When I started by business I was still working full time. I had clients evenings and weekends. Then I wanted to do more of it so I started to cut down, gradually going more and more part time in my office job. I went down to 4 days a week, then 3.5.
Eventually I took a couple of part time jobs that allowed me more time flexibility to do the work I was passionate about – my own business – and honestly, this also got me out of an office job that I just didn’t want to be in.

So when should you start working full time on your business?

I get asked question a lot and it’s more than just a practical one. It’s really about creating the right circumstances to allow you to pursue your dream work and at the same time allowing you to experience life the way you want, living a life you create. That life, I imagine, doesn’t include a whole load of financial stress as your ideal, am I right?

In short, my answer is: once your basic expenses are covered.

There are different schools of thought around this though:

1. just go for it so you have to make it work as you have no back-up. That’s far too stressful for me and in my experience getting into a panic state really isn’t helpful for anyone. It brings fear (the negative kind) and along with that, inconsistency, confusion, aggression, selfishness.

That’s no way to build a lifestyle business helping others.

2. The other is to do what I did and create the circumstances that favour you actually making this part of your journey work for you. Getting your ducks in a row so to speak.

The guide to quitting your day job to pursue your business full time:

1) Make a decision. Strike while the hammer is hot. You’ve got the drive to do it, take the next step. Don’t dilly dally on it shoulding yourself all over the place or wondering what others will think, let alone listening to them say you’re crazy. You know.

2) Get clear on what you need.The point here is that you don’t want to let fear get in the way but you do need to do what it takes to make it happen. If this means going part time or leaving one job for another with a lower salary but more time freedom and flexibility to allow you to grow your own business at the same time, then, you choose. Now that you’ve created the circumstances, how do you move forwards? What support do you need to move from hobby to business?

3) Expand. What other areas of your life can you bring into alignment with your goal? Make it a part of your lifestyle. Don’t just build your business and then your life. Do them together.

4) Talk. Tell people what you’re up to. You never know where the next opportunity will come from. Business growth is not always linear, talk, share, listen, be open to receiving possibilities where you don’t yet know they exist.

If you took the leap to quit your day job to work full time in your business, at what stage of your business development did you do that? Anything you would have done differently?