Jade Walters is not just building a brand she’s building a life on her own terms. As the Founder and Employer Branding Consultant at The Ninth Semester, she made a bold move earlier this year: she quit her secure, remote 9-to-5 job to dive headfirst into full-time entrepreneurship. It’s a decision that many dream of but few dare to make. For Jade Walters, it wasn’t a leap into the unknown it was a calculated step toward designing the career she truly wanted.
In just two months of working for herself full-time, Jade Walters has embraced a whirlwind of lessons, wins, challenges, and revelations. One of her earliest and perhaps most important lessons? Boundaries. In the world of entrepreneurship, especially when you’re a team of one, saying “yes” to everything can be a quick path to burnout. Jade Walters has learned to say no not from a place of scarcity, but from a deep understanding of her worth and her time. She now limits speaking engagements, charges appropriately for her consulting time, and declines brand partnerships that don’t align with her values. These aren’t just business decisions they’re acts of self-respect.
Yet, as transparent as she is about the rewards of this journey, Jade Walters doesn’t sugarcoat the grind. In an age where social media tends to spotlight only the wins, she shares that she often crashes under the weight of stress, the constant travel, and the relentless responsibility of building something solo. She’s candid about the reality: entrepreneurship isn’t glamorous every day. Still, in that chaos, she finds growth.
To manage the pressure, Jade Walters has started leaning on others. She’s taken steps like bringing on micro-interns through platforms like Parker Dewey, recognizing that even the strongest founders need support. And in the middle of her Q1 wins and Q2 ambitions, she’s made it a goal to slow down and take care of herself. This is perhaps one of the most powerful parts of her journey her commitment to intentional living, even when the hustle demands otherwise.
Another refreshing aspect of Jade Walters’ approach is her weekend policy. Despite running a business full-time, she doesn’t glorify overwork. She takes weekends off, closes her laptop early on Fridays, and rarely works on Mondays. This rhythm isn’t a luxury it’s a necessity for sustainable creativity and productivity. She’s redefining what entrepreneurship looks like, proving that building your dream doesn’t have to mean burning out in the process.
Interestingly, Jade Walters has never claimed that full-time entrepreneurship was her forever goal. She calls this chapter a “mini sabbatical,” a pause designed to recalibrate, refocus, and rediscover what truly excites her. It’s a detour, not a destination. And while she’s open to returning to corporate, she’s crystal clear on her terms. The right role, for Jade Walters, would ideally bring her back to New York City, involve employer branding strategy with a global company, and offer a hybrid setup that honors flexibility and collaboration.
This clarity doesn’t come from impulsivity it’s the result of deep self-reflection. Jade Walters is navigating an evolving field; employer branding, especially for early-career recruiting teams, is still finding its footing. Opportunities are limited and that uncertainty is real, even for someone as experienced and passionate as her. She admits she’s toying with the idea of a career pivot again. But instead of seeing that as a failure, she embraces it as a part of her growth. Reinvention, after all, is a strength, not a setback.
Through all this, Jade Walters remains grounded in purpose. She’s not chasing trends; she’s building a legacy. The Ninth Semester is more than a company name it symbolizes the continuation of learning beyond traditional systems. It reflects Jade Walters’ belief in evolving careers, second chances, and self-authored success stories. Her brand, much like her personal journey, is rooted in authenticity and transformation.
What stands out most about Jade Walters is not just her ambition, but her integrity. She doesn’t flatter the hustle culture or pretend that every day is filled with wins. She shares the hard days, the doubts, and the decisions that don’t always come easy. In doing so, she gives others especially young professionals permission to chart their own paths with honesty.
In a world where so many people stick with comfort, Jade Walters chose courage. She walked away from stability to discover something richer: alignment. And while the road ahead may still hold some uncertainty, one thing is clear Jade Walters is walking it with intention, resilience, and an unwavering sense of self.
Her story is still unfolding, but every chapter so far offers a lesson in self-trust, discipline, and design. Jade Walters reminds us that success isn’t just about what we build, but how we build it and who we become in the process.
And if there’s one thing we can all take from her journey, it’s this: the dream career isn’t something we find. It’s something we create brick by brick, choice by choice. Just like Jade Walters is doing, one bold step at a time.
