Sometimes the biggest career moves don’t start with a promotion. They start with the courage to leave. Just a few months ago, 26-year-old Zoe De La Paz was working as a draftsman at an engineering construction company in Chicago. Today, he spends his days repairing uniforms in Yellowstone National Park, surrounded by mountains instead of office buildings. The career change may seem unconventional, but for De La Paz, it’s a deliberate step toward an even bigger dream, working in the wardrobe and costume departments for Broadway and film productions in New York City.Speaking to CNBC, De La Paz said the decision to leave behind the security of corporate life was driven by a desire to pursue a passion he had quietly cultivated since high school. What started as a hobby with a sewing machine has now turned into a career that I once thought was out of reach.
She didn’t wait for luck, she chased it.
De La Paz’s story didn’t begin with a dramatic resignation letter or a perfectly laid out plan. It started with a hobby.She first learned to sew in high school simply because she enjoyed it. As adulthood arrived, however, the practice took over. He pursued a college degree, accepted a corporate job and, like many young professionals, hid his creative ambitions.But the dream never went away. According to CNBC, he began spending his nights and weekends working at Chicago music venues. He sold tickets, handled catering duties and provided dressing rooms for visiting artists, not because those jobs paid well, but because they brought him closer to the people who worked behind the scenes.“I knew if I wanted to be in the closet, I had to figure out a way to be in the same room with people who were in the closet,” De La Paz told CNBC. That mindset eventually paid off.
The napkin that changed everything
The breakthrough came during a The Weeknd concert in Detroit. While working a catering shift, De La Paz heard someone on the tour crew mention that they were looking for a seamstress when the production came to Chicago. Without thinking too much, she scribbled her phone number on a napkin and handed it over.That spontaneous conversation turned into his first task of helping out in the dressing room. Looking back, De La Paz told CNBC that it felt like luck, but not the kind that just falls into someone’s lap.“It was lucky because I was there in that place and at that time,” he said. “You can manufacture luck in your life.”It’s a simple idea, but one that shaped every decision he made. Instead of waiting for opportunities, he deliberately placed himself where opportunities might appear.
Choose uncertainty over comfort
Earlier this year, De La Paz realized she was ready to leave corporate life behind. “It was very scary to leave the company and pursue my dreams, and do what adults tell you, ‘you shouldn’t do this,'” he told CNBC.Instead of looking for another office role, he recalled visiting a friend who had worked a seasonal job in Yellowstone National Park. Inspired by this experience, she found an opening for a dressmaker at Xanterra Parks & Resorts, which manages hospitality operations within the park. She applied, had a phone interview and got the job.
More than repairing uniforms
Today, his job revolves around keeping the uniforms in working condition for thousands of Yellowstone employees. Buttons need replacing, zippers break, patches come loose, and clothes require constant repair.But the role also demands creativity. According to CNBC, damaged uniforms and old materials are often reused into entirely new products instead of being discarded.Jeanne Holmes, a retired educator and fellow seamstress who helped recruit De La Paz, told CNBC that the young applicant stood out both for her practical skills and her ability to think creatively.“He had really good instincts,” Holmes told CNBC, adding that the projects De La Paz shared during the hiring process reflected imagination and problem-solving, qualities that matter as much as technical ability.
A different measure of success
On paper, De La Paz earns less than in Chicago. He now earns $19.25 an hour, with subsidized housing and meals provided by his employer.However, he told CNBC that he can actually save more money because his daily expenses have dropped sharply.Most importantly, his life outside of work has completely changed. Instead of commuting through city traffic, she spends her free time hiking, horseback riding, and exploring one of America’s most famous national parks.The compromise, he suggests, has been worth it.
The dream is not over yet
Yellowstone was never the final destination. De La Paz plans to stay until the end of the season before taking the next step into the theater and film industry in New York City. For someone who once believed he had left his creative ambitions behind, that goal no longer feels distant.Reflecting on how dramatically her life has changed, she told CNBC that two years ago, sitting at her corporate desk, she could never have imagined this version of her future.His story is less about sewing than conviction. It’s a reminder that careers are rarely linear, and that sometimes the boldest decision isn’t to chase certainty, but to choose work that makes you feel alive.