In a viral TikTok, a content creator shares that she resigned from her law firm in order to continue her beauty blogging career.
Eni Popoola (@enigivensunday) is a creator on TikTok and Instagram who produces beauty and lifestyle content, which sometimes included discussing her life as a lawyer. In a TikTok that had amassed 774,000 views on Thursday, Popoola states that on March 17, she submitted an immediate resignation from her law firm.
The Daily Dot reached out to Popoola via Instagram DM.
@enigivensunday There is Romans 8:28 all up in this. To new beginnings and great things ahead. I have a feeling self employment will look good on me.
♬ original sound – Enigivensunday
“I was called in to meet with a partner,” Popoola says. “I learned that someone at another firm, which I will not name, saw my TikTok and wondered how I was able to maintain a platform like this while working at the firm that I was working at.”
Popoola details how this person then alerted a partner at her firm.
“I have never hid my interest in beauty, in blogging, and all of that from anyone professionally,” Popoola says. “It is a line on my resume, it comes up in interviews. I’ve connected it back to being able to read contracts and work with brands. It was not something that was hidden.”
Popoola says that her firm relayed that it did not understand that she was earning an income on social media through paid partnerships.
“I was informed that this was a clear violation of the firm’s policy on outside work activities or moonlighting, which strictly prohibits attorneys from taking on any sort of work, either legal or nonlegal,” she explains.
Popoola says she was told she couldn’t be both a content creator and an attorney. She states she no longer felt comfortable working at the firm—and that she wasn’t passionate about her work there anyway.
“I submitted my letter of resignation at the end of that week,” she says. “Over the course of that week, I lost a lot of sleep and a couple of pounds just dealing with the stress of it all.”
Popoola says that she is decompressing and taking time to process her life-changing decision. She also says she is simultaneously excited to participate in opportunities she’s missed out on and mourning the job she thought was a path for her; she’s cognizant that leaving her firm so soon could affect her future employment in law.
Popoola ends her video by addressing her fanbase and encouraging people to not be discouraged and to follow their own path.
“I am able to pursue the thing that I want to pursue at this point in life without waiting and that is a luxury that many people do not have,” Popoola says.
She expresses that she hopes her followers are not disappointed in her decision and that she’s excited to be more candid online since she is no longer employed with her firm.
“I have so much that I want to do: I want to lead organizations, I want to start organizations, I want to write things, I want to tell stories, I want to share my story,” Popoola says. “And so I’m so looking forward to now having the freedom and the time to get started on doing all of those things. I hope you stick around.”
Other beauty and lifestyle content creators commented their support for Popoola.
“Whether you’re practicing or not, you’re still a great advocate,” TikToker Danessy Auguste (@danessyauguste) says. “I’m so happy for you and can’t wait to see you flourish even more!!!”
“They know they’re dead wrong, I’m so proud of you Eni,” TikToker Golloria George (@golloria) adds.
“So so proud of you and inspired by you ALWAYS,” TikToker Clarke Peoples (@claaaarke) says. “We will all still be here for this new chapter and adventure in your life, it’s only up!!”
Other commenters also shared support.
“You mean to tell me none of the other attorneys/partners are getting income from something else,” a user questions. “This is ridiculous, I’m so sorry sis.”
“The legal industry needs to wake up and realize how multifaceted our generation is,” another adds. “Proud of you for doing what’s best for you.”
“Congratulations to putting yourself first,” a user says. “It is a hard but necessary thing to do.”
In an Instagram story, Popoola says, “Y’all are really some amazing people, I appreciate, love, and thank you so much. Idk why but I never would have guessed that I’d receive this level of support, so I am immensely grateful for the reminder that I am so loved.”
