From Business to Academia?

Can I be transparent for a minute?
Entrepreneurship can feel incredibly lonely sometimes.

I’ve spent the past decade doing what I love—painting, teaching, building a community, and somehow, to my surprise (and my family’s), I’ve actually become recognized for it. I’ve created courses, opened doors for others, and stayed true to my art.

And yet, even with success, there’s a part of me that feels… hungry. Not for money or more sales, but for intellectual companionship. For philosophical dialogue. For being understood on a deeper level—not just as a creative, but as a thinker.

Sometimes I wonder if I should go get a Master’s degree. In what, I don’t know. Something that brings peace of mind or lets me expand into a new version of myself. But no program I’ve found quite speaks to the intersection of art, spirit, business, and meaning in the way I crave.

Funny enough, if I were rich beyond measure, I’d do exactly what I already do: paint, open a gallery, teach, share beauty.

But somewhere inside, I still carry the girl who was pre-law. The one who once dreamed of being a professor, a researcher, or maybe an attorney advocating for something important. That part of me still stirs.

I guess I’m just thinking out loud. If anyone’s been here—standing at the crossroads of purpose, mastery, and meaning—I’d love to hear your story. I’m 36 now, and I feel like I owe it to myself to live a life that feels whole, not just one that’s optimized for KPIs and P&Ls.