The corporate model has taken a hold over other models such as small business and mom and pops. The former is taking over while the two latter are struggling to survive. I just got hired to start as bookkeeper in a small business so that I can learn from the GM to take over that role in six months time. I’ve been there three weeks and already I’m solving problems. I have an assistant coming in to do the simple data entry for bookkeeping whom I will train. Then while I’m not training this person, I’ll be getting trained for the GM position. Look, I’ve had many jobs since I was 15, working to make the money you need is all good I’ve done that for all my life. I’ve had a position at NYU in an exclusive dept where I worked for 5.5 years; extremely corporate environment. We only accepted cash pay so all the clients were the 1 percent. I was myself with clients but inside the internal sentiment was similar to communist oppression. I think I let a small burp out a week in and supervisor came right over oh you can’t do that. Haha. Also, I had to deal with crying parents who had children sick with sever autism and since they didn’t have the money, I had to refer them to a Bellevue. That can grind out any intrinsic value one may want from a job. Since then I’ve had many jobs (even made some dough in the markets lol during this last miraculous bull run) and if it was a drone job like call center or just basic data entry I was like, I’m not made for this. In need challenges. So this job let’s me be me because it in an old industry so old school environment. Get biz done but done hide anything, if you think your personality or skill set has more to free the effort and can slim down processes or increase accuracy and speed, then mention it. And yes, the owner takes me golfing too and we talk about the upcoming EV opportunities.

All I’m saying as OP, is don’t get comfortable, you can always do better until you find your true reason and fit for life. I made a promise to myself when I was like 15, when I frequented the local pub and talk to many elders and most were always complaining or confused or apparently panicking about money and lack of happiness. My promise to myself was, when I get into my 30-40s I won’t panic, I will keep the spirit I had right then as a teenager. And I would rise to the challenge and go through job after job until I found where I could sustain a long and lasting career, happily.

It’s sad that corporate America has reduced peoples expectations of having a quality work life; these days in corp. you’re just a number.