There are many people looking to start a business or blog while working. This is actually one of the safest options available. If the business doesn’t work out, you have your other job to fall back on. You also have an income while you grow your business or blog.
But it’s not exactly easy. Starting a business on the side is time consuming. And you already have hours of the day taken up by another job. If you have a family, you need to spend time with them.
I will point out that it is just difficult. It’s certainly not impossible. You just have to listen to Pat Flynn’s Smart Passive Income podcast to realize that it is definitely possible.
So, how do you do it? Here are my top 5 tips to start a business while working another job.
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Schedule Your Time to Work on Your New Business
Make sure you treat your business like a business. I remember starting mine on the side and it was more like a hobby. Even as I grew my business, it remained more like a hobby than anything else. I just didn’t treat the marketing and other admin tasks seriously.
It’s important to schedule time to work on your business right away. This isn’t just about fulfilling orders – although that is important – but also about getting your business name out there, finding people to do some of the tasks, and connecting with your customers/followers on social media.
Set times of the day where it is just about your business. This could be on a day off, especially if the kids are at school then. Some people will do a few hours once everyone else is in bed – and that has certainly been my preferred way.
Avoid using your company time or any company equipment to create your business. This could mean that your new business is rightfully owned by your employer. You may also find that you lose your job and your business because of how you’ve gone about doing it.
Outsource Tasks Where You Can
Don’t try to do everything yourself. This is another element of treating your business like a business. When it’s a hobby, you look to do it all yourself; learning everything you possibly can. However, there are going to be some tasks that you need to outsource.
Blogging is one of those that people think they can do themselves. You may be a writer and this may be your dream job, but it’s a form of marketing for many others. If you’re one of the latter, don’t forget to get in touch with me to find out how I can help with your content marketing and blogging.
Other tasks you may want to outsource are your email checking and replying, social media marketing, and connecting with customers.
When you outsource your tasks, you have time to spend on the rest of your business.
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Set Goals that Are Realistic and Timely
SMART goals are essential. These are realistic and timely goals that will help you push your business forward each time that you work on them.
You should set some SMART goals as soon as you start your business while working another job. Decide what you want to achieve and how long you will give yourself.
Income goals can be good, but you need to determine how you will reach those income goals. What steps will you take to boost your business’ reach and get more customers?
You will need to remember all the other tasks that you need to do for your business. Some people find it easier to make a note of every single task that they need to do with numbers for priority order. They can then create their SMART goals around these tasks.
Try a few daily goals, weekly goals, and monthly goals to help you grow your business gradually while working a full-time job.
Get Feedback from Others
Look out for forums and social media groups of likeminded people. You’ll find there are some who have already grown their business on the side and quit their 9-to-5. Others will be well on their way and others will be starting out just like you.
Getting a good mix is a great way to find advice. You’ll also be able to share more about your business and get feedback. Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback on a product, your website, or even your plan of attack.
We tend to cower from negative feedback, but this is one of the best ways to grow your business. When you get constructive negative feedback, you’ll find areas to change so that you can keep growing.
Watch out for asking your colleagues or your boss for advice or feedback. They may not take too kindly to you working on another business venture. Your boss will see it as a way for you to escape the office, even if you never have plans to make your business a full-time venture.
Consider Reducing Your Days Slowly
Look into your options for reducing the amount of days that you work. In the UK, employees have the right to request flexible working. While bosses don’t have to agree, they will consider it, along with your reasons.
You may not want to say exactly why you want to reduce your hours. Think of a genuine reason that doesn’t go into the nature of your business to avoid lying. You may want more time with the family, for example.
Start reducing your hours slowly, where possible. For example, you could reduce by just one day a week, where you use that day solely to start your business while working another job. As your business grows, you can reduce by another day until you no longer need to work your other job.
It definitely isn’t easy to start a business while working another job, but it’s not impossible. With these tips you will find it much easier. Don’t forget that if you need to outsource your blogging or content marketing, I am right here to help!