Hi I’m new to this community but to sum it up I’m a dad of two looking to become self employed and I’m ready to branch out on my own but I have no way of securing enough jobs to maintain my finances and I need to go all in to make it happen but at the same time my current full time job won’t allow me to what can I do

Here’s the reality: you don’t quit your job to start a business—you earn the right to quit by proving you can get customers first.What you should do instead (practical path)Build income on the side first (non-negotiable)If your current job blocks your schedule, you still have:Early morningsEveningsWeekendsThat’s enough to validate demand. You don’t need 40 hours—you need consistent paying jobs.Focus on quick jobs, quick cash, not perfect branding.Get your first 5–10 jobs manuallyForget fancy marketing at the start. Do this:Post in Nextdoor / local Facebook groups (“We’re working in your area this week…”)Reply to people already asking for helpKnock a few doors where work is obviousAsk friends, past contacts, coworkersYour only goal: prove strangers will pay you.Stack cash, not riskDon’t quit until you hit at least one of these:You’re making 50–70% of your job income consistently for 2–3 monthsOr you have 2–3 months of expenses saved + jobs booked aheadRight now, you’re trying to jump the gap without a bridge.Create leverage before quittingOnce you see traction: Line up jobs for 2–4 weeks aheadRaise prices slightly (test demand)Build repeat clientsThat’s when quitting becomes a calculated move, not a gamble.The uncomfortable truthYou don’t need permission from your job—you need discipline to use your off-hours. A lot of people say “my job won’t let me,” but what they mean is “I’m exhausted.” That’s real—but it’s also the price of transition.You’ve got two kids. That means your plan has to be boring and reliable, not risky and exciting.

I would agree that starting a business and keeping it going is a process, but also has to be a labour of love to justify the extra time and effort needed to be successful. One thing I would add to what Roger said, is also to consider the types of customers you are targeting. At 6 years in I would say I am still somewhat early days haha but in my earlier days I built a relationship with another business that deals in lots of the small jobs (in my case as a plumber/gas fitter that meant replacing peoples faucets and toilets) simple in and out like Roger is saying, quick money. This one relationship was enough for me to make my transition to my own business. Even though the pay for it hasn't always been top end, it has been good in that it has been a consistent source of work and I have also spun off a bunch of other jobs from it. Getting in front of those people for something small and demonstrating your knowledge and personality positions you well to make jumps to something bigger with that customer. Quick example that comes to mind, I turned a $150 job into more then $10k in work with 1 customer. Bottom line would be to explore options to work with businesses that may need your service on an ongoing basis, and that can help make something that feels risky, not risky.

Well - Roger pretty much summed it up , not sure what more anyone can say following that type of info he just gave you.

Make a commitment to make a certain number of cold calls / day and sign enough contracts needed to quit your job.

Man I was in the exact same spot as you — full time job, kids, wanting to go out on my own but scared I wouldn’t have enough work.Here’s what actually worked for me:Start now, while you still have a steady paycheck. Work nights and weekends. Use your current job to pay the bills while you build up customers on the side. Once you’re consistently booked 2–3 weeks out and have some money saved up, then make the jump.Most people who quit their job first and then try to get customers end up stressed and going back to work.Slow and steady is the way. You don’t have to go all in on day one.

Need guidance: How to start a business while still working a full-time job?

16 Replies

PleasantonWI1
Contributor 2
2 months ago
If what you do is needed every day then job security isn't that far its specialized jobs that are hard to schedule.
Rafael-gonz
Contributor 2
1 month ago
Start with the company name and advertise for the jobs as you set up you can get along with doing the jobs on the time you have that is available while you establish credit to live off of while the jobs build up
Esther
Contributor 3
1 month ago
As a dad of two, I'd be careful about feeling like you need to go all in right away.
Many successful business owners build their customer base on evenings and weekends before leaving their full-time job. The goal is to create enough consistent demand that the business starts deciding for you.
Focus on building a pipeline, saving a financial cushion, and testing what brings in customers. It's usually less about taking a big risk and more about timing the transition well.
Wishing you the best, you've already taken the first step by thinking about it.

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Need guidance: How to start a business while still working a full-time job?