The decision that opened the door to everything that came next.

𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐚 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫.

𝐔𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬.

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐲? 𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐈 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞.

Like a lot of people early in their careers, I followed the playbook:

- Good grades

- Internships

- Working through school

- A job that looked great on paper

It seemed like the right next step.

Creative and analytical.

Based in Manhattan.

Close to home.

I jumped in, ready to prove myself.

But things didn’t click.

- I asked too many questions

and was told I was being difficult.

- I offered to take on more

and was told I was overstepping.

- I made one mistake on a business trip

and was labeled irresponsible.

Could I have stayed and tried to turn it around?

Sure.

But I left.

And that decision opened the door to everything that came next.

I found the right job.

Stronger friends and mentors.

Real traction.

That experience shaped how I think about work and leadership.

𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠.

𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐨.

And that’s especially true for business owners.

Most of the people I work with today

lead consumer product companies.

Some built the business.

Others inherited or bought it.

All of them are carrying a lot:

Responsibility for the team

Pride in the brand

Pressure to keep growing

Uncertainty about what’s next

Eventually, the same two questions surface:

➡ 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞?

Do I have the time, energy, and clarity to take that step?

➡ 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬?

Can it keep running without me?

Should it grow, merge, or wind down?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer.

But the decision should be intentional.

𝐈𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮?

If not, let’s talk.

You deserve to make the next move on your terms, not because someone else forces your hand.