Le Journal

Shiyao Tang says she spent 5 months planning her exit from her $390K job.Shiyao TangShiyao Tang quit her $390,000 job at DoorDash to build Soir Si, a silk womenswear brand.Tang says she spent 5 months planning her corporate exit and was scared to leave a stable job.While she experiences moments of self-doubt, Tang says the risk is worth it to pursue her dream.This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Shiyao Tang, a 34-year-old business owner based in New York City and Paris. It's been edited for length and clarity.I was on a very strong upward trajectory in my manager role at DoorDash when I quit in 2025. I was making $390,000 and felt that I still had room to grow, but when I was honest with myself, my heart wasn't in it.Leaving to start my own silk womenswear brand wasn't an instantaneous decision; it was a long-term calling inside of me. It took a lot of courage to quit and choose the unknown.I still constantly ask myself if I made a huge mistake. I think to myself, "How could I just leave a job that most people would dream of?" It was high-paying, the benefits were great, and there was room for learning. But I don't want to look back and think I climbed the wrong mountain.I enjoyed my tech job, but felt an inner tug toward entrepreneurshipIn 2022, I was hired as a strategy and operations manager on the homepage team at DoorDash. My job was challenging, and I got to wear a lot of hats. I also developed deep friendships with some truly talented people.However, I realized I missed the feeling of being close to the people I was building for.Earlier in my career, I had a small entrepreneurial chapter where I worked on a fashion wholesale startup. I built my own customers from the ground up and interacted with them every day.When I was 16, I moved from China to the US and later spent a year studying abroad in Paris. I've always lived between cultures and felt super energized by working with people from distinct backgrounds and creative disciplines. The more I thought about it, the more I realized I wanted my career to reflect that part of me, too.I spent about 5 months deciding what I wanted to do before I quit, and the idea scared meTech created a structure for me to learn and expand my horizon, but I was ready to try entrepreneurship again. I spent a lot of time journaling and reflecting on what business I really wanted to make.Every weekend was dedicated to foundational discovery work and even talking to potential customers or friends to get some early feedback on different ideas. I even started connecting with other young, inspiring entrepreneurs at founder events, which expanded my horizons regarding what life might look like as an entrepreneur.Frankly, I was extremely scared every day, but seeing people thrive gave me more confidence to envision what it might look like for me. I decided on my business, Soir Si, where I make simple, minimal sculptural silk pieces. The mission is to make luxury accessible.Even though I was sure of my decision, walking away was scary, and honestly, it was really sad for me. However, the thought of not pushing to the edge of my potential was scarier than quitting.I now split my time between NYC and ParisI have my own apartment in NYC, and I spend half my time in Paris, typically staying with friends or family, to fuel my creative inspiration during the design process.The first month after quitting, I focused on building a strong visual and emotional identity for Soir Si by enrolling in online courses and even partnering with a freelancer. The next stages were developing my website, connecting directly with customers, and using my branding and website to open up my supply chain.Now I'm focused on securing and strengthening those relationships while sprinting toward product development.I still question whether I made the wrong decisionRight after quitting, I was so focused on transitioning into entrepreneurship that I didn't have time for…

Aman GoyalAman GoyalAfter being laid off last year, Aman Goyal faced pressure during his job search due to his visa status.Within two months of searching, he landed his dream role as an associate product manager at T-Mobile.He shared the key networking and interview prep strategies that helped him bounce back.This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Aman Goyal, a 26-year-old associate product manager at T-Mobile. His words have been edited for length and clarity.I was laid off in September, just six months into my role as an AI product manager at an ad tech company. Because I'm from India and was on an F-1 optional practical training (OPT) visa, the layoff triggered an immediate 90-day deadline to either find a new job or leave the US.During my last job search in 2024, while finishing a master's degree in management information systems at Carnegie Mellon University, I submitted hundreds of applications before landing an offer.This time, the tech job market felt even tougher — marked by widespread layoffs, uncertainty around the Trump administration's proposed $100K H-1B salary rule, and intensifying competition for AI-related roles.Despite these challenges, I landed my dream role within 60 days as an agentic AI product manager at T-Mobile. These three things helped me get the job.1. Hunting down the hiring manager's email helped when a referral didn'tAfter learning I'd been laid off, I took a few days to process the news before diving into my job search. It was a big surprise, as I had recently received a positive performance review.With my visa deadline looming, I knew I couldn't afford to wait long before starting to look. I applied for roles at several top tech companies and a few startups, but the startups that responded weren't willing to sponsor visas.I came across three roles at T-Mobile and applied to all of them. A friend referred me for two of the roles, but I accidentally left his name off the third application. Interestingly, the only role I heard back from was the one I wasn't referred for.The job description was closely aligned with my past experience, and the lack of a referral didn't hurt me. I think referrals have become highly overrated, especially since it seems like almost everyone has one.My referral contact was helpful in another way, though. I asked if he knew who the hiring manager was for the role, and he shared the hiring manager's name. I used the email-finding tool Hunter.io, which offers a free plan with a monthly search limit, to look up the hiring manager's email and sent a short message expressing my interest in the role.I could've asked my referral contact for the hiring manager's email, but not everyone feels comfortable sharing someone else's contact information, so it's helpful to have tools that let you find it yourself.Fortunately, I found the right contact — and shortly after, the hiring manager connected me with the recruiter to schedule interviews.Business Insider is speaking with workers who've found themselves at a corporate crossroads — whether due to a layoff, resignation, job search, or shifting workplace expectations.Share your story by filling out this form, contacting this reporter via email at jzinkula@businessinsider.com, or via Signal at jzinkula.29.2. Buying a book gave me access to a community of job seekersLanding an interview was only half the battle, and I knew I had to be fully prepared to make the most of the opportunity, so I spent about $50 on "Decode and Conquer," a product management interview preparation guide by Lewis Lin.By emailing the author with my receipt as proof of purchase, I gained access to a Slack community with more than 20,000 members, including aspiring product managers, current PMs, and professionals between jobs like myself.What I found most valuable about the community after I joined was how easily I could schedule mock interviews with…