You can start creating your ideal lifestyle while still at your regular job.
How? By shifting your mindset, learning how to manage your time wisely and building some good habits, sure. But there are specific things you can often do, that will be the foundation of a successful transition into full-time entrepreneurship. Here’s where you can start:
1. Skyrocket your personal brand.
Branding is a never-ending process. And in the digital world, anything you publish, do or say, becomes part of it. So it’s worth taking control of that, and creating as much content under your name as possible.
That’s how you can become an expert in a niche over time. It won’t happen overnight, but you’ll be investing time in that daily, by sharing practical things on social media and keeping your profiles and portfolio updated.
There will be weekly activities such as setting up a site for your business/brand/product and working on the design, authority, content creation, link building, etc.
There will be things you’ll do just once, such as:
- Joining new platforms to make sure potential employers can find you from anywhere.
- Emailing influencers to thank them for the inspiration they are.
- Writing blog posts to discuss specific topics and for building authority.
That’s how you start to build a name for yourself and how clients will eventually interact with your brand. But the process begins today. Don’t postpone.
2. Learn the basics
One profitable way to invest your time on available mornings, evenings and weekends, is to research things about the critical aspects of your future full-time online business.
Start with the legal part – what type business structure. How will you pay taxes, what’s required from you, what can you do today to make the transition easier?
Then, learn basic financial management. Unless you hire an accountant or bookkeeper, budgeting will become a necessity to learn and track your finances. You’ll want to make sure you make good financial decisions, save every month, have multiple income streams, and calculate earnings and their sources carefully every 2 weeks.
3. Master a skill
What’s your side hustle?
Is it writing, designing, making jewelry, consulting small business owners, creating online courses, or else?
Whatever it is, make sure you’re constantly leveling up.
Read about it to remain informed about the latest trends in the industry, talk with professionals, go to seminars, take courses.
Invest in yourself as much as possible if you want to provide quality services to your clients and make sure they’re happy with your work, whatever niche you’re in.
4. Avoid burnout
It’s time to start saying ‘no’ to some things and what you’re used to, so that you can get different results this time and excel at your career, to be able to move on and build something on your own.
That might mean not going out with old friends that much. You can invest that same energy in working on the side hustle, keeping your mind clear, not hanging out with people who aren’t with the same goals, and staying focused.
It might mean making some lifestyle changes, such as waking up early to do your work before others get up, to be concentrated instead of distracted. It might mean eating healthier in order not to feel lazy and moody after a big meal.
You’ll need to take breaks frequently and know how to shut off your brain before bed so that you can recharge and be on top of your game every day of the week.
In fact, the goals of turning your side business into a full-time job can be a good reason to finally take more care of yourself and pay attention to your health.
5. Outsource earlier
Many business owners, when asked about the mistakes they made when they were just starting out, share that it took them way too long to be able to let other people handle some aspects of the business.
Why should you do that now, even if you think you aren’t ready?
Because by delegating some of the work (administrative tasks, social media, content creation, or else), you’ll stop doing repetitive tasks and be able to work on the strategies, connections, and growth.
That’s what you should be doing. And because it has the best ROI, you won’t be losing money by paying freelancers or assistants hourly or even hiring them full-time.
These tips should be enough to help you see progress pretty soon, and feel like the full-time dream job is closer than ever.