According to Fast Company, 27-year-old Odyssey Gohain was working as a marketer in Amsterdam when ChatGPT’s launch in late 2022 fundamentally changed her career trajectory. She watched as the AI tool began replacing individual tasks and then team members, including an older colleague whose position she aspired to fill within three to four years. That colleague was laid off, followed shortly by Gohain herself in 2023. After moving back home with her parents, she launched an independent marketing business as a solopreneur. Two years into her entrepreneurial journey, she’s still earning less than her previous corporate salary but values the other benefits her new career path provides.
The AI wake-up call
Here’s the thing about Gohain’s story – it’s not just about job market struggles. The ChatGPT moment was genuinely disruptive in a way we haven’t seen since maybe the internet itself. She watched AI eliminate tasks, then positions, then entire career paths she’d been working toward. And when someone you look up to gets cut, that’s a powerful signal. Basically, the writing wasn’t just on the wall – it was flashing in neon.
The solopreneur reality
Now, let’s talk about the actual business model here. Gohain’s running an independent marketing operation, which honestly makes perfect sense given her background. But here’s what’s interesting – she’s been at this for two years and still isn’t matching her previous corporate income. That’s the trade-off many solopreneurs face. You gain autonomy and control, but the financial security takes a hit, at least initially. And moving back with parents? That’s becoming the new normal for Gen Z entrepreneurs needing that financial runway.
A generational shift
So what does this tell us about Gen Z’s approach to work? They’re looking at the traditional corporate ladder and seeing rungs that keep disappearing. AI automation, economic uncertainty, layoffs – it’s creating this perfect storm where entrepreneurship starts looking less risky than employment. I mean, if your “secure” job can vanish because an algorithm improves, why not build something yourself? The calculus has fundamentally changed.
Playing the long game
The real question is whether this solopreneur path pays off financially down the line. Gohain mentions “other benefits” beyond income, which probably means flexibility, creative control, and building equity in her own brand. That’s the long game these entrepreneurs are playing. They’re betting that building their own business, even with lower initial earnings, will eventually outperform the corporate track that keeps getting disrupted. It’s a risky bet, but honestly? In today’s environment, maybe not as risky as it seems.
