Entrepreneurship Ain’t for Everyone

What to do when the 9-5 bores you, freelancing burns you out, and starting a business doesn’t excite you either.

I don’t want to work. There, I said it. But if anyone asks, I like to say that I’m a corporate girl with a rebel spirit.

I also don’t have it in me to be an entrepreneur. I’ve tried my hand at consulting a few times, but couldn’t handle feeling like I was at my client’s disposal. Fractional work sounds cute in theory, but in practice, I don’t have the mental capacity to rally behind someone else’s dream when mine feels half-formed. Most days, I’m like a stubborn five-year-old when it comes to committing to work or a project—if I’m not passionate about it, I lose interest… immediately.

I love strategy. I thrive in ambiguity. I can untangle complex problems as if it were second nature. But the execution? I’ll leave that to someone else. Freelancing was a happy medium, but even that brings its headaches—namely, stability. And as for Corporate? I’ve mastered the game, but the monotony is draining. The motions are predictable, the politics are stale, and the climb feels less like ambition and more like obligation. I even taught at the collegiate level for several years, which scratched an itch but is very time-consuming. There’s still a burning desire to do something else…something that’s aligned, fulfilling, and financially rewarding.

But in my case, Entrepreneurship ain’t it. So now what?

Let’s Stop Romanticizing the Grind Culture

Somewhere along the way, “liberation” got rebranded as owning an LLC and building a personal brand. And while that’s great for some, it’s not the only way to feel free, fulfilled, or in control of your life.

Entrepreneurship demands a rare cocktail of risk tolerance, patience, obsession, discipline, and capital—not just money, but time, energy, and the capacity to fail loudly & often. If that doesn’t light you up, guess what? You’re not broken. You’re just built for something different.

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Here’s Some Alternate Paths to Career Freedom (That Don’t Involve a Startup)

1. Freelancing with Boundaries
   You can sell your skills without selling your soul. The key is clarity: What kind of clients do you not work with? What kind of projects drain you? What systems help you automate the chaos? Building a freelance practice that supports you takes more than a good portfolio; it takes knowing your limits.

2. Teaching, Mentoring, or Speaking
   Sometimes the joy isn’t in building the thing - it’s in guiding others as they do. Whether at universities, on panels, mentorship, or via private coaching, sharing your expertise can be energizing, scalable, and deeply impactful. Some of the best years of my life were spent in the classroom leading others. I want more.

3. Creative Sabbaticals or Project-Based Work
   Taking time off to pursue a passion project or short-term contract can provide both space and income. You’re not quitting…you’re recalibrating. Maybe it’s a few months of travel, writing, designing, or experimenting in a new field entirely. Life is a series of pivots; it’s ok to take that leap for once.

4. Becoming an Intrapreneur
   Innovation doesn’t have to mean independence. Some of the best creators, builders, and disruptors do so within organizations, leading new initiatives, launching internal products, or driving transformation. You get the thrill of the new, without the weight of running the show solo.

5. Portfolio Careers
   Why choose one path when you can blend several? You might teach part-time, consult on select projects, and contribute to a startup — all in a way that aligns with your capacity and energy. This approach creates variety without complete instability. I’ve been traditionally known as a Marketing Generalist, someone who thrives at the intersection of strategy, storytelling, and execution. But in the next chapter of my life, I’m redefining that label. I’m curating a portfolio of work that reflects my range, not my restraint… choosing companies & projects that energize me, not just roles that define me.

What You Really Want… Is Alignment

At the core of this career restlessness isn’t laziness or confusion - it’s a desire for alignment. You want work that honors your creativity, respects your time, challenges your brain, and supports your lifestyle. You want to feel seen, paid, and excited, at least most of the time.

And maybe, just maybe, you don’t want to work in the way society has framed it. That’s not a problem to fix. That’s a compass to follow. Stay encouraged.