Why I Left Oregon

Following the pandemic, I quietly managed two remote SEO jobs for a year and a half, successfully doubling my income to just over a $100k salary by the age of 25. However, almost two years post-pandemic, in the fall of 2022, I faced job losses in both amid a recession.

Confronted with the choice of depleting my hard-earned savings for higher rent or taking 3 to 6 months to find a new job, I opted to protect my investments and return home to Wisconsin.

My time in Portland came to an abrupt and inglorious end.

November 10th, 2022.

Having just returned from a week-long vacation in Mexico, I discovered on the plane ride back that my crypto brokerage FTX went belly up, resulting in the loss of $1300. The previous month witnessed the loss of both my SEO Specialist jobs, prompting me to reach out to founders of ad agencies in Portland, exploring a transition into advertising—an aspiration I've harbored for a while.

I made a series of bad decisions. I first quit my job.

Meeting with agency execs provided valuable insights into my portfolio. Despite making connections, no job offers materialized, with the information that ad agencies wouldn't be hiring until the next year. Faced with financial strain, I resorted to sending out resumes for remote SEO positions, but job postings on platforms like LinkedIn and Indeed were scarce compared to a few months ago.

With rent, Cobra insurance, and monthly credit card bills adding up to $2000, I found myself financially strained. Although I considered staying with my mother and stepfather in Portland, their busy schedule packing up their house for sale led my dad to suggest Green Bay as an alternative. Despite the emotional difficulty of leaving behind my friends, and the beautiful Pacific Northwest, I made the tough decision to protect the seeds of my investments planted while working two jobs in 2020 and 2021.

Returning to Green Bay, despite leaving loved ones behind, became the sole solution to halt the financial drain. It was undeniably one of the toughest decisions I've ever made, yet essential to protect the foundation I had diligently built.

Months later, upon reflection, I realized that securing another SEO job in Portland wouldn't have sufficed to cover living expenses, especially without my mother's support. Maintaining both roles was vital for my sustainability, a realization that dawned on me only after I departed. Given my current career stage and financial standing, a return to the Pacific Northwest isn't foreseeable in the near future.

As I've often said, treating oneself as a business entails making challenging strategic choices. While I could have potentially managed in Portland, it wouldn't have aligned with the financial goals I had set for myself.

Despite this, Oregon remains dear to me for its natural allure. Even in solitude, Oregon's landscapes brought immense joy, evoking memories of childhood summers and eight years of full-time residency post-high school. Such prolonged presence fosters emotional bonds, making leaving Oregon one of the toughest yet proudest decisions. Tears filled my eyes during the drive back to Wisconsin, and it took eight months to truly come to terms with the transition. Accepting the inevitability of leaving due to cost of living allowed me to move forward without constant comparison.

It wasn't until late 2023, nearly a year post-move, that I realized my presence in Wisconsin was crucial for my father. During my eight-year absence, he had fallen into detrimental habits, neglecting exercise, healthy eating, and self-care, alongside negative mindsets about his lifespan and standards. Recognizing the dire need for my assistance, I returned home. Beyond aiding with household chores, I endeavored to shift my father's mindset and habits. This work proved more fulfilling than any other in my life. I arrived just in time to guide my father through retirement and restore healthy habits, while cherishing quality time with my grandfather in his final years. Looking back, I know returning home was the right choice.