Confessions of Corporate Girl

Hey Good Sis,

How y’all doing today? I hope you’re doing well. I’m back with another one, and whew — this one’s a hard one. Honestly, it feels like the battle of my adult life. And while I’ve put up a good fight, ya girl is ready to tap out. What have I been fighting, you ask? This bitch named Corporate America. dramatic pause + blank stare I hate her. Sure, she’s offered some benefits, but the battles you have to fight along the way? Whew. Nothing is given — everything is earned.

Now, here’s the thing: as much as I loathe the 9-to-5 grind, I can’t lie — it’s given me conveniences I don’t know how to get elsewhere. Healthcare. PTO. Paid maternity leave. Tuition reimbursement. Opportunities and connections. I can’t say it’d be easy to get those things as a solopreneur. And truthfully, I’ve learned a lot. Soft skills, people skills, knowing how to read a room. I’ve mastered the “per my last email” (the nice-nasty way of saying “you got me fucked up”). I’ve learned when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em when higher-ups are just being assholes. And I’ve learned the difference between being bossy and being a leader. So yeah, I’ve gained tangible skills that I know will carry me forward.

But the anxiety, fear, panic, feelings of inadequacy, and the psychological warfare? Sometimes unbearable. It’s a vicious cycle of good bosses and bad ones, layoffs and restructuring, new SOPs and org charts. One moment you’re the expert, the next somebody’s trying to knock you down a peg. The last straw for me is realizing my earning potential sits in someone else’s hands. I can’t — and won’t — accept that. No matter how hard you work, if it’s not in the budget or leadership doesn’t deem you “worthy,” it won’t happen. “No one man should have all that power.” Word to Kanye.

Now hear me out: I know entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone. Some people love the stability. It can be useful for a season, or even a lifetime. But me? I’m over it. It’s daunting trying to job search. Don’t get me started on LinkedIn — it’s like the Hunger Games. And honestly, sometimes I feel like I’m just looking for the same situation I’m already in.

While I won’t just quit abruptly, I am taking baby steps to build a life that leads me to full-time entrepreneurship. I need something else to pour into so this job doesn’t feel so suffocating. Maybe it’s a side-hustle. Maybe it’s turning a hobby into a business. I don’t know yet. But I do know this: I’m setting the intention to become a lucrative entrepreneur and finally break free from the cycle of that heifer called Corporate America. Y’all pray for me, LOL.

Alright good people, that’s all I got — ain’t got no mo’. Let me know in the comments how y’all are navigating these Corporate America streets, or how you launched into entrepreneurship. Your girl needs some help!

Don’t go quitting these jobs all willy-nilly — we still got bills to pay and things to buy. But in the meantime, be safe out there, and take the damn PTO.

Ciao 😘

-S.C.R.