What keeps 79% of corporate professionals stuck isn't lack of skills or opportunity—it's something deeper. In this solo episode, Brett shares the story of landing his first client, making good money, and then doing something that still makes him cringe: convincing that company to hire him full-time. Nobody forced him back. He walked himself in.

This mistake cost him 18 months and taught him the hard truth: leaving corporate is tactical, but breaking your dependency on it is psychological. Brett breaks down what corporate dependency actually is (hint: it's not just the paycheck), why going solo alone reinforces that dependency, and the two critical milestones that finally sever the tie.

If you're still in corporate and thinking about making a move—or you've already left but still feel the pull—this episode will help you understand what you're really up against and how to break free for good.

What You'll Learn:

Why corporate dependency is psychological, not financial
The three things you're actually dependent on (and it's not what you think)
Why isolation amplifies doubt and keeps you stuck
The two milestones that break corporate reliance
How to avoid the mistake that sent Brett back 18 months
Why community matters more than tactics when going solo

Key Quotes:

"I hadn't really thought about why I did it, but it was really my dependence and my reliance on corporate."
"What I really broke it down into three areas: I wanted control of my future, control of my money, and control of my time."
"When you go alone, you have nothing else except yourself to talk you in or out of what you're doing."
"Once you get to the point where you're confident that you can bring in that next deal, you know you're never going back."
"I wasn't escaping corporate per se. I didn't have to stay there. I had options."

Resources Mentioned:

The Escapee Collective: Join Brett's community

Subscribe & Connect: If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe to The Corporate Escapee Podcast on your favorite platform. New episodes drop multiple times per week featuring guest interviews and solo deep-dives like this one.

Looking to break your corporate dependency? Visit TheEscapeeCollective.com to connect with others on the same journey.

Breaking Corporate Dependency: Why Going Solo Alone Keeps You Stuck w/Brett Trainor