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“Quit your job to follow your passion” is the worst advice you’ll ever hear.
You’ve probably heard it a million times from gurus, influencers, and even well-meaning friends. But what if this popular advice is setting you up for failure?
Torriel Harris was done. Burnt out from juggling resumes for her day job and her side business, then she quit in 2023; vowing never to return.
Then life threw her a curveball.
Laid off unexpectedly, she had no choice but to rebuild her coaching business from scratch. But this time, she did it differently: without guilt, without apologies, and without sacrificing stability.
In this episode of Coaching with Impact, Torriel joins Fifa Tran to unpack the myths, mindset shifts, and practical strategies for building a business while keeping your 9-to-5. Whether you’re scared to take the leap or just need permission to love both, here’s what you need to know.
You Don’t Have to Quit to Be a “Real” Entrepreneur
Let’s shatter the myth once and for all: You don’t need to burn the boats to build a business. You don’t need to quit your job to be legit. That narrative? It’s outdated and honestly, dangerous.
Torriel Harris is living proof that entrepreneurship doesn’t have to be all or nothing. She built her business while holding down a full-time job in career development. It all started when she casually helped a friend land a higher-paying role. That single win proved she had something valuable to offer beyond her 9-to-5. It wasn’t a loud launch, and she wasn’t looking to replace her job. She was simply exploring what was possible.
Even when she was laid off later on, she admitted: “If I didn’t need to leave, I wouldn’t have.” That truth? It hits hard. Because the entrepreneurial space often glorifies the leap but skips over the steady build.
Torriel reminds us: your business is valid whether it’s your side hustle, your weekend project, or your full-time gig. There is no “right time.” There’s only your time.
Alignment Trumps Hustle
Here’s what no one tells you: Hustle can look like progress, but it’s often just noise. Torriel knows this all too well. At first, she poured her energy into resume writing, not because it lit her up, but because it seemed like the “smart” move.
But smart doesn’t always mean sustainable.
The real transformation happened when she paused, recalibrated, and gave herself permission to pivot. She leaned into coaching, into facilitating workshops, into work that didn’t deplete her. She chose alignment and that changed everything.
If both your job and business are draining you, it’s not a sign to quit. It’s a sign to rethink how you’re building. Your transferable skills aren’t meant to be recycled in burnout loops. They’re meant to help you create a business that fuels you.
Don’t confuse noise for momentum. Choose work that moves you forward, too.
You’re Not a Sellout for Loving Your 9-to-5
There’s a lie floating around in the coaching space: That if you really cared about your business, you’d quit your job. That if you don’t go “all in,” you’re playing small.
Torriel calls BS and we’re so glad she does.
“Be okay with loving your job and your business,” she says. That’s not fence-sitting. That’s smart stewardship of your resources. Your paycheck is not your enemy, it’s your funding partner. Your runway. Your breathing room.
Let’s stop shaming people into quitting jobs they actually enjoy. Choosing security doesn’t make you weak. It makes you strategic. Keep your salary, build your dream, and ditch the guilt. This is your timeline, not Instagram’s.
Hard truth: “If you enjoy that paycheck every two weeks, stay. Build first. Leap later.”
Use Your Job as a Lab
Torriel didn’t just tolerate her 9-to-5, she maximized it. Every role, every responsibility became a lab for her business.
She used her curriculum design experience to build coaching templates. She paid attention to how she communicated with clients and improved her messaging. She strategically reframed her side hustle as “consulting” on her resume. That move alone elevated how others perceived her expertise.
Want to do the same? Start by auditing your current job.
- What systems do you manage?
- What skills are you using that could transfer to your business?
Project management, team leadership, content creation, they all count. Your workplace is already shaping your entrepreneurial future if you let it.
Survival > Ego
This is the part most entrepreneurs won’t say out loud.
Torriel did.
She’s currently supported by unemployment. And if she needs to go back to a 9-to-5, she will. Why? Because stability isn’t weakness. It’s wisdom.
“Money matters,” she says. “If your business isn’t sustaining you yet, keep your job.”
Let’s normalize this. Let’s stop glorifying struggle and start celebrating smart decisions. Entrepreneurship isn’t about optics. It’s about building something real, and sometimes that means taking the bridge job, cashing the check, or saying yes to stability while your dream takes shape.
This journey is not a straight line. And it’s definitely not a pass/fail test. It’s a series of choices, some bold, some quiet that move you closer to the life you want.
If you needed permission to build your way, here it is. Let this be your permission slip.
About Torriel Harris
Torriel Harris is a career development coach who helps women stop playing small and start landing roles that reflect their true worth. Known for being your “realest cheerleader,” Torriel brings a mix of bold honesty and tangible strategy to the table. She’s the creator of Command the Room, Sis, a 12-week group coaching experience, and She Will Be Heard, a membership space that helps women amplify their voices and navigate the job market with clarity and confidence.
Her work is rooted in helping women feel seen, supported, and unshakeable in spaces that have often told them to shrink. You can connect with Torriel directly on LinkedIn.
