I’m 28 and I’ve been working for about a year and a half as the only assistant for the owner of a small but high revenue entertainment and business management company. It’s just me and her. No HR, no backup, no real systems. On paper it looks like a solid job. I make around 72k a year, I have autonomy, and I’m exposed to finance, payroll, taxes, and high profile clients. In reality, I am completely burnt out and wake up most mornings with a pit in my stomach.

I handle almost everything. Paying company and client bills, payroll, reconciling endless bank and credit card accounts, handling physical mail and deposits, dealing with IRS and state notices, and putting out constant fires that pop up with no warning. Over time the workload has increased a lot. We onboarded new major clients, migrated banks, and are still using outdated systems that do not scale. None of that came with more support or clearer processes. The expectation is always to just figure it out. When something goes wrong, it turns into a personal issue instead of a systems issue.

Recently I tried to have an honest conversation with the owner about getting help, improving processes, and talking about the future. She had previously told me that one day I could take over or buy the business, so I asked what that would even look like. She told me she has no succession plan, no long term plan, and no intention of changing how she runs things. The conversation quickly turned defensive and blame focused. It became very clear that we have completely different ways of thinking and working. I left that meeting realizing I have lost respect for her leadership and I do not see a future here.

For context, I am not afraid of hard work. I graduated college in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Before this job, I worked in high end real estate sales at a brokerage that even had a Netflix show, but I left because the culture and status games were extremely toxic. Before that, I worked restaurant jobs, grocery stores, manual labor, home inspections, and even admissions at a major health system. I stayed at every job for over a year and I have always shown up and done what was asked of me. I am proud that I have been able to handle this level of responsibility at my age, but I am realizing that responsibility without support is not growth. It is just burnout.

Right now I feel stuck. I know I cannot do this long term. It is affecting my mental and physical health. At the same time, I am scared to quit without another job lined up. This role is so custom built that even a standard two week notice feels unrealistic. My current plan is to stay professional, emotionally detach, do what is required, and quietly start applying elsewhere while I am still employed.

I am looking for outside perspective. Is it reasonable to job search while mentally checked out like this? How do I frame this role to future employers without trashing my current boss? Are these red flags that mean I should leave sooner rather than later? And has anyone else been in a small business role where everything falls on one person, and how did you get out?