Taking risks when you’re not a risk taker: My journey from corporate job to full time creator

In June 2021, I quit my corporate job in investment management to pursue my true passion- teaching financial literacy to young adults. I teach at colleges and employee resource groups, as well as on my TikTok account @thefirstgenmentor. My big leap has been featured on major publications like The New York Times, Mitu, and Fast Company.?

Over these last few months I’ve gotten a lot of messages from people who tell me they’re inspired by my story and applaud me for my brave decision.?

But what people don’t know is that I’m not a natural risk taker. I’ve never done anything like this before! I went to college because that’s what you’re “supposed to do”. I got a stable corporate job with benefits. I was responsible and paid off my student debt. My first car was a Toyota Corolla because of their well known reliability. Quitting stability to pursue the unknown was the biggest risk I’ve taken in my life. It felt like closing my eyes and diving off a large cliff and hoping for the best.?

I don’t like risk. As a matter of fact, I hate it! I hate uncertainty. These are some strategies I used to overcome that fear:

Have a financial cushion- Money is one of the biggest reasons people are scared to take risks in their career. And it’s valid! Money matters. For me, I was concerned I wouldn’t be able to earn enough money in my new career to cover my basic living expenses (spoiler alert- I did and then some!) As a financial educator, I know personal finance is personal, which means that we all have different needs. What works for one won’t necessarily work for the next person. Some people will be okay with having 3 months of their expenses socked away. Other people like me need months and months of savings. I had 14 months of my living expenses saved in cash when I resigned from my job and it still felt very risky for me. Calculate what that magic number is for you and prioritize those savings. Knowing that you have some cash to cover you through times of uncertainty is very empowering.

Build your network- Before resigning I attended several career fairs to get a pulse of the job market. I needed to know that if I failed and had to return to my corporate job, my skill set would be in demand and that I’d be able to work again. I met with several recruiters at major corporations who were excited to learn about me and the value I could bring to their organization. This was a green light for me and a big ego boost. I highly recommend it!

Lean on community- Even though I had the financial means and the skillset to make a career transition, I was still very uneasy about this decision. I’m fortunate that I was able to get emotional support from those close to me. My partner and best friend were very encouraging. They both told me I had everything I needed within me to succeed. However, be cautious of who you seek out for support. My dad was not supportive of my decision to resign. He didn’t understand why I’d gone to college and had spent 10 years building a career to quit it all. I understand my dad’s point of view. His life was very different from mine. He was an immigrant in a new country working in a minimum wage job to help feed his family. He didn’t have the privilege to quit his job to pursue something more fulfilling. I did and I wanted to make sure to honor that. I’m happy to report that my dad has come around and often cheers me on as “mi hija la chingona” whenever I share a new win with him. ?Te quiero mucho papá!?

If you’re at a fork in your road, I hope my journey has been inspiring to you. Risks and growth will always feel a little bit uncomfortable, and that’s okay! Take a bet on yourself. As someone who is on the other side of it, I can share there’s a lot of satisfaction in quitting a job you like, to pursue a job you love.