{
  "id": 6922332,
  "title": "I went from earning $173,000 a year to making $6 one month. I don't regret quitting.",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/i-went-from-earning-173-000-a-year-to-making-6-one-month-i-dont",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-12T12:32:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Insider",
    "slug": "business-insider",
    "url": "https://www.businessinsider.com/quit-six-figure-tech-job-self-employment-career-break-2026-9"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Heigi Jeong left her secure product design job to pursue content creation and writing, earning $173,000 annually before transitioning to self-employment. Initially, she enjoyed a healthy work-life balance and a substantial income, often working 40 hours per week. However, the workload became overwhelming as she balanced content creation and a book deal. Jeong felt anxious about leaving her stable job, especially during economic uncertainty. To address her concerns, she decided to try self-employment for a year, dedicating herself to content creation and writing while keeping an open mind for a potential return to the corporate world. Despite the inconsistencies in income, Jeong has learned to adapt and set boundaries to manage her self-employment responsibilities. Reflecting on her decision, Jeong acknowledges that even if she returns to the corporate world, the experience of stepping out of her comfort zone has been invaluable.",
  "summary": "Heigi Jeong quit a $173,000 tech job with good work-life balance to write a book and create content. She's giving self-employment one year.",
  "key_points": [
    "Heigi Jeong earned $173,000 annually as a product designer.",
    "She transitioned to self-employment as a content creator and writer.",
    "Jeong acknowledges valuable experience from stepping out of comfort zone."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}