I used to think escaping the 9–5 happened in one brave moment.You quit. You leap. You start a completely different life.After 36 conversations with founders, authors, creators, and people who stepped away from the default path, I no longer think that is how it usually happens.Most people build a bridge long before they quit.A bridge made from private clues, tiny experiments, uncomfortable asks, money fears, and enough small proof to trust themselves with the next step.This is a special solo episode of Escape 9 to 5, looking back at what the first 36 conversations changed for me.I share five lessons:1. The escape starts before you quit.2. Proof matters more than confidence.3. Money fear does not magically disappear.4. Sometimes you have to ask anyway.5. There is no arrival. Freedom means choosing the pressure you are willing to live with.The episode includes moments and ideas from conversations with Anne-Laure Le Cunff, Gillian Liu, Erin Wade, Paul Millerd, Andrew Wilkinson, Michia Rohrssen, and other guests who have generously shared the honest, unresolved parts of building a different life.One line from Michia stayed with me long after we stopped recording:“The whole world is waiting for you.”Not necessarily waiting for you to quit tomorrow.But perhaps waiting for you to send the message, run the experiment, follow the curiosity, or begin building the bridge.I’m deeply grateful to every guest who has given their time to this podcast. These conversations have changed how I understand work, risk, freedom, and what it means to build a life that feels more like your own.Explore Escape 9 to 5:https://www.dayzeroproduction.com/escape-9-to-5Watch the full podcast archive:https://www.youtube.com/@LydiaCLinzi/podcastsAbout the show:Escape 9 to 5 is a podcast about people who leave default paths and build more deliberate, self-directed lives.Hosted by Lydia Linzi, a former investment banker turned climate-tech founder and creator.Connect with Lydia:https://www.dayzeroproduction.comhttps://www.instagram.com/lydiachenlinzi

Most people know Brian Dean as the founder of Backlinko and co-founder of Exploding Topics. He built his life from his dad’s basement into selling two companies.But this conversation isn’t just about how he did it.It’s about what came after: the strange, quiet, surprisingly stressful question of what freedom is actually for once you finally have it.We get into the first business that failed, the years of trial and error before anything worked, building an audience before earning a cent, geo-arbitrage, Portugal, tennis, why passive income is never really passive, and how AI is reshaping search.But underneath all of it is the question I kept coming back to:Is happiness about having more, or about learning to want less?Find Brian:Programs.com: https://programs.com/Backlinko: https://backlinko.com/Exploding Topics: https://explodingtopics.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BrianDean/videosLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianedean/Escape 9 to 5 is a long-form podcast about people who stepped away from the conventional path to build more deliberate, self-directed lives.Listen and subscribe:https://www.dayzeroproduction.com/escape-9-to-5Follow Lydia:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lydiachenlinzi/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lichenlydia/Website: https://www.dayzeroproduction.com/Newsletter:Sunday Not Blue: https://www.lydia-c-linzi.kit.com/The First 60 Days: https://lydiaclinzi.substack.com/

Jacob Warwick has helped leaders secure over $1 billion in compensation across tech, Hollywood, private equity, and large companies.But this conversation goes far beyond negotiation tactics.We talk about the mindset shift from candidate to consultant, why so many people struggle to stand up for their own value, and what it takes to enter the room with dignity, safety, and self-trust.Jacob also shares the personal experiences that shaped his approach to negotiation, and why learning to speak for yourself is about more than money.This is a conversation about negotiation, but also about knowing your value before someone else decides it for you.Connect with Jacob:Website: https://www.thinkwarwick.com/Newsletter: https://execsandthecity.com/YouTube: @ExecsandtheCityHosted by Lydia.Escape 9 to 5 explores unconventional career paths, reinvention, and building meaningful lives on your own terms.🎙 About Escape 9 to 5Escape 9 to 5 is a long-form podcast about people leaving default paths and building lives of freedom, agency, and meaning. New episodes monthly.More episodes:https://www.dayzeroproduction.com/escape-9-to-5If this conversation resonated, please like, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs to hear it.📍 About MeHi I'm Lydia, I'm a banker turned Climate Tech EntrepreneurBuilding something to connect people and funding.

He sold his company for $110 million at 31. Retired. Traveled to Antarctica twice. Visited Richard Branson's private island. Then came back to build again.This is a conversation I've been trying to have for two years. Michia Rhossen and I first connected through the Part-Time YouTuber Academy in London, and we finally sat down on my last day in Hong Kong before flying back to London. No script, no preparation.What we ended up talking about wasn't the grinding stories or the exit mechanics. It was what happens after. What success means when money is no longer the goal. Why comfort was the scariest part of his journey. And how he's now building three companies, not because he has to, but because he realized that not building was the selfish choice.If you take one thing from this episode, let it be this: "If I'm still excited about what I'm doing, then I think I've won. And if we have 100 million users and I'm not excited, then I've lost."Find Michia: @askmichia on Instagram and YouTubeThis is Episode 34 of Escape 9 to 5.Connect with MichiaInstagram / YouTube: @askmichiaExplore more from Escape 9 to 5Podcast archive: https://www.dayzeroproduction.com/escape-9-to-5Escape 9 to 5 is a podcast by https://www.dayzeroproduction.com/ and hosted by Lydia Chen — real conversations with people who left the traditional path and built something of their own. New episodes monthly.Connect with Lydia: @lydiachenlinzi on Instagram | lydiaclinzi.substack.com

At eighteen, Alex Smereczniak bought a college laundry business with $2,000 and a seller-financing deal. Three years later, he exited.In this episode, we talk about:• Buying a business at 18• Why “unsexy” paths can teach you more than prestige• Leaving corporate when it doesn’t fit• Building Franzy, a platform helping people access franchise ownership• And the question that still lingers with me:“Are you happy doing what you’re doing?”Alex is the founder and CEO of Franzy, an AI-powered platform helping people discover and acquire franchise businesses. Before Franzy, he built and scaled 2ULaundry and LaundroLab.Connect with Alex:Franzy — ⁠https://www.franzy.com⁠LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-smereczniak-40310329/Hosted by Lydia .Escape 9 to 5 explores unconventional career paths and building meaningful lives on your own terms.

What if you don’t need the perfect job to live a meaningful life?In this episode, I talk with Simone Stolzoff, author of The Good Enough Job and the upcoming How Not To Know, about permission, uncertainty, and designing a life that can change with you.We discuss the moment Simone quit his job after buying a $220 plane ticket, how that decision shaped his relationship with work, and what it looks like to build a portfolio life with family, community, and flexibility at the center.This is an honest conversation about optionality, evolving identities, and learning to trust yourself in an uncertain world.Books by Simone Stolzoff:- 📘 *How Not To Know* (new book): https://simonestolzoff.com/how-to-not-know- 📕 *The Good Enough Job*Find Simone online: https://simonestolzoff.com/

What if the smartest way to escape your 9-to-5…wasn’t quitting right away?In this episode, I’m joined by Gillian Liu, co-founder and CMO of Kiyoko Beauty, a brand on track to reach $10M in revenue.Gillian shares why she kept her 9-to-5 longer than most people would, took a $30K pay cut to create the right conditions for a side hustle, and how patience became her biggest advantage.We talk about:Building slowly without panicWhy not quitting can be a strategyFamily expectations and non-traditional pathsWhat it really takes to grow something on your own termsThis conversation is for anyone who feels the pressure to rush—but knows deep down that timing matters.

When I met Michael Gendler at the Interesting People event this summer, I didn’t even see him teach. But in a casual conversation between sessions, he told me the story of how he froze mid-sentence in a meeting years ago — and how that moment of fear became the doorway into his life’s work.Michael is the co-founder of Ultraspeaking, and in this episode he opens up about:✨ Showing up for 100 Thursdays✨ Practicing courage long before mastery✨ What it means to speak with aliveness✨ How to unlock the voice you already have✨ Why enjoyment → confidence → clarityThis conversation changed how I see myself as a communicator.It felt less like an interview and more like gaining a new pair of wings — the conviction to speak honestly, the confidence to show up as myself, and the reminder that communication is something we unlock, not something we perform.If you’ve ever frozen in a meeting, doubted your voice, or wished you could speak with more ease and conviction — this episode is for you.🎧 EP30 — How to Speak Like Yourself Under Pressure (with Michael Gendler)Let’s dive in.🎙 Ultraspeaking • Website: https://www.ultraspeaking.com • Games: https://www.ultraspeaking.com/games • Courses & Coaching: https://www.ultraspeaking.com/courses • YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ultraspeaking • Michael Gendler LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelgendler🎧 Escape 9 to 5https://www.instagram.com/escape9to5_podhttps://www.linkedin.com/showcase/escape-9-to-5/✨ Welcome to Your New Source of Freedom & PurposeHi, I’m Lydia — a former investment banker turned climate-tech founder, digital nomad, and creator.I make videos for people designing a life with more freedom, clarity, and connection — wherever you are in the world.🌍 Whether you’re:• breaking into climate tech• building a portfolio career• or crafting a life beyond the 9 to 5you’ll find gentle tools, creative experiments, and honest stories to help you move forward — on your own terms.🎁 Gifts & Tools I Use Daily(some links are affiliate — thank you for supporting my work!)🎥 DJI Camera Gear (my go-to minimal creator setup)https://dji-retail.co.uk/r?id=38ff4g🎙 Riverside — record high-quality podcast + remote interviewshttps://riverside.sjv.io/N9O5NV🎬 CapCut Pro (7-day trial) — my full editing workflowhttps://www.capcut.com/capcut_pc_web/fission_receive?code=4kGM2e23925838&lng=en🧠 Notion — planning, journaling, life operating systemhttps://www.notion.com/product?utm_source=affl&utm_medium=lydiachen8604🎵 Epidemic Sound — cinematic music for creatorshttps://www.epidemicsound.com/campaign/invite-a-creator/?_us=Referral&_usx=0glnzs&utm_source=ref_program&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=0glnzs💪 ClassPass — £1 trial + 20 credits (my Lisbon/London workout routine)https://classpass.com/refer/STTVGMC528?utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=raf_pre_reservation&utm_content=MjU4MTk4MzY%3D🧘‍♀️ Psycle London Starter Kithttps://psyclelondon.com/pages/register?referral_code=xZpKBB📬 Stay Connected💌 The First 60 Days — navigating change + reinventionhttps://lydiaclinzi.substack.com/💌 Sunday Not Blue — gentle reflections, weekly ritualhttps://www.lydia-c-linzi.kit.com/🌍 Websitehttps://www.lydiaclinzi.com📸 Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/lydiachenlinzi© 2025 Lydia C. Linzi — All Rights Reserved.

Johnny Hilbrant didn’t plan to become The PE Guy.A SoulCycle instructor by day, he turned one awkward wedding conversation about money and status into a viral character followed by nearly 200 thousand people.In this episode, Lydia and Johnny talk about turning cringe moments into creativity, using humor to heal after the loss of his twin sister, and saying yes to what feels right—without quitting the life that pays your bills.You’ll hear:• The real story behind “Absolutely Printing!”• How a viral character can stay grounded in real life• Why story always beats status• Finding joy again through comedy and community🎧 Follow Escape 9-to-5 for more human stories about careers, creativity, and reinvention.

An app born from a panic attack that now calms millions. In this conversation, Ania Wysocka shares how she bootstrapped Rootd, kept her values (not someone else’s rat race), and why she wants people to graduate from the app back to their lives. We also get real on conviction, those rooms where builders lift you up, and tiny drills you can try this week.You’ll learn:• panic → OK tools that help in the moment• bootstrapping an impact product without losing your values• female-founder real talk (bias, confidence, and finding your rooms)• the “graduate from the app” philosophy + a 7-day calm protocolConnect with Ania: https://www.instagram.com/simply_rootd/https://x.com/aniamargaretTry out Rootd: https://www.rootd.io/• Watch the episode on YouTube — https://youtu.be/xo1lB9rxdxM*🎙 Tools Used to Record This Episode*🎙 Record with Riverside: https://www.riverside.fm/?via=lydia-chen🎥 DJI Camera: https://dji-retail.co.uk/r?id=38ff4g🎬 Edit with CapCut Pro (7-day free trial): https://www.capcut.com/capcut_pc_web/fission_receive?code=4kGM2e23925838&lng=en🎵 Epidemic Sound (free music trial): https://www.epidemicsound.com/campaign/invite-a-creator/?_us=Referral&_usx=0glnzs&utm_source=ref_program&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=0glnzs*🌱 Other Tools I Recommend*📚 Part-Time YouTuber Academy (PTYA): https://go.aliabdaal.com/ptya?ref=lydiaclinzi🧠 LifeOS by Ali Abdaal: https://aliabdaal.com/lifeos/ref/lydiaclinzi/🧘‍♀️ Psycle London Starter Kit: https://psyclelondon.com/pages/register?referral_code=xZpKBB🚲 SoulCycle Invite: https://www.soul-cycle.com/r/7mBwe8c8/💪 ClassPass (£1 trial + 20 credits): https://classpass.com/refer/STTVGMC528?utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=raf_pre_reservation&utm_content=MjU4MTk4MzY%3D*(Some of these are affiliate links — thank you for supporting my channel!)*---🌍 **Website**: https://www.dayzeroproduction.com/escape-9-to-5📸 **Instagram**: https://www.instagram.com/escape9to5_pod/?hl=en🎯 About the PodcastEscape 9 to 5 is for people who’ve left corporate life behind and never looked back. We talk about risk, reinvention, and what it takes to build a life you don’t need a vacation from.© 2025 Lydia C. Linzi. All Rights Reserved.