Woman quits dream job to start her own company, shares roadblocks she encountered along the way; 'Parents asked, 'Have you lost your mind?'

Leaving something that is stable, and comfortable is never easy, yet some things need to be left behind, for a bigger purpose. Meenal Goel, Founder & Educator, having formerly worked with Deloitte, KPMG, recently took to her Linkedin profile to reveal that she quit her ₹28L/year job in 2023 to start her own company. And while initially the road was tough, and she is still very much a 'work in progress', she is glad she took the plunge.

In her post, she wrote,

"I quit my ₹28L/year job to start my own company!

March 2023. I sent the resignation email.

6 years of financial consulting.
Stable career. Great salary.

I was walking away from all of it.

My parents: "Have you lost your mind?"
My friends: "Wait 2 more years. Save more."
My manager: "You're making a mistake."

But I knew if I didn't do this now, I'd regret it forever.

The first 6 months were brutal:
→ Savings dropped from ₹12L to ₹4L
→ Zero revenue for 5 months
→ Constant self-doubt at 3 AM


Month 3: First paying freelance gig with Unacademy.

₹25,000 contract. I cried.
Not because of the money.
But because someone believed.

Fast forward to now, still very much a work in progress.

→ ₹5 Lakhs MRR
→ A team of 5 people
→ Some good months, some slow ones

Here's what I learned:

You'll never feel "ready."
You'll never have "enough" savings.

The best time to start was yesterday.
The second best time is today.

My consulting friends are getting promotions and bonuses.
I'm building something that could be worth ₹100Cr one day.
And I own 100% of it.

Quitting wasn't easy.
But staying would've been harder.

Would you quit your stable job to build something of your own?"

The community reacts
Most of the comments on Meenal's post were largely positive, as people applauded her for being brave. One user said, "That ₹25,000 first cheque moment is real entrepreneurship. Validation matters more than revenue early on. Congratulations on pushing through the silent months, ", while another added, "There is a famous saying: 'The three most harmful addictions are heroin, carbohydrates, and a monthly salary. You broke the third one. And that is the hardest part. Most people don't fear failure; they fear the loss of predictability. Watching your savings drop from ₹12L to ₹4L is terrifying, but as you said, the pain of 'what if' is far heavier than the pain of 'what now. You di'dn’t just build a company; you built a higher tolerance for risk. That is the real asset here. Incredible journey!

Others too chimed in. One user said, "The biggest risk is not taking a risk, and I think you have taken it! Kudos to you", while another added, "This is a powerful testament to conviction and execution. The 3 AM self-doubt phase is incredibly relatable for any entrepreneur. It's inspiring to see you translate that initial courage into tangible results and build something you truly own. " A third user said, "That’s inspiring! It really shows that growth comes from taking the leap, not waiting for perfect conditions. Owning your path, even with uncertainty, can pay off far more than comfort ever will."

(image: representative/pexels)