I recently celebrated the day I decided to become an Independent Personal Trainer. I began this business venture already working full-time Monday to Thursday doing 10 hour shifts in the evening. This left me with mornings and weekends to study for my certification, design my website, maintain my social media channels and somehow balance it all with my social life and self-care routine.

After significant studying and social sacrifice, I passed my professional exam and hit the ground running. In less than a year, I was certified as a Personal Trainer, registered and insured my business, launched my website and began marketing my brand. And only months later, I was training several repeat clients, even with my other job’s full-time schedule.

The blueprint for building the foundation of your business while keeping your 9 to 5 job will be different for everyone. But one factor remains the same for everyone: hard work. Here are three essential tips that can help this hard work seem easy.

1. Embrace Failure

Despite the negative connotations associated with the word failure, it’s the secret ingredient to success. Chances are that you will eventually fail in some aspect of your business, especially if you’re balancing a job while establishing your first business. When this happens, you can either learn from your mistakes and grow, or crumble under the pressure. Make sure you choose the former.

If you fail, get back up, brush yourself off, adjust your approach and press on with your business.

2. Find a Balanced Routine

I can’t stress the need for balance enough. We’re not designed to work 24 hours per day, 7 days per week for 365 days per year. It’s vital for you and your business to mix things up and spend time with family, friends and yourself.

Take breaks and do something other than work to recover from all the stress. Refresh your mind, and you will find yourself coming back to your business with clarity and focus. Dwelling on your work all the time will make you miserable. You can’t enjoy what you do if you don’t enjoy your life.

3. Take Care of Yourself

Your body and mind work hand-in-hand. If one’s lacking in some way, it slows the performance of the other. For this reason, make sure you have adequate nutrition, exercise and rest in order for you to work at optimal levels at your new business and your current job.

Conducting business on an empty stomach with a sleep deprived body will never make a good impression on a client or allow for creative productivity.

Putting It All Together

Every year of business is important, but the habits you develop in the early stages of growth will set the tone for the years to come. Learn to accept challenges, find a work-life balance that works for you and stay healthy. These three things will help you endure, overcome and ultimately succeed under pressure so that you can build your business, even while working full-time.

Learn More

Are you taking advantage of Small Business BC’s wide selection of seminars for entrepreneurs and small to medium-sized business owners? Space is limited, so don’t miss your chance to register today.

And if you want specific questions answered for your business, make an appointment to meet with a Small Business BC Business Advisor or Small Business BC Business Plan Advisor now.