I quit my first corporate job at 19. Everyone called me crazy, but starting young helped me find my values.

Fri, 08/30/2024 - 06:59

Lily Wu worked at Stripe in Taiwan — Lily Wu said quitting her first corporate job at 19 helped her test her career and discover her values.
Courtesy of Lily Wu

Lily Wu is a 30-year-old Australian entrepreneur who started her career in accounting at just 18.
She quit her first corporate job after a year and said everyone called her crazy.
But she said it helped her test her career and discover her work values.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Lily Wu, a 30-year-old entrepreneur who quit her first corporate role at age 19 and spent a decade working in the startup ecosystem in various roles. She now works for a digital marketing agency.

The following has been edited for length and clarity.

I joined the accounting firm BDO at age 18, and it was just everything that did not suit my personality. I am a very artistic and creative person, and accounting is not.