Hi Christina!

I read your post and felt compelled to reply.   I am in a similar position.  I have a BA in Marketing and have had most of my work experience in the healthcare field in sales, marketing and training.  I've worked for three different pharmaceutical companies, both externally and internally.  I too made these companies millions and millions of dollars, and had a decent salary myself.   My peers and friends couldn't believe I walked away from a very promising and lucrative career path.  They all thought I was crazy!  I left the industry for a few reasons, including and most importantly,  an ethical/moral conflict I had with the last company I worked for, not to mention the complete lack of work/life balance.  For those reasons, I decided I would never work in the pharmaceutical industry again. 

I am very fortunate in that I have a wonderful and very supportive husband and I really don't have to work another day in my life if I don't want to, but it's not about that.  For me it's really about the fact that I want to work.  I want to contribute something meaningful to the world.  I am capable and talented in many ways and I find I'm not satisfied with just watching the world, I want to participate!  I had a very hard time deciding what to do with my life, especially because work/life balance, meaningful work, and making good money is important to me.  Even though it's not only about the money, I value my time and talent and feel that if I'm going to take time away from my family, (just my husband and I at the moment), I want to be fairly compensated for it.  Flexibiliy is extremely important because I plan on working around my (hopefully soon) children's schedules, which will change as they grow.  More than anything, I want to be a mom first and that's my priority.  It is very important for me to be home when my family is home and in the future, for me to be involved in our children's lives.  It's important that my work be meaningful and help make the world a better place or otherwise why bother?  I feel my time is too limited and too important to waste.     

Initially, I tried to work for other companies in lower level, part-time positions.  I was very overqualified and I made almost no money but was promised flexibility and I felt the company's goals were worthwhile endeavors.  Each time, I was hired as a part-time employee and I very openly discussed my expectations and boundries beforehand.  Each time the employer agreed to respect my boundries.  Unfortunately, I found that within a few months, the employers began to take advantage of me and my time.  When I would bring this up, they would offer me more money or a promotion, but never just keep the agreements we made in the beginning about what the time comittment and work would be.  I would inevitably approach the type of schedule I had when I was working full time, in which case if this .... Read More

Jen,

Thank you so much for your guidance and expertise. Since I have started this journey in my heart of  becoming an entrepreneur. I realized that I have consumed myself with so much of everyone else 's issue to resolve (corporate). I have gone part-time and started carrying a small book to write down what I am interested in. It's funny that while doing what I do best for other people I kind of lost myself. Here's another issue what I seem to be passionate about doesn't seem so far to make any quality income. I have what I think is a great.... Read More

Hi Christina - You may want to check out an organization called Ladies Who Launch.

Good luc.... Read More