In 2018, I launched my startup and chased the dream.
It eventually flopped. Spectacularly.
I remember juggling two massive roles at the same time.
A strategy career at ๐ฉ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ด๐ถ๐ป ๐๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐ฎ.
And a startup Iโd founded: ๐ฅ๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐๐ถ๐ป๐๐.
To my friends, I looked unstoppable.
But hereโs what it really meant:
๐จ No social life. Zero downtime.
๐จ Every night and weekend at my desk.
๐จ Sleepless nights juggling every time zone.
๐จ All my savings drained. Seed funds dwindling.
๐จ Stress skyrocketing and adrenaline; my only friend.
It was exhilarating in a way - until it wasnโt.
I hit a breaking point.
Something had to give.
I had two choices:
1๏ธโฃ Go all in on the startup dream, or
2๏ธโฃ Stay in strategy consulting a career I truly loved.
The startup had potential. Investors were ready.
But the risk? Massive.
The hours? Gruelling.
The outcome? Uncertain at best.
Meanwhile, strategy consulting was secure and fulfilling.
I was thriving. I wasnโt ready to let it go.
So, I made the tough call.
๐ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐๐ฝ.
Though I felt I'd made the right choice.
I still felt like a completely failure.
.
.
.
Looking back, it really was a great decision.
Because I've only flourished since then.
I doubled down on my strategy career,
Which also led me to doing something quite different.
๐๐๐ถ๐น๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฎ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐น '๐๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฟ'
As a non-executive director for several private companies.
Hereโs what I learned:
๐ก Itโs not a side gig - itโs a career enhancer.
๐ก Itโs safe but incredibly lucrative.
๐ก It boosts your income, leadership, and credibility.
I used to think Boards were for the C-suite.
Or for people twice my age.
But since 2018, Iโve landed 7 board roles.
And Iโm still under 35.
Itโs changed my life.
Financially. Professionally. Personally.
I get to contribute to industries I love.
While building on my core strategy career.
If youโre burning out, hereโs my advice:
๐ง๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ธ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ด๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ.
You donโt need to hustle yourself into the ground.
There are other ways to do better in life.
Start by asking yourself:
โก What kind of career do I really want?
โก How can I build wealth without sacrificing my wellbeing?
โก What legacy do I want to leave behind?
For me, Board roles were the answer.
Theyโve brought balance, impact, and financial security.
For you, it could be something completely different.
And trust me it's out there waiting for you.
It eventually flopped. Spectacularly.
I remember juggling two massive roles at the same time.
A strategy career at ๐ฉ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ด๐ถ๐ป ๐๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐ฎ.
And a startup Iโd founded: ๐ฅ๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐๐ถ๐ป๐๐.
To my friends, I looked unstoppable.
But hereโs what it really meant:
๐จ No social life. Zero downtime.
๐จ Every night and weekend at my desk.
๐จ Sleepless nights juggling every time zone.
๐จ All my savings drained. Seed funds dwindling.
๐จ Stress skyrocketing and adrenaline; my only friend.
It was exhilarating in a way - until it wasnโt.
I hit a breaking point.
Something had to give.
I had two choices:
1๏ธโฃ Go all in on the startup dream, or
2๏ธโฃ Stay in strategy consulting a career I truly loved.
The startup had potential. Investors were ready.
But the risk? Massive.
The hours? Gruelling.
The outcome? Uncertain at best.
Meanwhile, strategy consulting was secure and fulfilling.
I was thriving. I wasnโt ready to let it go.
So, I made the tough call.
๐ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐๐ฝ.
Though I felt I'd made the right choice.
I still felt like a completely failure.
.
.
.
Looking back, it really was a great decision.
Because I've only flourished since then.
I doubled down on my strategy career,
Which also led me to doing something quite different.
๐๐๐ถ๐น๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฎ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐น '๐๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฟ'
As a non-executive director for several private companies.
Hereโs what I learned:
๐ก Itโs not a side gig - itโs a career enhancer.
๐ก Itโs safe but incredibly lucrative.
๐ก It boosts your income, leadership, and credibility.
I used to think Boards were for the C-suite.
Or for people twice my age.
But since 2018, Iโve landed 7 board roles.
And Iโm still under 35.
Itโs changed my life.
Financially. Professionally. Personally.
I get to contribute to industries I love.
While building on my core strategy career.
If youโre burning out, hereโs my advice:
๐ง๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ธ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ด๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ.
You donโt need to hustle yourself into the ground.
There are other ways to do better in life.
Start by asking yourself:
โก What kind of career do I really want?
โก How can I build wealth without sacrificing my wellbeing?
โก What legacy do I want to leave behind?
For me, Board roles were the answer.
Theyโve brought balance, impact, and financial security.
For you, it could be something completely different.
And trust me it's out there waiting for you.
