Kalilah Wright, the fearless founder of Mess in a Bottle, is no stranger to bold moves. But when she pressed pause on full-time entrepreneurship and stepped back into the 9-to-5 world, she wasn’t prepared for just how messy corporate life could get.
After over a decade of building her brand and business from the ground up, Kalilah made a decision many entrepreneurs quietly wrestle with choosing stability over hustle. In the face of shifting economic conditions and changing consumer habits, she accepted a marketing specialist position in Alexandria, VA. The long commute from Baltimore was a sacrifice she could manage, but what followed tested her boundaries and her identity.
Almost immediately, the red flags appeared; lack of structure or leadership, micro-aggressions, and unrealistic expectations. Then the moment came during a company town hall, when the CEO stated, “This job is not a 9-to-5. It’s work-life integration.”
As one who prides herself in having a healthy work/life balance this makes my skin itch.
That declaration hit hard for someone who had intentionally stepped away from the blurred lines of entrepreneurship for more balance. Instead, she found herself working longer hours, managing teams without adequate onboarding, and sacrificing her health and peace in the process.
By March—just three months into the job—her role had completely shifted. A reorg placed new responsibilities on her plate, and any hopes of nurturing her own business on the side vanished. She pressed pause on Mess in a Bottle, but the job still consumed more than she bargained for.
Ultimately, Kalilah made the decision to walk away.
“I knew this job was no longer serving me,” she shared. “Not as an entrepreneur, not as a mother, not as a human.”
Her story is a reminder that entrepreneurship isn’t just a business model—it’s a lifestyle. And for those who choose to return to a 9-to-5, it’s okay to say, “This isn’t working.” You can pivot, pause, and reset. And you can do so with your dignity, creativity, and boundaries intact.
Kalilah’s journey continues—and as always, she’s bringing us along for the real, the raw, and the messy.
Grand opening, grand closing and we support you!
