I helped build a billion-dollar company. Now I'm a nobody.

From the top of one world, to the bottom of another.At the age of 40, I stepped away from a high-status corporate career to start writing.This essay is about the drug of prestige — what it feels like to chase it, lose it, and realize you still want it back. I cover:The "high" that comes with validation and statusHow you get hooked on prestigeThe withdrawal that comes when you lose your statusThe desire for new status in new domains👉 For more essays: newsletter.thewayofwork.com👉 More about me: rickfoerster.comRick Foerster is a recovering startup executive who helped build and grow a company from zero to $2B+, then left that life to start writing. He writes about meaning, identity, and reinvention @ The Way of Work. His debut novel is coming soon; a post-apocalyptic survival story with a psychological bite.The Way of Work is essays on meaning, identity, and ambition for people who suspect work can't deliver what it promised — without the hustle-guru nonsense.