How To Transition From Corporate America To Entrepreneurship

Women are leaving their corporate jobs at faster rates than ever before. A combination of workplace flexibility, unequal pay, microaggressions and lack of leadership transparency have led women, especially women of color, to lean into entrepreneurship. Is there a perfect way to transition from corporate America to entrepreneurship? Gail Becker, founder of CAULIPOWER, took that risk almost ten years ago.

Becker found different strands of her life coming together at the same time which created the right circumstances for her to jump, “I became disenchanted with corporate America. When I finally made it to the top of the “corporate ladder,” I realized I didn’t like the view very much. Around the same time, my father passed away. He was an immigrant who came to this country with nothing, built a small business, bought a home, and embodied the American dream. When someone close to us passes, it reminds us of the fragility of life and that we better spend the time we have left doing something that we love or have one hell of a time trying. I knew there was no better way to honor him than to follow in his entrepreneurial path. He would always say to me “why would you want to work for anyone else?” Honestly, it wasn’t until he was gone that I actually understood what he meant. I went on to become one of the 1800 women in America who start new businesses every. single. day. That’s 14 million businesses we’ve already created that represent almost $2.7 trillion a year in revenue.”

For women trying to balance both a corporate job and entrepreneurship, Becker suggests, trying to do both in the beginning. “I tried it, but soon realized that it’s tough to start a business between the hours of two and four am. Thankfully, since the pandemic and the working-from-home phenomenon, that balancing act has become a lot easier. A recent report from the Harvard Business Review reveals that the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in a tremendous boom in entrepreneurship. In October 2023, more than three years since the beginning of the pandemic, Americans are still filing 59% more applications to start new businesses than they were pre-pandemic. Additionally, according to a study by First Round Capital, women-led businesses provide a 63% greater return on investment than their male counterparts. Looking at another way, for every dollar raised, female founders bring in 78%. Male founders? 31%,” she shared.

Although corporate America was no longer for Becker it taught her the importance of creating company culture. When starting CAULIPOWER, her priority was to create an environment where people would want to grow, stay, learn, contribute and prosper. Becker is a big believer in hiring great people, letting them do their job and listening to what they have to say, “Ultimately, the decisions may be yours, but giving the team a voice is paramount to mutual success.”

CAULIPOWER is now worth well over $500 million and is sold in over 25,000 stores nationwide. Becker shares her tip four tips on transitioning out of corporate America into entrepreneurship.

Don’t let perfect be the enemy of the good

Good ideas are a dime a dozen. The difference for an entrepreneur is to act upon it. Plans are of course necessary, but you’ll never launch if you’re waiting to achieve perfection. As any entrepreneur knows, you’ll need to adjust along the way anyway. Don’t be a victim of analysis paralysis. Execute. Execute. Execute.

Don’t be afraid to admit what you don’t know

Corporate culture pressures you to be the one with all the answers… or at least give the impression that you do. When you’re a founder, be confident enough to surround yourself with better subject matter experts. Lead with your own expertise and hire people who can help you learn. Be honest with yourself about what you know and don’t know and don’t be afraid to buy, borrow or beg for help.

Even when you think you’re alone, you’re not

There are communities of like-minded entrepreneurs who can be a continuous source of counsel and comfort. The road to entrepreneurship is treacherous and no one will ever understand it quite like someone who has been through it.

Think of a new way to introduce yourself

In the corporate world, we’re defined by our hard-earned titles. When I first left my job and hadn’t told anyone about CAULIPOWER, I went to an event and was handed a white sticky label, a black pen and instructed to write my name and title. I was paralyzed. I turned to my friend who happened to be a successful founder. She looked me right in the eye and emphatically offered “write ‘entrepreneur!’” It was frightening and liberating at the same time and much to my surprise, everyone I met that day was dying to know what I did. Needless to say, it remains my favorite professional title ever.