How Quitting My Job at Google to Start My Own Business Was Inspirational

How Quitting My Job at Google to Start My Own Business Was Inspirational
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What was it like to leave Google to start ThirdLove? originally appeared on Quora - the knowledge sharing network where compelling questions are answered by people with unique insights.

Answer by Heidi Zak, Co-Founder of ThirdLove, on Quora.

What was it like to leave Google to start ThirdLove?

The scariest part: The scariest thing about leaving Google was the fact that I gave up a good gig, and a salary. I was reporting to the VP of Americas marketing, working on some really interesting projects and I loved my co-workers (one of my closest friends still today is someone I met in my first week of Google). Leaving a well-paying job to bootstrap a company, with no income coming in, is scary. It took me months of discussion and contemplation before actually taking the plunge to start ThirdLove.

The most exciting part: When you're about to start a company, the world is rosy. We had a clear idea of what we were going to do and how fun starting a company would be. Then, reality hit... very quickly. Working out of a small apartment with my husband and no employees, no real product and just an idea was going to be much harder than we thought. The excitement dissipates a bit when you realize what you really have gotten into. No more Google, no more organic lunches, chair massages to break up the day, cheery co-workers to grab a drink with after work. Just you, your co-founder and a big idea.

The most inspirational part: One thing that Google taught me that I will always be thankful for is to embrace change. Prior to Google I had worked for bigger, more traditional companies where day to day things just kind of moved along (Bank of America, McKinsey, Aeropostale). Within just a few months at Google, there was a re-org and my role completely changed. That change gave me the opportunity to work with new people across the company and take on more responsibility. I learned at Google to look forward to change, and to recognize that it creates opportunity. And that, at the core, allowed me to have the confidence to make the jump to starting a company.

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