How to Quit Your Job to Start a Business: 13 Untold Tips

There are 31.7 million small businesses in America, making up 99.9% of all U.S. businesses.[1] With 3.96 billion total social media users across all platforms, if you think setting up a website or social media page will deliver business, you’re likely wrong.

Understand What Motivates You

Know why you want to quit your job and go it alone.

• Create a thorough list of things that will make you motivated no matter what the task-on a dreary Monday when you’ve got a stinky cold and want to crawl back into bed.

Don’t Let the Fear Get You!

Get the right support around you (not friends and family), get the right business model and marketing strategy, and ask for help

• If you follow these 13 strategies, you could be quitting your job within months.

Always Make Assumptions

Question your thoughts, actions, and beliefs at all times

Identify Your Values

What values matter to you most

Mind Your Pricing

Don’t start with low prices and think you can put them up later.

How (And When) to Quit Your Job and Start a Business

The hardest lesson people won’t tell you about is that first step on your own – when to quit your job

• Create a start date that’s three to nine months in the future with clearly defined goals and actions for every month
• If your employer allows a side business, what time can you dedicate to starting part-time
• When will you be full-time?
• Do you like structure? If so, what date will that be? What marketing strategy and business model will you need to employ?

Get Your Confidence in Check

Without the right level of confidence, you will damage what you achieve

• You need to understand and monitor your confidence
• On my website, there are tons of resources to get your confidence in check
• How will you pick up the phone and ask for the contract/business/feedback/reviews?

Dedicate Enough Time

Make yourself available to build a business to ensure its sustainability.

Shiny Does Not Make Brilliant

If the person that you are working with says it’s you and not them, then stop working with them.

• Ask: “For what reason did you not achieve something after their first session?”
• Stop and evaluate if your investment is not making you money.

Find the Best Way to Communicate

How will you communicate when you are unavailable so you can get on with working on your business? What boundaries will you set?

• Have a strong powerful marketing message
• Know what you are selling, to whom, at what price, and with what desired outcome.
• Hone your understanding of your perfect customers.

Create 2 Business Plans

A one-page document that is visual every day of the year

• Goals
• Action
• Strategy
• Vision
• Timing
• Profit
• SWOT
• Review and reflect regularly
• What have you noticed? What has changed?

Look at the Big Picture

The big picture needs to address all areas of your life.

Understand Your Perfect Customers

Define your market-your customers

• Understand where your perfect customer shops, how they feel about the environment, how often they get their hair cut, and even what kind of car they drive.
• Ask what language they use and ensure that features in your marketing strategy.

Social Media Is Not a Marketing Strategy

Ideally, you will have eight to ten routes to market

• Hold events
• Encourage online connection through social media, email campaigns, newsletters, and blogs
• Networking – definitely network!
• Get in the local newspaper or a relevant podcast
• Google My business
• Publish your articles on relevant sites

Do Research Before Deciding on Your Products

Just because your mum/brother/best mate said it’s a great idea doesn’t make it a business.

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