Imagine earning crores and living a fancy life. Most of us would think twice before giving that up, right? But this 29-year-old woman did exactly that. She left her high-paying job to follow her heart and start something of her own.
Many people dream of a high-paying IT job. But here's a story about a 29-year-old who left her luxurious life and a massive salary to start a matcha cafe, and she's making headlines for it. We're talking about Michelle Yeung. She was a software engineer earning $250,000 a year, which is over ₹2 crore in Indian rupees. She gave it all up to start her own cafe. Currently, Michelle runs 'Matcha House' in Manhattan. Her story was reported by CNBC 'Make It'.
Rs 2 Crore Job vs Passion
After graduating from the University of Washington, Michelle landed a job in the IT sector. Her starting salary itself was a whopping $160,000. In a short time, it shot up to $250,000. Michelle grew up in a family facing financial struggles, so making money was her main goal at first. But she says that even after earning more than enough, she didn't feel happy or satisfied. "I was just working like a machine," Michelle said.
"I often wondered why I was doing all this. Finally, I decided to step away from that luxurious life." The idea for her business came to her while she was visiting matcha shops in New York. She saw a real business opportunity there. But she didn't just quit her job overnight. She planned everything carefully. Michelle travelled to Japan to learn more about making authentic Japanese green tea, or matcha. To understand how cafes are run, she even worked part-time at Starbucks. She set aside over $150,000 (around ₹1.25 crore) from her own savings for the cafe. Finally, in 2025, she opened 'Matcha House' in Manhattan.
She faced a lot of challenges in the beginning, but with the support of her friends and family, Michelle pushed through. Today, the salary Michelle takes from her cafe is just one-tenth of what she used to earn in her IT job—it comes to only about ₹27 lakh a year. She has given up her luxurious lifestyle for a simpler one. But her cafe is profitable. More importantly, Michelle says that satisfaction in life is more important than money, and she has plenty of it now.
