Built Out of Burnout (How I Accidentally Started a Business)
It’s a different kind of heartbreak when you realize the “dream job” isn’t going to take care of you. I had been working for a global media company for six years. A job everyone praised me for landing. The kind people say “you made it” over. Corporate. Full-time. Benefits. The American dream—or so I thought.
But that dream started to crumble the day I realized I couldn’t even afford to live on my own. I was 26 years old and thinking about moving into my own place when it hit me like a brick wall: I made a full-time salary… and still couldn’t make rent without a roommate. I worked for a company with worldwide recognition, how was this my reality?
So I did what seemed logical. I went to my leader and asked if I could work a second full-time job within the company. I liked it there. I wanted to stay. I had the time, the energy, the loyalty. They said no. Said I should focus on the role I already had. Except… that job wasn’t going to pay the bills. And it sure wasn’t going to get me to see the world or enjoy weekends with friends.
The Pivot I Didn’t See Coming
At that point, I knew: if my current employer didn’t value my capacity, someone else would. So I got creative. I started offering my soft skills—project management, virtual communication, admin structure, digital organization, to anyone who’d listen. I’d spent years learning how to keep things moving behind the scenes at scale, and that wasn’t nothing. Turns out, it was exactly what small businesses needed.
Enter: My First Client
It didn’t take long to land my first client—a brand-new contracting company with big vision but zero systems. They needed guidance. They needed operations. They needed someone who could bring their chaos into clarity. Lucky for them, I could. As a team we set up the structure, processes, and communications that laid their foundation. It felt easy, aligned, and impactful. And just like that, I had my first win and an extra $400/month in my pocket. But more than the money, I had something I hadn’t felt in a while: purpose.
I had goals again. Momentum. I felt useful and creative and excited about building something real.
What Started as a Side Hustle Became RML Business Operations! I didn’t plan to start a business. I just wanted to feel fulfilled again. To stop questioning my value. To feel like I had options.
But what came out of that burnout season was this: A business that helps other businesses thrive—quietly, behind the scenes, where real growth happens. Now, I work with founders, creatives, and small teams who need structure, systems, and sanity. I help them streamline operations, clean up communications, and create time to focus on the work only they can do. I know what it feels like to be stretched thin, stuck in cycles, or unsure where to even start. That’s why I created RML, because the people building the dream shouldn’t have to do it all alone.
If You’re Here, You Might Be in That Same Spot. Maybe you’re a little burned out. Maybe you're realizing that your current setup isn’t sustainable. Maybe you just need someone to take something—anything—off your plate.
If that’s you, know this:
There’s a better way. You’re allowed to get help. And I’m really, really good at that part!