I was asked recently my thoughts on starting a business part-time.  From my perspective, business is a calling and a mindset that doesn’t allow you to succeed half-stepping. It can be the harshest win/lose game there is that requires total focus and a winner’s mentality to play at the highest level. Talk to any successful business person, athlete or artist and the first thing that hits you is their passion and laser focus. Nothing distracts them from their vision – nothing.

Part-timers all start from the same spot – tired of your current job because the boss is either stupid, doesn’t understand you or last but not least, you’re not fulfilled. You look around and see others who are successful in business and ask the question – “Why not me?” You brainstorm ideas, read the latest “You can start your own business today!” book and would jump out into the world of entrepreneurship in a heartbeat if you only had the money.

But you need the cash flow to pay the mortgage, car, and the current lifestyle you so desperately want to break out of. So part-time makes a lot of sense right?  Wrong.

The problem is the job you want to leave becomes a financial monkey on your back that will get in the way of every key business decision you need to make in order to be successful. Wish I had a quarter for every time I heard that keeping the current job is just a temporary ‘security blanket’ and you have a plan showing exactly when to walk away. Right after you land that big job or sell those hundred widgets.

But reality is the monkey on your back gets harder to kick as your business begins to make money. Some or all of that extra money ends up going into a new car, nice trip that you deserve because you’re working so hard or to fix up the house instead of going back into the business where it belongs. You get used to this new lifestyle and the idea of one day removing your safety net gets harder and harder.

This is why, in my almost 20 years of being an entrepreneur, I’ve never seen a part-timer make it big in business. It’s because to be successful you must to have the necessary guts to put it on the line at any time and that my friends is a full-time job.

In business, success never comes to those afraid to move forward without a safety cord because it’s like riding down a two lane road straddling the center line. Sooner or later you’re bound to get run over.

Dwain – The BusinessBiker

As always – these are just my thoughts on the matter, I could be wrong.  So, if you disagree or simply want to pile on, please do so either here on the BLOG or email me directly at Navigator@BikersGuidetoBusiness.Com  I look forward to hearing from you. www.bikersguidetobusiness.com