He leaves a salary of $192,000 at Microsoft, moves to Canada to start a business, and gets robbed during the move

When software engineer David Chong decided to leave Microsoft in 2025 to begin a new chapter focused on entrepreneurship, he knew he was taking a risk. A few weeks after handing in his resignation, and while relocating from New York to Toronto, the trailer carrying all his belongings was stolen overnight.

Chong, as he explained to Business Insider, had arrived in the United States in 2016 on a work visa and joined Microsoft in 2022 as a senior engineer. Although he had expected to progress quickly, he remained in the same role for nearly three years. At large tech companies, advancement often requires a high degree of internal self-promotion.

During his final years at the company, several restructurings forced him to change teams, and some managers were laid off. While he did not fear losing his job, he grew increasingly frustrated with the slow pace of career progression, rising productivity demands and the sense that he was learning less. At the start of 2025, he began seriously considering leaving, fully aware that his visa was tied to Microsoft and that resigning would also mean leaving the United States.

A move defined by loss

After departing the multinational, he chose to return to Canada and focus on building his own business – an artificial intelligence sales-agent startup called Falco. But the theft during his move forced him to delay his plans for several months. He arrived in Toronto with only what he had in his backpack and carry-on luggage, without winter clothing or furniture, and had to sleep on the floor in a sleeping bag.

Replacing essential items has so far cost him about $13,000 in basics such as a bed, sofa, appliances and clothing. Chong says he has made progress on developing his company, which remains in its early stages and has yet to secure clients. He plans to dedicate around three years to the project and, if it does not succeed, return to the job market.

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