By Shephard Kembo
IN today’s dynamic economic environment, more professionals are considering launching a side business while maintaining their full-time jobs.
Zimbabwe has been no exception with a lot of employed people wanting to try out entrepreneurship and running own businesses on the side.
Whether driven by a desire for financial independence, creative expression, or a long-term career shift, starting a business while employed offers a strategic pathway to entrepreneurship, with reduced risk.
In this article we will explore the real practical steps that a lot of employed people would need to take and consider when they have decide to run their own businesses.
Why Start While Employed?
1. Financial Security
A lot of people often ask the question of when is it best to launch into entrepreneurship. How ready should one be, what sort of preparation does one need to launch into running own business? One of the primary advantages of launching a business while working is assured and guaranteed security and steady income. In most cases, a job provides the cash flow to fund your venture, cover personal expenses, and reduce the pressure to turn an immediate profit in a limited time frame. The aspect of assured financial security can not be over-emphasised.
2. Risk Management
New businesses are not just demanding and involving but are also inherently risky. Keeping your job offers a buffer as you test your ideas in the real business world. It allows for experimentation and learning without the fear of financial collapse if things go wrong. Risk mitigation and or management is a key aspect of trying a new business and or entrepreneurship journey.
3. Network and Resources
When one decides to start and run a business, social capital is of the essence. One has to make use of the acquired social capital and network over time. A lot of people who started running their own businesses making use of their professional contacts have immensely benefited from the use of social capital. Being employed means you are already part of a professional network. Many skills, contacts, and insights from your current role can translate into valuable assets for your business.
Steps to Launch Successfully
1.Choose the Right Business
Time and energy are limited, so choose a business that complements your current skill set and or industry. Digital products, consulting, freelance work, or e-commerce ventures often suit working professionals well.
2. Create a Clear Plan
Be serious and start from somewhere. Draft a bankable feasible lean and practical business plan. Define your value proposition, target market, budget, and timeline. A clear business plan with clear guidelines, targets and performance benchmarks helps you stay focused and maximise your limited time outside of work hours.
3. Master Time Management
When you have made a decision to run a business whilst still employed, your evenings and weekends become crucial. Create a schedule that protects your productivity and well-being. Tools like Trello, Notion, or simple calendars can help organise tasks and priorities.
4. Maintain Professional Integrity
Check your employment contract for non-compete clauses and conflict-of-interest policies. Never use your employer’s time, resources, or data for personal business purposes. Ethics matter, and reputations last.
5. Set Milestones for Transition
Establish clear financial and operational milestones. For instance: consistent revenue over six months or securing X number of clients. These indicators help you know when it is safe to consider leaving your job.
Challenges to Anticipate
Burnout: Balancing both roles can be extremely exhausting. Prioritise rest and self-care always.
Time Constraints: Progress may be slower. Patience is crucial in every business, results may not be as sudden as anticipated.
Distractions at Work: Stay disciplined. Your job is still your primary obligation, until it’s not.
Real-Life Inspiration
From the real-life examples locally, regionally and internationally, many now-successful entrepreneurs began their journeys while employed. From Sara Blakely (Spanx) working as a fax machine saleswoman, to Phil Knight (Nike) starting his business while working as an accountant, the dual-role approach is a proven launchpad.
Conclusion
Starting a business while employed is not only possible, it can be strategically advantageous. With careful planning, ethical clarity, and disciplined execution, it’s a way to test your entrepreneurial wings while keeping a safety net beneath you.
Remember, every empire begins with a single step, and sometimes, that step happens after 5 PM.
(Shephard Kembo is Managing Partner for Globavel International (PVT) LTD)
