A product designer earning $173,000 a year had a comfortable job, a regular 9 to 5 schedule and a healthy work life balance. Yet, she chose to walk away from it. Heigi Jeong quit her tech job in June 2026 after signing a book deal and growing her career as a content creator. She has now given herself one year to see if working for herself is worth giving up a steady salary.
Why she quit her $173,000 job
According to Business Insider, Jeong moved from Korea to Toronto in 2020 to work as an in house product designer at a tech company. Her work involved creating mobile apps and websites, and she generally worked about 40 hours a week.
The job was comfortable. She earned about $173,000 annually, usually worked from 9 am to 5 pm and had enough money to travel during her time off.
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"I wasn't burned out," Jeong told Business Insider.
She also did not hate her job. But alongside product design, she had started creating content and had signed a book deal. Trying to manage all three was becoming impossible.
{{/usCountry}}She also did not hate her job. But alongside product design, she had started creating content and had signed a book deal. Trying to manage all three was becoming impossible.
{{/usCountry}}"It would have been like having three full time jobs," she said.
Eventually, she decided to give up the most stable part of her career and focus on writing and content creation.
She gave herself one year
Leaving a steady salary was not an easy decision. Jeong said she felt anxious in the weeks before resigning and repeatedly wondered whether she would regret walking away from financial security.
To make the decision feel less permanent, she gave herself a deadline. For one year, she would work for herself. After that, she would decide whether to return to corporate life.
Her new routine is very different. She cycles to the gym in the morning, spends several hours writing at an office and fits content creation around her day.
‘Some months, I earn zero’
The biggest adjustment has been dealing with irregular income.
In July, Jeong earned just $6 from content creation because of a payment delay. Her book advance has provided some income, but her earnings can vary significantly. Some months bring nothing, while others can bring in more than her old 9 to 5 salary.
"I've had to mentally adapt to inconsistent pay," she said.
Working for herself has also made it harder to switch off. Unlike a corporate job where the workday has a clear end, there is always another task waiting.
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Three months into her experiment, Jeong remains confident about her decision, according to Business Insider. Even if she eventually returns to corporate work, she does not see the year as a mistake.
For her, the bigger regret would have been never finding out what could happen if she chose the uncertain path.