts of “success” and “failure” just don’t apply the same way when you work for yourself. I share what it means to build a business that fits your brain, why community matters more than ever, and how perfectionism can stall your progress.

Whether you’re dreaming of leaving your job, already testing the waters, or building something of your own, I hope this episode offers support, clarity, and some much-needed honesty about what it takes to work your way.

Resources:

• Episode 11. Should I quit my job? | Career Questions
• Episode 16. Independent work or self-employment: Is it right for me? | Career Questions
• Episode 50. Behind the Scenes of Working Your Way | Celebrating One Year

Connect with me:

• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• selfatwork.com

Produced by NOVA