Hey guys – I need a bit of advice here.
I've been working in the sales industry for the last 3 years and have been averaging about $6K USD per month in income. I've become quite burnt out with sales as it is very intensive. With my current role the most I can make is about $7-8K USD per month.
Now, I've been building a consulting business on the side, I've signed 2 clients already at $2K USD each.
The issue is, because I'm balancing both my job as well as this consulting business, it's taking a lot of time to build up my business. I reckon, if I leave my job, I'd be able to scale up my business much faster and get it to a point where I'm happy. But at the same time, if I leave my job, I won't have regular income coming in.
I'm going to be very honest, I am very lost and don't know what decision to make – so I need your help & advice. I have two options here:
- Leave my job and go all in on the business which allows it to scale more quickly
or
- Work my job, build up the business on the side, but it will take much longer to scale.
I also wanted to mention, I am getting very tired and fed up with my job. Everyday is a grind and I'm honestly getting burnt out.
Would really appreciate any advice. Thank you.
Need Advice – Should I Stay In My Job Or Go ALL IN on my business
byu/r231100 inEntrepreneur
Posted by r231100
17 Comments
How do u get consulting clients?
is that $2k per client per month i.e $4k a month? If so then I’d say try and get another 2 so you’re on $8k per month, this is then similar to your current income, do this for a few months and save as much as possible so you have 3 months runway… then quit … or get yourself up to $8-10k a month and quit. This is the least risky way.
If you only on $4k a month (half your current max salary) quit, then one client drops, you’re suddenly in a bad position money wise.
Hi there,
Let’s break down your situation and see what makes the most sense for you.
Financials:
* Current Job: $6K/month, potential to reach $7-8K
* Consulting Business: $4K/month (2 clients at $2K each)
Key Questions:
* What are your monthly expenses? Rent, food, bills – everything you need to live.
* Do you have savings? If business income is slow at first, how long can you cover your costs? A good rule of thumb is 3-6 months worth.
* How fast can your business grow? Do you have a plan to get more clients? What’s a realistic estimate of income in 6 months, a year?
* Are you truly passionate about this business? Startups are hard. Are you ready for the ups and downs, even potential failures?
My Take:
If I understood you correctly, there appears to be some future potential for your consulting business. But before jumping ship, let’s be smart:
* Detailed budget: Map out your living costs, business expenses, and ensure your savings can bridge any gaps.
* Solid business plan: Not just ideas, but a strategy with clear goals and steps to reach them.
* Maybe try part-time: If possible, reduce hours at your job to free up time for your business. Keeps some income flowing while you build.
Wishing you all the best!
If you’re passionate about your consulting business, making the leap could provide the freedom and focus needed to scale it—perhaps explore supportive services to optimize your strategy quickly.
Weigh risk, passion against steady income; gut feeling matters.
Balancing a full-time job and trying to build a business on the side is *tough*.
It sounds like you’re at a crossroads, but if you’re feeling burnt out and you’re already generating income from your consulting business, it might be worth seriously considering going all in.
Yes, it’s a risk, but sometimes the bigger risks lead to bigger rewards.
If you’re confident you can scale, the freedom and potential growth could outweigh the temporary uncertainty. Just weigh the financials carefully before jumping in.
You’ve already got momentum, which is huge.
You’ve already proven your consulting biz has potential, but the question is, can you handle a temporary dip in income? If you can survive the short-term hustle, going all-in on your business could lead to big rewards faster. If not, try scaling more slowly while maintaining that steady income. Just be smart about the transition!
As a business owner for 13 years, my top advice for anyone running a business is to establish a process to consistently acquire clients.
Whether a startup or an established business, without new business coming in, its impossible to survive.
Take another month or so and create a plan to generate leads first.. when you have the money coming in, rest automatically falls in place
If you are very confident of getting more consulting clients, and that you are sure they can be stable. Highly recommend to dive into that instead.
Mental health matters, and you are likely to get more upper bound in profit in consulting apparently
Negotiate your full-time down to a half-time role with your current employer and then you are golden.
I’ve totally been where you’re at, juggling a full-time gig while trying to get something on the side up and running.
If you’re feeling burned out, that’s real. But risking everything might add to the stress. Maybe there’s a middle ground?
How about scaling back some at your job, if possible? Or even scheduling strict “work on business” times to make sure you’re not drowning?
Whatever you choose, remember that sometimes it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
If you quit and totally bomb your business, can you get another job?
What’s the worst that happens?
I say jump. You’re just scared of the unknown….it’s time to unburden yourself by what has been 🤪
(I’m a serial entrepreneur and would rather pick up dog shit everyday than have a “real job” so take that into consideration when listening to my advice 😂🙏)
If you don’t have kids or debt, have some savings, and the willingness to make it work—G’head and do it.
You’re burnt out anyways. Life is short. Give it a rip!
Can’t work just half time and leave more time for your business? if things go well quit if not you can come back to full time
1, Make sure you get “consistent income” to maintain you and your household things from your full time job.
or
2. if you have enough saved up for rainy days
when you have 1 or 2 – You can quit.
Thumb rule – Survive and then scale.
Decide what you are willing to risk because you will be risking in both scenarios. Is staying in your job worth the risk of you potentially losing a long-term investment with big clients, or is leaving your job and investing in your business a bigger risk?
Apart from passion, how skilled are you in the field of your business? Do you have valuable contacts in your corner?
Do you have a mentor or know someone who is successful that you can closely learn from?
Have you done research on the industry itself?
Do you have a strong strategy on how you plan to maneuver the business?
If you have the right answers to these questions and decide to go all in, then you’ll be taking a calculated risk.
All the best!
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