Starting a Business while Working Full Time is Hard, Here's why it's Worth It.

[@pineberry212]

I'm seeing if I can turn my leatherworking hobby into a business, I've pretty much figured out how to use my laser engraver to cut leather to speed the cutting process up, and I've setup my back porch into a little workshop while I'm off work. The temp company welding contract is suspended due to a lack of work orders. I've finally posted some products to Esty, but I'm not expecting anyone to order anytime soon as they are high price items, but I'll be building stock, and hopefully I can take the rest to farmers markets and fairs. I also plan to make a stock of beginner four shaft looms as another poke at a potential market. My only issue is that I've come to terms with the fact that I'm slow and deliberate of a maker, which doesn't make help with a welding job that expects quick production.

[@jeanetteswalberg6166]

You are so right about the time and effort it takes to start a business, let alone while working full time. I'm so glad you are still pursuing your plans. When you put your family values first, things tend to work out. I love your observations regarding the structure of a business and using the snippets of time around your job to work toward your goals. My journey is still in process, and too convoluted to go into detail here, but suffice it to say that your observations about use of time are Spot. On. I'm in the middle of making a life change as well and these principles ring true. My journey is still in process, and too convoluted to go into detail here, but suffice it to say that your observations about use of time are Spot. On. I will update you when I get a little further along. I'm proud of your efforts and know you will get there. .💪💪 (Muscular arms, not chicken legs, lol)

[@tomharner83]

This is great timing for me... My wife and I are days away from opening up our first coffee house. These past several months have been grueling while converting a commercial space into our own business, all while working a 9-5. We have learned SO MUCH about prioritization and spinning multiple plates... Often by getting it wrong and dealing with unnecessary delays. Not only that, but we've learned our energy limits, when to schedule breaks (hence my ability to watch this video), and shift burdens to one another. Looking back, no one thing went as planned, and no single project had clear starting/stopping points... but by steadily marching towards our goal, it's all gotten done more-or-less the way we wanted it to. In many ways, I'm a perfectionist... But a Pinterest account I follow made a statement that has stuck with me and changed my outlook. Those that succeed don't get it right the first time, they're the ones that perform rapid sloppy action and then use it to iterate into a better life for themselves.

[@GoodandBasic]

That's a beautiful team you've built. Make sure you do enough maintenance on your relationship that it stays paramount over the business. Priorities have a tendency to shift without maintenance. Just a thought.JB

[@tomharner83]

@@GoodandBasic Thank you! Yes, the relationship is first! My wife and I are solid in that dept. We do better the more time we spend with each other. We have now been open for a little over a week... we're doing better than expected and our daughter (she's a partial owner) is going to be working for us full time.

[@tomharner83]

@@GoodandBasic Also, we're contemplating an early retirement for me from my 9-5... Though, a fair bit of caution and calculation is warranted before we take that plunge.

[@David-kd5mf]

Good thoughts, thanks for sharing. Small scale manufacturing and home produced product selling does seem like a good way to make side money. I've got some ideas.

[@Usammityduzntafraidofanythin]

I wanna see bread getting made from grain in the traditional way.

[@monad_tcp]

I did it too, didn't take that much time. I started in 2016, and I finished opening the business in 2023. I was only working fulltime until 2019, then I had to quit, that also includes 2 years sabbatical (I lied to myself as I kept working on the business).

[@JSEvans-or5xe]

Hi JB, two things: 1. For your question, while I am not looking at going into business for myself, I do want to change my career. I've spent 20+ years in general IT and want to transition to a more rewarding, yet niche area of IT that requires A LOT of independent study and training. This is almost a full-time job in itself and it is very difficult most days to come home and then study and train myself. 2. I think you touched upon something that deserves an entire video. Are people equipped for freedom in general? A lot of Libertarians and people on the right say that they want less government this and that but are we as a society able to hand that kind of free and the related responsibilities that go along with it.

[@GoodandBasic]

Excellent question, and there's a related question. What's our responsibility to be free? Is it an ethical obligation to become the kind of person who can handle freedom? I think the answer is yes, to the degree you can in your context and with your limits. JB

[@puddingcaketiem]

Right now I have a 9-5 that’s paying our bills, but am currently spending my offtime researching the regulations for a business dealing in natural foods. Everything is so murky it’s hard to figure out how to start. But right now I’m focusing on networking, dialing in my recipes, figuring out funding, looking into regulatory requirements, and keeping my eyes open for a decent location…. I don’t always do a good job managing my time, but I focus on moving the needle each week as much as I can.

[@ddeegz9766]

No thanks. I enjoy my free time and spending time with my loved ones. We only have one life, why spend it in constant stress? What's a little money matter? Who cares? We're all dust. It's all servitude and debt in one way or another. Somehow we've ended up in a culture where every silly little facet of one's life has to be hyper-optimized. Just seems like a drag to me. I find a lot of joy in what i would describe as a kind of anti-optimization. I enjoy my friends, family, and hobbies too much and find those things so much more rewarding and satisfying. Obviously though, do what you feel is valuable to you. Only my two cents. Good luck and best wishes!

[@GoodandBasic]

True freedom means being fully conscious and responsible for your choices, and that's exactly what you're describing. I'm glad you're spending so much time consciously with your family. JB