Have you been wanting to start a business? Struggling to figure out how you can do it with your day job? Starting a business is a huge deal, but it doesn’t have to be a hard process! I started City Girl Savings when I had a full-time job in corporate America. Thankfully, I had been working remotely, so that made things easier! It wasn’t easy managing both, but it gave me time to grow my business without having to worry about how my bills would be covered.
If anyone is considering starting a business, nine times out of ten, I’d recommend they start it when they have their normal job. The early stages of business are so unknown, so having the stability of your other job can be very comforting. Keep reading for 5 reasons to start a business when you have a job. Hopefully this article encourages you to take that leap of faith!
5 Reasons to Start a Business When You Have a Job
#1 You can focus on building your business without worrying about money
Depending on the type of business you start, there’s likely a lot more money going out than coming in, especially in the beginning. Imagine starting your business and not having to stress about how you’re going to pay your bills. Sure, there may be a different stress of how you’re going to manage your time, but that’s much easier to deal with than not having enough money!
When you start your business while having other income coming in, you can take the pressure off yourself to make money quickly. You can give your undivided attention to laying the foundation of a successful, long-term business. The ability to do that is priceless. Remember, the situation is temporary – just until you reach your goal!
#2 You can take your time and try different things
When I first started City Girl Savings, I had a very specific idea of how I wanted things to be. Of course, after those things were in place, things needed to be changed. Starting a business with a day job allows you to be innovative, test things out and try different strategies to grow your business. Again, you don’t have to worry about your business making money instantly. You can focus on testing things to find what works best for your customers.
#3 You can see if the business is something you truly want
Some food for thought: imagine if you quit your job, started a business and a year later realized that you don’t like the business anymore. You may be stuck in a situation because it’s your only option and it’s making you miserable. If you started the business and grew it while you had a day job, you’d be able to see if the business was something you truly wanted. If it wasn’t, you could let it go and still have money coming in to survive.
It’s hard to know what the future holds but starting a business with a day job allows you to test out multiple scenarios to see what really works for you. You don’t have to feel trapped in a decision because you’ve given yourself multiple options. If you’re contemplating if starting a business is what you want to do, check out the CGS Podcast episode Is Starting a Business Really For You?
#4 Desperate energy can be felt
I tell my business coaching clients this all the time: people can sense your desperation when having sales conversations. If you’re approaching potential customers from a place of desperation to make a sale, they’re going to feel it. And it doesn’t feel good. When you’re not worried about money, you can genuinely talk with potential customers about how you can help them.
That’s what someone purchases – the help. They don’t purchase to make you feel better.
Desperate energy can be felt from a mile away, so make sure you’re not putting yourself in a position to “need money” with your business. The best way to do that is by securing a savings or keeping your day job until your business is where you want it to be.
#5 You don’t have to worry about losing your benefits (like insurance)
Take it from me – paying for your own health insurance is not cheap. Add that to the list of things you need to pay for when you work for yourself and you’ll convince yourself to keep your day job in the meantime! Keeping your benefits going for as long as possible makes a huge difference over time.
While I worked in corporate, my insurance was cheap, my H.S.A was growing and I was taking advantage of my company’s 401k match. This set me up for success when I eventually took my business full-time. Grow your business while beefing up your employer-sponsored benefits. You’ll be glad you did!
Related: How to Manage Having a Day Job and Side Hustle
Whether you start with one item on this list or tackle all five, each of the items on this list will help you take your finances to a new level. The items on this list will produce the long-term results and success you’re worthy of. You can do it! Just stay the course, stay consistent, and stay motivated. Have you done or started doing any of these things? Drop a comment below to share!
1 thought on “5 Reasons to Start a Business When You Have a Job”
So glad you entertained the spark!