Asking out of curiosity. one of my friends at masters union went from edtech → gaming (yep 😭). everyone thought it was a terrible idea at the time, but now they’re doing pretty well raising money and all. Feels like i’ve seen a lot of similar pivots around me, especially with MBA folks, consulting to creator economy, fintech to gaming, ops to growth, etc. what’s the most unexpected career switch you’ve seen that actually worked out?
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My mom studied microbiology and worked in a lab when we were kids. Now she's a website editor.
From Job to Entrepreneurship itself is the major career pivot as whatever domain idea you choose to build with the skill you had in job, that domain is your new shift.
My career pivot was unorthodox, though I stayed in a similar niche.
I was a bank manager for 20 years. In my mid-40s, I got sick of working in the corporate world - bad bosses, long commute, no flexibility, high-pressure job, so I taught myself how to build a website by watching YouTube, and I started an anonymous personal finance blog. (Anonymous, so my bosses at the bank wouldn't find out about it.)
Anyways, four years later, I was making more money writing about money on my laptop at home than I was at my 9-5 (about $120k). So, in 2022, I quit my job and walked away - age 46, married, 3 kids, single income.
Three years later, I'm averaging around $20k/month as a financial content creator and online coach... my wife and I have a 100% remote lifestyle, we travel quite a bit (I work from coffee shops or the hotel).
If you had told me a few years ago that I would walk away from the corporate world in my mid-40s, I would have called you crazy. I had resigned myself to being stuck in an office until I was 60+.
I still pinch myself every day.
Thats beautiful, Canada has extra barriers to making money through short form financial content but I sometimes want to do something along those lines. 24 right now in Capital Markets and it is so misaligned with who I am as a person. Wish i could make less money and work less, or do something more aligned with educating people financially or helping them. I dont have the vaguest idea which direction to pivot to. Feels overwhelming commiting yourself to things at this age as possibilities rapidly close themselves off with age.
I'm Canadian. : )
It takes a lot of work, but you can absolutely do it. You actually hit the nail on the head in your comment, "... or do something more aligned with educating people financially or helping them".
That's precisely what you need to focus on. Helping people solve a specific pain point.
I'll use my coaching business as an example. I figured out a roadmap that allowed me to escape the 9-5 in mid-career. After I left, I realized that thousands of people are feeling just as stuck as I was, but they have no clue how to start something of their own and create their own path out of the corporate world.
So, I just started helping people assess their skills, brainstorm ideas, and build their own roadmaps to escape the 9-5. A plan they could follow, customized to their abilities and experience. And it turned into a coaching business. I cannot tell you how many people want help with this. I book around 10 calls/month on Reddit alone.
You're young, you work in Capital Markets? You've clearly got marketable skills that you can use to build something that fits your desired lifestyle. Let me know if you have any questions, always happy to help!
Hey! Thank you very much for your reply, thats crazy, if youre willing I will send you a DM more about my specific situation, as a lost young man I am happy to take input LOL would love to hear your thoughts
Absolutely! Just heading out to a family Christmas thing, but I'll check it out later and reply!
Your story is incredibly inspiring. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you!
Someone I know went from mechanical engineering into community building. No startup hype angle, just organizing small paid workshops around a niche they cared about. It sounded random at first, but the skills translated better than people expected. Systems thinking, documentation, patience. The pivot worked because they didn’t treat it like a total reinvention, more like reapplying the same strengths in a quieter lane.
got a buddy who was a banker now owns a bunch of food truck, his finance experience actually really helped him run the business
Someone I know went from mechanical engineering into community building. No startup hype angle, just organizing small paid workshops around a niche they cared about. It sounded random at first, but the skills translated better than people expected. Systems thinking, documentation, patience. The pivot worked because they didn’t treat it like a total reinvention, more like reapplying the same strengths in a quieter lane.
Whats masters union? Is this an engagement farming post? Moderators pls take a look. Masters union is high PR machine. Look up who the founder is
I went from forensic accounting to working in mold & asbestos abatements. Then 4 years ago I left the abatement side and started an inspection company, still in mold and asbestos. My State requires an inspector as phase 1 to every job.
One of my clients went from being a pharmaceutical sales rep to architect. That one seemed pretty wild to me when I heard it.
I was a mechanic before finishing college and being a history teacher. I then taught myself to code and ended up working as a developer before transitioning in a dba which is what I’m currently doing. It’s been a heck of a ride.
Broke to starting a business and making money. It’s very hard to bootstrap so I command everyone who is doing it.
Anything that pivoted to Crypto