Although we may want them to be, for most of us, our small businesses are not our main source of income or at least not at first, and not everyone can quit their job to focus solely on their new business.

So how do we pursue our passion while working a full-time job? This post has answers based on my experience.

Getting organized

Duh right? Well sometimes it’s easier said than done, but getting organized is so important when you’re running a small business while working a 9-5.

Usually, our schedule is set for our full-time job but what we do with the rest of our time will make an impact on our business.

Use your time wisely, organize tasks, plan meals, chores, and other responsibilities.

You will probably be working most nights and weekends, but that is part of owning a small business while working full-time out of the house, so ask for help from family members. Can you share household responsibilities? Can you delegate business tasks to your husband or wife?

Being organized and sticking to a routine makes running a small business so much easier.

Have a business plan

Where do you want your business to go?

Is your plan to grow your business so you can quit your 9-5?

Do you want to keep your business small as a side hobby or just as an additional source of income?

Having a plan will help you figure out how to scale your business.

A business plan would include a timeline, financial plan, marketing strategy, and business goals. Having a plan will help keep you motivated to continue working at your dream, especially when it gets tough, because believe me it does get tough, but it’s so worth it!

Start a blog and get social

Blogging is useful for many small businesses because it keeps your name in front of your audience.

Use Tailwind to schedule Pinterest posts that lead to your blog. This is a great way to get your blog and business out there.

I don’t have time to sit on Pinterest sharing my posts and other related stories so I use tailwind to do the heavy lifting.
Joining tribes on tailwind is beneficial too! Tailwind Tribes connect you with similar bloggers who will re-post your shared pins on their boards. Be sure to return the favor!

Navigating social media with a full schedule isn’t always easy, but our efforts won’t go unnoticed. Try to post at least once a week, and post with engagement in mind. Always ask your audience a question and ask them to leave a comment. Growing a social following takes time, but it’s worth the time and effort.

Keep a notebook with blog post ideas, Instagram stories ideas, and rough drafts of them. If you can’t post weekly, don’t feel bad. There are times when I don’t get a new post out every week, but try to be as consistent as you can.

Make friends with other business owners

If you’re trying to navigate the path of building a small business alone, discouragement and self-doubt will start to creep in and eventually could take over. Building a small business is not easy.

Find someone or a few people who have businesses of their own and bounce ideas off of each other. Chat about small business life, experiences, and share tips with each other.

Having friends in the small business community really helps keep the creative juices flowing and the will to continue to follow your dream first in your mind. Let’s face it, building a small business is hard, really hard, but knowing others are going through or went through the same thing is so encouraging.

Always make time for yourself

Sometimes I feel like a broken record when I say “make time for yourself” and “Practice self- care” but it’s so important to keep first and foremost.

Burnout is real. I’ve been there and let me tell you, it’s not something you want to go through.

Schedule regular breaks. If nothing seems like it coming together or working right, stop and clear your head. Switch to another task or go do some housework or something that will re-route your thoughts for a few minutes.

Go do something that relaxes you, because how can you take care of your business and clients if you’re not well?

It’s not selfish to take time for yourself. It’s necessary, especially when running your own business while working a full-time job.

Do you run a small business while working a full-time job? I’d love to hear your experience in the comments!