Starting Part Time

April 13, 2006

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For those who are unsure about whether they can make a go of a new business, starting out on a part-time basis is a viable alternative. A part-time business will reduce your new financial risk significantly while you gain the experience you need. And, of course, if the business fails, you can fall back on your full-time job.

An example of a part-time business is doing paid work for friends or family on the weekends or in your spare time. Others choose to start with only a single client or customer and use vacation time to provide the service.

Going into a part-time new business will also enable you to get the kinks worked out of your new business before operating on a full-time basis. Remember that a part-time business will usually not generate a large profit. In some instances, a person may be able to live off of a part-time business, but this is not usually the case.

You should also remember that there is really no such thing as a part-time small business. You'll be surprised how much time a "part-time" business will take, even if you have only one client or customer. If you decide to work part-time, be prepared to work long hours.

Work Smart

If you feel that you lack business experience and you're not sure that you're capable of running even a part-time small business, get the experience any way you can. If you have to, volunteer your services or work for next to nothing at a business that's similar to the one you want to own.

Just because you consider your new business part-time, the related costs of doing business do not necessarily go down.

Suppose you're planning to open a home-based business. The office will require a complete separate set of office equipment. If your business is part-time, that means only that you are willing to generate income on a part-time basis; it doesn't mean that your office expenses will be smaller. A desk and chair cost the same if you sit in it for 10 hours a day or two hours a day.