Have you been side hustling for a while and finally feel ready to make the leap from corporate drone to full-time boss?

After taking my own side hustle full time and coaching over 70 women to start purpose-filled businesses and take them full-time, you could say I’m a bit of an expert in this area.

So here are my seven must-know tips to help you quit that job and take your side hustle full-time.

1. Get real about your finances 

The first thing you need to do if you want to be your own boss is to think and act like a CEO and that means taking a long, hard look at your finances. Look at your business bank balance (and if you don’t have a business bank account yet, then THAT needs to be your first step) and go through your income and expenses.

Figure out how much money you need to feel comfortable quitting that soul-sucking day job, set a goal and work backwards from there. Don’t forget to account for savings, debt, and regular outgoings, and make it a non-negotiable habit to look at your finances daily. Yeah, I know it’s not the most exciting thing, but trust me, it’s flippin’ motivating! Shift your money mindset into high gear and thank me later.

2. Become a goal-setting Goddess 

As mentioned above, setting goals is an absolutely essential skill if you want to work for yourself. It’s time to dream big, lady! Only 8% of people actually achieve their goals – crazy, right? So, to avoid being one of them, you need to get specific, put a date on your goals, write them down and put them somewhere you can see all the time.

And don’t forget to get clear on your why. Ask yourself questions like ‘Why do I want this?’ and ‘What will it give me’? Think about the impact on your life of being a bad-ass business owner.

3. Work on your mindset every day 

You can have the best business strategy in the world, but if your mindset is in the toilet, it’s pointless. Being successful in business is all about that boss mindset, baby! And it’s something you need to work on every damn day. Just like you wouldn’t expect to go to the gym once and lose a dress size, you can’t expect to do one meditation and become a badass CEO.

Because truth-bomb: if you’re not willing to invest your time, money and energy into changing your life, don’t be shocked when it doesn’t happen. Build that growth mindset, experiment with different approaches and don’t be afraid to fail. Reframe those failures as opportunities to learn and grow. Practice gratitude for where you are now and regularly reflect on what you’ve achieved and learnt.

4. Do your market research 

Before you dive headfirst into your full-time business, you need to make sure you are absolutely clear on your ideal clients’ needs so that you know your offering is EXACTLY what they want and need. Talk to them, find out what they’re struggling with and what they want and then tailor your offer accordingly. Then use their language in your offer and marketing to make them think ‘How the hell did she get inside my head?’

Market research calls are honestly awesome. They not only give you tons of juicy insights, but also help you build relationships in a really nice, non-salesy way and may even lead to clients  – kerching!

5. Get Visible 

If you want to have a business, you’ve got to talk about your business. Fact. So it’s time to increase recognition of your business, get visible and attract new clients. And believe me when I say that – this is so much more than just increasing your Instagram followers. Get your marketing game on point, from the look and feel of your brand to how you give a consistent client experience. Use my Outreach Onion method to really utilise your network, i.e. the low-hanging fruit.

Speaking of low-hanging fruit,  ask your existing clients for referrals. People are 77% more likely to buy if they find out about you through someone they know, so what better way to find new clients than through your existing ones? Finally, don’t be afraid to collaborate with other businesses that align with your brand and values. This will give you exposure to their audiences.

6. Don’t be a solo act

One of the scariest things about starting a business is loneliness. But you don’t have to do it all on your own. Ask for help, dammit! Get a mentor, a coach, or join a group programme where you’re surrounded by other newbie business owners all going through the same thing. And if your budget allows, outsource the things you can’t do. You’re a CEO, not a one-woman show.

7. Invest in a coach 

I said it above, and I’ll say it again—invest in a coach. If you want your business to skyrocket, it’s the only way, and that’s why I’ll always have my own coach. Telling yourself you can’t afford a coach is basically telling yourself and the universe that you don’t give AF about changing your life. I hired a coach after experiencing burnout, and the effects were unreal.

Coaching totally blew my mind, so much so, that it made me dive headfirst into studying it for myself. Thanks to that, four years after I had a breakdown at work, I’ve not only quit my corporate job, but I now run my own business, doing what I love, helping frustrated corporate women start and grow purpose-filled businesses so they can escape the rat race.

So, what are you waiting for Queen? It’s time to make this happen! And if you need some help taking your side hustle full-time, hit me up!

May 1, 2024