Why I Left Tech: From Product Manager to Blue-Collar Business Owner
After spending 20 years in the tech industry, including 13 years as a product manager at Dell Technologies, I made a life-changing decision to leave the corporate world behind. This was not an easy choice, but a series of events and realizations pushed me in a completely new direction: starting my own blue-collar business. In this blog post, I’ll walk you through the three key reasons that led me to take the leap from a tech career to owning a dumpster rental and hauling business.
1. The Downturn in the Tech Industry
One of the biggest factors driving my decision to leave tech was the current state of the industry. Over the past couple of years, we’ve seen mass layoffs across major companies like Dell, Cisco, and Intel. These layoffs weren’t isolated incidents, and they’re part of a broader trend that’s affecting the entire sector. In fact, Dell alone laid off nearly 30,000 employees over the last year and a half.
As someone who had been with Dell for over a decade, I experienced the uncertainty firsthand. After I was laid off, I tried to re-enter the job market, only to find it saturated with highly qualified candidates. Even with referrals, custom cover letters, and resumes tailored to specific roles, I wasn’t getting any responses. The frustration of being passed over in a market where I should have been a top candidate was a wake-up call. I realized the tech industry was not as stable or rewarding as it once seemed.
2. Building Something of My Own
After coming to terms with the reality of the tech industry, I started thinking about what I really wanted out of my career and life. I had always loved working on product strategy and developing innovative solutions, but the corporate world wasn’t fulfilling me anymore. I asked myself, “What can I build that’s mine?”
I wanted to start something from scratch that I could eventually grow into a full-fledged business. I made a list of ideas, and I kept coming back to the concept of a blue-collar business. I’ve always enjoyed working with my hands—I’ve done demolition, humanitarian work, and home remodels. That’s when I landed on the idea of starting a mobile debris container and hauling business. It aligned with my desire to grow something from the ground up and use my product management skills in a new, more tangible way.
3. Frustration with Compensation and Corporate Culture
The third reason for my departure from tech was a growing frustration with corporate compensation and culture. For years, I had been making significant contributions to Dell, driving billions of dollars in revenue and submitting patents that had the potential to bring even more value to the company. Despite all of this, my compensation never reflected the impact I was having.
It wasn’t until the last year or so at Dell that I realized just how underpaid I was compared to my colleagues and the wider industry. This disparity hit hard, especially when I considered the amount of work I was putting in. And it wasn’t just me—many of my team members were also undercompensated.
The final straw came when I was told that employees should be "happy to have a job" and that they didn’t deserve better pay because "working in tech isn’t as hard as other jobs." That statement highlighted a fundamental disconnect between corporate leadership and the employees driving the company’s success. I knew I couldn’t continue working in an environment where people were treated as disposable.
The Road Ahead
Leaving tech wasn’t just about finding a new job—it was about reclaiming control over my career and my life. Now, as the owner of a hauling and dumpster rental business, I’m applying the same strategic thinking and planning skills I developed as a product manager. The difference is that now, I’m building something for myself, not for a company that undervalues its employees.
This transition has been challenging, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. I’m excited to see where this new journey takes me and how I can grow this business into something bigger. In future posts, I’ll dive deeper into the specific steps I took to launch my business and the strategies I’m using to scale it over time.
Final Thoughts
If you’re in a similar situation—feeling burnt out in tech, frustrated with corporate culture, or just ready for a change—I hope this story resonates with you. Transitioning from a white-collar job to a blue-collar business might seem like a big leap, but it can be a fulfilling and empowering decision. You don’t need to stay stuck in a role that no longer serves you. Sometimes, stepping outside of your comfort zone is the best way to find success.
If you have any thoughts or questions, feel free to leave a comment below. And if you’re interested in more content like this, be sure to follow along as I share more insights about my journey from product manager to business owner.
