About Beyond Cubicles
š¢ #BeyondCubicles is a weekly LinkedIn series created by Carolina DāSouza, born out of her own experience transitioning from a corporate career to independent consulting. Since its launch in June 2024, the series has evolved into a platform that showcases the inspiring journeys of several founders who have redefined the traditional 9-to-5.
Through authentic narratives, #BeyondCubicles highlights themes of courage, resilience, and purpose. The stories feature individuals from diverse industriesāranging from tech and education to wellness and adventureāwho share their experiences of stepping away from conventional roles to pursue passion-driven careers.Ā
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āØ Note: All features inĀ this series are unpaid and shared as a way to honor and amplify real stories ofĀ transformation.
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āAll I knew was I wanted to do something I loved.ā
Sean was thriving in his role as COO of a tech start-up, enjoying the fast-paced finance and tech industries.
Yet, despite his success, he felt unfulfilled.
In May 2021, Sean, a biomedicine graduate from North Devon in the United Kingdom, quit his job without a plan.
āAll I knew was I wanted to do something I loved,ā he recalls. “I had to work 48 weeks per year to live for four weeks. I asked myself, how could I flip this?ā.
Determined to find a way to combine his passion with his work, he founded Summit Expeditions in the UAE, a leading mountain adventure company in the region.
As a solopreneur, he enjoyed doing it allāfrom sales to product delivery, while also picking up new skills like marketing. However, he struggled with “the guilt of switching off”.
āIn a start-up, the to-do list is never-ending, and the pressure to generate revenue is constant, making it difficult to take time for other aspects of life,ā he explains. āFinding this balance over the first two years was the biggest challenge and something I didn’t often get right.ā
To overcome this, he consciously worked on becoming more disciplined with his time and gathered valuable insights along the way. āI used to overanalyze everything, striving for perfection. Now, Iām comfortable with imperfection and responding to feedback.ā
This shift in mindset has helped him make quick progress and live a fuller life. Despite a few stressful days, he is his healthiest and happiest self today.
Looking ahead, Sean is gearing up to launch Impact Adventures, a UAE-based social enterprise focusing on adventure, youth development, and community engagement.
He believes setting a deadline to achieve a certain level of success can be a strong motivator. For those considering entrepreneurship, his advice is to ensure a financial safety net for at least the first year. āIf you don’t have this, then building something as a project alongside work or a āside hustleā is a much safer option,ā he advises.