What to do if you decide to start your own business without quitting your job

You don't have to burn all the bridges behind you to start a successful business. Keeping your current job will help kill two birds with one stone. You will not only have a stable source of income, but you will also feel much more confident on the path to entrepreneurship.

However, it is important to maintain a balance and understand how you can and should behave, and what actions are strictly prohibited.

What is worth doing

Determine if a business can become a part-time job

This is the perfect model. Especially during a difficult period when you will be taking your first steps as an entrepreneur. The last thing to do in such a situation is to think about unpaid bills and accumulating debts. The main job will give financial independence, which will help to get the business on its feet.

Be honest with your employer

If you have a good relationship and your business does not become a competitor for the company in which you work, you can invite the management to invest, become a client or partner. True, before that it will not hurt to consult with a lawyer who will help you discuss the conditions and details of such cooperation with your boss.

But be careful. A failure in business or your boss's refusal to support you can affect your current working relationship. Think carefully about whether you would like to work with your boss on your own project and how your boss might respond to your attempts to start a business outside of your main job.

Follow an employment contract

This is especially important if it contains a clause on inventions and objects. intellectual propertycreated in connection with the performance of labor duties. If there is such a point, then everything that the employee came up with while working in the company will belong to it. But even if you work without a contract, this does not mean that the issue has been resolved. Check this point in the job description. It can be asked, for example, from an HR manager.

Save money

Allocate a certain amount from the first profit of your business, which will come in handy in the future if you do decide to quit. Also, remember to have a clear budget and keep track of your company's income and expenses on a regular basis. This will allow you not to overspend.

Money set aside can be invested to generate profits and provide a solid safety cushion after a layoff.

Articulate priorities correctly

The main work and the parallel development of your business leave little time for other things. Determine what is really important to you. Consult with business partners, family and loved ones.

Then make a list of all the hobbies and activities for which you can reduce the time or even remove them from your daily routine. This will free up the days, hours and minutes needed to build a business.

What is better not to do

Choose the wrong area

Any business that requires 24/7 monitoring is a bad idea if you want to keep your job. For example, opening own store will leave little time for parallel professional activities. Such a business project can only work if you devote yourself entirely to the business from the very beginning or if you have a reliable partner. Otherwise, the company risks failing in the market, and you - to suffer serious losses.

Use corporate computer and mail

Even if you only need to send one short message, this can be regarded as using the company's resources to develop your own business, that is, for personal purposes. And such charges have serious legal implications.

In addition, the employer may have access to your work PC data. In this case, it will not be difficult for him to read the correspondence in your personal mail, if you entered it from a corporate laptop. It is better to play it safe and use not only personal accounts, but also a personal computer.

Discuss business with colleagues

Similar discussion can also be categorized as “business development while on the job”.

In addition, there is a chance that not everyone will like the fact that you are doing your business in parallel with your main job. A colleague might talk about this to management before you even decide to discuss the matter.

This rule should also be applied to the customers and suppliers of the company where you work. You should not offer them your business ideas in the workplace.

Quit immediately after starting a business

New business goes through a variety of cycles, including both incredible successes and severe failures. Therefore, the first victories are not a reason to immediately leave work, especially if the business can still be combined with it.

For the stability of the company, it is important to find real, willing to pay customers, and then spend several months gradually building up the customer base. Your income should not only cover all the necessary expenses, but significantly exceed them. Only then can you think about dismissal and full immersion in the affairs of your company.

Afraid of becoming an entrepreneur

Own business as a part-time job can be quite successful. But if you do not plan to be a passive investor, but want to become an active leader of the company, it will take all your time and full participation.

Don't be afraid to quit your old job and become a full-time entrepreneur. The main thing is to correctly assess the risks and think carefully about everything before such an important step.