Considering switching careers, is it irresponsible?

By Lulu Jeh | April 27th, 2023

Dear Lulu Jeh,

I’ve reached a stump in my professional life. Lately, the work I’ve been doing hasn’t been feeling fulfilling and it’s actually starting to take a toll on my mental health and well-being.

Currently, I work as a consultant at a very well-known firm and it pays me really well. I have been doing this for over 10 years and it gives me and my family the best possible life. But then COVID happened. I thought this was the end of it but it was weird because I feel that I ended up finding my passion. Being at home more made me realize how much time I was missing out on being with my family. It taught me to unwind and find my hobby. The thing is, I really enjoyed taking care of my dog Bobby. I loved grooming him, giving him a bath, and a clean haircut. I learned how to groom my dog with youtube tutorials and I think it’s safe to say that I got really decent at it.

Time went by and I started grooming my friends’ dogs and then my colleagues’ dogs, but I never asked for any money because I just really enjoyed doing it. Now I’m back in the office full time and all I think about is opening up my own dog grooming business. However, I don’t know how to break it to my family and get this going on the road.

Where do I start? Is it irresponsible for me to even think about switching careers?

— Mid-Life Crisis Guy

Dear Mid-Life Crisis Guy,

There’s nothing irresponsible about switching careers. You just need a good plan to make it happen. In fact, this is a very common occurrence, especially after COVID. Many have found, during and after COVID, that they can make bank with their hobby.

So how shall we make this happen? First off, I would recommend speaking to your family and being as open and honest about switching careers. I know it’s nerve-wracking to even think about speaking about this out loud but it’s important that you make them aware and possibly have their support moving forward.

Next up, try to plan out your business. It’s definitely risky to quit your job to go cold turkey and start a new business. However, a huge advantage is that you have the time and energy to put your heart and soul into your new venture. Think about your financial situation—have you got any savings? Do you need a loan?

Or can you do your dog grooming business on the side till it really takes off? This can be a solid and sensible approach so that you’re not losing your income. Of course, this would mean that you would have to function well under an extremely heavy workload so it’s best to think about whether or not you can commit to this.

I will say that there is no right or wrong answer to this, it really just depends on your position in life. That being said, it might be beneficial for you and your future business to start an Instagram/Tiktok page so that you can start showing off your skills to an audience on a regular basis. Who knows where this can lead to?

Check out @Girlwithedogs on Instagram for some inspiration.