It Felt Impossible to Leave a 'Dream Job' With Guaranteed Retirement and Lifetime Medical Plan. Then I Realized How Much I'd Regret Staying. So I quit to start the auto shop I'd always wanted to run.
By Ezekiel Lee
This story appears in the July 2022 issue of Entrepreneur. Subscribe »
I used to have a "dream job." At least, that's how many people saw it. It was a highly desirable government position that included a guaranteed retirement and a lifetime medical plan. It was also nearly impossible to get fired.
Related: The Dream Job Is a Myth. Focus Instead on Living Your Best Life.
But I was miserable every day. As soon as I clocked into work, all my energy — and in turn, all my lust for life — drained away.
Instead, I thought about my side business. For a few years, I'd been running an auto shop called CM Autohaus out of my home garage. I specialized in repairing and modifying classic Japanese cars. At one point, I hung up a print of my favorite automotive shop — Rauh-Welt Begriff, located in Japan and run by the legendary Akira Nakai — as a source of inspiration. I knew his story well: He has an unrelenting work schedule, but his work ethic, artistry, and authenticity never falter.
In 2019, one of my clients offered me an actual industrial space to run my shop. I was nervous to say yes. Could I really expand my business and keep my government job? Was it wise to give up something with so much security?
Related: How to Conquer Your Fear of Starting a Business
Then it dawned on me: The "dream job" had a guaranteed retirement plan for people who work there 30 years — but after 30 years, would elderly me look back and regret not seizing the opportunity to do things on my own terms?
I had my answer.
In 2020, I left the dream job to run CM Autohaus full time. In 2021, I somehow kept the business (and my sanity) afloat, and we moved into a shop that's double the size. That's when I realized that my Rauh-Welt Begriff print was still hanging up back at my "first" garage (aka, my home). I thought about how much that print meant to me back then, and how it deserved a place of prominence at my new location.
It is now proudly displayed in our humble shop, along with a banner given to me by Nakai-san himself. It serves as a reminder to hold myself to the same ethos as he — tireless work ethic, ever-evolving artistry, and genuine authenticity. Frankly, this path has not been easy. Since starting my own business, never in my life have I been so tired, frustrated, or anxious. But I live on my own terms and love every second of it.
