{"id":420256,"date":"2022-03-23T00:04:41","date_gmt":"2022-03-22T21:04:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/these-workers-quit-their-corporate-jobs-for-creative-gigs\/"},"modified":"2022-03-23T00:04:41","modified_gmt":"2022-03-22T21:04:41","slug":"these-workers-quit-their-corporate-jobs-for-creative-gigs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/these-workers-quit-their-corporate-jobs-for-creative-gigs\/","title":{"rendered":"#These workers quit their corporate jobs for creative gigs"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a39b7b3badde\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a39b7b3badde\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/these-workers-quit-their-corporate-jobs-for-creative-gigs\/#%E2%80%9CThese_workers_quit_their_corporate_jobs_for_creative_gigs%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;These workers quit their corporate jobs for creative gigs&#8221;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/these-workers-quit-their-corporate-jobs-for-creative-gigs\/#JOANNE_HALLARE_LEE\" >JOANNE HALLARE LEE<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/these-workers-quit-their-corporate-jobs-for-creative-gigs\/#BENJAMIN_GILLESPIE\" >BENJAMIN GILLESPIE<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/these-workers-quit-their-corporate-jobs-for-creative-gigs\/#PATRICIA_BENNER\" >PATRICIA BENNER<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/these-workers-quit-their-corporate-jobs-for-creative-gigs\/#COURTNEY_MCLEOD\" >COURTNEY MCLEOD<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/these-workers-quit-their-corporate-jobs-for-creative-gigs\/#NICK_GEIMER\" >NICK GEIMER<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CThese_workers_quit_their_corporate_jobs_for_creative_gigs%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;These workers quit their corporate jobs for creative gigs&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<p>Ever dreamed of ditching cubicle life \u2014 or even your laptop-chained WFH \u2014 for a creative career, but always assumed it was impossible? <\/p>\n<p>Think again. These five former white-collar workers all said goodbye to their corporate gigs and have successfully reinvented themselves as creative powerhouses, in everything from lighting to landscape gardening.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/joanne-hallare-lee.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1024\" alt=\"Joanne Hallare Lee\" class=\"wp-image-20052909\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/joanne-hallare-lee.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/joanne-hallare-lee.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/joanne-hallare-lee.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Amour and Lace Photography; Courtesy of Dowel Furniture<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"JOANNE_HALLARE_LEE\"><\/span><strong>JOANNE HALLARE LEE<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>HOME BASE: <\/strong>NYC + South Orange, NJ<br \/><strong>THEN: <\/strong>Tax manager at a financial services company<br \/><strong>NOW: <\/strong>Co-founder, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.DowelFurnitureCompany.com\">Dowel furniture<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>WHY SHE MADE THE LEAP: <\/strong>\u201cI once came home at 3 a.m., used my face wash as toothpaste, slept for three hours and crawled back to work. I had a few co-workers who had cots for sleeping under their desks. It was a very intense environment that didn\u2019t feel sustainable.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Hallare Lee credits her natural impulsiveness for the decision to quit her corporate gig six years ago and start a custom furniture company with her brother Ray. They produce pieces starting at $600 at the family\u2019s factory in Manila, often working with interiors icons like Josh Greene on capsule collections. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs a recovering perfectionist, I only recently realized that what really fuels this perfectionism is the constant fear of failure and having my best not be good enough,\u201d she says. \u201cIn the creative field, you just keep going and you don\u2019t let rejection cripple you into stopping. But I still do our own company\u2019s taxes because I enjoy it.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/benjamin-gillespie.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1024\" alt=\"Benjamin Gillespie\" class=\"wp-image-20053213\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/benjamin-gillespie.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/benjamin-gillespie.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/benjamin-gillespie.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Courtesy of Benjamin Gillespie<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"BENJAMIN_GILLESPIE\"><\/span><strong>BENJAMIN GILLESPIE<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>HOME BASE: <\/strong>Philadelphia<br \/><strong>THEN: <\/strong>IP law attorney<br \/><strong>NOW: <\/strong>Lighting designer, sculptor and founder, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.Ovuud.com\">OVUUD<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>WHY HE MADE THE LEAP: <\/strong>\u201cI will never miss billing hours. Even during my busiest months at the studio, nothing comes close to the constant pressure of having to meet your billable requirement.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Gillespie loved working with madcap inventors in his old gig, but hated the corporate grind. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI spent almost all of my free time working on lighting and furniture designs, and even<strong> <\/strong>in law school, a third of my apartment was storage for tools that I would use in my limited free time to work on design projects,\u201d he says. \u201cI realized it didn\u2019t have to be a hobby.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>He took a chance on making his day-to-day less humdrum, sw<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>ing patents for planes and saws, developing his own lighting range which starts at $2,200 \u2014 and never looked back. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWorking at a [law] firm was extremely hectic; it was also fairly predictable. Tons of work, but nothing too out of the ordinary. This gave me a natural high.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/patricia-benner.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1024\" alt=\"Patricia Benner\" class=\"wp-image-20053265\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/patricia-benner.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/patricia-benner.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/patricia-benner.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Stephen Busken <\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"PATRICIA_BENNER\"><\/span><strong>PATRICIA BENNER<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>HOME BASE: <\/strong>Los Angeles<br \/><strong>THEN:<\/strong> Management consultant, Ernst &amp; Young<br \/><strong>NOW:<\/strong> Landscape architect, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.Benner-Design.com\">Benner Landscape Design<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>WHY SHE MADE THE LEAP: \u201c<\/strong>When I bought my first house in Los Angeles, my mother gave me a landscape plan for the house. As soon as I started implementing it, I caught the bug.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Even though her mom had been a landscape designer, Benner went to business school almost by default and tended her own garden only off-duty. After getting pregnant with her first child she took the plunge to pursue her passion. She logged a stint with a well-known landscape architect before setting up her own shop in 1999. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI have a natural sensitivity to the changing of seasons,\u201d Benner says. \u201cAnd I knew right away I had made the right decision because it felt so natural to be doing what I was doing.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Now she\u2019s an in-demand alfresco expert across California, where she\u2019s based, and the entire country.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/courtney-mcleod.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1024\" alt=\"Courtney McLeod\" class=\"wp-image-20052851\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/courtney-mcleod.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/courtney-mcleod.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/courtney-mcleod.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">John Neitzel<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"COURTNEY_MCLEOD\"><\/span><strong>COURTNEY MCLEOD<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>HOME BASE: <\/strong>NYC<br \/><strong>THEN: <\/strong>Head of portfolio management, real estate investment fund<br \/><strong>NOW: <\/strong>Owner and interior designer, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.RightMeetsLeftDesign.com\">Right Meets Left Interior Design<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>WHY SHE MADE THE LEAP: <\/strong>\u201cI wasn\u2019t feeling fulfilled in my \u2018dream\u2019 job, and then my father became ill. He did get better, but it was really a moment of pause where I realized life is too short and I wasn\u2019t happy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>McLeod called her firm Right Meets Left as a nod to her unusual background combining creative and business savvy. She scored her first client after downsizing her own apartment to cut overhead after leaving that office job. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI took a step out of character for myself and quit with no plan,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n<p>That new home was intended as a calling card, but first she had to sell some furniture from her old, larger home that no longer fit; a woman who came to buy some chairs turned into her first paid gig, and kickstarted her new career. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWorking in finance, your sense of self can get really wrapped in a fancy title and large paycheck,\u201d she admits. \u201cIn the first year, most of my projects were very small budgets. I had to swallow my pride and recognize these jobs as the learning opportunities they were.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/nick-geimer.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1024\" alt=\"Nick Geimer\" class=\"wp-image-20053140\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/nick-geimer.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/nick-geimer.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/nick-geimer.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Ngala Trading; Courtesy of Nick Geimer<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"NICK_GEIMER\"><\/span><strong>NICK GEIMER<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>HOME BASE: <\/strong>NYC<br \/><strong>THEN: <\/strong>Chief procurement officer, Standard Bank, Johannesburg, South Africa<br \/><strong>NOW: <\/strong>Co-founder of African home goods company <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.NgalaTrading.com\">Ngala Trading Co<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>WHY HE MADE THE LEAP: <\/strong>\u201cI loved the scale of the problem-solving required to succeed at a global bank, but hated the amount of politicking and back-stabbing that was prevalent \u2014 maybe required \u2014 at more senior levels.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Geimer banked degrees from Princeton and London School of Economics en route to the C-suite. But he loved helping his husband Lawson with home renos, and it sparked a sense there was a life he\u2019d enjoy beyond international finance. <\/p>\n<p>So, he combined his African connections with his design savvy to found Ngala, which is based in Hudson Yards and known for its chic yet ethical pieces, including signature leather chandeliers. It was quite an adjustment to go from having a PA on call and a team of 350, to sitting across the table from Lawson brainstorming what to do. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019d say, \u2018Someone should contact that editor and arrange an introductory meeting,\u2019 and my husband would say, \u2018That someone is you.&#8217;\u201d\n                        <\/p><\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News<\/a> articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2022\/03\/22\/these-workers-quit-their-corporate-jobs-for-creative-gigs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;These workers quit their corporate jobs for creative gigs&#8221; Ever dreamed of ditching cubicle life \u2014 or even your laptop-chained WFH \u2014 for a creative career, but always assumed it was impossible? Think again. These five former white-collar workers all said goodbye to their corporate gigs and have successfully reinvented themselves as creative powerhouses, in&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":420257,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/wall-street-creatives.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=1024","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[70897],"tags":[74865,127057,70815,127099,71914],"class_list":["post-420256","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-job","tag-3-22-22","tag-alexa","tag-career-comeback","tag-careers"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/420256","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=420256"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/420256\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/420257"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=420256"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=420256"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=420256"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}