The 9 Things I Did to Quit My Job Become an Entrepreneur - When I Grow Up

The 9 Things I Did to Quit My Job Become an Entrepreneur - When I Grow Up It was 2007. I was an Account Manager for a startup-ish company (read: cool downtown office, lots of young people, OK to wear your pajamas to work) that seemed like the perfect match on paper. Unfortunately, it came with a verbally abusive boss that left me psychosomatic. My breaking point was having to run off a rush hour train to dry heave into a trash can at one of the busiest NYC subway platforms…and feeling fine once I knew I couldn’t go into work that day. Talk about a wake-up call! At 29 years old, I was desperate to find a “grown up” job that would give me the benefits I wanted while being something that was also enjoyable. With my BFA in musical theater from NYU, I spent my whole life until that point chasing after work that I loved. While I no longer wanted to make acting my career, it was unacceptable for me to spend the next 36 years of my working life in a job I didn’t find fulfilling. As much as I wanted to resist it, it became evident that being an entrepreneur fit into my lifestyle goals in a way that being an employee just couldn’t. I realized that I wanted to become the coach I couldn’t findâ€"one that would help other creative types discover their dream career. It took me two years and seven months to get certified and build my business up enough to be comfortable making the leap, but I was able to give notice in March 2010 to become The When I Grow Up Coach full-time. I’ve never come close to having to put my Plan B into motion, and I’m now making more money and feeling more authentic in my day-to-day than I ever have before. Click here to read about the 9 things I did to make it happen over on General Assembly.