I blew up my comfortable life in 2019. It led me to build a six-figure business and portfolio career.

Mallory Contois says quitting her dream COO role felt like gambling.

Courtesy of Clay Singer

• Mallory Contois quit a stable tech job in 2019 to chase her goal of becoming a COO.
• She reached her goal two years later, only to feel unfulfilled — so she quit again.
• She chose to leave her "dream" behind and built a 6-figure business and portfolio career.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Mallory Contois, a 35-year-old founder and CEO based in Los Angeles.