Going back to corporate doesn't mean you failed
On the first Monday of the year, Tonya Rapley, a finance influencer, shared on Threads that it was her first day in corporate since 2013. She's not the only one. For six months, I've seen a few announcements that some of your favorite entrepreneurs are returning to a traditional corporate job. Seeing a few women boldly share that they were returning to corporate America and the women were met with congratulations and support made me smile.
This season is a stark contrast to 2015, which I consider the height of the Girl Boss era. In 2020, the Great Resignation happened, and millions of women left corporate America at record numbers. This corporate mass exit was in response to the lack of workplace equity, inclusion and belonging. It was also when Black women became the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs. For Black women, taking that leap into entrepreneurship would be met with Fortune 100 companies pledging money and support to grow Black businesses in response to a newfound "racial awakening." Overnight founder incubators, programs and funds popped up to help provide mentorship, tools, access and sometimes capital to help Black entrepreneurs and creators scale.
But today, that golden era has come to an end, and by Q4 of 2024, many people online observed that a few of their favorite Black women entrepreneurs had announced that they now had traditional 9-to-5s. It left a community of followers wondering what was happening with Black women's businesses and speculating that those women didn't have what it takes to succeed in business.
I'm here to tell you that returning to corporate life after spending time as a full-time entrepreneur doesn't mean you failed.
I returned to corporate America in the summer of 2020 after two years as a full-time entrepreneur. My return to corporate life had nothing to do with failing at business and everything to do with concerns about my health and affording healthcare during a global health crisis.
I never wanted to be a full-time entrepreneur, but I was forced into it after a layoff. I didn't feel ready, but I made the best of it and was starting to find my stride until the pandemic canceled all my business plans/partnerships for that year. I'll never forget how supportive my friends were when I decided to return to corporate. One even said, "You deserve ease."
Everyone was talking about the exit, but no one was discussing the quiet return that many were making. The pandemic affected every business and forced many people to close, but there were a few women who decided to make a pivot for a few reasons:
To grow their skills by having access to systems and tools within a corporate setting
Missing collaborative work with a team
To be a change agent within their industry
Explore other passions
Ease of a consistent paycheck
As the world was shutting down, some welcomed the ease, while others were ready to explore the grind of entrepreneurship. Today, the women who have been entrepreneurs since the Great Resignation are up against an economy and national and state governments making decisions that can impact their businesses and livelihoods. With the economy hitting small business owners hard and corporations ending the DEI and supplier programs and grants created in 2020, you'll see many of your favorite women founders pivot. You'll see a pivot in services, a bolder presence online, and a shift in priorities. Whatever their decision, I hope you meet them with love and support.
If you are a woman at a crossroads, the last thing you need to worry about is what social media thinks. Whatever you decide has to be the best decision for you.
We all have to do what's best for ourselves and our families, and sometimes, turning a business into a side hustle or taking a hiatus as a founder is what it takes to be in a better financial situation and mental space to enter your next chapter.