I Lost My 9–5 Job: My 100 Days’ Transformation From Tech To Solopreneur

Lesson #2: success is boring

Picture this: It’s 2 PM on a sunny Wednesday, April 24. I’ve just stepped off a plane from London to Budapest for a wedding.

The air is fresh, the sun is shining, and everything feels just right. We jostle our way onto the airport transit bus, and I grab a seat by the window, soaking in the charm of the city.

Then, I glance at my phone.

Two emails catch my eye.

The first one starts with “Your termination…”

The second is a 15-minute call scheduled with HR and my skip manager.

“What the f**k!” I shout, right there on the bus.

I’m convinced it’s a mistake. But as reality sets in, it’s clear—I’m not dreaming. In just one day, I’ll lose access to email and Slack. In one week, I’ll be clearing out my desk.

Photo by Robert Bye on Unsplash

April 30, 2024: The day I was officially laid off as a data scientist.

April 30, 2024: The day I became a solopreneur because I’m done with other people controlling my fate.

I decided to ditch the corporate world and step into something new.

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Here’s how my first 100 days went

98 days ago, I hit publish on my very first data science article on Medium.

89 days ago, my second article didn’t get much love, and I nearly threw in the towel.

67 days ago, I earned my first paycheck from writing—$12.20. It felt like a million bucks.

62 days ago, I landed my first consulting gig. Things were starting to roll.

53 days ago, my article 3 Mistakes as a Junior DS went mini viral on Medium with 10K views.

50 days ago, I launched my Substack from scratch—no email list, just a lot of hope.

46 days ago, I doubled down on my writing journey and invested $597 in a course. No regrets.

31 days ago, I started posting on LinkedIn 3-5 times a week, building my online presence.

27 days ago, I became an editor at a Medium publication run by a 7-figure writer. Talk about leveling up.

10 days ago, I signed my first coaching client—a milestone I won’t forget.

8 days ago, I gained 99+ LinkedIn connections in a single day after sharing my story about breaking into data without a perfect degree.

3 days ago, I hit 300 subscribers on Substack and launched my paid tier. It’s just the beginning

Today, I’m reflecting on this 100-day journey, and wow—what a ride it’s been. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

As Helen Keller once said,

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.”

Photo by Holly Mandarich on Unsplash

And this adventure? It’s just getting started.

In this article, I’m sharing the three biggest lessons I’ve learned in my transition from corporate life to solopreneurship.

Lesson 1: Act first, get good later

“Complexity is the enemy of execution” - Tony Robbins

We’re often taught to wait until we know the right answer before taking action.

Think about it: In school, you study the textbook, master the material, and only then do you take the exam. In the job market, you’re expected to have years of experience before landing that tech role.

But when you’re building a solo business, that approach is completely backward.

I didn’t know how to write well, yet I published my first data science article just six days after getting laid off.

I’d never led an AI workshop before, but I’m now booked to speak at a top university next January.

I’d never been paid to coach, but I did my first mock interview with a client who then crushed their real one.

Here’s the thing: Companies hire cautiously because hiring the wrong person is expensive. They want a proven track record. But when you’re starting a solo business, the only investment you need is your time and creativity.

It’s the ultimate “build first, figure it out later” mindset.

If you don’t start building, you’ll never have a foundation. It’s that simple. Scary? Yes. But also incredibly exhilarating.

I didn’t wait until I was “a writer” to start typing away and publishing what were, let’s be honest, some pretty rough articles.

Through writing, I became a writer. It didn’t happen the other way around.

We become by doing.

Lesson 2: Success is boring

“Consistency is the friend of execution.” - Me

Here’s the secret sauce to achieving anything:

1. Find what works.

2. Do it. Over and over.

Simple, right? Yet, most people bail out before they see any real progress. Why? Because they expect instant results. When the magic doesn’t happen in the first 30 or 60 days, doubts start creeping in:

“I need more research.”

“I’m too old/young for this.”

“I’m just not cut out for this.”

“Who am I to share advice? Who’s even listening?”

Sound familiar?

I’ve been there. I almost quit two weeks into my writing journey when my article bombed. I woke up, checked my Medium stats on my phone, and saw one lonely clap. Talk about a reality check.

But the thing is, everyone who’s made it big has a flop or two (or twenty) under their belt. So, I pushed through. I reminded myself why I started, and I stuck to my plan.

And you know what? If your work flops, no one really notices. The world moves on, and so should you.

Now, I’ve locked into a writing routine I follow five days a week, with some wiggle room on weekends:

• Morning: Write for at least an hour—first thing.

• Before lunch: Spend 10-30 minutes crafting a LinkedIn post, schedule it for morning EST.

• After lunch: Engage on LinkedIn for 20 minutes.

• Afternoon: Around 4 PM, take a 20-minute break to engage on LinkedIn and Substack.

• Evening: Edit for 30 minutes for a Medium publication.

Then, rinse and repeat. Every day. It’s not glamorous, but it works.

Compare my writing today with what I published 100 days ago—night and day.

So, create your plan and stick to it. Every day, rain or shine.

While other kids are out partying or poking fun at your “influencer” dreams, pop on those noise-canceling headphones and lock your fingers to the keyboard.

Be boring. Get bored. That’s when the real results start rolling in.

Lesson 3: You’re not burnt out. You’re just doing work you don’t give a f**k about

“The feeling people call burnout isn’t exhaustion at all. It’s a sign you’re doing work you don’t give a f*ck about.” -

Tim Denning

When I left the corporate world, I expected some changes, but what really surprised me was how much I changed physically in just 100 days.

My sleep transformed

First off, I started waking up earlier—naturally. No alarm, no snooze button, just my body telling me it’s time to get up.

In May and June, I was waking up at 8 a.m. By July and August, it shifted to 7 a.m., and I didn’t even adjust my bedtime.

This was a big deal for me. During my last four years in London, I could count on one hand the number of times I got up before 9 a.m. The snooze button was my morning companion. I believed I needed nine hours of sleep and thought I’d never be a morning person.

But the truth is: I wasn’t exhausted from lack of sleep—I was drained by the work itself.

My calendar was a battlefield of meetings, endless follow-ups, “quick” catch-ups, and endless performance reviews. It’s not that I hated my job; I just felt like I was stuck in a loop, working on someone else's dream, craving something bigger for myself.

It wasn’t burnout—it was a crisis of meaning.

Now, as a solopreneur, I’m not “burnt out” anymore. It’s almost weird—I leap out of bed, energized and ready to tackle the day. Evenings find me editing articles or tweaking my website right up until bedtime, not wanting the day to end.

I’m not tired, not exhausted, and definitely not anxious.

And when you’re not stressing over someone else’s sh*t, you sleep like a baby.

Photo by DESIGNCOLOGIST on Unsplash

My eating habits changed

The second unexpected shift? I stopped overeating.

Before, I’d eat too much when I felt stressed or unstimulated. Now, my work stimulates my mind and body enough that I don’t crave extra food as a pick-me-up. I don’t feel bloated or guilty after indulging in a big meal or a sweet dessert.

And I’m definitely not complaining.

Better sleep, better eating—these are the two unexpected gifts I’ve received from following a path that truly excites me.

It’s as if my body and mind have recalibrated to support this new journey.y.

So what the freaking hell happened?

It all boils down to this: When you’re doing work you give a lot of f**k about, burnout doesn’t stand a chance.

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Takeaways

• Complexity is the enemy of execution. When life throws you a curveball, don’t overthink it. Take action and keep moving forward.

• Consistency is the friend of execution. Experiment, find what works, and then stick with it. Repetition is your best ally.

• Do work that energizes you - it’ll do wonders for your sleep and appetite.

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