Do you have a business that you have developed on the side? Wondering how to evolve your brand so you can leave your 9-5 job behind? That’s exactly what Shanae Jones did, growing her dream business without leaving her day job.
From the beginning until her last day on the job, Shanae never stopped investing in her own education or growing her business. Find out how you can follow Shanae’s path and transition to full-time entrepreneurship.
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5 Steps to Go From Side Hustler to Full-Time Founder
If you want to prepare to run your business full time and quit your day job, Shanae’s tips can help you do just that. Here are the five steps she took to become a full-time entrepreneur.
1. Tell Everyone Your Plan
Make it clear that you are serious and start spreading the word about your business idea. People around Shanae could see both her passion and drive to bring her ideas to life. This honesty made it easier when it came time to ask friends and family to help finance his business. They knew she was dedicated and wanted to help her.
Shanae would also never lie to her coworkers or employer about her side hustle. Instead, she made her commitment to her new business clear, setting boundaries, such as telling her colleagues, “I’m going to work on my business.” I can’t do happy hour.
This made it easier for him to quit his job. When you are honest with your colleagues, they will see how passionate you are about your profession and will be more likely to encourage and support you.
2. Apply to an accelerator program
Once Shanae had the support of those around her, she felt ready to take the plunge. She turned to an accelerator program to learn the basics of starting a business.
Working 9 to 5, Shanae didn’t have the luxury of time, so she chose a program focused on taking an idea to a minimum viable product in six days. “I learned how to start an LLC and the smallest details you need to know, because when you start a business you can only think about the end product or success,” says Shanae.
3. Conduct research
After learning more about running a business, Shanae decided to explore her niche through an apprenticeship in herbal medicine. “I didn’t let my lack of knowledge hold me back,” she says. “I just went looking for whatever information I could find.”
This learning has allowed Shanae to build a reputable brand backed by research. It also gave him the skills to educate his own community. “I wanted my brand to have authority and be backed by knowledge. This expertise gave me the confidence to continue,” she says.
The apprenticeship also introduced her to small business owners who ultimately helped her build a local supply chain. Shanae still uses the knowledge she gained from her course to connect with her online community and vendors in her area.
4. Manage your time effectively
Working full time while starting your business means you don’t have a lot of free time. That’s why it’s important to find a productivity method that works best for you. Shanae used the Pomodoro technique to stay on track. She also recommends creating time blocks to complete more tasks at the same time.
As a full-time employee and part-time entrepreneur, it’s essential to use your time wisely. This maximization allows you to maximize every hour of your time for success, so you can transition to full-time founder status sooner.
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5. Be comfortable in front of the camera
Talking about your business will help it succeed faster. The sooner you become comfortable talking about your brand on camera, the sooner you will reach new customers.
One way to do this is to share more about your business and why it is so important to you. Be authentic online and you can grow a community big enough to leave your day job behind.
Another approach Shanae uses is sharing content she’s proud of, such as showcasing some of the work that goes on behind the scenes. “I started filming myself at the warehouse and used it as a B-movie,” she says.
Shanae has gained over 70,000 followers across social platforms by sharing her personality and passion online.
Remember: everyone’s timing is different. But if you share honest updates about your business and do thorough research, you’ll feel ready to take the plunge and go all-in with your brand.
To learn more about how Shanae was able to balance commitments and build a supply chain, watch the full Shopify Masters episode.