Why I Left a Tech Career Amid a Global Pandemic
I graduated from college on the cusp of the Great Recession in 2008. Any peers who found themselves in the same position remember the lack of options we faced:
Either go back to graduate school and pursue your passion OR take any job and hold onto it for dear life.
Due to academic burnout and fear of falling into debt during a recession, I took the first job I could find. With little experience and no career path in mind, I put my energy into working hard. I dipped my toes in the legal industry and then spent a few years in finance—which happened to align with my degree. But I felt like I was wandering without a purpose. I hadn’t found my mission. I didn’t feel anchored to a career.
Like many, I discovered clarity through a period of hardship. I found myself a divorced, young single mom without financial support. I needed to be successful on my own—for the sake of my toddler—and fast.
I quickly realized that the fastest-growing companies leveraged technology to disrupt an industry. If I was going to be successful, I had to become a technologist and learn quickly. I felt I was behind before I even began.
I didn’t let my insecurities stand in the way of progress. I did what I knew best: worked hard. I was the poster child for “dependable employee” year after year. I showed up, worked hard, cared, learned, and grew. Wash, rinse, and repeat—for a decade. Providing for my daughter gave me a sense of fulfillment for a time. I remained debt-free and had disposable income.
I’d climbed several levels of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and began to desire self-actualization.
A Call to Thrive
There came a time when the external measures of success no longer gave me a sense of internal fulfillment. My daughter’s needs were met. My own, on the other hand, were not.
My passion was never a specific product or technology. What drives me is the intersection between technology and people that allows for better customer experiences. Turning on automation to give companies time back to focus on the core of their business is an extraordinary moment. When people are empowered to invent creative ways to connect with their clients and then validate their tactics with data, they can achieve something exceptional.
If I can invest in the success of others—my clients, team, friends, and family—people around me will grow. I want the opportunity to make an impact.
In the corporate world, I struggled to build the culture I wanted. I desire to foster hard work and flexibility, create a supportive environment for families, nurture creativity, and reward contribution over social connections. No matter how hard I tried, I met resistance at every turn—rewarding good work should be the norm.
It’s not.
After trying (and failing) to create an environment that nurtures creativity and productivity in tech, I realized starting my own business would allow me to build a culture from the ground up. I’d no longer be fighting an established mentality.
It’s time for me to take a risk and help others grow. I founded DRYVE on these principals.
Why now?
There is never a great time to “take the entrepreneurial leap.” Perfect timing doesn’t exist. You either make the best of what you’re given, or you give up.
Predictably, the feedback I’ve received on making this change now has been less than supportive. Most tell me I’m “brave” [i.e., stupid] to quit my stable job during a global pandemic.
But when I look at my calling in life, I can tell you there has never been a better time.
Businesses are hurting and looking for ways to serve customers digitally. Customer behavior has changed—maybe for good. Now is the time to adapt if your business is going to make it long term.
Over the past decade, I’ve run business units aimed at growing businesses online. These skillsets are in high demand, and my community needs them.
Introducing DRYVE
DRYVE Consulting is a boutique digital consultancy composed of creative, entrepreneurial thinkers and diligent marketers. We help brands tell stories that sell products and services online.
Our philosophy removes the traditional barriers to successful digital marketing. We believe a deep understanding of your business, customers, products, and industry is critical to delivering insights that expose market opportunity. By leveraging technology, we create a holistic and differentiated experience for your customers and prospects that fuel growth and increase customer engagement.
Our mission is to help businesses thrive by effectively serving their customers digitally.
My rockstar team embraces the same generous and genuine motivation to help others and our community. I am so grateful I made this change when I did. I’ve never felt more confident about the importance of a robust digital strategy. It’s what will help keep businesses and the community around me alive.
We have the DRYVE to make a difference.