• Jennifer Gittelman faces prolonged unemployment after a mass layoff in healthcare administration.
• Despite extensive job applications, Gittelman struggles with lack of responses and feedback.
• Gittelman has one regret which she believes may be impacting her ability to get a job

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jennifer Gittelman, 44, from Philadelphia. It's been edited for length and clarity.

After a 20-year career in healthcare administration, I was part of a mass layoff in April. It sucked, but I remember thinking it would be OK. I figured if I started applying to jobs on July 1, there was no way I'd still be unemployed by the time my unemployment benefits ran out in October. I was wrong.

Here we are in December, and I've hardly done anything since July but apply for jobs all day, every day. As the weeks go by, it's been getting scarier and scarier.

My unemployment benefits ran out, and I'm pinching pennies to hold onto my savings. If I didn't have my 78-year-old mom to take care of, I think I'd just give up. But I can't and won't.

I've been in healthcare administration for pretty much my entire career

I worked at a Medicare DME supply company for 15 years before resigning in 2019 to relocate from Florida to Philadelphia. I take care of my mom, and I wanted to move her closer to our extended family.

I quickly landed a new role in medical staffing as a traveler support specialist. Six months later, the pandemic hit, and by November 2021, my entire branch was dissolved, and I was laid off. After an intense two months of job hunting, which I thought was forever at the time, I landed a job at a medical staffing company as a compliance and credentialing specialist.

I worked steadily there until April, when I was part of a mass layoff. Luckily, I was given a severance package and unemployment benefits through October, which helped cushion the blow.

I decided to rest for the next two months before applying for jobs in July. I haven't received any offers, and it's been a scary, disheartening time.

I've applied to countless jobs

Nearly all of my time, other than cleaning, grocery shopping, and volunteering for a nonprofit, is spent applying for jobs. I've searched through what feels like every job board possible: Indeed, GlassDoor, LinkedIn, ZipRecruiter, and more obscure ones like PowerMyCareer, Monster, and PSG.

I've tried all the free job search memberships and even some paid ones. I've applied to more jobs than I can count and nothing has seemed to work.

It's frustrating because I feel like my résumé is pretty decent. In 20 years, I've only had three jobs, all in the same industry, and I have references from each place. I even have a letter of recommendation from a director at my last job.

I feel like employers have been unprofessional

For most applications, I'm not even getting a response from a human, let alone an opportunity for an interview. Typically, it's just an automated response saying the company is moving forward with someone else. There's no feedback, just rejection. It's insane.

I've had some interviews and a few that I thought went really well — we spoke for an hour, the employer asked lots of questions, we discussed pay, and they even told me I was moving on to the next round.

Then, I'd write them an hour later, thanking them for the interview, and I'd never hear back. The one time I got a written rejection from a person, I asked if it would be possible to provide some feedback as to why I was not chosen. I didn't get a response.

I don't get excited about interviews anymore because who knows what could happen.

I have one regret that might be making it harder to land a job

I didn't finish college, and that's the one thing I regret. I've thought about going back a lot over the years but I couldn't justify accumulating all those student loans when I was already making a solid salary.

Now I feel like maybe I should've gone back to school because, in today's competitive job market, it helps a lot to have a degree.

I feel like I'm in this gray area of being overqualified for regular customer service positions, but because I don't have a degree, I'm underqualified for higher positions, even though I'm technically qualified to do them.

If I get a job offer, I'm taking it

I'm getting more scared as the weeks go by. Before my unemployment benefits ran out, I'd go out and buy a coffee from time to time. Now I won't even grab something at a WaWa. I want to save every penny I can.

At this point, I'm not in a position to turn down any job. It took me forever to save the money I have, and at 44, I don't want to spend my entire savings being unemployed.

I always try to make Christmas really nice for my mom because, at her age, who knows when it's going to be her last. This year I told her I was sorry because I couldn't do that, and she was like "Are you crazy? Do you think I care about presents at this age?" I know she doesn't care, but I can't help but feel bad.

Sometimes, I think, "What if I didn't have my mom to take care of?" Maybe I would just give up, lay in bed, and become homeless. Having someone who depends on me makes it so I can't give up.

This time has been disheartening, but I won't give up.

If you've struggled to find a job since a layoff and would like to share your story, please email Tess Martinelli at [email protected].

• Reddit went public in 2024 and is a more popular, profitable site than ever in its 20-year history.
• BI spoke to 11 Reddit execs about how they've handled new challenges while maintaining a beloved culture.
• They shared everything from their favorite subreddit to what the IPO means to them.

2024 was a great year for Reddit.

The company went public in March with a $6.4 billion valuation and reported its first quarterly profit in October. Shares have soared 230% since its IPO.

And as BI's Emily Stewart recently wrote, Reddit has become more mainstream than ever. Its daily active users jumped 47% in the most recent quarter compared to a year earlier, thanks in part to an unprecedented number of people tacking "Reddit" onto their search terms — a demand the company will try to meet with "Reddit Answers," its new AI-powered search tool.

To find out what this year has looked like on the inside, BI asked 11 Reddit executives — or "Snoos," as Reddit calls its 2,000 employees — to share their favorite highlights behind the scenes of the "front page of the internet."

They described some career-defining moments and talked about managing through rapid change and a new level of pressure. Here's what they said.

What it meant to take Reddit public

"You can pretend that this all makes sense, and it's all business as usual for a little bit. But there are moments where I kind of zone out and realize the scale and how cool a moment I'm in. I guess the word to describe it is 'awe.'" — Serkan Piantino, 41, VP of product, New York City. Joined Reddit in 2022.

"There are always going to be individuals that say, 'Reddit is not what it used to be.' Of course, it's not going to be what it used to be. It's going to be what we make it in the future." — David Trencher, 43, senior managing director, large customer sales, EMEA & Australia, London. Joined the company in 2019.

"2024 has been maybe the highlight of my career at Reddit. We are so focused on starting with community. I think in '24 we've embraced that value more than ever," — Laura Nestler, VP of community, Seattle. Joined Reddit in 2021.

IPO day was 'so Reddit,' execs said

"Getting Snoo (the company's mascot) to ring the bell (rather than our CEO) was just so Reddit-y. It was a culmination of so many years of hard work to get here, and to see it all come to fruition in a very Reddit way was awesome." — Paulita David, Senior Managing Director, large customer sales in North America. Joined Reddit in 2021.

"We broadcast live globally, and I got to emcee the entire thing on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. We all got to see and feel what was happening." — Michelle Lozzi, 40, senior director of experience, San Francisco. Joined Reddit in 2017.

"It was so nice having our new Snoo mascot up there ringing the bell, symbolizing our employees and the community. There is a human in there. We cannot reveal who it is, but the only clue I can share is you have to be 5'10" to wear the suit." — Monica Benson, 38, head of brand operations and creative production, Los Angeles. Joined Reddit in 2020.

How execs managed through change and volatility

"The biggest change for us has been just the sheer volume of advertisers wanting to advertise on Reddit. It impacts my job pretty dramatically. With this increased demand, we're really embracing more automation." — David

"We run a lot of experiments, so failure is a day-to-day thing. Many of our experiments just don't pan out, and a lot of my job is to refine the idea and keep going or decide to work on something else. We're not a huge company. We still have limited resources, so we have to prioritize." — Piantino

"There's a balance of excitement and pressure that keeps me grounded. The fact that we have a real share price that we can use to measure our size adds somewhat to the pressure, but ultimately the excitement and enthusiasm outweigh it. Something we try to instill in our culture is to not get too high with the highs, and too low with the lows." — Jesse Rose, 38, head of investor relations, Massachusetts, Joined Reddit in 2021.

"I know what volatility looks like, and I know how much that can be a distraction for the team. I liked being a calming force and reminding people that, some days, they're going to say great things about you. Some days they're going to say bad things about you, but you are never as good or as bad as they say you are." — Piantino

"That (two-year pre-IPO period) helped us prepare our teams, which helped alleviate some stress. We were going into it knowing what we needed to do." — Trencher

"Some of our communities are growing really fast, and that can be a challenge. There are a bunch of tools that moderators can now use to handle moments of accelerated growth." — Nicole Heard, 36, UK country lead, London. Joined Reddit in 2022.

Execs say Reddit's culture hasn't changed

"When I came back from maternity leave, I wanted to know how the company culture had changed. It felt warm to come back to that authentic, community-building company, but the stakes are higher." — Benson

"People in our UK office genuinely like spending time with each other. Our office had some of the highest real-life visits this year — probably three days a week. The people and culture is what makes it an amazing place to work." — Sam Hughes, 33, senior client partner, London, Joined Reddit in 2021.

"When I joined in 2021, we had this really small kind of Harry Potter cupboard at a WeWork that sat three to five people. Then we got a bigger space with a whole floor, and now, earlier this year, we got an amazing new building." — Hughes

"We just hosted Mod World in our San Francisco office, which was where we brought in 60 of our moderators and made them feel like they're also a part of this. Because it's not just us building the product, it's them maintaining, operating and, breathing life into it." — Lozzi

"My team has grown from three to eight this year. What I'm looking for is people who understand the human interactions that happen on Reddit, and understand exactly what Reddit stands for in the social media landscape." — Alia Chikhdene, 30, head of community, international, Paris. At Reddit since 2021.

Favorite projects included offline community-building

"I was able to travel to countries all over and meet moderators in local markets. I recently got back from a trip to Manila to see the people in our community called Coffee Philippines. Seeing local communities start to thrive and build local ecosystems is really magical." — Nestler

"Our mods are now able to access community funds, where they can apply for funding to do something great with their community and create an impact. The mods of r/Eurovision got funding to go to this year's competition in Sweden to meet the artists and take AMA questions. This became one of the top five fastest-growing communities in the UK, Germany, and Spain. It was a really impactful initiative that helped connect that community to the artists they love." — Heard

Reddit employees shared their top Subreddits

r/skincareaddiction. "I'm always trying to figure out how I can address these wrinkles and get glowing skin." — Young

r/PhotoshopRequest: "You can send in photos, and the community will do an incredible job for you." — Lozzi

r/vosfinances: "This is a community that is really helping with financial literacy. You're one question away from building your future wealth plan." — Chikhdene

r/askmeuf: "This translates to 'ask women.' I'm incredibly grateful to the mods who have built this space and made it safe, vibrant, and inclusive, and making it culturally available to French women." — Chikhdene

r/moderatelygranolamoms - "I'm often looking for the most non-toxic, sustainable products and ways to raise my baby, and this is the perfect group for talking about that." — Benson

r/TrueOffMyChest - "It's a very vulnerable place where people can be anonymous and just share personal stories they wouldn't anywhere else." — Benson

• Damola Adamolekun, CEO of Red Lobster, shares three books that influenced his career in 2024.
• Adamolekun was formerly CEO of P.F. Changs, which he helped generate $1 billion in revenue a year.
• He describes "Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius as a timeless guide to leading.

At 35, Damola Adamolekun is the youngest CEO of Red Lobster of all time. The former Goldman Sachs investment banker and Harvard Business School alum was appointed CEO in August, just months after the seafood chain filed for bankruptcy.

Investors are likely hoping Adamolekun will recreate the restaurant resurgence he accomplished during his tenure as CEO of P.F. Changs from 2019 to 2023, during which he helped the struggling chain generate an estimated $1 billion in revenue a year.

The Nigerian-American businessman shared with Business Insider the three books that helped him navigate his career in 2024.

Business Insider: What three books have shaped your career and leadership this year?

1. "Unreasonable Hospitality" by Will Guidara

Damola Adamolekun: "Unreasonable Hospitality" by Will Guidara is a masterclass in creating memorable experiences through relentless care and attention to detail.

Guidara's approach to hospitality isn't just about service — it's about going above and beyond to make people feel valued. The idea of "over-delivering" resonated deeply with me, reminding me that exceptional hospitality, like exceptional leadership, often lies in the thoughtful, unexpected gestures that leave a lasting impact.

Whether in a restaurant or the boardroom, this book is a compelling reminder that relationships and culture are built on doing the little things with great intention.

2. "Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius

"Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius is a timeless guide to leading with wisdom, resilience, and humility.

Marcus's reflections on discipline and self-mastery have shaped how I approach challenges — focusing on what I can control and letting go of what I can't. His emphasis on serving the greater good is a powerful reminder that leadership is ultimately about responsibility, not power.

This book's enduring relevance lies in its ability to ground leaders in principles that foster clarity and purpose, even amid chaos.

3. "The Winner Within: A Life Plan for Team Players" by Pat Riley

"The Winner Within: A Life Plan for Team Players" by Pat Riley is a motivational book that shares leadership lessons and teamwork strategies, using stories from his NBA coaching career to inspire individuals and organizations to achieve success through unity, resilience, and continuous improvement.

As a former college athlete at Brown University, this book's story of perseverance, adaptability, and ambition echoes the mantra that I've carried from the football field into the boardroom as a CEO.

This story is part of an end-of-year reading list series that seeks to highlight the best books influential CEOs and business leaders read in 2024.

Correction: December 27, 2024 — An earlier version of this story listed incorrect publishers for the "Meditations" and "The Winner Within" book covers.

• Nicole Chan Loeb is a 38-year-old photographer, videographer, and a mother-of-two.
• She and her husband prioritize experiences over gifts, so they invest for their kids in lieu of toys.
• They want to teach their children financial literacy and set them up for a secure financial future.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Nicole Chan Loeb, a photographer and videographer from Boston. It's been edited for length and clarity.

My kids are 1.5 and 4 years old, and I've never bought them any physical presents for birthdays and holidays.

For birthdays, I'll make a cake, and instead of buying toys and clothing, I invest money for them to set them up for a more secure financial future. Plastic toys and knickknacks are temporary fun, but they cause clutter and landfill waste.

My mom taught me about stocks when I was growing up

Growing up, my mom used to tell me about the stocks or funds she invested in for me. Every week, we'd take the figures in the newspaper, chart them on graph paper, and stick them on the fridge. We mostly invested in mutual funds. That was fun, and I especially loved the special time my mom and I spent together. I similarly want to teach my kids financial responsibility and literacy.

My husband and I met in college in 2004. We both worked in the finance and accounting industry — I was in management consulting, and he was in internal audits — before deciding it wasn't for us. I quit in 2010, and he quit shortly afterward, and we both became entrepreneurs. I'm a photographer and videographer, and he owns an escape room company.

It was a considerable risk and I was absolutely terrified. But since my parents taught me financial literacy, I've learned how to save to be comfortable no matter what. Plus, the flexibility and fulfillment this lifestyle provides is very worth it.

We gift our kids investments instead of physical gifts

My husband and I don't exchange gifts in general. If we want something, we'll just purchase it for ourselves — after all, our money is pooled — so I find gift-giving challenging. Instead, we share and enjoy dinners, experiences, shows, and vacations. We give each other cards — it's more about the sentiment.

This year, my husband and I maxed out our kids' custodial Roth IRAs and deposited $7,000 each. My kids have been models for children's clothing lines, toy companies, and hospitality campaigns in my work as a commercial and advertising photographer, so the money is considered their earned income.

We decided to start investing for the kids last year because, from conversations with friends, we realized that we all wished topics like taxes, saving for retirement, and smart investing were taught in high school or earlier. We decided not to wait and agreed to start teaching these concepts as soon as our kids could grasp the basics.

Also, both my husband and I were lucky to leave school without a massive amount of debt because of our parents. These investments will allow our kids to graduate from college without an insurmountable amount of debt.

We're focused on Roth IRAs for now, but we plan to open investment accounts for them within the following year. If they don't have earned income in future years, we will set up a custodial brokerage account and invest for them that way. Because we both own our businesses, our salaries and incomes fluctuate, so we look at our finances each year and decide how much to invest.

Our kids are happy with spending time together

My kids are young, so the concept of expecting gifts has yet to solidify. And they don't really need anything. We're lucky to live in a great neighborhood where the parents pass on toys when their kids have outgrown them. I rarely purchase large toys or gifts, but I don't hold back from ad hoc purchases of crayons, markers, kids' card games, and board games.

Our children are happiest when we spend time together, doing things like lunch dates, playing board games, and baking. Happiness comes from experiences and relationships, and fewer material things promote creativity.

They spend a lot of time outside making up their own games, and we often play with things like sticks, stones, water, acorns, and pinecones. We want contented, balanced kids who aren't overwhelmed with things and toys and chasing the next new shiny object.

My husband and I find a lot of interest and joy in investments, and we hope our kids will as well. My four-year-old is very bright, and in the next year or so, he'll understand that you can put money in specific vehicles to grow, learning the concept of delayed gratification.

I'm hopeful that our kids will start making their own side income in high school and start to learn to invest for themselves as teenagers, just as I did while growing up.

If you have a unique way of teaching your children financial literacy and would like to share your story, email Jane Zhang at [email protected].

• Alexis Ohanian shared three books that shaped his career in 2024.
• Ohanian cofounded Reddit with Steve Huffman and currently serves as founder of 776 VC firm.
• He said "Unreasonable Hospitality" is a must-read for anyone trying to build a brand.

Alexis Ohanian has been recognized as an innovator since cofounding Reddit in 2005 and selling it a year later to Condé Nast. That sale was reportedly between $10 to $20 million.

In the 20 years since then, Ohanian has vastly multiplied his wealth and business portfolio with investments in tech, sports, and other innovative ideas.

The tech founder and investor, who launched his venture firm Seven Seven Six in 2020 after officially leaving Reddit's leadership team, shared with Business Insider the top three books that shaped his career in 2024.

Ohanian said these are his must-reads for various reasons. His quotes have been edited for clarity.

"Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration" by Ed Catmull and Amy Wallace

My founding partner at 776, Katelin Holloway, helped produce "Creativity Inc." based on her time at Pixar. This book informed a lot of how we turned around Reddit and how I'm building 776.

"Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on It" by Chris Voss with Tahl Raz

Zachariah Reitano, the founder/CEO of Ro — one of my 776 investments — recommended the book "Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on it." It's a must-read for anyone, not just CEOs and founders. I re-read it every year to refresh my memory.

"Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect" by Will Guidara

Maggi from the 776 team recommended "Unreasonable Hospitality," written by Will Guidara who achieved fame as former coowner and leader of Eleven Madison Park. EMP is one of my favorite restaurants. The methods and mindset here are imperative for anyone trying to build an exceptional brand, even outside of food and hospitality.

• Regina Grogan is a tech exec who says high stress once impacted her mental health and relationships.
• Grogan has developed nine daily habits that help her reduce stress and increase productivity.
• Grogan's methods include cold plunges, meditation, and gratitude lists for better mood.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Regina Grogan, a Zillennial technology executive, AI founder, and former Google consultant based in Salt Lake City. It's been edited for length and clarity.

I worked in high-stress Silicon Valley for over 10 years, including as a Google consultant, before transitioning to being an associate security engineer at one of the largest banks.

Working in the tech industry is stressful — it has extreme volatility, which has led me to feel anxious and depressed in the past. I've seen tech startups shut down very suddenly with zero discussion. I've also worked in big companies undergoing layoffs and wondered, "Am I next?"

High stress also impacted my relationships. My work took up a lot of my personal time, so I wasn't able to build as many relationships as I wish I had.

Over the years, I've discovered hacks to mitigate stress, boost my mood, and increase productivity. These are my favorites.

1. Cold plunge

I take a 15 to 20-minute ice bath or cold shower every morning. The first five minutes are awful and shocking. Then I acclimate to it, and it actually feels really good.

During the plunge, I feel extremely alert, the world looks brighter, and when I emerge, everything feels like a new beginning.

2. Meditation

I was very addicted to my digital devices until I noticed it was severely affecting my mental clarity and focus. Now I try to stay off my phone as much as possible in the morning, and instead, meditate for 25 minutes.

Ever since I made the switch, my mind has become quieter and I feel reset from the attention obsession that my digital devices create.

3. Increase my bodily awareness

I've realized I have to create balance in life by tuning into my body and intuition for guidance. I now listen more to my instincts.

One time, I was working on a partnership and felt physically uneasy while reviewing the terms. Looking back, I realize I was sensing a subconscious resistance in my body about this partnership, which ended up going south.

4. Take a walk without my phone

I often use my phone as an anxiety and comfort tool. The only way I've had luck mitigating this anxiety is by leaving my phone at home, coming back, and seeing that nothing horrible has happened.

5. Think about what I can and can't control

Let's say a vendor messes up a project, or the intern accidentally gets spam-attacked and is freaked out. Instead of panicking, I use the psychological strategy of the "circle of control," asking myself, "What can I control in this stressful situation?"

If the answer is nothing, I have to let it go.

6. Ask myself, "How can I help others today?"

Doing small acts of kindness helps me take the focus off of myself and redirect my energy toward helping others. This can be helping someone at work, volunteering, or simply letting someone in front of me in traffic.

At the end of the day, I can say, "Today didn't go super well, but I did something in my control to improve things."

7. Make a list of what I'm grateful for

I live a privileged life, and it's easy to forget how hard life is for many other people. In my case, I used to have depression. I've seen bad days, but it's easier to forget when I make a gratitude list.

When I zoom out, I can see how lucky I am and that I have a lot to be thankful for.

8. Epsom salt bath

Every evening, around 9 p.m., I take a hot Epsom salt bath. Epsom salt regulates the nervous system and also staves off loneliness — or so they found in some studies.

I do this as a "day ender" to help me officially close out the day. Otherwise, I'll keep working into the night.

9. Write down my worries and wait to review them

Before I go to sleep at 10 p.m., I write down everything I'm worrying about as a "brain dump." I put it in a box and revisit it a week later to see how many of them came to pass.

Almost none of them do. Over time, I've gained more confidence and calmness.

Ever since I started using these hacks, I've been in a great mood and more productive than ever

My colleagues always talk about my energy and good mood. These hacks allow me to be creative and productive at work, even in a stressful environment.

If you work in Big Tech and have productivity hacks you'd like to share, please email Tess Martinelli at [email protected].

• Aprajita Anand has been a life coach for children of the ultrawealthy for more than a decade.
• Anand says most clients come to her after failing to find success with traditional therapy.
• She emphasizes the importance of taking action, shifting motivations, and contributing to others.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Aprajita Anand, 41, a life coach in New York City. It's been edited for length and clarity.

I've been a life coach for children of the ultrawealthy for 12 years. I started on this career path very organically. I was working as a tutor in New York City, largely supporting wealthy students, and I found them to be emotionally struggling in profound ways.

Society often dismisses them as spoiled rich kids who are perhaps unworthy of sympathy, though I think this assumption makes them a strangely underserved population.

Therefore, I pivoted into life coaching and dedicated my career to helping my students —teens and young adults — navigate the core issues their wealth brings.

Most of my clients have the same story

Problems typically arise when the child encounters rejection, failure, or a struggle that cannot be solved with money.

Many of these problems are social in nature, such as a breakup or excommunication from a friend group or even more systemic issues like racism.

This shock response is commonly followed up by a withdrawal from academic, social, or family life in which they numb themselves with social media, video games, drugs, online shopping, or another behavior of choice.

The parents' first response is often to send their child to a therapist or psychiatrist. I'm a huge believer in therapy, but in some cases, these children end up feeling even more lost and despondent because they're sitting in their feelings and don't know what to do with them. They may wonder how they have every advantage in the world yet are still unable to escape from difficult emotions, which can cause them to sink deeper into their numbing behaviors.

This is often the point when parents bring their children to me.

3 steps to overcoming the 3 biggest issues

In my experience, much of traditional talk therapy is about processing feelings and breaking down thinking patterns. I use some of those elements as a life coach, but I emphasize taking action. I've developed a curriculum to guide young people through three core problems with three core actions.

1. Shift to an internal point of control

Many of my clients fall into a victim mindset, believing they are at the mercy of an unkind world. I empower them to understand they can choose how they respond to any situation.

I had a student who didn't get into her first-choice college, which was difficult for her because it was possibly her first major rejection.

She begrudgingly went to her second choice but refused to engage in freshman orientation or socialize with her peers, and locked herself in her room, numbing herself with social media and Netflix. She was causing unnecessary suffering by sitting in a victim mindset.

When we began working together, I focused on helping her take back her locus of control by taking action, any action. The action she wanted to take was to mount a transfer application to her first-choice school. I agreed to support her if she engaged in a mindset shift, which is step number two.

2. Find internal motivation

Our culture generally equates success with relatively superficial trappings like grades, prestigious colleges, flashy jobs, and lots of money.

However, I assumed someone raised in a wealthy environment would feel unburdened by money and free to live a life of indulgence, free from expectation. To my surprise, my students feel the opposite. They live in an environment that reinforces the idea that money and status are their source of worth.

So, in my client's case, going to a very good school instead of a great school was a complete failure.

While she waited to hear back about her transfer applications, I encouraged her to tap into positive things in her current environment and engage in things that brought her joy. She reluctantly started attending an interest-based club and started going to her professor's office hours just to talk about big ideas on her mind. Slowly, she began to feel like a member of the campus community.

At the end of that year, she got accepted into her first-choice college and ultimately rejected the offer. She had changed her motivation from external to internal and decided the personal reward was greater than the status.

3. Contribute to someone else's well-being

Many of my clients have never had to work, clean, or think about anyone other than themselves. But the amount of time they spend thinking about themselves can be exhausting.

I advise my students to find a way to contribute to someone else's life, such as volunteering with a professional organization or simply helping with chores around the house.

In the case of the student, she took a leadership position in her sorority and ended up loving her role of helping recruits settle into the community.

Contributing to something greater is a positive, healthy way to put down personal problems and find joy in helping someone else. I make sure they understand it's not to pad their résumé or check off a box; it's necessary for building a meaningful life.

If you work with children of the ultrawealthy and would like to share your expertise, please email Tess Martinelli at [email protected].

• Amy Zhang has faced five core struggles since quiet quitting her corporate job to start a business.
• Zhang says navigating the current economy and finding the right clients were among the roadblocks.
• Zhang says entrepreneurship involves making mistakes, but it has redefined her idea of success.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Amy Zhang, a 31-year-old founder based in New York City. It's been edited for length and clarity.

I spent eight months "quiet quitting" my corporate job, which started in June 2022. I then launched a company focused on growing small businesses. I've developed an appreciation for all the ways people can become successful.

But my learning hasn't come without issues. These are the five biggest struggles I've experienced since actually quitting and starting my own business, and what to keep in mind if you're considering it.

1. You have to be able to work alone for days on end

The transition from working with a team to being completely independent has been isolating. The socialization that used to be guaranteed is now a task that falls completely on me, and sometimes I don't leave my house for days.

Being an entrepreneur requires hustle and struggle, which makes it tough for me to put my computer down and stop working.

I make sure to maintain my routine at my gym, where I have a group of people I talk to. I also try to say "yes" to invitations from friends even if it's easier to say no and keep working.

2. You must be prepared for stress, mistakes, and ambiguity

When I started my venture, I realized I was the only one to blame for poor decision-making. The pressure to not make any mistakes plagued me in the beginning, so I've been learning to forgive myself.

One of the biggest mistakes I made was figuring out what tools and technology systems to spend money on and when to make the purchase. I purchased based on referrals and quickly learned that buying tech solutions too soon and solely based on recommendations can be a waste of money.

I also made the mistake of subscribing to annual contracts for discounts. Looking back, I realize the flexibility to cancel month-to-month contracts would've been more financially responsible.

Despite these mistakes, I know that having patience with myself is important for not burning out and giving up.

3. The economy is different now than five years ago

I've noticed that those who started their business five years ago relied heavily on networks and word of mouth to jump-start their companies.

In my experience, right now, I feel like prospective clients need more convincing, touchpoints, and trust to go into business with someone. I've been able to show my commitment through time spent, being active and responsive, and through action — putting my money where my mouth is.

4. Clients might want more time

I thought working as a consultant would benefit companies — it's cheaper for them to hire me with part-time pay, the ability to cancel at any time, and no health insurance. However, many businesses hesitated to work with me because they wanted full ownership of my time.

Don't get me wrong — the clients I work with now are awesome and completely get it. They like having the flexibility and quality of work at a fraction of the cost of a full-time hire.

There's just something about having full control over an employee that I think some businesses still latch onto.

5. Others will try to rank you by title

There's a social bubble — especially in the corporate world — that defines success by titles, promotions, and company prestige.

Even in social circles at events and parties, when I was introduced to someone, the default second question after asking my name was, "So what do you do for a living?" That question used to feel like a way to rank myself among my peers.

Since quitting and starting my own business, I've realized there isn't just one way to be successful, happy, or make money.

If you've "quiet quit" your corporate job and would like to share your story, please email Tess Martinelli at [email protected].

• Greg Mansell says some employers are scrutinizing accommodation requests amid rising RTO mandates.
• Mansell says the process can be stressful for disabled employees, leading to some job resignations.
• Mansell advises employees to use their primary care doctor instead of a specialist to file requests.

This as-told-to article is based on a conversation with Greg Mansell, 40, an employment lawyer based in New York City. It's been edited for length and clarity.

Requesting an ADA health accommodation should be a collaborative process between the employer and the employee in which the main goal is to provide a medically necessary accommodation that doesn't place an undue burden on the employer.

With the rise of RTO mandates and the subsequent increase in work-from-home accommodation requests, some employers are elongating the process and scrutinizing requests more thoroughly. I believe this is to ensure employees aren't abusing the system.

Unfortunately, increasingly drawn-out and laborious processes can put added stress on disabled employees and, in some cases, may influence them to walk away from a job.

As an employment lawyer of 15 years, here are my tips for employees to overcome four hurdles in the accommodation request process.

1. Don't wait for your specialist

After an accommodation is requested, employers may ask the employee's medical provider to fill out an accommodation request detailing the underlying impairment, the restrictions it imposes, and the requested accommodation.

The employer may want the request filed by a specialist if the patient sees one, but these doctors can be hard to get a hold of. I remind people that their primary care doctor has access to all medical records and can provide the same information. It doesn't have to come directly from the specialist's mouth.

2. Prepare the request for your doctor

Some doctors simply don't like dealing with the employment process, so it can be helpful to take the burden off them in any way possible. It may be useful for the disabled employee to prepare their own accommodation request and present it for their doctor's review.

The doctor may approve it or change it for accuracy, but it makes the process significantly less taxing for the doctor.

3. Consider consulting a lawyer

The Americans with Disability Act is one of the most complex employment laws, so employees and medical professionals may make mistakes that lead to a wrongfully denied accommodation request.

For example, the medical professional may not specify the medical condition and, instead, state only that an employee needs an accommodation. This does not give the employer sufficient information to determine if the accommodation, or some other accommodation, is medically necessary.

Employment lawyers understand the process and can make sure an employee provides everything needed and hold the employer to the ADA's requirements. The downside, of course, is that this is a time-consuming process and the attorneys' fees can become quite expensive.

4. Document everything

If you consult a lawyer, it's helpful to have as much documentation of the accommodation request process as possible. Documentation helps us determine whether the employer followed the proper procedures.

You can't force an employer to have a conversation through email, but you can and should follow up any virtual or in-person meetings with the bullet points of what you discussed as a way to memorialize the conversation.

If you're going through the accommodation process amid your company's RTO mandate and would like to share your story, please email Tess Martinelli at [email protected].