I cried the day I signed on at the largest healthcare company in the nation. I had sworn to myself that I would never work a 9 to 5; that somehow I could earn a good living on my own as a writer and publicist, even pursue my lifelong passion of acting. Though I didn’t live on the west coast or New York, I did live in Nashville, Tennessee where opportunities seemed to be growing with the rebirth of country music. Going to work for a large corporation fueled my fears that I had given up my dreams.  

That was almost 12 years ago. I had 2 small sons and bills to pay. Like many, I needed the steady income and benefits. I had just worked my way through school, finally earning a degree in communications. For a while, I was able to survive with a temporary agency, picking and choosing where I wanted to work while seizing creative freelance opportunities wherever possible.  Eventually, my efforts led to a full time position in Corporate America. Admittedly, I was one of the lucky ones. If I had to settle for a “regular” job, at least I landed one with supervisors who recognized my talents and created opportunities for me to use them.

That’s not to say that I exactly skedaddled up the corporate ladder. I was a bit of an anomaly…..a creative soul in a very conservative traditional structured organization….and in the south, no less. Translation….I was an assertive, goal oriented woman mired deeply within the good ole boy network. Not exactly a recipe for success.

Frankly, I’m sure that most executives through the years didn’t exactly know what to think of me, but I was promoted a couple of times in spite of their confusion. After nearly 12 years, I had been given amazing opportunities to write, produce, and voice corporate videos, book national speakers and entertainers and serve as set director for our corporate general sessions at our annual conventions. In my last year, I was even promoted to my dream job as associate managing editor of our corporate magazine. Not bad for a 9 – 5.

So why did I leave? Why did I choose to say goodbye to a good salary when our economy is at an all time low? Why would I walk away from a sure thing?