Walking away from a stable, high-paying career is one of life's most daunting decisions. Yet, for Meenal Goel, a former professional with Deloitte and KPMG, it was a necessary leap towards a larger purpose. In a candid LinkedIn post, the Founder & Educator revealed she resigned from her ₹28 lakh per annum job in March 2023 to embark on the unpredictable path of building her own company.
The Leap of Faith: Leaving Stability Behind
After six years in financial consulting, Meenal sent that life-altering resignation email. She was walking away from stability, a great salary, and a clear career trajectory. The decision was met with concern from her inner circle. Her parents wondered if she had lost her mind, her friends advised waiting two more years to save more, and her manager cautioned it was a mistake. Despite the external noise, an internal conviction pushed her forward. "I knew if I didn't do this now, I'd regret it forever," she shared.
The Brutal First Six Months and the First Win
The initial phase of entrepreneurship was as challenging as feared. Her savings plummeted from ₹12 lakh to just ₹4 lakh. For five agonizing months, her venture generated zero revenue, leading to bouts of self-doubt in the dead of night. The turning point came in the third month when she secured her first paying freelance contract with Unacademy, worth ₹25,000. The payment brought tears, not for its monetary value, but as validation that someone believed in her work.
Building a 'Work in Progress' into a Growing Venture
Fast forward to the present, and Meenal's company is steadily growing, though she humbly labels it a 'work in progress'. Her key milestones now include achieving a Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) of ₹5 lakh and leading a dedicated team of five people. The journey has its ups and downs, with some good months and some slower ones, but the trajectory is upward. She contrasts her path with her consulting friends who are receiving promotions and bonuses, while she is focused on building something she believes could one day be worth ₹100 crore—and she owns 100% of it.
Reflecting on her learnings, Meenal offers powerful advice for aspiring entrepreneurs: "You'll never feel 'ready.' You'll never have 'enough' savings. The best time to start was yesterday. The second best time is today." For her, quitting wasn't easy, but the prospect of staying in her comfort zone would have been harder.
Community Applauds Courage and Risk-Taking
The reaction to her post was overwhelmingly positive, with professionals and fellow entrepreneurs praising her bravery. One user highlighted the significance of her first cheque, calling it "real entrepreneurship," where validation matters more than early revenue. Another comment drew a powerful analogy, stating, "The three most harmful addictions are heroin, carbohydrates, and a monthly salary. You broke the third one." The user noted that watching savings shrink is terrifying, but the pain of 'what if' outweighs the pain of 'what now'.
Others chimed in, calling her journey a "powerful testament to conviction and execution" and noting that the relatable "3 AM self-doubt phase" is a rite of passage for builders. The overarching sentiment was that her story proves growth comes from taking the leap, not waiting for perfect conditions, and that owning your path can ultimately offer more than comfort ever could.
