29-year-old software engineer quit $250,000 job. Invested $150,000 to start a matcha cafe in Manhattan; you won't believe how much she takes home

Walking away from a career that pays around $250,000 a year would be unthinkable for many. For Michelle Yeung, however, financial success eventually stopped feeling like enough. The 29-year-old former software engineer left behind a lucrative career in New York to build something that offered her a stronger sense of purpose. Today, instead of spending her days behind a computer, she runs Matcha House, a cafe on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, even though the career switch has resulted in a dramatic drop in her personal income. According to CNBC Make It, Yeung expects to pay herself roughly $33,000 in 2026 about 87% less than what she earned as a software engineer.

A High-Paying Career That No Longer Felt Meaningful

Yeung’s journey into technology began with a desire for financial security. She grew up in San Francisco in a family where money had to be carefully managed. During her early childhood, her family of five lived in a basement studio apartment in Chinatown. After her father left when she was 12, Yeung said her mother supported the family by operating a daycare business from their home. Those experiences made financial stability an important goal for Yeung and her two older brothers.

Good at mathematics, Yeung eventually pursued applied and computational mathematical sciences at the University of Washington. She graduated in December 2019 and had already secured a software engineering position in New York. Her first compensation package was worth roughly $160,000, including salary and bonus, according to CNBC Make It. Over the following years, her earnings increased to approximately $250,000 annually.


The money allowed Yeung to enjoy a lifestyle she had never experienced growing up. But the financial comfort came with an unexpected problem: she increasingly questioned whether she cared about the work itself.

Saving Money Before Taking The Leap

Yeung did not suddenly resign and open a cafe. By 2023, she had started preparing financially for a possible exit from the technology industry. She aggressively saved money while cutting expenses such as travel, ride-sharing and streaming subscriptions. By early 2025, she had accumulated more than $200,000 in savings.

The Idea Of Matcha House

The idea for Matcha House began taking shape in 2024. Yeung had been making matcha at home for years and believed the drink could be prepared better than what she was finding at many New York establishments. Yeung took an unusually hands-on approach to preparing for her new career. In fall 2024, she travelled to Japan to learn more about matcha, including how it is sourced and prepared.

She also wanted practical experience running a beverage business. While still employed as a software engineer, Yeung took opening shifts at Starbucks, working from around 5 a.m. until 10 a.m. before attending her technology job meetings later in the morning. The experience introduced her to a completely different kind of work after years spent behind a computer. Eventually, Yeung invested approximately $150,000 of her own money into Matcha House.

Opening Matcha House Came With New Challenges

Matcha House finally opened on Manhattan’s Lower East Side in July 2025, but getting there was far from straightforward. Yeung told CNBC Make It that she faced difficulties with contractors, construction delays and unexpected setbacks. Friends stepped in to help assemble furniture, hang curtains and even clean up flooding on the night before the cafe opened. Once the doors opened, the workload remained intense. Yeung initially worked around 12 hours a day and personally prepared drinks before gradually hiring employees. The business now has around 10 part-time workers. Despite the difficulties, Yeung expects Matcha House to be profitable during its first year.

How Yeung Manages Personal Finances

Leaving tech also transformed Yeung’s personal finances. Before opening Matcha House, she gave up her $3,300-per-month Manhattan studio and moved in with a roommate. In March 2026, her total personal expenses amounted to $2,291, according to figures shared with CNBC Make It. Her largest expense was $1,750 in rent, followed by $258 for food and $112 for transportation. With much of her attention focused on the cafe, spending on travel and entertainment has also fallen significantly. Yeung currently pays herself only what she needs while putting much of the business's money back into staffing and operations.

Choosing Purpose Over A Bigger Paycheck

Nearly a year after Matcha House opened, Yeung’s daily life looks dramatically different from her software engineering days. She works longer hours, earns substantially less and carries the uncertainty that comes with owning a small business.Yet she says the change has given her something her six-figure salary could not provide: a stronger connection to what she does every day. For Yeung, success is no longer measured simply by the size of her paycheck. After years of pursuing financial security, building a business she finds meaningful has become its own form of wealth.