In my twenties, I became fascinated by the stock market and the idea that you could make extra income through investing. I started tracking individual stocks by hand, recording price movements on a piece of paper (yes, this was before apps made it easy). I devoured everything I could about personal finance, but instead of following that passion, I found myself in a 20-year career in the packaged goods industry.
I didn’t plan it that way. After a temp assignment turned into a full-time offer, I stayed. I eventually worked my way into a sales role after realizing the salesmen (and yes, they were all men) were having way more fun—and making way more money—than I was. Somehow, I convinced the sales manager to give me a shot, and for the next two decades, for various companies, I sold everything from spaghetti sauce to toilet paper, peanut butter to honey.
But as I hit that 20-year mark, I realized I was bored and frustrated. I was bored selling processed foods and frustrated by the everyday humiliations that come with being a woman in a male-dominated corporate environment. One example: During lunch with the President of one of the companies I worked for, he asked me why I wore dresses, not pantsuits. Then, he shushed me, claiming I was talking too loud. Another time, a male colleague said I dressed like a wealthy man’s mistress! (For the record, I enjoy high-quality, fashionable clothes back then, often from Loehmann’s or sales at me. Magnin. What can I say, style matters.)
I finally decided to quit that career and pivot to follow my passion for finance. No more corporations or chains of command. I wanted to build something of my own, and I did. Twenty years later, after plenty of ups and downs, I can say with confidence that starting my own business was the best decision I ever made.
Recently, I was talking to a friend who's about to retire. I asked her if she was excited, and her answer surprised me. “No,” she said. “I’m just done.” She’s spent her whole career working for a large HMO, and instead of feeling proud of her work, she feels disillusioned and empty. It made me so sad. I didn’t know what to say, so I just listened. But it also made me incredibly thankful that, all those years ago, I found the courage to follow my dream.