Quitting my corporate job gave me the best gift of all – time with my daughter before she died Working as a product manager for a software company, Maya Manseau worked 80 to 100 hours a week, flying all over the United States to visit clients. The long hours and stress were making her physically ill and left her barely any quality time with her two daughters. In 2003, she took a leap of faith and quit her corporate job to start a wedding photography business. Running her own business gave her more time and freedom but it also gave her nine amazing years working with her daughter Lindsay before she died from leukaemia at the age of 23. Maya says: “Lindsay was 14 when I started the photography business and I will always be so grateful I did it as it gave me nine amazing years with her. She became my business partner and we had so many experiences we would never have had if I had stayed in my corporate job.” Now working as a small business coach, Maya is passionate about helping others discover their purpose and start businesses which allow them to follow their passion and achieve a better work-life balance. Maya can talk about how quitting the corporate rat race was the best decision she ever made and why she now believes it is her purpose to help others follow their dreams. Maya Manseau, bestselling author, small business coach and founder of The Small Business Path