From Cubicle to Calling with Omari Harebin
Here’s a few excerpts from this interview:
1. What was your educational and occupational background before you left corporate?
I went to school for mechanical engineering and worked as a network engineer at Verizon. I was part of a leadership development program where I gained experience in project management, data engineering, and supervising network technicians. That gave me a solid corporate foundation, but ultimately, I knew I wanted something different.
2. What about the corporate world made you want to leave?
I had always been doing something creative on the side—from school to college to my corporate career. At the time, it was photography and videography, and I wanted that to be my full-time work, not just a side hustle. I remember sitting in my cubicle and writing my dream job description: A messenger of love and light around the world. I didn’t know how I’d get there, but I had faith that it was possible.
3. How did you handle the internal struggle of leaving a “safe” job for the unknown?
It felt like dying—stepping into a completely unknown world outside of the structured path of school, work, and corporate systems. Two things forced my transition: my wife was pregnant, and I had a DUI. One represented life coming in, and the other represented privileges being taken away. I started seeing myself as if I were on a corporate plantation, and my desire was that my child would grow up seeing me free. That became my driving force.
4. Did you have a transition plan, or did you take the leap all at once?
I took the leap all at once. I didn’t have savings. I had student loan debt that felt insurmountable. It was a “jump off the cliff and build the parachute on the way down” kind of transition. I went on paternity leave, and the day before, a judge took away my license. My wife had to drive me home. Then, my mom had to drive us to the hospital for my child’s birth. It was humbling. I knew I wanted to quit, but I didn’t have a solid plan—just a strong belief that something would work out.
5. What were your first steps in building your business?
At first, I thought I would make it as a photographer. But without a driver’s license, I couldn’t travel for gigs. That forced me to pivot to online business, specifically web design. I started freelancing as a Squarespace web designer because it allowed me to generate income without needing to leave home. That was my entry into digital entrepreneurship.
6. You mentioned having to move back into your childhood home. How did that impact your journey?
I had to return to the house I grew up in—the womb, in a sense—to regrow into a new version of myself. Moving back forced me to rethink the value I was bringing to the world. Before this transition, my creativity was self-serving. I had to learn how to use my creativity to solve problems for others and, in doing so, create financial freedom for myself.
7. Tell us more about your book, The Corporate Dropout.
The Corporate Dropout is my memoir. It walks readers through my journey, showing them how to transition when they don’t have savings, a business plan, or everything “figured out.” Many people feel trapped because they don’t have the “right” conditions to leave their jobs. This book shows that, despite difficult circumstances, it is possible. The key is shifting your mindset from working for money to building assets that work for you.
8. What is your coaching program about?
I coach freelancers and solopreneurs on transitioning from freelancing to actual freedom. A lot of freelancers think they’ve escaped corporate life, but they’re still trapped in the time-money matrix—trading hours for dollars. My coaching helps them create systems and digital products so they can generate income without being tied to hourly work.
9. What advice would you give to someone who is where you were?
Find a mentor—someone who has been where you are and is now where you want to be. Surrounding yourself with people who have already done what you want to do will accelerate your transition. If you’re trying to raise your prices, for example, the fastest way to feel comfortable doing so is by being around people who have already done it. Your environment shapes your beliefs.
10. If you had to define your spiritual gifts as an entrepreneur, what would they be?
Clarity, perspective, and insight. I help people see what’s possible, even when they’re stuck in uncertainty. When you can see things differently, everything changes.
11. What has been the most fulfilling part of your journey?
Having these conversations and sharing my story. For a long time, I couldn’t share this story with passion because I was still living through the struggle. But now, I can talk about it with confidence, knowing that my journey can inspire and guide others.
