Mondays. It was the day I dreaded the most every week. I’m lying. Monday through Friday I would wake up already thinking about my overflowing work to-do list. I would crawl out of bed knowing that hours of Zoom calls that could have been emails wait for me in the hours ahead. I spent my days dreaming of a life where hard work paid off and deadlines weren’t set because we wanted to impress an executive.
I grew up in a world of self-made entrepreneurs. They woke up every morning, found the time to take care of their families by making breakfast, packing lunches, getting us off to school, and then headed to the office. It wasn’t until my early 30s when I realized that they didn’t hate their job, because it was something they got to do rather than being assigned to do.
When you own your own business, it shifts your mindset. What once was your list of HAVE TO DO’s becomes a list of tasks you GET TO DO. You are now building your future, so your to-do lists are no longer something you dread every morning. Becoming your own boss ultimately impacts your mindset on life to set you up for success. With the newfound freedom in your decisions, the privilege of choice that is missing in corporate America is now yours. Do you take on a big project that will have you working nights and weekends for a month? Do you choose to tackle small projects to build up your business reputation? It is your choice when you work for yourself.
This wasn’t a choice I often was allowed to make when I worked for large global corporations and small family-owned companies alike. I was always willing to roll up my sleeves and do whatever it took to help the company succeed. But, after decades of chasing job after job to get ahead and learning multiple skill sets that allowed me to be a crucial asset to any organization, I realized that I never actually advanced my career. I was always putting in the extra effort and stuck in the same dead-end jobs that required leaving to get even the slightest pay bump. That’s not even counting the minimal cost of living increases.
But, then, the pandemic happened and I was furloughed in the first round. It didn’t matter how much work I put into the job or how much I accomplished. When it came down to it, the decision-makers kept the new employees on the team who were just starting to learn the job.
Let’s be clear. There was a minute of bitterness and resentment. Then, came the day that I realized I was already set up for success. That resentment transformed into FREEDOM.
I no longer had to spend 60-80 hours a week for a job that didn’t respect me. I didn’t have to do another thing for a company that didn’t value me as an employee. That was the last day I had to wake up to my alarm to face a nonstop list of tasks, prep for meetings that should have been emails, or even try to figure out how to take care of my family while being overwhelmed with work.
Because, what I didn’t tell you is that in 2010, I started my own company. I dreamed of having a small business where I could have a creative outlet and expand my skill sets outside of what my 9-5 would allow.
When I was furloughed, what was once my side hustle quickly became my full-time gig. As other furloughed team members were trying to figure out their next steps, I knew exactly what my game plan was going to be. I knew what I needed to do and had a purpose. This purpose instantly drove me to scale up my business. If you are still weighing what to launch, start with our list of best businesses to start in Florida right now.
Build the Exit Before You Need It
My furlough turned into freedom for one reason. The business already existed. It had clients, a name and a few years of mistakes behind it.
That is the part people skip when they dream about quitting. They picture the resignation email. They do not picture the Tuesday night spent sending invoices after a full day of someone else's meetings.
Do the unglamorous work now, while a paycheck covers the rent:
- Pick one thing you can sell. A service you already do well at your job is the fastest start.
- Get one paying client. A friend of a friend counts. Free work does not.
- Deliver it, ask for a referral, and write down what you would charge next time.
- Repeat until strangers start finding you.
A side business gives you proof. Proof that someone will pay, proof of what the work costs you in hours, proof that you like it. You want all three before you jump.
Run the Numbers on Your Own Kitchen Table
Hating Mondays is a reason to leave. It is a terrible plan for leaving.
Here is a worked example. Say your household needs $5,000 a month to cover the basics. You have $15,000 saved. That is three months of runway if the business brings in nothing.
Now say your side business already brings in $2,000 a month from two steady clients. Your gap drops to $3,000 a month, and the same $15,000 lasts five months. Add one more client at $1,500 and the gap is $1,500. Your savings now cover ten months.
Same savings account. Three months or ten, depending on what you built before you left.
Write your own version of this on one page. Monthly need. Current side income. Savings. Months of runway. It takes fifteen minutes and it will calm you down or wake you up. Either one is useful.
A Simple Rule for When to Jump
Nobody feels ready. Waiting for ready is how five more years go by in the same chair.
Use a rule instead of a feeling. I would jump when three things are true. The side income has covered at least half of your monthly need for three months in a row. You have six months of runway for the rest. And you are turning down work because the day job takes the hours.
That third one matters most. When the job is the thing costing you money, the decision makes itself.
If you are not there yet, you are not stuck. You are building. Give the business five focused hours a week and review the one page every month. If finding those next clients is the hard part, start with these tips to generate leads for your small business. And if you want some company on the hard days, the quotes for starting a business are a good place to sit for ten minutes.
At Rockstarr & Moon, our purpose is to empower aspiring rockstarr business owners to SUCCESSFULLY START, BUILD, AND GROW their business so that they can create the lives they’ve dreamed of for themselves, their families, and their communities.
That is why I created Rockstarr & Moon. To help you learn the lessons I had to learn the hard way and create the infrastructure you need to succeed.
We can help you successfully boost your business' lead generation so you can create the lives you’ve always dreamed of for yourselves, your families, and your communities. Contact us if you want to know more about this.
Frequently asked questions
What is a dead-end job? A dead-end job is a role where extra effort no longer leads to more pay, more responsibility or new skills. The usual signs are small raises, promotions that only come by changing employers, and work you could do half asleep. The job may be stable. It has simply stopped taking you anywhere.
How do I start a business while working a full-time job? Start by selling one service you already do well to one paying client outside work hours. Block five hours a week, deliver the work, and ask for a referral. Check your employment agreement first so you know what you are allowed to do on the side.
How do I know if I can afford to quit my job and start a business? You can afford to quit when your savings plus your side income cover your basic monthly costs for at least six months. Write down what your household needs each month, subtract what the business already earns, and divide your savings by the gap. That number is your runway.
What is the biggest mistake people make when leaving a job to start a business? The biggest mistake is quitting before a single customer has paid you. Without a paying client you have an idea, and your savings have to carry the full cost of finding out whether it works. Get proof of demand first, even if it is one small project.
How long does it take for a new business to replace a salary? It commonly takes one to three years of steady work for a new service business to replace a full salary, and it varies a lot by industry. Building on the side shortens the risky part. Track monthly income against your monthly need so you can see the gap closing.