How to Escape Corporate Life and Build Your Dream Business

How to Escape Corporate Life and Build Your Dream Business

In this episode, Chris shares his journey from corporate life to entrepreneurship, discussing the emotional challenges, strategic steps, and mindset shifts involved in making a successful transition.  Chris was making $200K a year in his corporate job just four months ago when he was laid off in January 2026. He did what most people do and panicked, wondering how he would support his family without a stable paycheck. Chris stepped back, took time to reset, and quickly pivoted to a work outside the system in which he controls his time, his moves, and what his future looks like.   You are going to get a lot from Chris as he offers practical advice on overcoming fear, leveraging social media, and building sustainable income streams outside of corporate employment.  This is Chris' Second Story... Follow us at:  LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/secondstorypodcast Insta: https://www.instagram.com/secondstorypod/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@second.story.podc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093169098270 Follow Josh Cybulski at: Insta: https://www.instagram.com/authorjoshcybulski/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorJCybulski Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jfactor12 Buy Josh’s Book: https://www.amazon.ca/Second-Story-Work-Josh-Cybulski/dp/B08JF5M3MN/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1706931882&sr=8-1 Listen to Josh’s Audiobook Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/second-story-work-the-novel/id1712487814 Follow Corey Leckie at: Insta: https://www.instagram.com/leckie_corey/ Business Insta: https://www.instagram.com/frameworks_media Follow Make It Work Chris at:  Insta: https://www.instagram.com/makeitworkchris/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@makeitworkchris Website: https://escapecorporatenow.com Credits: Original Music By Recent Rumors Follow Recent Rumors: Find the track Coka here: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMvpwncgwC0) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/recentrumors/?hl=en Stuck In My Head album: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/recentrumors/stuck-in-my-head/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAac0YOQcnMHk8Fimez_iqNxtXSuBTkPJDTsliHT_q85UfVgzBbObxxzQVaGY8A_aem_OFXm0X9FgvSl78A7p7DhdQ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@recentrumors3867 Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction 01:17 Chris's Journey from Fitness to Corporate 03:37 Transitioning to Entrepreneurship 08:39 The Panic of Leaving Corporate 09:49 Dealing with Depression and Anxiety 12:17 The Importance of Planning and Structure 13:55 Balancing Productivity and Leisure 20:53 The Role of Coaching in Transition 26:59 Support from Medical Professionals 27:50 Navigating Corporate Mental Health Programs 28:45 The Neo Phase: Awakening to Reality 29:32 Identity and Job Security: The Emotional Struggle 31:38 The Impact of Social Media on Corporate Life 33:38 Creating Content: The Art of Engagement 35:21 Batching Content: Secrets to Consistency 38:28 Overcoming Mistakes: Learning from Failure 40:33 Building Skills While in Corporate 43:22 Taking Action: The Importance of Execution 46:08 Empowerment: Making the Leap to Change #crisis #secondstory #redemption #growth #growing #redeemed #redemptionseries #redemptionarc #motivation #reallife #overcomingadversity #overcomingchallenges #overcomingobstacles #overcoming #redemption #phenomenon #PersonalGrowth

22 Things I Wish I Knew in My 20s - Part 2

Corey and Josh return to discuss the 22 things they would do differently if they could redo their 20s. As two men who never realized that they wasted much of their 20s they pass on the lessons that they wish someone had passed onto them.   Whether you're in your 20s right now or trying to rebuild your life later, these lessons will help you. 👇 Be honest: What’s one thing you would do if you could go back? Follow us at:  LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/secondstorypodcast Insta: https://www.instagram.com/secondstorypod/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@second.story.podc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093169098270 Follow Josh Cybulski at: Insta: https://www.instagram.com/authorjoshcybulski/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorJCybulski Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jfactor12 Buy Josh’s Book: https://www.amazon.ca/Second-Story-Work-Josh-Cybulski/dp/B08JF5M3MN/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1706931882&sr=8-1 Listen to Josh’s Audiobook Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/second-story-work-the-novel/id1712487814 Follow Corey Leckie at: Insta: https://www.instagram.com/leckie_corey/ Business Insta: https://www.instagram.com/frameworks_media #Your20s #LifeLessons #DontWasteYourLife #MensGrowth #Discipline

Don’t Waste Your 20s The Way We Did | Here's 22 Lessons We Learned The Hard Way (Part 1)

What if you could go back and do your 20s over again? In this episode of Second Story, Corey and Josh break down 22 things they would do differently if they had another shot at their 20s. From chasing the wrong things… to avoiding risks… to not understanding discipline, relationships, and purpose—this is the kind of advice most people only learn after it’s too late. The truth? A lot of people don’t realize they’re wasting their 20s until they’re already in their 30s or 40s—stuck, burned out, or full of regret. This episode is about changing that. Whether you're in your 20s right now or trying to rebuild your life later, these lessons will help you: Make smarter decisions earlier Avoid years of wasted time Build real discipline and direction Stop drifting and start designing your life 👇 Be honest: What’s one thing you wish you started earlier? Follow us at:  LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/secondstorypodcast Insta: https://www.instagram.com/secondstorypod/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@second.story.podc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093169098270 Follow Josh Cybulski at: Insta: https://www.instagram.com/authorjoshcybulski/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorJCybulski Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jfactor12 Buy Josh’s Book: https://www.amazon.ca/Second-Story-Work-Josh-Cybulski/dp/B08JF5M3MN/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1706931882&sr=8-1 Listen to Josh’s Audiobook Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/second-story-work-the-novel/id1712487814 Follow Corey Leckie at: Insta: https://www.instagram.com/leckie_corey/ Business Insta: https://www.instagram.com/frameworks_media #Your20s #LifeLessons #DontWasteYourLife #MensGrowth #Discipline

You’re Still Living Your First Life (And Don’t Know It)

Most people don’t realize they have a second life… until they’ve already lived through their first one. In this episode of Second Story, Josh talks about something most of us never question early enough—the life we’re living. The path. The plan. The version of success we were handed. For a long time, Josh thought he was doing everything right; he had the perfect family, the beautiful home, and the job he was good at. He was following the script. Building something stable. Moving forward. But at some point, he had to stop and ask a harder question: Was this actually his life? The career he wanted?… Or just the one he fell into? This isn’t about quitting your job or flipping your life overnight. It’s about awareness. Ownership. And choosing a direction that actually feels like yours. Because the truth is: You don’t get a second life when you succeed… You get it when you finally question the first one. Follow us at:  LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/secondstorypodcast Insta: https://www.instagram.com/secondstorypod/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@second.story.podc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093169098270 Follow Josh Cybulski at: Insta: https://www.instagram.com/authorjoshcybulski/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorJCybulski Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jfactor12 Buy Josh’s Book: https://www.amazon.ca/Second-Story-Work-Josh-Cybulski/dp/B08JF5M3MN/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1706931882&sr=8-1 Listen to Josh’s Audiobook Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/second-story-work-the-novel/id1712487814 Follow Corey Leckie at: Insta: https://www.instagram.com/leckie_corey/ Business Insta: https://www.instagram.com/frameworks_media #SecondLife #SecondStory #LifeChange #WakeUpCall #FindYourself #PersonalGrowth #SelfImprovement #MindsetShift #GrowthMindset #SelfAwareness #LifeLessons #FeelingStuck #LostInLife #QuarterLifeCrisis #MidlifeAwakening #StartOver #ChangeYourLife #Motivation #Inspiration #Purpose #SuccessMindset #LiveIntentionally

Why Stupid People Think They’re Smart

Why do some people sound so confident — even when they have no idea what they’re talking about? In this episode, we break down the Dunning-Kruger Effect, the psychological phenomenon that explains why beginners often overestimate their knowledge while true experts tend to doubt themselves. Follow us at:  LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/secondstorypodcast Insta: https://www.instagram.com/secondstorypod/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@second.story.podc Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093169098270 Follow Josh Cybulski at: Insta: https://www.instagram.com/authorjoshcybulski/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorJCybulski Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jfactor12 Buy Josh’s Book: https://www.amazon.ca/Second-Story-Work-Josh-Cybulski/dp/B08JF5M3MN/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1706931882&sr=8-1 Listen to Josh’s Audiobook Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/second-story-work-the-novel/id1712487814 Follow Corey Leckie at: Insta: https://www.instagram.com/leckie_corey/ Business Insta: https://www.instagram.com/frameworks_media Credits: Original Music By Recent Rumors Follow Recent Rumors: Find the track Coka here: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMvpwncgwC0) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/recentrumors/?hl=en Stuck In My Head album: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/recentrumors/stuck-in-my-head/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAac0YOQcnMHk8Fimez_iqNxtXSuBTkPJDTsliHT_q85UfVgzBbObxxzQVaGY8A_aem_OFXm0X9FgvSl78A7p7DhdQ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@recentrumors3867 #secondstory #dunningkrugereffect #dunningkruger #stupid #dumb #markmanson #Psychology #PsychologyFacts #HumanPsychology #CognitiveBias #Overconfidence #SelfAwareness #CriticalThinking #Mindset #SelfImprovement #PersonalGrowth #SelfDevelopment #GrowthMindset #LifeLessons #Wisdom #EmotionalIntelligence #LearnAndGrow #BeBetter #SelfReflection #Podcast #YouTubePodcast #DeepTalk #ThinkAboutIt #ModernLife #Truth #Perspective #Discussion #Awareness #Knowledge #FakeExperts #Overconfident #StayHumble #ThinkAgain #EveryoneHasOpinions #HardTruth #UnpopularOpinion