Why He Quit JPMorgan and Took a 70% Pay Cut to Build a $6M Startup
In the fast-paced realm of investment banking, landing a position at a prestigious firm like JPMorgan isn’t just any job; it’s the crowning achievement of a career. It symbolizes years of hard work and dedication, serving as a badge of honor and a gateway to financial stability and social recognition. In India, where career success often shapes one’s identity, reaching the level of Associate at a global powerhouse is the ultimate definition of 'making it.
Meet Semlani embodies this journey. He kicked off his career as an intern in the US back in 2015 and eventually returned to India as an Associate on the asset-management team, following the traditional path. His sights were set on the ambitious '30 VP' goal—becoming a Vice President by the time he turned 30. He was living the dream that countless others aspire to, enjoying the perks that come with a hefty six-figure salary.
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However, the tale of the 'disillusioned Indian man' shows that sometimes, the biggest successes come from stepping away from what society tells you to desire.
Meet’s choice to leave his lucrative job and accept a jaw-dropping 70% pay cut to chase a more fulfilling career path has sparked a viral conversation, raising an important and uncomfortable question: What is the real price of a big paycheck, and what does true success look like?
The Robotic Life: When Routine Kills Purpose
Meet Semlani's journey into disillusionment didn’t start with a dramatic event; instead, it crept in quietly, like a dull ache. The routine that once offered him stability in the corporate world slowly morphed into a confining cage.
Note :- "At 26, every day felt like a repeat of the last. I’d clock in at 9 a.m., sit through the same meetings, perform the same tasks, and finally clock out at 7 p.m. In the process, I lost friends and meaningful connections," he reflected.
This isn’t just about the long hours; it’s about feeling 'busy' without purpose. The daily grind, filled with monotonous tasks and endless meetings that all seemed to blend together, along with an unyielding chase for the next promotion or bonus, drained the work of any real significance. For someone young and ambitious, this robotic lifestyle sparked a deep internal struggle. Externally, he had all the markers of success—the impressive title, the hefty paycheck—but inside, he felt completely unfulfilled.
In the corporate world, especially in high finance, there’s often a culture where your job title defines who you are. Semlani recognized the weight of social status that came with saying, "I worked at JPMorgan." Leaving that behind wasn’t just about losing a paycheck; it meant giving up a huge part of his public identity and the validation that came with it. This fear of fading from 'somebody' to 'nobody' is arguably one of the toughest challenges when stepping away from a prestigious firm.
The Moment of Clarity: A 10-Day Silent Retreat
Believe it or not, the turning point came during a 10-day silent meditation retreat. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision, maybe even a last-ditch effort for a digital detox, but the silence turned out to be a powerful catalyst for self-reflection. In a world stripped of phones, chatter, and the relentless buzz of corporate life, the noise in his own mind finally had a chance to break through.
With all those distractions gone, Semlani found himself grappling with some pretty fundamental, life-changing questions: "Is this really how I want to live? How do I want to be remembered?"
The clarity he gained was striking: it was time to make a change. The stability and routine of his corporate job had started to feel like a compromise on his true self. This moment underscores a universal truth: sometimes, we need a little distance and silence to hear our authentic voices above the clamor of societal and career pressures. The retreat didn’t hand him a new career path, but it did give him the courage to walk away from the one he was on.
📉 The Plunge: A 70% Pay Cut and a New Beginning
When he left JPMorgan in February 2018, Meet took a giant leap into the unpredictable world of startups, landing a role at a company dedicated to helping international students. This choice was deeply personal, stemming from his own journey as an international student. For him, this new job was all about finding meaning over money, a philosophy that was evident in the steep 70% pay cut he had to accept.
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This career shift was a tough reset for his lifestyle. He had to cut back on the comfortable perks, dining out, and frequent travel. There were definitely moments of doubt, where the idea of going back to the structured, secure life at JPMorgan was tempting. This struggle is important because it shows that his decision wasn’t some easy, romantic leap; it was a tough, conscious trade-off.
Yet, the startup scene offered a sense of fulfillment that the corporate world never could match.
- Real-time impact :- Watching decisions unfold quickly.
- Direct connection :- Having coffee with the CEO and bouncing around ideas.
- Meaningful activity :- It's all about feeling "meaningfully busy, not just calendar busy."
This shift highlights the crucial difference between being efficient and being effective. The corporate world excels at efficiency, but for Semlani, it was effective in the wrong ways—primarily focused on making money and climbing a predetermined ladder. In contrast, the startup, while not as financially rewarding at first, truly nourished his sense of purpose and intellectual curiosity.
🚧 The Entrepreneurial Test: Setbacks and Scaling Up
The path was anything but straightforward. Toward the end of 2019, the startup hit a snag with funding, and Semlani found himself laid off. This setback, though tough, brought about a significant realization:
he no longer fit into the rigid, structured environment of corporate life. The layoff wasn’t a failure; it was a nudge toward discovering his true calling.
Ironically, the COVID-19 pandemic offered the quiet space he needed to dream up his own venture. He took the leap to co-found Tartan, a fintech platform centered on data infrastructure.
The early days of building and fundraising were filled with the kind of intense stress and uncertainty that every entrepreneur knows too well. He recalls nights spent crying in bed, grappling with whether he made the right choice.
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But this struggle felt different from the disillusionment he experienced in the corporate world. This was the pain of creation, the kind that comes from chasing a deeply personal goal.
Today, Tartan stands as a success story, having secured over $6 million from global investors and evolving into a leading data-infrastructure platform.
The Redefined Success: More Than a Corner Office
Semlani's journey reflects a broader shift happening around the world: a corporate awakening where people are placing their well-being, sense of purpose, and independence above the old-school measures of success like salary and job title.
He recognizes that his time at JPMorgan taught him valuable lessons in discipline and structure, but his understanding of success has changed for good.
"I could have been a managing director with a corner office, but that’s not what success means to me anymore," he shares.
Success isn’t about titles, hefty paychecks, or fancy possessions. It’s not even about chasing some distant goal. It’s about what motivates me every single day.
His story reminds us that real success isn’t something external to be pursued; it’s an internal state of harmony—waking up and going to bed with a genuine smile because the work you do resonates with you, no matter what your bank account says. It’s a powerful reminder to define your own standards for a fulfilling life.
🎉 Conclusion: The Courage to Walk Away
Semlani’s story boldly challenges the traditional view of success. He chose to forgo immediate financial rewards and social approval for the more valuable currency of meaning.
His transition from the perceived safety of JPMorgan to the unpredictability of a startup, and eventually co-founding his own thriving company, shows that sometimes the biggest risk is staying in a life that doesn’t bring you joy.
His journey is a strong reminder for anyone feeling that all-too-familiar 'robotic' disconnect in their high-paying job: having the courage to walk away is the first step toward creating the life you truly desire, where your paycheck is just a means to an end, not the measure of your worth.
Frequently Asked Questions (F&Q)
1. Who is the Indian man who quit his JPMorgan job ?
Meet Semlani is the man in question, and he’s the co-founder of the thriving fintech platform, Tartan.
2. Why did he quit his job at JPMorgan ?
He found that his work had turned "robotic," and the daily grind felt soul-crushing, even with a hefty paycheck and a fancy title. He realized he was missing a sense of purpose and was losing touch with friends and relationships while chasing corporate success.
3. What sparked his decision to leave ?
A spontaneous 10-day silent meditation retreat provided him with the clarity he needed to step back and reflect on his life, leading him to understand that a significant change was necessary.
4. What kind of pay cut did he take ?
He made a bold move by accepting a whopping 70% pay cut to join his first startup after leaving JPMorgan, which meant he had to drastically downsize his comfortable lifestyle.
5. How has his definition of success changed ?
Now, success for him is no longer about titles or big salaries; it’s about finding purpose and feeling fulfilled every day. He believes success is about "what keeps me going every day" and "waking up smiling and going to bed smiling," rather than just chasing a distant goal.
6. What’s the name of his current company ?
He’s the co-founder of Tartan, a data-infrastructure platform that has impressively secured over $6 million in funding.
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