A weekend bikepacking trip — and an unexpected trail-side bike pump — got me thinking: what do we leave behind that might help the next person along the way?

A recent conversation reminded me how easily we’re boxed in by past roles. This blog is about what I do now, who I work with, and why I’ve stepped outside the traditional job title world - and why that’s both freeing and a little terrifying.

Three months into life outside the corporate world, I sat down to write — no overthinking, no filtering. Just a list of 15 things I’ve learned so far. From Sunday night dread to the power of saying no to bad clients, here’s what’s surprised me, grounded me, and kept me moving forward.