Going Back To Corporate America Was The Best Decision I Ever Made — 'Being Your Own Boss Isn't All Sunshine And Rainbows'
What you don’t see about being your own boss from the outside.
Maridav | Canva Life is about trial and error. If you’ve made a mistake, it’s never too late to admit failure, embrace the lessons and move on. This was my realization about self-employment.
It took me 4 years to understand that having a business may sound glamorous, but for me, it was just a fantasy. I didn’t enjoy being a business owner.
So, I leaped and returned to corporate life — and it turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made.
Alex Ost / Shutterstock
My multiple failures
A few years ago, I was all in on being my own boss. I was stuck and desperately wanted to get out of the rat race. I consumed countless podcasts about side hustles and making money, each promising freedom and financial independence.
Back then, Amazon FBA — a form of e-commerce — was the talk of the town. I felt like I had to try it. I failed miserably.
I spent thousands on courses, masterclasses, and endless exchanges with suppliers over product samples and logos, the list goes on. I hadn’t even started selling yet. After over 6 months of developing a product, I gave up. It was too hard.
Next, I turned to real estate — that’s where the money was, right?
There was no money upfront; all I had to do was research and learn how to pitch to the rich to fund my project. Then, I’d use their money to flip the properties and earn a commission. It made sense. The rich don’t have time, so I’d offer mine (sourcing properties and managing renovations) in exchange for a cut.
The problem was, I didn’t know what I was doing. I had no idea how to source a good property, let alone where to find wealthy investors. After months of effort and nearly 5-figures spent on courses and tools, I walked away.
What you don’t see about being your own boss from the outside
Through trial and error, I finally found my calling — I’ve always enjoyed DIY, so I decided to start making clothes. I listed a few pieces online, and to my surprise, they sold out within an hour. It felt promising, so I ran with the idea.
Handmade products ticked all the boxes as the startup costs were low and a great way to test the market. Over the next few years, I made a name for myself in the industry, sold tens of thousands of products, and built a six-figure business.
On paper, it looked like I had made it. But behind the scenes, I was:
- Constantly stressed about when the next sale would come.
- Unable to commit to family or social events because I was always working.
- Lonely, because no one cares about your business as much as you do. I had no one to talk to.
My mental health suffered. I wasn’t happy. I started to question why I was doing what I was doing. I had to convince myself: Keep going, Sarina, you love this life. You have freedom. Your life is amazing.
But deep down, I knew the truth: I didn’t want to be self-employed anymore.
I wanted to be in a work environment where I could collaborate and bounce ideas off others. I wanted to stop worrying about my next sale and have financial stability. I wanted to reclaim my social life so I wouldn’t end up dying alone and no one would show up at my funeral.
Returning to corporate life
Yuri A / Shutterstock
I made the hard decision to close my business, move back to Australia, and return to corporate life. It wasn’t easy.
Four years of self-employment left a “gap” on my resume. But one great thing I learned about building a business is resilience. I was ready to embrace rejection as part of the process. I shifted my mindset and focused on the present. Things happen for a reason, and I tried to reframe the narrative.
With this new mindset, I accepted a one-month contract. That one month turned into 2, then 6. Before I knew it, I had been working consistently since moving back to corporate. And I’ve been happier than ever.
I now have a balance. I’ve made friends at work and enjoy bouncing off ideas. I get excited to work on new projects and learn new systems on a much larger scale. I’ve reconnected with friends, enjoyed brunches and festivals, and soaked up sunny days at the beach. I’ve also restructured my investments, gaining more confidence in my financial future.
A friend recently told me, “Your life in Australia is so colorful.” It wasn’t the country. It was my mindset.
What I learned about self-employment
In a world where everyone glorifies self-employment, I’m here to offer a different perspective. Life isn’t linear. You may have gone on a bit of a detour and felt like you hit a dead end, wondering how to find your way out. You didn’t want to feel like a failure and hear your friends or family say, “See, I told ya.”
But it’s okay to admit that self-employment isn’t for you. There’s no shame in going back to a corporate job after running your own business. Life is about experimentation. What matters is taking what you’ve learned and applying it to your next chapter.
Who knows? This time, with the newfound knowledge and realization about yourself, you might fall in love with your job.
Sarina Chiu works in HR by day and writes part-time to explore her creativity. She shares insights on investing, side hustles, and empowering single, middle-aged women to live fulfilling, independent lives. Her work appears on Medium, and she runs a Substack publication focused on achieving financial independence as a late starter.