Establishing Boundaries Before the Leap
Julie Zhu, a 29-year-old entrepreneur based in New York City, spent eight months maintaining a grueling schedule as both an Apple employee and the cofounder of a startup. She consistently put in 13-hour days to manage her dual responsibilities. This period of intense labor lasted from December 2024 until August 2025, when she finally resigned from her corporate position to focus entirely on her business, Odd One In.
Many peers advised her to quit earlier. They argued that her professional background made her an immediate candidate for venture capital funding, even without a finished product. Zhu disagreed. She wanted a concrete business plan, a solid team, and financial security before abandoning her steady income. She viewed the standard startup advice of taking a blind leap as a risk that did not suit her personal requirements for stability.
The Anatomy of a Dual-Career Schedule
Zhu followed a strict routine to keep both projects moving forward. Her day began at 5:30 a.m. with a trip to the gym. She dedicated the hours between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. to her startup, Odd One In. After those two hours, she headed to her corporate office. Her shift at Apple occupied the middle of the day. Upon returning home around 5 p.m., she resumed work on her company until 10:30 p.m.
This schedule was physically and mentally taxing. However, she maintained it because it allowed her to cross off specific milestones she had set for herself. She verified with Apple’s conduct team that her outside business activities were permissible. By bootstrapping the company using her own savings, she avoided the immediate pressure of external investors while she refined her model.
Long-term Security and Future Outlook
Financial planning was central to her decision-making process. Zhu aimed to secure three to five years of personal runway through her savings and Apple stock before making the exit. She also sought her parents’ approval. Their backgrounds as entrepreneurs helped them eventually understand her choice, particularly as she demonstrated that the startup was generating actual revenue.
Last year, Odd One In recorded nearly six figures in annual revenue. Despite this traction, she currently reinvests all profits into production, warehousing, and artist compensation. She does not pay herself a salary yet. Instead, she lives off the capital she built during her four-year tenure in the tech industry.
The broader lesson from her experience is that personal preparation often outweighs conventional industry wisdom. While many founders glorify the act of burning bridges to force success, Zhu found that waiting until she felt ready provided her with the confidence to lead. Her transition proves that one can move from corporate employment to independent ownership without sacrificing financial prudence or personal health.