
Hey friends, it's Wisdom here! In today’s episode, I sat down with Katharina Huang—author, traveler, and creator of the Veg Out Voyage Puzzle book series. We dove deep into her bold journey from Silicon Valley data scientist to self-employed creative, and how life changes (like her father’s stroke) reshaped her priorities. Katharina shared the real costs and fears of leaving the 9-to-5, the joy of designing a life around puzzles and travel, and the rollercoaster ride of self-publishing and online business. What I really hope you take away: it’s okay to pivot, to build something truly yours from scratch, and that mistakes are part of the process. Your path doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s—you can find momentum and meaning in ways that surprise you. Thanks for listening, and keep walking your own wisdom journey!
Connect with Katharina Huang
Website:https://vegoutvoyage.com/
I’m building an online business in public — sharing every win, setback, and “I can’t believe that happened” moment along the way. If you’ve ever wondered what it really looks like to start from scratch, come along for the ride. Join the journey at https://wisdom.beehiiv.com/
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Katharina's Background
01:33 Life in Silicon Valley and Career Path
04:22 Burnout and Realizations Post-Pandemic
07:21 Deciding to Leave Tech 09:33 Family and Friends’ Reactions
10:37 Impact of Her Father’s Stroke
17:51 Life After Quitting: Plans and Self-Care
19:46 Creating Travel Puzzle Game Books
22:03 Lessons from Self-Publishing
24:22 Tech Skills: Data Science Meets E-commerce
26:32 Platform Choices: WordPress vs Shopify
29:29 Overcoming Challenges of Solopreneurship
33:24 Explaining Her Work for All Ages
35:34 Surprises as a Solo Creator
37:41 Marketing Insights and Social Media
40:30 Newsletter and Building Community
43:10 Practical Newsletter and Sales Tips
44:39 Measuring Website Traffic and Ads
46:41 Podcasting and Audience Building
47:46 Closing Thoughts and How to Connect