Can You Start a Business While Working Full Time?

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Having multiple streams of income is not a new phenomenon. Many women are not only working eight or more hours a day at the office, but they also have a side hustle or small business they have to run. On the other hand, there are women who either need more money or want to transition out of corporate but can’t see how that will be possible.

We get it, many working women have to manage their demanding jobs, children, relationships and have to carve out time to take care of themselves. Many women already wish there were more than 24 hours in a day.

So, can you really start a business while working full time? Absolutely. Even though the thought of managing a small business effectively while working seems impossible, it’s not. We’re here to tell you, you can absolutely start, manage and thrive in your small business without letting go of your day job. Here are some tips and tricks to help you.

What To Do Before You Start The Business

If you haven’t started the business yet and are toying with the idea of being a business owner and staying in your 9-5, we’ve got your back. First, you can check out our blog post, 5 Things You Need to Know About Starting a Business. Next, you can consider the following:

Make Sure Starting a Business is Really Something You Want To Do

Before you think about whether or not you can start a business while working full time, do you want to?

In a rush to get a side hustle going to bring in more money, you may pick up a venture that is profitable but not something you really want to do. If your small business or side hustle is not something you’re passionate about or feels like too much of a burden, it’s best you find something else to do.

There are many profitable ways to make money doing something you love, you just have to figure it out.

Write a Business Plan

The business idea may sound great but map it out on paper to see if it’s even worth your time. Time is precious and the last thing you want to do is waste it, that’s why a business plan is imperative.

As we said, time is precious so you can skip the long document for now and start off with our Roadmap To Success Business Plan Template. This template is a great tool for anyone looking to brainstorm and start their business or for existing companies that would like to expand and identify opportunities for growth.

We also have a comprehensive CEO starter kit you can access here . It includes a start-up checklist, valuable tax information, a budget calculator and more!

How to Run the Business While You Have a Day Job

So you’ve already planned and started the business but it’s becoming overwhelming to do when you have a day job that takes up a lot of your time. Here is how to manage both.

Focus

According to Entrepreneurship, it’s the little things we do consistently that make or break a start-up. When it’s time to do tasks for your small business, make sure you’re not distracted and remain focused to maximize your time. There are several productivity apps you can use to help you. However, you can also try leaving your phone in another room or make sure you’re working during a time with limited distractions such as when the kids have gone to bed.

Organization and Planning are Key

Being organized is very important. You’ll save time and effort if you keep all of your material for your business in one central location that’s easily accessible to you. We personally like Google Workspace because it allows you to easily manage your files, emails, and calendars.

Unfortunately, you won’t get more time in your day, however, what you can do is make a plan for the time you do have. Schedule time in your day to learn skills, get your website up and running, make social media posts, and do all the other administrative tasks a business needs.

In addition to that, you’ll need to schedule time to do actual work. For example, you could get up earlier than you would need to and work on your business. On the flip side, you can work on your business later at night or on the weekends. Wherever you see that block of time, take advantage of it.

Delegate Your Tasks

Maybe you genuinely feel like you can’t keep up with everything you need to do. Maybe you don’t have the skill set to do them. Consider delegating the tasks. There are many remote workers you can hire on the internet. They can do graphic design, work on your website or work as your virtual assistant.

We use and highly recommend iWorker VA agency to help you save time and money. Contact Enrique at enrique@iworkermail.com and tell him we referred you. Check out their website for more information.

If you’re truly short on cash, you can ask around in your network and friend group. Maybe you can all exchange services. When you delegate tasks, you’ll have more time to do what you want. Whether it’s work on your business or spending more time on yourself or your family, your time is yours.

Remember Your Why

Managing a 9-5, your own small business, and everything else you have to do in life is hard. When you’re feeling demotivated, burned out, and about to give up, remember to think about your why. Why do you want to have this business?

What does having this business mean to you? How is this business helping you to achieve your goals? If you can keep those answers in mind or written somewhere as a reminder, you’ll be able to push through.

Next Steps

Congratulations on taking the first step to managing a small business. We know it must be difficult to do while working a 9-5. But you can start a business while working full time, it just takes some strategy and patience.

As your business progresses, you may want to transition from your 9-5 to full-time entrepreneurship. It can be difficult especially if you don’t have the proper guidance.

To help women business owners and entrepreneurs, we’re offering a “Pick My Brain” session with our CEO Shanté R Roddy. This call provides two hours that you can use to ask pressing questions and get solutions. In addition to that, you’ll get 15 days of email support. If you’re ready to take the next step in transitioning, book the strategy session, we can’t wait to chat.