I founded a company in Singapore in my 20s. Then I realized it was the perfect time in my life to walk away — so I did.

Wed, 01/31/2024 - 23:06

Young girl peeking out of camping tent and smiling — Cheah Wenqi, 28, ran a media company with her cofounders for seven years before a career break.
Feline Lim and Cheah Wenqi

Cheah Wenqi cofounded a media company with three university classmates.
After seven years, Cheah left the company because of burnout.
She is on a career break and plans to travel for a year and a half.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Cheah Wenqi, the 28-year-old cofounder of a Singapore-based media company. This essay has been edited for length and clarity. Business Insider has verified her employment history.

I was in my third year at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore when I cofounded a media company with three friends.