I Quit my job at Google to teach Zumba Fitness

Because some risks must be taken

My heart was racing as my Nokia phone rang. I knew the number. Was it the call I’d been waiting for for 5 months?

The lady at the other end confirmed my offer and I had got my first dream job at Google! I was overjoyed! That moment still counts among the best ones of my life.

Three years later, I quit.

“How stupid!” you must wonder as you read this.

To me quitting meant being bold and believing in myself. I was about to embark on a new journey.

Certain people are better placed to take risks and they should

As awesome as Google was, I realized that a regular job would not give me what I was looking for at that time. Even if it was at the world’s best place to work.

So, I quit.

But, what did I want? A job that made me happy, that made me feel like my work mattered and had an impact, and that introduced me to a lot of people.

I was 23 at the time and I was making decent money. I didn’t need to support my parents and had no other major responsibility to shoulder, at least financially.

I was well-placed to take a risk. In fact, more people in such a situation should.

Was it easy? Most definitely not! It took me a year to tell my boss that I wanted to leave.

Rolling away from Google and into Zumba fitness

I had a plan.

A year before I quit, I stumbled upon Zumba fitness which was the hottest form of fitness in India then.

It was love at first class.

My instructor knew that I was smitten and signed me up for a certification. And a month after my first-ever Zumba class, I was ready to teach Zumba fitness. Talk about growth!

I started off by teaching part-time. Again, convincing my parents to do this took time. They thought it would make me tired and shift my focus away from my work.

But, I was obsessed. The songs, the vibe of the classes, and the smiles on my clients’ faces gave me a rush.

Passion isn’t Everything

So, I’d work during the day and give classes in the evenings. This was also the best way to practice and get comfortable with teaching. I’d taught dance before, but teaching fitness was a different beast.

I needed to be at 150% energy efficiency to get my clients to push themselves to give at least 80–90%. So, I needed endurance.

In the initial days, I gradually built up my stamina and endurance until I became confident enough to conduct two back-to-back sessions.

A year later, my classes had grown so much that I knew I could earn as much as my day job and more even if I quit.

And so I did.

Secret Sauce: Mind Over Matter

Was it the best decision of my life? At that point, it seemed so. I felt empowered, almost drunk in my newfound love and passion for Zumba fitness.

But, I was barely prepared for what was to follow.

I was an excellent trainer. I had hundreds of students attend my sessions, I conducted events, I choreographed at events, and I had a strong social media presence.

But, something felt amiss. Beyond a point, everything began to feel mechanical and I didn’t understand where I was headed. Things moved too quickly for me and I didn’t know how to rein them in.

All in all, within three years, I was mentally tired.

Most statistics reveal that most start-ups (a whopping 80%) don’t last beyond 5 years. I was merely an independent dance instructor who took a leap of faith. I couldn’t carry on.

What I lacked was a strong vision. And back then (6 years ago), the creator and influencer economy was only bubbling.

Summing it up…

Could I have done things differently? Yes. If I knew the things I know today back then. But I was a twenty-something who didn’t have a guide, mentor, a network — nobody guiding her.

Despite everything, that step I took reminded me of my boldness and my self-belief. If I had to do it again, I would.

Entrepreneurship may not be for everyone. But unless one tries, they’ll never know.