Moonlit Dance

Moonlighting: verb, “Having a second job in addition to one’s regular employment.”

I was recently asked to provide some insights on starting a business while working fulltime and raising a family.  My response? “It’s a dance, and you need to learn the steps to do it well.”

Obviously, starting a business when you have a full-time job is extremely challenging. It’s even more difficult when you have a family. The biggest hurdle is time management. Your priorities are your family and your job. So in order to develop your business, you must allocate the time without causing major disruption to your family or your day job.

Naturally, the new business idea will consume your thoughts, and you will want to take action on those thoughts when they come; but you cannot relinquish other responsibilities to do so. I suggest you develop a plan focused on time allocation. Work on your business during those specified periods of time (and keep a journal with you to quickly jot down ideas that come outside of their respective time slots).

A sample schedule could look like this:
5:00 am to 6:30 am – working on the business
6:30 am to 7:00 am – preparing children for school
8:00 am to 5:00 pm – working at your day job
6:00 pm to 9:00 pm – assist children with school work, family time and bed time
9:00 pm to midnight or later – working on the business

One of the most important assets you can have when starting a business is the support of your family. Your family needs to know why you are choosing this endeavor, and you need to share with them what support you need from them. Their moral support is invaluable, because when things are not going according to you plan (you can bank on moments of failure), their support and encouragement will be nourishment to your entrepreneurial soul.

It’s also important to recognize that in order to realize your business dream, you will make sacrifices. At the very least, you will sacrifice your time and your money. You also need to understand that your talent alone will not get you to your destination. You need the assistance of others. No man or woman is successful without the help of others. Ask for help, and when you must – buy the help you need.

(For more on entrepreneurship, please visit the Archive page.)

Clifford A. Bailey
entrepreneur, effectiveness mentor, speaker, change agent