economy
I quit my $250K/year tech job–now I make $33K/year selling matcha
Michelle Yeung, 29, left a $250,000 a year software engineering job in New York to open Matcha House, a cafe on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. In 2026, she expects to pay herself about $33,000, an 87% pay cut, but says she’s happy with her decision.
TL;DR
- Michelle Yeung quit a $250,000 per year software engineering job.
- She opened a cafe named Matcha House on Manhattan's Lower East Side.
- Yeung expects her income to decrease to around $33,000 by 2026.
- Despite the pay cut, she is happy with her decision.