Why Your Side Business Could Be The Key To Your Dream Career

Sometimes you need to create the ideal dream job, the one that ticks all the boxes for you, the one that lets you be as creative or fulfilled in your daily working life as you want. It may be that your dream job is one that you have to seek outside of the normal 9 to 5, one that can’t be pigeonholed into a traditional role. You might already have some ideas about what you like to do in your alternative entrepreneurial career, things that have been brewing in the back of your mind for a long time. So how do you turn your side business into that dream career?

1. Start Small: If you plan to develop your side business to see if it’s a viable option outside of the 9 to 5 cubicle, starting small will help you see if it’s just going to stay as a hobby or if it has legs to grow and develop into something more. If you want to write a book, start it as a blog; if you want to be website or graphic designer, try working on websites for family and friends in exchange for testimonials and referrals, if you want to start a bakery or cafe, start selling your products at the local farmers market. Starting small will give you the confidence to take those baby steps towards a fully fledged business.

2. Find your Flow: Find your most productive time or your ‘flow’ each day and time aside to work on your business, keeping you motivated and focused on the tasks in hand. If you are an early bird, get up 30 minutes earlier than usual to work on your business idea, otherwise do 30 minutes in the evening instead of bingeing on Netflix!

3. Focus! You might only have 20–30 minutes in your day to work on your side business, so make them count! The night before, see where your laser focused session is (perhaps lunchtime or after you put the kids to bed or walked the dog) and work out what you can get done in that space of time. Having 2–3 small goals each day will really make a difference to getting your side business up and running in a short space of time.

4. Network! Telling people about what you plan to do with your business idea is the quickest way to get the word out there. Meeting new people through Meetup groups, business networking events like BNI, Network Ireland, local Chamber of Commerce events will help you meet with like minded people who can refer your business to others or link you up with potential partners, prospective clients, and get your name out there.

5. Don’t get overwhelmed: Setting up a side business can take time and effort, especially if you are working a full time role as well as family commitments and hobbies to boot! Be realistic in what you can get done in the small pockets of time you have. Keep the goals realistic and if you have a bad day (or a bad week!), take time out for a day or two to recharge and start again.

6. Take Action! Nothing will come of your business idea if you don’t take action and focus on why you are spending time on this venture in the first place. Working on your goals in a manageable means every day is a step closer to creating the type of career you want, on your own terms.

7. Experiment! Not every idea will be one that can be a full time business in time. You may feel that it’s best kept as a hobby but don’t be downhearted, it’s better to find out early on in the process that it’s not going to work, instead of spending lots of time researching and over-analysing the ins and outs of the side business. Moving on to the next idea might be the better option, you never know, it could be the one that you enjoy working on the most.

If you feel that the traditional job is not for you, then it’s worth spending some time exploring what it is you really want to do outside the 9 to 5. Because the other option is to spend the rest of your life in roles that don’t challenge you, keep you interested or allow you to make a difference.

So what have you got to lose by experimenting with ideas that could turn into your dream business?

Want to be of service to more clients and make a big impact through your business?

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