Latest news with #corporateescape
Yahoo
09-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cow Cuddling Business Brings Comfort and Healing
Growing up on dairy farms, Amanda Klein and Lisa Buccieri discovered just how calming being around cows could be. So they began offering cuddling sessions with the animals to bring joy to others. Here, they share their story. After yet another stressful day carrying an endless workload at her corporate job, 43-year-old Lisa Buccieri let out a sigh of frustration. 'There has to be something better out there for me,' she blurted out loud in exasperation. Suddenly, memories of her past growing up on a dairy farm filled her mind. She had always gone to her cows when life got her down. Just a simple hug, their sweet grassy smell, the calm in their loving brown eyes as she just sat with them in the quiet, was all it took to give her just the therapy she needed. What if there was a way to start a cow cuddling business where others could feel that same comfort, too? she asked herself. For the last few years, she had been pitching in part-time at Klein Farms Dairy and Creamery in Easton, Pennsylvania, with Amanda Klein, a friend she had met through 4-H when they were younger. The two often shared stories of growing up on dairy farms and their passion for the animals. Excited, Lisa couldn't shake her wacky idea and ran it by Amanda, who was immediately on board. It was something the two loved to talk about, thinking someday it could be worth a try. Then, out of the blue, Lisa was laid off due to a site closure. This is fate taking the wheel and steering me in a very different direction, Lisa realized. 'The time is now,' she told Amanda, finally sure of what to do. 'Let's get this cow cuddling venture off the ground!' Following a new calling By June 2024, Lisa and Amanda had launched La Farm Girls, and cow cuddling sessions were open to the public. After getting permission from Klein Farm's owners and working out the legalities, they revamped a portion of the hay shed, giving it a rustic, homey feel to make it inviting for cuddling sessions. They decided to offer 15-minute, 30-minute and 45-minute sessions on weekends for $15 to $25 per person, with the money going toward caring for the cows and keeping the farm running. Once Lisa and Amanda got the word out on social media and posted a booking link on their website, not only did they attract an array of new clients, but the media caught on and covered the story, bringing in even more business. Before they knew it, they were fully booked for the summer months. Cow cuddling offers hugs and happiness As each session took place, the outcome was even better than Amanda or Lisa could have imagined. People traveled from hours away just to experience one-on-one time with the cows, often leaving in tears and feeling profoundly changed by the miraculously soothing experience. One man, who came to the farm with his family from Reading, Pennsylvania, grew emotional. He had grown up on a dairy farm, but after the livestock was sold, he never thought he'd have the chance to lie down with a big cow like he did when he was a boy. 'I never thought I would have this opportunity to feel this comfort again,' he said, choking up. Another woman and her boyfriend brought her grandparents to cuddle a cow. Her grandmother's health had been deteriorating, but because of her love of cows, she booked a session as a special gift. The grandmother made her way into the cuddling pen, sat down on a bale of hay and joyfully cradled the cow's head in her lap with a big smile on her face—bringing tears of joy to everyone's eyes. Yet another young woman booked a session and broke down crying after the heartwarming experience. She had been going through a difficult divorce and found solace and healing by petting and hugging the calves—something she couldn't do anywhere else. Making a dream come true To date, La Farm Girls has held more than 300 cuddling sessions and plans to keep going strong, with hopes of hosting events for birthday parties, weddings and other big celebrations. They also dream of offering educational classes on the farm, as well as visiting schools to teach students about the dairy and agricultural industries. Most of all, Lisa and Amanda plan to continue giving everyone a chance to find solace and happiness by cuddling calves and cows—a sense of peace they've always been grateful for. 'Cuddling cows can literally take all of your stress away and help keep your focus on positive things,' says Amanda. Lisa nods with a bright smile. 'Many people looked at us like we were crazy when we had this idea,' she says. 'It just goes to show, don't give up on what you're passionate about. It can be life-changing!' For more inspiring stories about animals, keep reading… This Special Needs Pup Couldn't Walk—Now He's Spreading Joy to Thousands With Every Wobble A Little Boy's Big Heart: His Lemonade Stand Has Raised $35K to Help Shelter Pets in Need A Daughter's Grief Became a Gift: Her Nonprofit Helps Pets Stay With Ailing Owners Solve the daily Crossword
Forbes
17-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
How To Go From Corporate Job To Six-Figure Solopreneur
Many solopreneurs are enjoying six-figure success on their own terms after escaping the corporate ... More grind. After years of climbing the corporate ladder, many professionals are choosing to become six-figure solopreneurs. You know the feeling. The Sunday scaries that hit around 3 p.m. Endless meetings that should have been emails and corporate buzzwords that make you cringe. You're exhausted from navigating a toxic workplace, which eventually leads to burnout. That's exactly why the solopreneur movement is experiencing explosive growth. MBO Partners' 2024 State of Independence report reveals that U.S. full-time independent workers surged from 13.6 million in 2020 to 27.7 million in 2024—a 104% increase in four years. According to findings from Leapmesh, 53% of solopreneurs hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and 54% of solopreneurs are 35 years or older. Thousands of professionals are successfully transitioning to six-figure solopreneurs by leveraging skills they've already developed in their corporate careers. Here's a step-by-step approach that will work for you, regardless of your industry. Most corporate professionals underestimate the market value of their existing expertise. The skills you've developed solving complex problems, leading high-performing teams and navigating organizational challenges are precisely what businesses and individuals will pay a premium for. The opportunity: Convert years of corporate problem-solving into high-value services that businesses desperately need but struggle to find internally. How to start: Ask yourself these questions: The result: These answers reveal your unique value proposition and the skills that have immediate market value outside traditional employment. One of the biggest mistakes aspiring solopreneurs make is waiting until they quit to focus on personal branding. Smart professionals use their current employment as a safety net while establishing thought leadership and building an audience that will fuel their future six-figure business. The opportunity: Build credibility and attract potential customers while maintaining a steady income, thereby eliminating the financial pressure that often causes most solopreneurs to rush their launch. How to start: The result: Established credibility, reduced financial pressure and a receptive audience ready to buy when you launch. The beauty of solopreneurship lies in its scalability, but that doesn't mean you need a complex launch strategy. The fastest path to six-figure profitability is offering high-value services that leverage your existing expertise and require minimal upfront investment. The opportunity: Generate immediate revenue while testing what clients value most, creating a foundation for scalable products later. How to start: The result: Immediate cash flow, valuable market feedback and a foundation for scaling later. The solopreneur advantage lies in doing more with less, and technology is your greatest ally in achieving this efficiency. Modern tools and platforms enable one person to deliver services and manage operations that previously required entire teams. The opportunity: Compete with larger agencies by delivering enterprise-level results at a fraction of the cost, giving you a significant competitive advantage. How to start: Implementation strategy: Start with manual processes to understand what works, then gradually introduce automation as you scale. The result: More time for high-value activities while maintaining professional service delivery. The path to becoming a six-figure solopreneur rarely depends on a single income source. Savvy solopreneurs diversify their revenue while staying laser-focused on their core areas of expertise. The opportunity: Create a recession-proof business where multiple income sources protect you from market downturns while maximizing the lifetime value of your expertise. How to start: The result: Robust business not dependent on any single income source, with multiple paths to six-figure success. The transition from corporate employee to solopreneur isn't just a career change. It's a complete reimagining of how you want to work and live. With the right approach, you can transform your corporate experience into a lucrative and fulfilling independent business that offers you control, flexibility and the potential to earn a six-figure income. The corporate world will always be there if you choose to return, but the freedom, fulfillment and financial potential of solopreneurship might just convince you that you never want to go back.
