Reducing day job for side hustle

[RubyFatball]

Hi there, I’m after some opinions on the best way to handle this situation for the long term.

I currently have a part time (4 days remote) job which I adore, been there 3 years, doing well, not paid a lot but it’s in an industry I love and it gives me lots of flexibility which works for my life.

I also have a side hustle which is growing. It currently takes up the 5th day in the week and is growing even beyond that. I don’t want to give up weekend or family/evening time for it as my kids are still young and my DP works away a lot, so I need to be available for picks ups etc at least for another couple of years.

When I asked a year ago, my boss at my part time job declined me dropping down to 3 days as the company really needs someone full time and I’m just managing the workload as I am on 4.

Should I rock the boat and ask again to drop a day to allow my new business to grow? Should I stay as I am, juggling both?

any opinions suggestions questions very welcome.

thank you!

Tough one…

It sounds like you are at a tricky place with the side hustle where it is growing but not enough to replace your main job. TBH the 4 days a week job sounds like gold dust for you right now - love the work, part time, remote, flexible around pickups etc - and I’d be really careful about jeopardising that to take a risk on a small albeit growing side hustle.

If you want to ask to reduce your days I think you need to go in with solution to how the full time job will be done with you only working 3 days a week. For example could you do it as a job share? Could someone else in the company take over some of your duties? If you just go back with the same request again and nothing has changed, you’ll get the same answer.

Bear in mind if the side hustle then doesn’t go as you hope you may not have the option to get the extra day back.

I’d also look at getting more help with the side hustle. What can you outsource? Would a virtual PA, someone to help with marketing/social media, someone to do admin/bookkeeping or shipping orders enable you to grow it without needing more of your time. It may mean you take a hit in profits in the short term, but would enable you to grow the business while keeping the stability of your regular income. Then in a few years when you can afford to take more of a risk you can look at switching to spend more time on it.

The other option with the side hustle is to increase the income without increasing the work by putting up your prices. Reduce demand while bringing in more money.

Overall I think a lot depends on whether the side hustle is a hobby that makes a nice bit of extra income, or something you have ambitions to grow into a business and income that could replace your job. If it’s the former I’d keep it as it is. if the latter it’s about timing and when is it going to be the right time for you and your family for you to take a risk and commit more time to growing it?

@Daffidale sorry I didn’t come back to my thread, I thought no one had posted. I really appreciate your thoughts!

Its a grower, the side hustle - something that would see my into old age. I’m in no hurry with it.

you’re right my current job is gold dust. I’d be mad to quit but really want it reduced. I think it’s manageable on 3 days…I bet they wouldn’t change the workload though. So I’d just be in “more work less time, for less money”

Suggest that it becomes a job-share so it would then be 5 days per week as the role is growing?

If you decide to request do it officially as a flexible working request

Would compressed hours be an option? I know you’d rather not eat into family evening time, but doing a couple of hours before or after pick up (or after kids are in bed) in order to cover the 4 days work in 3 could be an option. Especially if the company are a “we don’t mind when you work so long as the work gets done” kind of place.

I would also definitely look at what you can outsource on the side hustle. Growing a business is all about delegating!

Good luck.

@RubyFatball how exciting, what is your business?

I would always outsource what you can eg bookkeeping, packing and despatching at a lower hourly (min wage) rate than your day job.
Can you automate anything with software?