Mom of twins leaves Google job to build her own business

Taylor M. LaSane traded her six-figure salary for entrepreneurship to pursue her passion for career coaching.

Mar. 23, 2026 at 9:06am

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Last year, Taylor M. LaSane, a former Google employee with twin toddlers, decided to leave her six-figure job to focus on growing her career coaching business, SHYNE. After weighing the financial risks and the potential impact on her family, LaSane accepted a voluntary buyout offer from Google and is now pursuing her entrepreneurial dreams full-time.

Why it matters

LaSane's decision to leave a stable, high-paying job at a tech giant like Google to start her own business highlights the growing trend of workers, especially in the tech industry, prioritizing purpose and work-life balance over traditional corporate careers. Her story provides insight into the factors that can lead someone to take the leap into entrepreneurship, even with the financial uncertainties involved.

The details

LaSane had been considering leaving her job at Google for years, as she grew increasingly passionate about her side hustle as a career coach. The death of her uncle, who had recently retired, was a wake-up call that prompted her to apply for Google's voluntary buyout program. Despite her business only generating about 10% of her Google income at the time, LaSane decided to take the risk and pursue her entrepreneurial dreams full-time. She has since evolved her business from one-on-one coaching to a 'career studio' with workshops and group programs.

  • In February 2022, LaSane began making career-focused TikTok videos and questioning whether her role at Google was the right fit.
  • In May 2022, LaSane formally launched her coaching company, SHYNE.
  • In October 2022, LaSane earned a certification in leadership and performance coaching from Brown University.
  • In May 2023, LaSane took a break from her business to focus on her pregnancy and the birth of her twins.
  • In early 2025, LaSane began more seriously considering leaving her position at Google as organizational changes left her uncertain about her long-term path.

The players

Taylor M. LaSane

A 32-year-old former Google employee who left her six-figure job to focus on growing her career coaching business, SHYNE.

Google

The technology company where LaSane worked for seven years before accepting a voluntary buyout offer.

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What they’re saying

“It was a reminder that life is too short to wait for permission.”

— Taylor M. LaSane

“If you get clear about that, everything else will fall in place. That's what happened for me.”

— Taylor M. LaSane

What’s next

LaSane plans to give herself at least a year to pursue her business full-time before considering a potential return to the corporate world.

The takeaway

LaSane's decision to leave her stable, high-paying job at Google to focus on her entrepreneurial dreams highlights the growing trend of workers, especially in the tech industry, prioritizing purpose and work-life balance over traditional corporate careers. Her story provides inspiration for others who may be considering taking a similar leap into entrepreneurship.