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Zoe De La Paz walked away from a stable engineering job in Chicago to pursue a career in costuming — a leap she says wasn't just about following a dream, but creating her own opportunities.
On paper, the move looked like a financial step backward. But after swapping city living for subsidized housing, lower day-to-day expenses and life inside Yellowstone National Park, De La Paz told CNBC Make It that she's actually saving more money than she did working in corporate America.
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To turn sewing into a career, De La Paz began taking venue jobs that could introduce her to touring wardrobe crews. One night, while she was catering a concert for The Weekend in Detroit, a crew member mentioned needing a seamstress there to help repair the back up dancers costumes.
“Cue me scrambling to write my number down on a napkin and telling them that I have sewing experience,” De La Paz told the news outlet. She calls the encounter lucky, but believes luck is something you can create.
“You can manufacture luck in your life,” she said.
Taking the leap
A previous visit to a friend working seasonally at Yellowstone gave her another idea. After seeing the impact the experience had on her friend, De La Paz began looking for similar opportunities.
After searching online, she found an opening as a seamstress in the uniform department with Xanterra Parks & Resorts, the concessionaire that operates many of Yellowstone's hotels, lodges and restaurants. She applied, interviewed over the phone and got the job.
De La Paz isn't alone in reconsidering her career. Gallup recently found 51% of U.S. workers are actively looking for or watching for new opportunities.
Although the Yellowstone position paid less than her corporate role, De La Paz told CNBC that subsidized living costs allowed her to save more.
The transition wasn't just about changing careers — it was also about proving her skills could translate to a completely different industry. Jeanne Holmes, 73, a retired educator and fellow seamstress who helped hire her, said De La Paz stood out for her ability to juggle multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.
“She had really good instincts,” Holmes said, pointing to the thoughtful way De La Paz answered situational interview questions.
Read More: 7 top habits of 'quietly wealthy' Americans. How many do you follow?
How earning less led to saving more
Today, De La Paz works full time as a seamstress in Yellowstone. While her paycheck is smaller than it was in engineering, so are many of her biggest monthly expenses.
Her role includes subsidized employee housing and meals, allowing her to keep more of each paycheck. She works roughly 40 hours a week, Monday through Friday, while living inside Yellowstone National Park with hiking trails, wildlife and other outdoor recreation just outside her door.
For comparison, the average rent for all property types in Chicago is $2,045 a month, according to Zillow.
It's also the largest expense for most households. Housing accounts for about one-third of the average U.S. household budget, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, while entertainment costs Americans an average of $3,609 a year.
By dramatically reducing both, De La Paz says she's been able to save more money than she did while living in Chicago — despite earning less.
Planning the next move
De La Paz plans to stay at Yellowstone through October, viewing the seasonal role as another step toward her ultimate goal: moving to New York City to work in wardrobe and costuming for Broadway, film and live productions.
Leaving corporate life meant embracing uncertainty. In return, she found work that feels more creative, a lifestyle that lets her save more and the freedom to see where the path leads next.
“Two years ago working in corporate, I would have never dreamed [this] would have happened,” she said.
Her story also highlights an important financial lesson: a higher salary doesn't automatically translate into a stronger financial position. Where you live, how much you spend and what benefits come with a job can matter just as much as the number on your paycheck.
For anyone considering a similar career pivot, the biggest lesson isn't necessarily to quit your job tomorrow. It's to start planning today.
That could mean building an emergency fund before handing in your notice, testing a passion project on evenings or weekends or creating a budget that shows exactly what you're willing to trade for a different lifestyle.
After all, chasing a dream is a lot less romantic when you can't pay the rent. But with enough planning, the leap starts to look a little less like a free fall and a lot more like the first step toward the life you've been imagining.
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