Leaving a High-Paying Job to Pursue ETA: What I’m Gaining by Letting Go

On Monday, I signed my commitment letter with the bank. 🎉🥳. The finish line is closer than it’s ever been. And honestly? I’m freaking out.

It’s a familiar feeling. When my husband proposed to me on a beach in Nicaragua, I was 24. The word “yes” tumbled out of my mouth before I even had time to think. There were happy tears, a long hug, and then… panic. Was I ready to marry? Did I really know him? What if I was making a mistake? Spoiler alert: Best decision I have ever made.

The same thing happened when I found out I was pregnant. My husband and I had been trying for months, and when I saw those two lines at 4 a.m., I was overwhelmed with joy. But soon after came the familiar wave of panic. Was I ready to be a mom? Did I have my life in order? What about my career? You should have seen me after I found out I was pregnant with the second...

It turns out my daughters were the missing piece to truly find myself. 

Do you see the pattern? This is my process. Big leaps come with equal parts excitement and fear. But I’ve learned to manage the panic by grounding myself in reason, by revisiting the why behind my decisions. So today, I’m sharing the five reasons I chose the path of Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA). This reflection is primarily for me but I hope it helps anyone else out there standing on the edge of their own big leap.

1. Growth: The Learning Curve I Was Wanted

I decided to leave Amazon after one night I cried unconsolably at dinner. For no clear reason. That was my signal. Life is too short to be miserable, no matter how juicy the paycheck or fancy the company name.

Soon after, I got an offer from Maxon, a small, innovative company based in Germany. I took the role of Technical Program Manager not for the job title, but because I believed in the people and the opportunity to grow. (Also, the hiring manager was someone I admired deeply. She did not disappoint.)

It was the right move. Within two years, I’d grown into a management role in the data science space, my happy place. But like so many jobs before it, the growth curve started strong and then plateaued. There was no clear path forward in scope, responsibility, or compensation. And perhaps more importantly, my learning curve was flattening too. I needed challenge, stretch, mentorship...and I wasn’t finding it.

ETA feels like the opposite curve. At first, it’s slow. You read books. You listen to podcasts. You talk to other searchers. You build up the courage to commit. You search. You search more. And then: BAM! You’re under LOI and the learning explodes. Diligence, negotiations, people management, deal structuring, operations…it’s all coming at you fast, and all of it stretches you.

I’ve grown so much in the past few months. I’ve relearned how to read income statements and balance sheets. I’ve completed a proof of cash. I’ve dissected insurance policies. I’ve set up payroll and started conversations with 401(k) providers. It’s been diverse, thrilling, and at times overwhelming. And I’ve only just begun.

📝 Reminder to self: I wanted professional growth without limits. ETA delivers.

2. Boundaries: Making Them Possible

Until recently, I didn’t fully grasp what boundaries actually meant. I was raised to follow authority, no questions asked. That mindset carried into my work life: if someone needed something, I delivered. If a deadline required overtime, I did it. Whether I was sick, had family plans, or other commitments. It didn’t matter. Exhaustion became the norm, and I wore it like a badge.

Things shifted after I became a mom. My priorities became clearer, and I wanted to be present for my baby. But at the same time, I loved my career and wanted to keep growing. The answer to this dilemma seemed to be boundaries: logging off on time, saying no to unnecessary meetings, prioritizing what mattered. But in the corporate world, boundaries are fine until they’re inconvenient. I was never explicitly told I was falling behind, but the subtext was loud. Protecting my time started to feel like a risk to my career.

As a woman, it’s not true that you can have it all, at least not as advertised. Every choice has a cost. If I’m in a meeting, I’m not with my kids. If I’m with my kids, someone else is leading the meeting. That tension never disappears. It exists in both corporate and ETA. But here’s the key difference for me: in ETA, no one is there to judge but me (note: I am a self-funded searchers with no investors, the "judgement" part may be different if you have to respond to investors).

If I want to leave at 2 p.m. for a school event, I go. If I need a mental health day, I take it. I decide which deals are worth pursuing, which risks are worth taking, and how I spend my time. None of it results in a poor review or sideways looks. None of it stalls my career. That freedom makes real boundaries possible.

📝 Reminder to self: ETA allows me to set boundaries and build a life that aligns better with what I need and want.

3. Money: Redefining What Success Looks Like

This one is a plot twist. You probably saw “money” and assumed I’d be talking about upside, equity, and long-term wealth 🤑. But the truth is, I’m about to earn around 40% of my old corporate salary. Not exactly the dream pitch from a wealth-building podcast.

But let’s rewind. 

My first job was in Cologne, Germany, working as a management trainee at Media Group RTL. After the program, I stayed on as a project manager. Then my husband—who’s one of the smartest people I know—got a job offer in aerospace in the U.S. We packed up and moved to Seattle. I landed a role at Amazon as a Technical Product Manager. A year in, I realized Amazon wasn’t the place for me (remember the crying during dinner?). So I left for Maxon. I loved it. I was learning again. I had agency. Eventually, I led the Data Science team. Then I left that too, to start this ETA journey.

In theory, people switch jobs to make more money. In my case, every switch (except from the Media Group RTL to Amazon) has come with a pay cut. And strangely, every cut brought me closer to happiness. Because each time, I was choosing something more important than salary. I was choosing growth. Alignment. Autonomy. I was choosing myself.

I’m choosing a path that doesn’t start with financial gain. But I’m okay with that. I’ve learned that, for me, fulfillment and ownership matter more than numbers on a pay stub. I still believe the financial upside can come…eventually…but it’s no longer the reason I say yes.

📝 Reminder to self: ETA may come with a pay cut, but betting on myself has always brought me closer to joy. That’s what really matters.

4. Impact: Leading with Purpose

Throughout my entire career, I’ve wrestled with the question of why I wake up every morning for work. This isn’t the “just five more minutes” kind of why. It’s an existential one. The kind you carry quietly, especially when you’ve always believed you were meant to do good, but haven’t quite figured out how.

Yes, I follow the principle of “love thy neighbor” and “treat everyone the way you would like to be treated.” But I haven’t actively done something that creates positive change, not in the way that leaves a real mark.

Acquiring a company, for me, is a path to change that. It’s a chance to use business as a vehicle for lifting up my community. It’s a way to prove that you can run a company and still lead with fairness, kindness, and generosity. That you can pay more than minimum wage and still be profitable. That you can build a business where all people are celebrated, respected, and still succeed.

I might never have as much money as Jeff Bezos. But you know what? I am fine with that. I just need to know that something is better because I cared.

📝 Reminder to self: ETA is a way for me to create positive change, and finally have an answer to why I wake up every morning. 

5. Setting and Example: Being the Mother my Babies Deserve

If you know me, then you know I like to be prepared. True to my nature, I prepared for motherhood by diving into parenting books, podcasts, attending workshops, and doing therapy. I wanted to be ready. I wanted to be the mother my daughters deserved.

And let me tell you, my girls are magic. They are kind, empathetic, strong willed, and wise beyond their years. They absolutely deserve an amazing mother. My dream for them is that they grow into women who are confident, true to themselves, and brave enough to follow their dreams.

I thought all the resources I had at my disposal would teach me how to guide them toward becoming the women I envisioned. But what I learned is that it was on me to show them.

They’re watching how I speak about myself. How I navigate fear. How I take risks, or don’t. And if I want them to step into their full potential, I have to step into mine. And I wasn’t doing that. Not yet. Tough realization.

So I made the choice. To stop waiting. To stop playing small. To take the leap. ETA isn’t just a professional decision. It’s a personal commitment to becoming the kind of woman I want my daughters to become.

📝 Reminder to self: This journey is for me and for my babies. Let it be an example worth watching.

Wrapping It Up

Writing down the reasons why I’m pursuing Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition has helped calm the nerves and strengthen my resolve. I’m ready for the final sprint, and for this next chapter of building something of my own.

If you're also considering ETA or already on your search journey, I’d love to hear what’s driving you. What’s your why?

Drop it in the comments!

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