I got divorced and lost my job at the height of my success. After moving back in with my mom, I regained my self-worth.

Tech Insider
a headshot of a woman in front of a brown wall
Ayan Said.

Stacey Poterson

I quit my dream job at Goldman Sachs to care for my mother. I felt bad for myself but realized the simple things are what truly matter.

Tech Insider
Cassindy Chao standing at the airport.
Cassindy Chao (pictured above) says she chose family over money and she's richer because of it.

Courtesy of Cassindy Chao

I was laid off at 57. I've been rejected from hundreds of jobs — even after knocking $50K off my salary expectations.

Tech Insider
A computer on a desk
Donna Kopman said she experienced ageism in her job search.

iStock

I was a director at Goldman Sachs and quit to work in crypto. People questioned me, but I wanted to build something great.

Tech Insider : Crypto
Photo collage featuring bitcoins, money, and a Boom And Bust Cycle graph
Hong Yea quit his director role because he felt like working for a company was limiting his dreams.

Getty Images; Alyssa Powell/BI

I was fired from my accounting job and had to give up my apartment and sleep on my friend's floor. Now, I make $500,000 a year as a YouTuber.

Tech Insider
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Quentin Latham.

Courtesy of Funky Dineva LLC

I cold-emailed Mark Cuban and a Meta exec, and they both responded. Here's how I worded it.

Tech Insider
Meta logo with a blurred out cold email behind it

Meta, Tyler Le/BI

I struggled to find a job after college, so I changed my name on my résumé and landed one almost immediately

Tech Insider
Mukhtar Kadiri
Kadiri said he now embraces his name and identity.

Mukhtar Kadiri; Rebecca Zisser/BI

I was an airline pilot for 11 years. The Singapore Airlines incident shows why you should always wear your seatbelt.

Tech Insider
Emma Henderson.
Emma Henderson worked as a pilot for Easyjet from 2009 to 2020.

Emma Henderson.

I deleted Gmail and Slack from my phone. I wanted to do better as a parent — but it's also been surprisingly great for my work.

Tech Insider
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Cafiero now replies to work messages using her deskptop.

Rebecca Zisser/BI

I made $600,000 last year from my online business. Skipping college paid off — I'm the first in my family to own a home.

Tech Insider
headshot of a man with a gray background
Oliur Rahman is a YouTuber and he sells products online.

Courtesy of Oliur Rahman

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