Test the waters before you leave your 9–5

There’s a popular narrative around starting a solo business: quit your job, take the leap, figure it out along the way. It sounds bold. It also ignores what many successful solopreneurs actually do: start while they still have a paycheck, figure it out, and then quit. I freelanced alongside my 9–5 for two full years before going solo full-time. That runway gave me time to figure out my offer and ideal clients, build a portfolio, and develop the confidence that I could make it work. As a result, the transition didn’t feel like a free fall. If you’re thinking about solopreneurship, a side hustle might be a smart way to get started. {"blockType":"mv-promo-block","data":{"imageDesktopUrl":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/11\/work-better-1.png","imageMobileUrl":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/11\/work-better-mobile-1.png","eyebrow":"","headline":"\u003Cstrong\u003ESubscribe to Work Better\u003C\/strong\u003E","dek":"Thoughts on the future of work, career pivots, and why work shouldn\u0027t suck, by Anna Burgess Yang. To learn more, visit \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.workbetter.media\/\u0022\u003Eworkbetter.media\u003C\/a\u003E.","subhed":"","description":"","ctaText":"SIGN UP","ctaUrl":"https:\/\/www.workbetter.media","theme":{"bg":"#f5f5f5","text":"#000000","eyebrow":"#9aa2aa","subhed":"#ffffff","buttonBg":"#000000","buttonHoverBg":"#3b3f46","buttonText":"#ffffff"},"imageDesktopId":91457605,"imageMobileId":91457608,"shareable":false,"slug":"","wpCssClasses":""}} The 9–5 is your (temporary) safety net A side hustle while you’re still employed gives you something incredibly valuable: the ability to experiment without risking your livelihood. You can determine what services you plan to offer and validate whether there’s demand. You can pitch potential clients, test different pricing, and figure out what “sticks”—all while a steady p