How I achieved meaningful success after leaving the corporate world

As an Asian American kid growing up in North Carolina with an immigrant mother, I was taught to follow the rules (without exception). I was a Boy Scout, graduated at the top of my class, and was hired by Goldman Sachs Immediately after undergraduate graduation. I followed what I thought was the “right” path. I lived in the greatest city in the world (New York City, of course), worked for one of the best companies in the world…and everything felt wrong.

Like many others in corporate America, I go away Coming from a high level banking job. Not because I can’t do it, but because it’s not mine Dream. Spending 100 hours a week working for someone else feels like living in the wrong skin.

After leaving Goldman Sachs, I went to Stanford Business School and started thinking about what to do next. Like everyone else in 2020, I was making silly dance videos on TikTok when I realized I could also use social media to promote myself, my skills, and whatever job I might find next.

Instead, what I find more meaningful is: online Creator community Genuinely sharing their talents with the world.

I believe the passion of these creator-entrepreneurs, the businesses they build, and the way they bring people together through shared digital communities are the essence of today’s American dream. Regardless of generational differences, the American workers I talk to (mostly) are no longer motivated to climb the ladder; they—we—are motivated to share our knowledge and expertise with others and make a decent living while doing so.

Dare to dream

I’ve also discovered a network of different, broken systems among other creators about how to build real online growth, or even how to create one Email campaigns. Everything feels more difficult than it needs to be, there aren’t any tools to connect to, and much of it is overwhelming (and overpriced) for new entrepreneurs.

I had a little programming experience, so I created and launched the first version of my company, Stanin 2021. The beta launch is very basic, but brings together many of the pain points my fellow creators and I have experienced. We’ve made it a one-stop shop, with everything a creator needs conveniently packaged and designed in one place.

Next, I convinced a few fellow content creators to let me build their online brand presence, and the first creator saw their online course instantly sell (for no less than $999) overnight—up until that point, there had been no marketing and no other outreach beyond the creator’s own work.

The idea is simple: make it easier for people to get paid for the work they already do. Stan was not created to teach creators how to monetize. It is built to completely eliminate friction.

This business model proved to fill a unique gap in the market, and building Stan became my full-time job. Today, five years later, we have over 80,000 active creators on our platform with a combined revenue of over $400 million, and we’ve even had Gary Vaynerchuk and Steven Bartlett.

Everyday Entrepreneur

What I’ve seen over the past five years is creator economy Become the default path for anyone who wants to build something of their own. In 2026, a “creator” can be defined as anyone from a fitness instructor to a special education teacher or a mechanic. These “non-traditional” influencers are entering the creative space really Own their own brand, build their own community, and monetize what they know on their own terms.

It’s these everyday entrepreneurs who work hard on their dreams and take their ideas to the next level that continue to inspire me and my team. Among these new creators, the successful ones usually have two key points:

1. They understand the needs their personal and professional brands serve: The most successful creators have clearly identified a gap in the market for their product or service and determined how to help fill that need.

2. They truly shared their experiences: You have to believe in your dream to achieve it, so why not share your story and experience truly? Being true to yourself helps your audience connect with you and understand the “why” behind what you do.

Do good things and do them well

When it comes to my “why,” like many other immigrant kids in the United States, I grew up with almost nothing. While working at Goldman Sachs, I realized that I needed my job is substantial (No, working in an investment bank doesn’t check that box). I want my work to be meaningful and give back to the greater good in some way.

Through my current work with Stan and the creator community, I am able to directly help others realize their dreams and monetize their businesses, turning their creativity into Passion Translates into a living wage.

While many people are still burning both ends, building their own business while being a parent, caregiver, partner, and working one, two (or even three) other jobs, they are working hard to realize their dream of a successful future business based on their experience and creativity. If that doesn’t sound like “living the dream,” I don’t know what does.

As an Asian American kid growing up in North Carolina with an immigrant mother, I was taught to follow the rules (without exception). I was a Boy Scout, graduated at the top of my class, and was hired by Goldman Sachs Immediately after undergraduate graduation. I followed what I thought was the “right” path. I lived in the greatest city in the world (New York City, of course), worked for one of the best companies in the world…and everything felt wrong.

Like many others in corporate America, I go away Coming from a high level banking job. Not because I can’t do it, but because it’s not mine Dream. Spending 100 hours a week working for someone else feels like living in the wrong skin.