Hey Reader,
Starting your own business can be exciting, scary, and nerve-racking all at the same time. Building something from scratch can take some time, and most people don’t have the cash reserve to jump ship from their full-time job and dive into a new venture. This why you hear so much about side hustles, because most people need to hustle on the side for a while before making any real money.
This can one of the most difficult things to do: stay at a job you may not like, while you wait for your dream to take off.
If you’re in this situation right now, you know what I mean. You’re probably feeling torn most days, worn out, and maybe even beat down. It’s not easy working 9-10 hours a day and then coming home to put in another 5 hours on your business. But for most people, this is the best path to success.
One of the most common mistakes I’ve seen entrepreneurs make is going full time with their new business before it’s ready.
Whether you’ve just started your new business, or you’ve been doing the side hustle thing for a while, or maybe you’ve even started thinking about taking that plunge, here are 8 tips to help you as you chase your dream on a part-time basis.
1. Don’t be afraid to wait.
I know how you feel: you’ve got this passion burning inside you and it’s all you want to do. Every second spent at your day job feels like a waste of time. But you need to wait. Wait until you can honestly layout a financial forecast that supports not only your personal income, but also the necessary expenses of your business.
It is much better to wait an additional 6-12 months, than to have to look for a new job 6 months after going full time too soon.
Be patient.
2. Make sure it works.
Make sure people will pay for what you’re offering. Make sure your systems are effective and efficient. One of the benefits of hanging on to your day job is the security of knowing you have a steady paycheck. You can take risks and test ideas until you have all the systems in place and have proven your concept works.
3. Record your systems.
Speaking of testing and proving systems, make sure you document every system and process you use. When you go full-time, it is essential to continue to follow the processes that got you there.
Take the time to create step-by-step templates and systems to ensure you can easily replicate those things that helped you prove your concept and make the move to leave your job.
Document everything: how you create and share content, your newsletter process, project management, accounting, marketing, etc, etc, etc. Everything.
This will allow you to really hit the ground running when you take that leap!
4. Use this time to fix problems.
As I mentioned before, keeping your day job gives you the stability of a steady paycheck, so you can focus on building your brand, proving your concept, and building an audience.
One of the biggest advantages of having that other source of income, though, is that you can take the time to test things and work out problems. And believe me, you will have problems.
You will make mistakes and you will hit road blocks. Just remember that right now, you can recover from most problems, which gives you the opportunity to hit those roadblocks, find a way through or around them, and then tweak your systems.
All of this gives you a much better chance of survival once you take the leap to full-time.
5. Plan around big goals.
Let’s face it, managing your schedule can get crazy when you’re limited on the time available to work on your business. One of the most common problems with side hustling is getting caught up with all the little things.
Fact is, a lot of these little things can wait.
Take a couple minutes each day (or a few extra minutes at the beginning of the week) and layout your 3 most important goals for that day (10 if you’re laying out the week).
These should be goals that focus on growth of your audience and growth of your revenue.
Then, build the rest of your schedule around those goals by filling in available time with those smaller tasks like fixing that spreadsheet design, small website updates, etc.
Build your schedule around the tasks that move your business forward and directly affect your ability to get to full-time.
6. Love your customers
People want to work with people they know, like, and trust. And they buy from the same. When you’re trying to build your business on the side, your available time for sales calls can be extremely limited. If your business is B2B and you work a typical 9-5 schedule, you may be at your day job while your potential clients are available, making it pretty difficult to get ahold of the right person to make a sale.
Because of this, referrals can be the lifeblood of your business.
When you make a strong connection with a client and they truly believe in what you do, they’ll be more than willing to connect you with others. This can be the difference between success and failure as a startup.
Treat every customer you have like your only one, and make sure they know how much you appreciate them. Then ask them for referrals and treat those folks the same way.
7. Build your team.
Find the right people to surround yourself with, and then invest in them. When you’re part-time, doing everything seems like the only option, but it’s also darn near impossible. Do not be afraid to hire some help while you’re still working your day job.
The fact that you still have that steady income gives you some financial cushion to invest in a couple key team members that might be able to handle important tasks during the day, while you’re unable.
Once you find the right people, invest your time and energy into making them understand their value. Treat them like gold and make sure they are compensated both financially and emotionally. A loyal team member is more valuable than almost anything in your business. As your business grows, so should your compensation to these people. Treat them right and show them you care, and your team will lea you to full-time.
If you don't think you'll need (or want) any employees, or even freelancers, then your team becomes the people you get in your corner - this goes beyond friends and family, too. Find a good online community, mastermind, business coach, or mentor to help you work through challenges and the loneliness we all face on this journey.
8. Expect failure.
One thing that takes a lot of part-time entrepreneurs out of the game is the fluctuation in cash flow. As a new business, you’re going to have more ups and downs than the newest coaster at Cedar Point (if you don't know about Cedar Point, come to Ohio and check it out).
Keep your focus on the long-term and don’t get emotional about that big account you just locked in, the contract you just lost, the influx of online sales today, or the unexpected refunds tomorrow.
Picture a chalkboard with a line going up and down across it (like a roller coaster). Now picture a straight line traveling straight across the same board, in the center.
Those who get too excited about a win or loss are more likely to fail in the end. Those who travel that straight line and don’t let either affect them too much are much more likely to succeed.
Failure is one of the most important parts of being an entrepreneur. Expect it. But more importantly, embrace it and learn from it. Don't let it break you down, it's part of the ride.
Sometimes (most times) side hustling is the only way forward.
No one thing on this list is going to be the deciding factor to whether your new venture fails or succeeds. Nor is any one of them going to be the piece that takes you from part-time to full.
What all of this is supposed to do is help you understand that being a part-time entrepreneur is not only possible, but it is often times necessary to succeed.
Keep these 8 things in mind as you continue on your journey. Take advantage of the stability your day job offers, and don’t panic when you can’t go full time as quickly as you had hoped.
Stay focused, stay patient, and stay true to what you believe. You’ll make it to full time.
I hope this helps
~ Jeff
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*Keep scrolling for I’m listening to, links to check out, and a content creation idea!
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I appreciate you.
Jeff Gargas
COO / Co-Founder, Teach Better Team
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P.S. When you're ready, here's how I can help:
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🎧 What I'm listening to:
⚡️Things to Check Out
✅ LinkedIn launches Mini-site with tips, best practices, and more.
- The newly launched mini-site includes information on general LinkedIn posting with specific sections focused on various content elements and offers tips on creating engaging content.
- A section dedicated to video includes performance tips and specifications.
- The site also provides links to LinkedIn Learning courses for platform optimization
- 👉 Check out the site here.
💡 LinkedIn Benchmarks 2025
- In 2025, LinkedIn isn’t just a professional network—it’s a full-scale content engine.
- With organic reach still very much in play and user engagement continuing to increase, brands are doubling down on the platform.
- But the question isn’t whether to show up on LinkedIn—it’s how to show up in a way that drives real results.
- From engagement rates to video view rates, content performance to follower growth, this LinkedIn benchmarks study —based on the analysis of 1M posts published over 2024 — breaks down what’s working right now—and where there’s still untapped potential.
- 👉 Check out the report here.
🤔 OpenAI is building a social network.
- OpenAI is working on its own X-like social network, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
- CEO Sam Altman has been privately asking outsiders for feedback about the project, our sources say.
- It’s unclear if OpenAI’s plan is to release the social network as a separate app or integrate it into ChatGPT, which became the most downloaded app globally last month. An OpenAI spokesperson didn’t respond in time for publication.
- 👉 Read the article here.
BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
The Small Business BS Podcast
A weekly podcast delivering simple business strategies for entrepeneurs.
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💡CONTENT CREATION IDEA
Check Your Sent Folder
Here’s a quick and underrated way to come up with content ideas: check your sent folder.
Yep, I’m talking about the emails or DMs you’ve already sent. Go scroll through your replies to questions from friends, colleagues, customers, or anyone who’s reached out for advice or insight. You might be surprised how many pieces of content are hiding in there.
Look for things like:
- A explanation you gave about a tricky topic
- Common questions people ask
- Tools or resources you've recommended
- Encouragement you shared with someone who was struggling
- A breakdown of how you approached a problem someone asked you about
If you’ve taken the time to write something helpful to one person, there’s a good chance it would help 100 more if you turned it into a post, an email, or a short video for TikTok, IG Reels, or YouTube shorts.
I'm serious - Go find an email or message you've sent recently, and turn it into your next piece of content.
Let me know what you find in there!
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