I left a stable corporate career 2 years ago. Here's what nobody told me was coming.

I'm one month away from two years out of corporate and I'm still here, still building, and finally ready to talk about what these two years have actually taught me. Three things shifted my thinking completely. First, I had to stop seeing myself as an employee and start seeing myself as an asset because in a small business, you are the reason money comes in or it doesn't. The corporate system runs without you. Your own business doesn't. Second, knowing your customer isn't enough. I run a consultancy with two contrasting service lines (technical work and education), and figuring out how to speak to completely different audiences without losing your focus is an underrated challenge. Third, the experience paradox is real. You can't get contracts without proof of work, and you can't get proof of work without contracts. Same catch-22 as entry level jobs that require experience. My answer has been visibility via volunteering, showing up, and putting my work in front of people before they have a reason to pay for it. The last two years haven't been easy. But I'd choose this over corporate every single time.