Stacey Hinkle — Product Engineer

For 13 years, I did everything "right." PA school. Clinical work. Serving over 10,000 patients. A career most people dream of. But I was exhausted. Drained. And missing my daughters' childhoods. 👉 I had income and respect, but I didn't have time or peace. I played by the rules. I was a top-performing provider out of hundreds at my last practice and got one raise in nine years. New grads were being hired at higher rates than I was making. So at the beginning of this year, I left for a new role. Got a 60% raise. Finally felt appreciated. But here's what I learned: More money didn't fix it. Two weeks of vacation. 60 days' notice for time off. Still missing my girls' lives. At 38, I had to face the truth: This wasn't the life I wanted to build. My husband Clint Hinkle saw it before I did. While I was grinding 50+ hour weeks in medicine, he was quietly building something different, he left his high-paying tech career to go all-in on real estate. 18 months later, it finally clicked for me: ✔ We didn't need two W-2s to feel secure ✔ I didn't have to trade my time for money forever ✔ There was another way to provide for our family So this year, I walked away. Not because I hated my job. But because real estate gave us a choice most people never get. Time freedom. Today: → I'm present with my 11 and 7-year-old daughters → I have margin in my life for what matters → And we're building the life we actually want, not the one we're "supposed" to want Next up: We're pulling our girls out of traditional school to homeschool and travel as a family, teaching them what school never will: how money actually works, how to build assets, and how to design a life on their terms. If you're a high-earning professional who feels trapped by your schedule, your story might look a lot like mine. We work with high earners who want to diversify beyond equity and W-2 income, building passive cash flow so they can become work-optional. Most clients don't quit their jobs. They just want the freedom to choose when the time is right. That's what real estate did for us. We played by the rules. Did what society said we're supposed to do. And it didn't lead to happiness. The "security" of a W-2 is just an illusion. I've watched what my husband went through, layoffs, comp changes, politics. When you realize you were never really in control, it becomes easier to take the risk and get comfortable with uncertainty. Because on the other side is a freedom you can only imagine.

Stackforce AI infers this person is a Healthcare Professional transitioning into Real Estate with a focus on work-life balance.

Location: Farragut, Tennessee, United States

Experience: 15 yrs 9 mos