30-year-old took a pay cut to work for herselfand doesn’t regret it [Video]

In 2023, Anna-Marie Ortiz worked remotely for a fintech startup, where she earned $60,000 a year.

She liked the job well enough, but wasn’t sure what her future at the company would look like. “I realized I can’t wait around for other people’s dreams, and that’s when I decided to go all in on mine,” she tells CNBC Make It.

That July, Ortiz used the last of her $2,000 in savings to start a cleaning company on the side. By November, she took the business, Cool Aunt Cleaners, full-time.

Although she’s only able to pay herself around $29,000 this year — a significant pay cut from her last position — she’s happy with her choice to strike out on her own.

“I love being my own boss,” she says. “It allows me the flexibility to make my own decisions and create a work environment that reflects my values.”