My experience of moving from a corporate job to start my own business!

Leaving a corporate job to start your own business is certainly a significant life decision, one that many people contemplate but few actually pursue. My journey from working at Amazon to co-founding PAWD DRINKS with my best friend Rory has certainly been a huge change for me. I’d like to share the story of why I made this leap, what the past nine months have been like, and how I see the future unfolding.

After just over 4 years at both Amazon and BT, I found myself at a crossroads. I enjoyed the structure and security that corporate life offered, as well as working with so many fun and motivated colleagues, but I felt an increasing desire to challenge myself and step out of my comfort zone. The timing felt right—I don’t have the responsibilities of a family, kids, or a mortgage weighing on me. The idea of starting a business with Rory was too exciting to ignore. It felt like a ‘risk’ I needed to take in my 20’s, or else I may never take it again. From a pessimistic point of view, I viewed it as ‘if it doesn’t work out, I would have learnt significantly more, grown as a ‘professional’ and hopefully had some fun with Rory along the way. However, obviously the main excitement was the potential of building PAWD!

Being part of a corporate company is great in so many ways. What you need to do each day/week is crystal clear, you can picture your 1, 5, 10-year plan if you were to work hard and stay in the company, you work with so many talented people on a daily basis, and of course there are some financial benefits too. However, the launch of PAWD has taught me so much about what actually motivates me. At PAWD, I love not knowing what I am going to be doing the next day, let alone the next week/month/year. I feel more motivated than ever before so much so that Sunday scaries has turned into 'I can't wait for this week'. We have no idea what the next week is going to look like, and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

In a corporate environment, there’s a clear structure, abundant resources, and a safety net that allows you to focus on your role without worrying too much about the big picture. In contrast, running a startup is like being thrown into the deep end—you have to learn to swim quickly or sink. Every decision matters, and there’s no one to fall back on but yourself and your co-founder. The freedom to shape our business, PAWD DRINKS, from the ground up has been incredibly enjoyable, but it also comes with a level of uncertainty that I never faced in my corporate roles.

Reflecting on the last nine months since I left Amazon, I can confidently say that I have loved every second of this journey. Working with Rory has only strengthened our friendship, and I’ve learned more in this short period than I did over four years in corporate jobs. The learning curve has been steep, but the growth—both personally and professionally—has been incredible. My network has expanded significantly, and for the first time in my career, work doesn’t feel like work. Instead, it’s a genuine passion that I’m excited about every single day.

The variety of work you do in a startup can certainly be daunting. You can be creating a TikTok video one second, and then learning about microbiology lab results the next, but what we have found is that we have to continuously be open to learning and it is okay not to be the expert. ‘Fail fast, learn quick’ has been used frequently over the past 9 months. However, what we have realised is how collaborative the start-up world is. Despite people working for different companies, and often people we have never met before, the start-up world is a world of ‘givers’ where everyone is on their own, tough, long journey. Rory and I have been overwhelmed with how helpful everyone is, and we like to think that as we grow, we can give more and more to other entrepreneurs in the future.

One of the biggest factors in this success has been having Rory as my co-founder. I have the utmost respect for anyone who sets up a business solo because I honestly don’t think I could have done it alone. Rory and I bounce ideas off of each other, celebrate the small wins together, and, perhaps most importantly, pick each other up on bad days. The journey of entrepreneurship is full of highs and lows, and having someone by your side who understands the challenges and shares the same vision is invaluable.

Of course, this path hasn’t been without its challenges. One of the downsides of being so passionate about what I do is that it’s very hard to switch off mentally. The excitement of building something new means that my mind is always racing with ideas, making it difficult to truly relax. Weekends often involve work, which no doubt impacts my work-life balance. Financially, the shift has been significant—I’m earning much less than I did at Amazon, which requires careful management, especially when I see my friends advancing in their corporate careers and enjoying the financial rewards that come with it (yes, I was jealous of everyone at Glastonbury this year!). Additionally, I’ve become much more cautious about how I spend my free time—particularly when it comes to drinking, as hangovers are far less tolerable when you’re running a startup.

Looking ahead, I’m optimistic but realistic about what the future holds. My goal is to continue loving PAWD DRINKS as much as I do now, even as the business inevitably faces highs and lows. Recently, I’ve been dealing with a broken foot, which has prevented me from exercising and has noticeably affected my energy levels. Once recovered, I know I need to prioritise fitness, not only for my health but also because I have a spot in the 2025 London Marathon where I plan to set a challenging time goal (watch this space…).

Leaving a corporate company to start a business has been a decision I haven’t regretted once. There are certainly challenges, but that makes the successes all the more fulfilling. Therefore, my one piece of advice is if you are thinking about making the leap to start a business of your own, DO IT!

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