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.

Wow, All of the GPT Comments are right on they are giving you the recipe for it. but they don't hit how hard it actually is from the legality of incorporating to taxes Licensing, and continuing education, to juggling family and home life.I Started my construction company in 2021 working on the weekends and now it has grown to where the weekends aren't cutting it any more. scaling is the game and the catch is to not scale too fast. keep your head on a swivel and watch out for the customers that you know are going to hurt, if they are just coming to you to under cut someone else then they aren't the customer that you want. Keep your morals high and your pricing higher. You'll make more money and work less by being picky. Make sure you and your significant other have the same goals and are on the same page, check in often and have open communication. trust is number one, set time aside for family and be present while around them. And if you Base your business around Service and Helping Solve a problem you will go a lot further than just trying to stack cash. Good Luck with everything.

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.

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

21 Replies

Anonymous
Not applicable
6 months ago
What do you do as a full time?
Anonymous
Not applicable
6 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
5 months 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
5 months 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.
RankMaple
Contributor 2
2 hours ago
Starting while you still have a full time job is the safest way to build, because your bills are covered while you learn. Use your evenings and weekends for small jobs that you can finish well and get paid for quickly. Get found on Google early, because that is where local customers look when they need help right away. A simple website and a complete Google Business Profile can bring in calls even while you are at your day job. Ask each happy customer for a review, and keep photos of your work so new customers can trust you faster. Keep your costs low and take only jobs you can do well, so your reputation grows before you take the big step. If you want a clear example of how local SEO works for a small service business, you can read more on Rank Maple

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