I quit JPMorgan after rising through the ranks over 14 years. I don't blame the bank alone for my burnout.

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 20:47:18 GMT

JP Morgan Banker shares burnout lessons. Written by Alice Tecotzky

Growing up in Maceió, a beach town in Brazil, I never imagined I would work at one of the world's most powerful banks. Yet, after four years at the Brazilian Financial and Capital Markets Association, a colleague invited me to join him at JPMorgan, and I became an analyst at the São Paulo branch at the age of 24.

It felt like a dream, and part of me wondered how I got there, especially because I had failed to get an internship at the company years ago. About a year after I joined the bank, a woman with a strong presence, colorful style, and Spanish accent caught my attention. I felt this amazing energy with her, and she eventually brought me onto her team in a front-office role as her first hire. She became my mentor and direct manager over the next 12 years, and uniting forces was one of the most important parts of my career.

People called us the cowgirls — two foreigners in an American bank, trying to build a business in the male-dominated Latin American market.

I worked in a male-dominated culture

JPMorgan helped me build my corporate persona, with trainings on everything from American business culture, to executive presence, to language support, to technical skills. The learning was overwhelming at times, but I figured out how to adapt American techniques to the Brazilian culture.

My boss and I were outliers, bringing a different flavor and type of client relationships to the business. We got a lot of support, but also a lot of resistance. The first 15 minutes of every conversation were crucial, because I had to really prove myself.

I was in my mid-twenties, blonde, and not even 5'2, so some of the guys on the trading desk questioned why I was excelling. At one point, I got laser eye surgery, but I kept wearing glasses for a while to look a bit older.

Travel was exciting, but it took a toll

In Brazil, our team worked on investor services, so I interacted with many companies and funds — the guys would usually choose to go to barbecue dinners, the club, and golf games with clients, and I learned how to relate to these topics to remain included. In the early years, travel was thrilling, as I went from trips within Brazil to global journeys.

At that time, I generally had a nine-to-seven schedule (except for the nights when I worked until 1 am), but the travel started to take a toll. My six-year relationship ended because I rarely saw my boyfriend; I missed birthdays and Mother's Day; I never wanted to take trips during my time off.

The pay was great, but I didn't have time for hobbies or the gym, so I'd overdo it with sports on the weekends. Then I'd spend money at the spa trying to relax, or on acupuncture to compensate.

Success in New York was addictive

The accomplishments were like a drug: the more I conquered, the more I wanted.

My boss and I were securing big clients, and I didn't mind approving things at 1 am as long as we got the accounts open. All I saw was more opportunity.

On the other hand, the more successful we became, the more attention we received, and some questioned whether we were asking for or doing too much. The recognition was amazing, but it also left no room for mistakes.

When I moved to New York City in 2019 as a Vice President, I went from my comfort zone to the eye of the storm, and had to prove myself even more as a foreigner. Soon, the pandemic hit, and I moved to Miami. By the time we returned to the office, I was flying from Florida to New York, until eventually the company said I had to come back to New York full-time or look for something else.

At that point, I began searching for jobs on the private banking side of the business and decided to move to London with my significant other. I felt like I was betraying my boss when I told her I was leaving the team, but I didn't want her job one day or the life of a Managing Director.

Burnout caught up to me in London

I felt signs of burnout before even arriving in London: I had a mild panic attack in the office in December 2022 while managing a major deal. On top of that, my relationship was struggling, and my mom thought I'd never be back for another Christmas.

After that panic attack, I realized I was starting to lose both my health and myself. The bank would always give me more, but it was my job to know how much was enough. It was hard, though, being in a place where asking for help could be seen as a sign of failure.

So I moved to London in 2023, and it was a huge culture shock. People and the weather were colder, and the society was more closed off. I found it harder to make friends, and work started to feel meaningless. My spark diminished, I'd feel nauseous at my desk, and depression crept up.

I spent a year in therapy realizing I was no longer happy in banking, and another two months gathering the courage to resign. There wasn't a planned date, but I just walked in one day and told my boss that I needed to leave. I don't just blame the management or the structure in London.

I take full responsibility for my part, having accumulated so much baggage.

Rediscovering myself

After leaving for good in November 2024, I didn't know what to do with myself. There was no other job, no alternate dream. I spent six months traveling, figuring out who I was and what I loved. I was so used to introducing myself as, 'Wilma, who works at JPMorgan.' I didn't know who Wilma was otherwise.

I wouldn't change a single thing about my 14 years at the bank, though. Obviously, I had my struggles, my stress, my lost relationships, but the company taught me what it means to challenge myself every day and, in the end, be excellent.

Now, I'm living mainly in Miami, serving as a CEO and starting a consulting company for founders and small businesses — I even gladly refer some of them to JPMorgan.

The journey to find my purpose

Thu, 29 May 2025 22:22:22 GMT

Sabbatical journey: 6 months around the world, in search for the answer.

Last year I decided to embark on an adventure that I never thought possible before, leaving my prestigious job to embark on a unknown journey to find my purpose and redirect my professional career. One of the most special moment was my trip to Bali - Indonesia, to attend a series of different retreats. I thought I was there to find ourselves. But in truth, I had traveled to the other side of the world to let go.

It’s hard to put into words how transformative it is to release what no longer serves us. Even more challenging is the path to get there—because there’s no map, no clear road to that moment of realization. The one where, despite your ego fighting back with all its strength, you see it: you're no longer the same person. And that realization demands big changes.

Jobs, friendships, relationships, pleasures you once thought were essential for survival... suddenly, they’re no longer essential to feed your soul.

Let’s not romanticize the journey. It's painful. Confusing. At times, you feel like you're losing your mind. No one seems to understand what you're going through. And then the questions start: Why are you leaving the perfect life? The perfect job? The comfort zone that looks so good from the outside?

The truth is, no one can fully understand what you’re experiencing, because we are all a product of our own lives—our traumas, our hopes, our cultures.

So, you hop on a 25-hour flight to a place you’ve never been, thinking you’ll reconnect with your “old self,” just... wiser. But then—boom—you land in a space where the world goes quiet and incredible people from all over the world cross your path. You realize they’re on similar journeys. Different lives, different choices—but the same inner search.

Suddenly, you’re not crazy. You’re just... becoming. You're safe. You're inspired. You're surrounded by rockstar women—mothers, professionals, humans, seekers—who remind you of the strength within.

And today, I found the words to say to anyone reading this—whether you’re on the edge of change or just dreaming of it: it’s worth it. Stepping out of your comfort zone into the unknown is risky. It’s terrifying. But the reward? Freedom and real happiness.

That peaceful feeling you thought was impossible? It’s real. That confidence and creativity you thought were gone? They come back. Stronger. All because you dared to deconstruct the version of yourself that was built for a life you’ve outgrown.

So today, I say: Be you. Be original. Be free.

Flow with the water. Run with the wind. Stay still with the sand. Pack your life in a suitcase. Throw away the excess baggage. Close the door behind you. Buy a plane ticket and look only forward.

The future is magical—you just have to believe you have the strength to break through... and become who you were always meant to be.

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