We recently connected with Cai Grodek and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Cai thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

On November 1st, 2024, I quit my part-time job – a job that gave me a stable income, full-time benefits, and a clear path to higher-paying positions if I wanted them. On paper, it made no sense to walk away. WhyWithCai wasn’t stable at the time. Sure, my book launch had given me a lump sum of money, and I had just completed my first brand partnership, but I had no guarantees of consistent income.

Still, I felt like I had hit a plateau. I was working 24 hours a week, and no matter how efficiently I tried to manage my time, there was only so much I could do. I wanted to post more videos, find more brand partnerships, start running in-person events, and take on other creative projects, but my job felt like it was holding me back. So, I made the scariest decision of my life: I quit.

I wasn’t walking into the unknown completely blind. I had saved enough money to sustain myself for at least six months, and I knew I could always go back to a “traditional” job if needed. But that didn’t make the transition any less terrifying. Suddenly, I was on my own. My part-time job had given me a built-in community – co-workers, daily interactions, a reason to leave the house. Without it, I knew I had to be intentional about finding creative spaces and building relationships, or else my mental health would suffer. I also had to be intentional about asking my friends to co-work with me at libraries or cafés so that I had a reason to get out of the house and interact with people. Working for myself meant I had to create my own structure, and making sure I had social interactions throughout the week became just as important as my creative work.

So, I put myself out there. I reached out to other creators, met people for coffee, and went to events – sometimes alone, sometimes with new friends. And slowly, everything started to shift.

I always hear people say that when you make space for something, it finds you. That’s exactly what happened to me. I built the creative community I had always dreamed of. I found an incredible brand manager to handle partnerships. I performed my poetry on stages. I facilitated my own poetry event in Toronto. I became a vendor at markets to showcase my book. My social media grew tremendously. I took on projects I never imagined I’d have the time for. And most recently, I found out I was accepted to be a part of Nuit Blanche – an opportunity that felt like a full-circle moment.

It’s been four months since I took that leap, and my life looks completely different. I won’t pretend it wasn’t scary or that I had it all figured out from the start. But I do know this: I would have regretted not trying. And now, I wake up every day knowing I’m doing exactly what I’m meant to do – helping people feel less alone in the world.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Cai, and I’m the creator behind WhyWithCai with the mission of helping heartbroken people feel less alone in the world. Heartbreak can take many forms – it’s not just about losing someone you dated. It can come from someone you never dated, from a falling out with a friend or family member, or even from heartbreak within yourself. No matter what it looks like, I know how isolating it can feel, and my work is all about creating a sense of comfort, validation, and community for those going through it.

I started WhyWithCai on February 14th, 2022, shortly after experiencing my own heartbreak. I lost most of my friends during that relationship, and so I had many emotions built up inside me that I didn’t know what to do with. So, I started sharing my thoughts online – just as a way to release them into the world. Slowly, I realized that my words were helping others going through similar pain, and in return, it was helping me heal too. Fast forward to today, I continue to create for the same reason: to help heartbroken people feel less alone, because I know firsthand how important it is to have a sense of community while you’re going through it.

Since launching WhyWithCai, my work has expanded in ways I never imagined. I’ve published my first book, letters to your ex, I’ve performed my poetry on stages, facilitated live events that bring people together, and created spaces for people to process their emotions and connect with others who understand what they’re going through.

I’ve always believed in the power of honesty and vulnerability, even when it means having difficult conversations that many shy away from. My work isn’t just about poetry – it’s about sharing real emotions and experiences in a way that helps people feel seen and understood. More than anything, I hope to create spaces where people can connect, reflect, and find comfort in knowing they’re not alone.

If there’s one thing I want people to take away from my work, it’s that their emotions are valid. Their heartbreak, their loneliness, their grief – it all matters. And no matter what they’re going through, they are not alone.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I posted every single day for the first eight months – even when I wasn’t proud of what I was creating. I just kept posting. I kept going, even when no one was watching. Even when I was losing followers. Even when I doubted whether my work was good enough to keep going.

I stayed consistent because, at the end of the day, I knew that if my words reached even one person who needed them, it was worth it. I believed in my mission. I knew how much I would have needed something like this when I was going through my own heartbreak, so I trusted that it must be helping someone else going through it right now.

For anyone just starting to build their social media presence, my biggest advice is this: show up, even when it feels like no one is paying attention. Stay consistent, even when growth feels slow. And most importantly, create with purpose – because when your work truly means something to you, it will eventually resonate with the people who need it most.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding part of what I do is using creativity to help people feel less alone in the world. Knowing that my work can help even one person feel seen and heard is incredibly powerful – it’s what pushes me to keep going.

When I was going through my own heartbreak, I felt like I was the only person in the world experiencing that kind of pain. Like no one could possibly understand how awful it was. What helped me the most was finding others who were also going through tough breakups – it made me feel seen, and it reminded me that I wasn’t alone. Now, being in a position where I can offer that same kind of comfort to others is so meaningful to me.

Through my book, the comments section of my videos, and my in-person events, I’ve been able to create spaces where people can connect and realize they’re not alone in what they’re feeling. And the fact that I get to do all of this through creativity? That’s the most exciting part. I’ve always loved media and being a creative, but I’ve always needed my work to have real meaning – a purpose behind it. WhyWithCai gives me that purpose. It’s what keeps me going. I love what I do, and it is such a privilege.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.whywithcai.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whywithcai
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialwhywithcai/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caigrodek/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@whywithcai
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@whywithcai

Image Credits

Cai Grodek
Calvin Campos