PhD holder faced repeated job loss but then an idea changed her life. Today she has built 5-figure USD income from zero

A woman with multiple academic degrees, including a PhD, has shared how repeated job losses and life changes pushed her to rethink her career path. Her story, now gaining attention online, reflects how unstable work situations can impact even highly qualified professionals — and how one shift in approach can change things.

Dr Priya Porwal, who has a background in engineering and management, spoke about her journey in a recent post on Instagram. In her post, she openly described the setbacks she faced over the years and how she eventually moved into building her own digital business.

Career setbacks

Porwal said she had built a long academic career before things started to change. She had worked as an Assistant Professor at an engineering college and had spent several years teaching.


“I worked damn hard as an Assistant Professor in an Engineering College. After 5 years of service, I was laid off. It took months to recover — it felt like the ground had shifted,” she wrote.

After that, she tried to rebuild. She worked as a visiting faculty member across different colleges and even secured another academic role. But things did not stabilise.

“I tried again. Worked across multiple colleges as visiting faculty. Then a second academic position — but the work culture didn’t align. Another door closed,” she shared.

Motherhood and pandemic changed priorities

Her career pause also came at a time when her personal life was changing. At 35, she became a mother, which led to a break in her professional journey. “At 35, I gave birth to my first child. And just like that, a 12-year career came to a pause,” she wrote.

She added that restarting work was not easy, even with degrees like M.Tech, MBA and a doctorate. The COVID-19 period made things more uncertain.

“It was tough to restart holding multiple degrees (M.Tech, MBA, and a Doctorate). But COVID and motherhood changed everything,” she said.

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A post shared by Dr. Priya Porwal | Digital and Affiliate marketing coach (@priyaporwal.inc)

Turning point at 37

Porwal said things reached a point where she decided to change direction completely. At 37, after facing layoffs twice and dealing with career breaks, she chose to work independently.

“At 37, a mother to a 2-year-old and twice laid off despite all my degrees — I decided to restart. On my own terms. Because my financial freedom felt stuck and I refused to let it stay that way,” she wrote.

She admitted the decision came with fear and uncertainty, especially since she was not comfortable being on camera.

“I was scared. Camera-shy. I blocked friends and family before going online. And I just hoped I’d make back what I invested — because I needed this to work. Not just for the money. For me,” she said.

Building a digital business

Over time, Porwal began working on her own digital business. She did not go into detailed specifics in the post, but said the move helped her regain control over her time and income. “Last year, I made 5 figures (USD) from my digital business,” she wrote.

She also spoke about the flexibility it has given her as a parent. “I became my own boss. I work while being present for my son, every single day,” she added.

In her post, Porwal also addressed women who may be facing similar situations, especially after maternity breaks or career disruptions.

“A message to every woman here: Maternity is NOT a career full stop. After facing so much, I decided NO ONE will have the right to control my life,” she wrote.