From NJ - Our goal for 2026 is to transition from traditional road service and gas station inventory work for a company into an independent, hands-on service business that can grow from weekends into a full-time livelihood.
My husband currently works in road service and inventory at a gas station. He’s highly skilled with physical, practical work and wants to build something of his own rather than stay in a job that relies heavily on long hours and overtime. We plan to start the business on weekends, use that income to first replace his overtime, and then steadily grow it to replace his full-time job which totals $50k a year with OT and commissions.
This year, we’re focused on:
- Discovering which type of business to do that can help turning his existing hands-on experience into a customer-facing service business
- Validating demand with weekend jobs and repeat customers
- Learning how to price services correctly and build simple systems early (scheduling, invoicing, communication)
- Creating a clear, realistic path from side hustle to full-time work
By the end of 2026, our goal is to have consistent weekend and/or evening work, steady referrals, and a strong foundation to make the transition into full-time self-employment.
