Why I Quit Corporate

It’s a milestone day for me; today marks 6 years since my last official day in the corporate world. After more than fifteen years in the financial industry and (most of which were spent dreaming about not being there), I had finally pulled the cord; resigning in January of that year and staying a few additional months to transition.

I remember the day well - I turned in my badge, skipped/walked to the water, looked out over the Hudson river and took a deep breath. Since that day, it’s been an adventurous ride, not what I expected, and I must say I’m a much better person for it.

With the amount of people looking to make the jump today, also the many who made the jump and are thinking about going back, I thought I’d share my story - of why I left, what I’ve learned and why I’d consider going back to the office, cubicle, and hallway world of bad free coffee and awkward “waiting for elevator” smirk/smiles.

Why I Left Corporate

I always say I hated corporate - which isn’t exactly accurate. At the time, I couldn’t put my finger on exactly what I disliked about it, but ultimately I had no drive or desire to do more than what was required. I could call it lack of passion or purpose or whatever, and blame the work and culture, but ultimately (I know now) that wasn’t the true, underlying issue.

I did good work - but stopped when the work was done. In an Office Space kind of way, I didn’t think I had any incentive to go beyond the minimum expected. Leadership respected me and saw more in me than I did myself, but the idea of creating work and driving something bigger than myself forward just never occurred to me.

It sounds ridiculous, but I didn’t know *how* to work in a corporate setting. Yes, I was professional, my work was pristine, and I did what was expected of me. But when we talk about purpose, passion, etc. - it wasn’t there, and that’s what brings me to what I’ve learned.

What I’ve Learned

First and foremost - I learned that my issues with corporate were my own doing. I had more control over my work product and satisfaction than I allowed myself. It was easier to point fingers at culture or bosses or lack of feedback for reasons as to why I wasn’t getting to where I wanted to go. All of those are red herrings - we ultimately control our own development and next steps.

Many entrepreneurs will tell you that the passion, drive and more that they were looking for doesn’t necessarily come from the product that they deliver - it comes from the creation of something and the risk and reward that comes from it. And that’s my big learning after running Bellwether for six years. Our work isn’t our passion; the creation of work and ideas is what gets us going.

I speak with many clients today about the “go-getters” rushing back into the office. I attribute their desire for office social interaction to this desire to create; an entrepreneurial mindset and psychology that does wonders in a corporate environment. We all ultimately want to create something that we can own and be proud of. That can be done inside a company or outside - where it is will be up to you.

Why I Could Go Back

I could see myself potentially going back to corporate in some way if the role was interesting enough; I have a different perspective today. From accountability to efficacy - there is a merging of personal capability with business goals and culture that needs to happen. And we, as individuals, have more control over that than many of us give ourselves credit for.

Recognizing this entrepreneurial aspect to navigating a corporation is a bit of a game changer for my clients. Especially today, with the discussion on culture, hybrid work and going back into the office - it’s the people who understand this bigger picture who are making significant strides in embracing it and making it their own. Yes, flexibility has its place, but ultimately there is a larger picture than ourselves, and one we need to explore and make an impact on.