Key facts
- Heigi Jeong left a product design role in tech, earning $173,000 annually, to pursue self-employment.
- Jeong's decision was motivated by a desire to dedicate time to content creation and a book deal.
- Meredith Whitely left a corporate job in her late 30s to explore a passion for chocolate.
- Whitely's transition involved taking redundancy and several years of part-time work and skill-building.
- Whitely's current business combines chocolate creation with meditation.
Workers are increasingly opting to leave stable, well-compensated corporate careers to pursue self-employment, a path that offers potential rewards but also significant challenges. Heigi Jeong, who previously earned $173,000 annually as a product designer in the tech industry, decided to quit her job not due to burnout, but to dedicate more time to her side ventures in content creation and a recently signed book deal. She noted that while her corporate role offered a good work-life balance and financial security, she felt compelled to prioritize her creative pursuits.
Meredith Whitely also transitioned from corporate life, taking a redundancy offer in 2015 to follow her passion for chocolate. She described her corporate job as good, with a healthy salary, but felt like a "small cog in the machine" and desired more control and a role that made a difference. Whitely's journey into self-employment was not immediate; it took several years of part-time roles, freelance work, and skill-building before she felt confident enough to launch her current business, which combines chocolate making with meditation.