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Marisela Cerda
Marisela Cerda received a buyout offer from Microsoft, where she's worked since college.
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Molly Sims
Molly Sims.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Molly Sims, a model, actor, founder of YSE Beauty, and host of the podcast "Lipstick on the Rim." Sims lives in Los Angeles. This story has been edited for length and clarity.

I grew up in Murray, Kentucky — very western-middle America. I started modeling when I was 21.

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A female spider researcher in her lab.
Jillian Kurovski was adopted from South Korea as a baby and grew up in the Midwest.
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Dominique Alexander
Dominique Alexander has spent years searching for stable work after working at Microsoft and Coca-Cola.
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Anand Ramanathan is standing in front of the ocean, wearing a blue jacket with the NASA logo on it.
Ramanathan said his Ph.D taught him to value skepticism and verification.
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A woman before and after a facelift.
Carolyn Rudolph in clinic pictures before and after her facelift.
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Evan O'Dowd headshot
Evan O'Dowd left his job to join the family business.
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Photo of Carmen P with Salary Journeys frame treatment

Carmen P is a 29-year-old living in New York City. Business Insider has verified her income and employment history with documentation. The following as-told-to essay has been edited for length and clarity.

I'm a VP of product strategy and development at a multi-national bank and make $155,000 a year.

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A woman in a black long-sleeved top and jeans leaning against a wall.
Ruth Barry and her husband moved to California to be close to his family, then decided to go back to Germany.
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Amrisha Agarwal and her daughter Lavenia.
Amrisha Agarwal moved to Rishikesh with her daughter, Lavenia, to escape the rat race of city life.