Woman, 22, Leaves Corporate Job to Model Full Time After Feeling ‘Overwhelmed’ by Juggling Both

A young woman is capturing attention online for sharing how she left her corporate job to pursue modeling full time.

Lindsey, a 22-year-old from Queens, N.Y., gained social media traction after her Aug. 13 Instagram post received nearly 50,000 likes, detailing “how much I made each month from modeling before finally quitting my 9-5.”

“I know some are curious — modeling isn’t my only source of income, but it definitely gave me the stability I needed to transition my life and I am incredibly grateful,” she captioned a Reel set to Justin Bieber’s “Daises,” outlining her earnings.

Lindsey tells PEOPLE that she spent three and a half years working as a digital designer for a shoe company before taking the leap to follow her dreams.

According to her viral video, she earned $26,000 from January to July, with April being her most successful month, raking in $12,000 from modeling alone.

“My schedule was hybrid, so I worked remotely on Thursdays and Fridays, which allowed me to be on set if needed,” Lindsey says.

“If I got booked for a shoot earlier in the week, I would switch my remote days, giving me the flexibility modeling required. I know this kind of flexibility in a corporate job is uncommon; I considered myself lucky,” she adds.

However, Lindsey admits the transition wasn’t without challenges, especially as modeling opportunities increased while she still had a full-time job.

“In the months leading up to my decision, I felt pretty overwhelmed with everything on my plate,” she says, noting that she’s been modeling for about two years.

In her first year, Lindsey says modeling “was more about development and fewer jobs, so it wasn’t as demanding.” She would even skip classes at the Fashion Institute of Technology for shoots rather than miss work hours at the office.

“After graduating, it became harder to explain absences at my corporate job, and I started booking more consistently,” Lindsey tells PEOPLE.

“My days looked like: waking up at 6 a.m. to handle submissions and emails, work in the office from 9 to 5, go to the gym, then get home around 7:30 to work until bed. I loved the hustle, but I was burning out and knew I didn’t want that lifestyle forever. After closing a five-figure month, I seriously considered leaving corporate,” she says.

Friends and family encouraged her to take the leap, and although she tried negotiating a fully remote position to balance both careers, it didn’t work out.

“I took that as a sign it was time. At a certain point, I had to decide between chasing money or reclaiming your time,” Lindsey says.

Since making the change, Lindsey’s career has been thriving, with bookings for Samsung, Etsy, Starbucks Reserve, IT Cosmetics, and more.

“It’s been a month and a half since I made the transition, and I have zero regrets,” she says. “I love waking up every day knowing I get to decide how I spend my time and that I’m reaping the rewards of my past hustle.”

Lindsey emphasizes that there isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” approach for anyone hoping to follow a similar path, but trusting herself made all the difference.

“I was already treating modeling like a full-time commitment before leaving corporate, which reassured me that once I had more time, the results would grow exponentially. Of course, I experienced doubts, but if you’ve laid the groundwork and believe in your path, it becomes easier to take that leap,” she says.

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