Eight years ago, my dad and I started a mattress business from scratch. We grew it into something successful – two locations, an e-commerce shop, over $2M in annual sales, hundreds of 5-star reviews. I poured everything into it.

But the truth is, working with my dad became unbearable. He was toxic, unsupportive, and impossible to collaborate with. The more the business grew, the worse it got. Eventually, I had to step away for my own mental health. And just like that, something I built from the ground up was no longer mine.

That was 8 months ago. Since then, I’ve applied to over 500 jobs. I’ve made it to the final rounds several times, even after 5 or 6 interviews, only to get burned or ghosted. I’ve tried pivoting into tech sales, customer success, and other areas where I know I can add value. But nothing has stuck. I’m exhausted, burned out, and if I’m being honest… I feel like I’m in a tailspin.

I don’t want to go back into the mattress world. I’ve done my time there, and I want something new – something that challenges me and lets me grow. But at this point, I’m running out of both resources and time. I don’t know what to do next. I hate to say it, but my health is in my way. I have untreated sleep apnea and am constantly exhausted, which has only fed my depression. In truth, I’ve never felt worse despite going to the gym, eating well, no drugs/booze, and going to therapy as often as I can afford it.

If anyone here has been through something similar – a business breakup, a painful family split, a midlife career redirection – I’d really appreciate any advice. What helped you find your footing again? What would you do in my shoes? I’m really scared that I’m just going to disappear.