Balancing Work and Business:Tales of a 9-to-5preneur
Use your pending stimulus check to start your LLC!
Quit the 9 to 5 and be your own boss!
Stop having to report to work by starting your own business!
These are just some of the popular mantras that are often shouted across social media platforms to encourage individuals to quit their jobs and start their businesses. But I've got news for you…you do not have to quit your 9 to 5 to launch your own business. Yes, some people do it, but you certainly do not have to. You might be someone who can put in the work both at your day job and on your own hustle, thus becoming a 9-to-5preneur. It’s actually about using your circumstances to work for what you need it to do. Continue reading to discover how you can capitalize on your 9-to-5 to advance your own business and personal endeavors.
What is a 9-to-5preneur
A 9-to-5preneur is someone who maintains a full-time job working for a company or organization while also launching and running their business. While some people might be in this "best of both worlds" space forever, other 9-to-5preneur’s have a set purpose and deadline for when they will transition to being full-time entrepreneurs. Whether you are testing the waters or in for the long-haul, the 9-to-5preneur is someone who is undoubtedly driven, hardworking, passionate, and organized.
The Why: Backwards Planning
When I began my business in 2019, I had no desire to replace my full-time teaching salary. It started as me helping myself and friends obtain better employment after suffering through sucky jobs. However, as time went on, I realized that resume writing was a reliable source of additional income that allowed me to save towards my personal goals much faster. While an individual’s story or path to entrepreneurship might be different, it is always important to reflect on the why.
Why do I want to start my business?
What goals am I trying to accomplish?
Do I anticipate doing it full-time in the future? If so, how will I know it is time?
Answering these questions will better position you for managing the time you spend at work, building your business, and even leisure time that you spend resting or with family and friends. You have to remain rooted in your why especially after long days in the office with your business to-do list is piling up. In short, start with the end in mind.
Using What You’ve Got to Get What You Need
When hiring a candidate for a vacant position, employers often examine their work history to understand the candidate's skills over the years. This informs how successful the candidate might be in the prospective position. For example, if Candidate A has been an assistant manager and shift leader for the past 4 years, I would assume that they had the training and skills required to be an effective store manager, based on their previous roles. The emphasis on transferrable skills should also be top-of-mind when you approach the time spent at your day job.
What skills can I gain and develop that will benefit the growth of my business?
Has your boss ever encouraged you to take Microsoft Office Trainings? Learning Excel might help you develop cost-efficient client management or inventory tracking system before spending large sums of money on third-party vendors and websites. What about those managers that require you to take personality tests to learn to cooperate with your co-workers? These tests might give you insights on potential blind spots that you have that could impede the progress of your business, thus informing the consultants that you partner with. Or, what about that opportunity to serve as Assistant Project Lead, where you learn how to manage the lifecycle of a project, follow up with vendors, and conduct quality control of a product? Use your daytime to develop yourself professionally. While you might take courses sponsored by your workplace, you should also look to utilize people within your department to teach you transferrable tricks that would help automate your systems.
A Means to An End
Plenty of people hate their jobs throughout the world, but why do they stay? Because it is a means to an end. The truth is, you do not have to love your job or the people that you work with. But if this particular job allows you space and freedom to handle your own business and is not causing you harm, why not stay?
I challenge you to alter your mindset about what it means to work your perfect job. Think about the impact of having the right job environment that can afford you the time, energy, and freedom to grow and develop your brand. For example, do you have your own office or work alone at a desk where you can take a quick 10-min client call on your break? Does your job equip you with a laptop that allows you to multitask and complete small business tasks without waiting until you save enough cash to buy a computer? Staying put at your day job can afford you the opportunity to do things that might alleviate the stresses of starting your own business. Depending on your sector, you might be in a position to talk openly about your business and gain new clients, investors, and partners, all while having the means to pay your bills and reinvest in your business.
I mean … it's lit. Cheers to everyone grinding in the day and grinding in the night to obtain the life and things we want! Shout out to all the 9-to-5preneurs working the system to work for them!
