At 49, I quit my lucrative tech job in Texas for a quieter, happier life in Tuscany. I lost 42 pounds in the process.

Tech Insider : Business
A woman in a red halter-neck dress, wearing sunglasses in Italy.
Angie Smith left the rat race in Texas for Tuscany in the fall of 2023.

Courtesy of Angie Smith

At 48, I left my teaching job in Virginia and moved to Italy. Now I run a business with my husband in Tuscany.

Tech Insider : Travel, Business
A woman wearing a pink apron.
After 25 years of teaching kindergarten, Linda Meyer was ready for a change and moved to Tuscany.

Provided by Linda Meyer

I'm a 6-time surrogate who wasn't fulfilled in my finance career. I quit to start a surrogacy agency and make more money now.

Tech Insider : Business, Economy, Environment
head shot of a woman in a New York sweatshirt and red glasses
Angela Richardson-Mook.

Courtesy of Angela Richardson-Mook

I spent decades in a stressful job that paid $30,000. At 53, I left to become a mailman and nearly tripled my salary.

Tech Insider : Business, Sports
A man wearing glasses against a background of photos on the wall.
Jim Lexa quit journalism after 30 years and now works as a mailman, earning over twice his previous salary.

Courtesy of Jim Lexa

I ran a successful brick-and-mortar business for decades. I shut it down in my 50s to reinvent myself and my career.

Tech Insider : Business
Susan Teresa posing
The author ran a photography studio.

Courtesy of Susan Teresa

An MBB consultant-turned-mountaineer says she saw more gender bias in the outdoors than in corporate America

Tech Insider : Business, Environment
Sunny Stroeer sitting on a rock in the mountains.
Sunny Stroeer said she uses the skills she developed in consulting both as an athlete and a business owner.

Sunny Stroeer

I can't drink alcohol, but my husband can. It sparked a business idea.

Tech Insider : Business
A man and a woman posing in front of a colorful mosaic.
Natalie Chiu and her husband, Charlie started a sparkling tea business.

Provided by Natalie Chiu

For some Gen Z consultants, the hottest new exit opportunity is TikTok

Tech Insider : Business, Economy
Joe Fenti; Kelly He-Sun; Jack Kim
Some young consultants are leaving the industry are turning towards content creation instead of the traditional exit opportunities.

Courtesy of Joe Fenti; Courtesy of Kelly He-Sun; Courtesy of Jack Kim

When my job started feeling like being with a bad boyfriend, I knew I had to quit

Tech Insider : Business
Lisa Fail
Lisa Fail decided to take a career break after experiencing a "bad boyfriend" moment with her relationship to work.

Courtesy of Lisa Fail

A mom of twin toddlers left her six-figure Google job to bet on herself: 'I thought about the story I wanted to tell my kids.'

Tech Insider : Economy, Business
Taylor M. LaSane
Taylor M. LaSane

Taylor M. LaSane

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