In one of my jobs early in my career, I shared with my manager at the time my career ambitions and goals. She told me that she used to be as ambitious as I was. She became a director at 32 and after some life transitions, she stopped chasing “girl boss” status and let go of her previous goal of becoming a VP.

And I remember saying to myself, “why would she lose ambition and stop pursuing her goals?”

Fast forward a few years and I completely understand what she meant and where she was coming from.

After a decade of major life and career transitions of my own, I focused on healing (which is a non-linear, ongoing journey). And the more I heal, the less ambitious I am for the things I was conditioned to want and work towards.

And that includes climbing the corporate ladder.

When I was still in corporate, I knew I would eventually work for myself in some capacity. I had no interest in working in a leadership role for someone else. A corporate job was simply a predictable paycheck, a means to an end.

I also thought that I would have more control over my exit.

For many entrepreneurs, their business became a lifeline. I always thought I would have been earning 6 figures or more in business consistently before pursuing it full-time. But that wasn’t my reality.

As a woman of faith, I do believe that we’re sometimes removed from situations that aren’t good for us, and that removal usually happens when we’re not “ready” for it. 

I also believe that everything we experience can be used for our good. I don’t know if everything has a “reason”, but everything works together in the end.

By the time I left corporate, I was emotionally drained, physically unwell, and deeply disillusioned. I knew I was outgrowing my role, but I didn’t expect to be pushed out before I could leave on my own terms. I also didn’t realize how much support — emotional, financial, and strategic — I’d need to navigate the transition.

I didn’t grow up around entrepreneurs. I grew up valuing formal education and was told that I needed to have a “title”. I even worked with a career advisor in the past who told me there was no reason why I shouldn't be working for a large, well-known company.

I knew how to play the corporate game and ultimately chose to stop playing. But I didn’t know much about owning and operating a business, especially solo.

Yes, skills from working in corporate absolutely transfer to business, but it’s not the same until you’re calling all, and I do mean all, of the shots.

There’s a big difference between knowing you need to leave and successfully planning for what comes next. And if you're like I was – high-achieving, self-reliant, and used to holding it all together – you might not realize you’re skipping over the most important pieces of the transition.

These are the three mistakes that cost me the most time, energy, and momentum during my corporate exit.