If you asked me 5 years ago whether I would leave corporate…
I would have said no without even thinking.
I liked the stability.
The consistent paycheck.
The “clear” path — work hard, get promoted, slowly climb.
It felt safe. Predictable.
Like life was… planned.
But in 2025, something shifted.
Not loudly.
Not dramatically.
Just a quiet but very certain feeling:
“I think I’m done.”
Walking into real estate was one of the scariest decisions I’ve made.
I’ve never been in sales.
I don’t know how to hard sell.
I don’t have “that kind” of personality.
In fact, I was quite sure I wasn’t made for this line.
And yet, I chose to start over.
After 8 years of building something in corporate.
A lot of people around me were concerned.
“Are you sure?”
“Why would you give up stability?”
“What if it doesn’t work out?”
To be honest… I was asking myself the same questions.
Fast forward to today —
I’m a realtor.
And also, a barista.
On paper, it sounds like freedom.
Flexible time.
No boss.
“Own time, own target.”
But the reality?
It’s a different kind of responsibility.
When a client calls, I answer.
When something goes wrong, I handle it immediately.
There’s no such thing as “I’ll do it tomorrow.”
And real estate… it’s far from easy money.
There are rules, regulations, timelines, financial calculations.
Every step matters.
Because one small mistake
can cost someone hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Losing a license is one thing.
But what weighs heavier is this:
The fear of letting your client down
when they trusted you with one of the biggest decisions of their life.
So… do I regret leaving corporate?
No.
Not even on the difficult days.
Because I’ve grown in ways I never expected.
I’ve spoken to people from all walks of life.
Listened to their stories.
Learnt things about adulthood, money, relationships, and decisions
that no job scope could ever teach me.
And then there are the moments I didn’t expect.
Like becoming a barista at Genista Ln.
Standing behind the counter, making coffee…
and somehow becoming someone people look for.
“Eh, where’s Rachel today?”
Customers sharing about their lives.
Some becoming friends.
Some even asking, “Want to travel together?”
It made me realise something.
Self-employment isn’t just about making money.
Or having freedom.
It’s about building a life that feels like yours.
Yes, it’s scary.
Yes, it’s uncertain.
But it also forces you to grow.
To take ownership.
To really understand what you want out of life.
These days, my time is my own.
Which also means —
what I do with it is fully my responsibility.
It’s not an easy path.
But it’s one I’m grateful I chose.
Life is short.
You only live once.
Do what you want.
Do what makes you happy.
Just… make sure you know what you’re stepping into hehe ☕
