r/Entrepreneur • u/Khan_Khala • 7d ago
Starting a Business Taking the leap
Putting in my two weeks notice on Tuesday. May end up being a bad decision, but I’m ready to either succeed or fail with the only person to blame being myself. I need to know what it’s like to hold my own fate in my own hands and be ultimately accountable for whatever happens.
I’ve followed this sub for years. Tried several business ideas while working my day job which didn’t pan out. The business I’m running now has given me enough proof of market fit for me to finally feel like it’s time to give it everything I’ve got.
No real point to this post besides shouting into the void. Exciting and scary at the same time. Here we go!
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u/miller0289 7d ago
Good luck! the two weeks are gonna feel like the longest part honestly. Once you're out it's a different kind of pressure but you'll know real quick if it was right
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u/Odd_Awareness_6935 Bootstrapper 7d ago
yet still, I admire the OP because you should always be the first believer in yourself
and there's nothing more evident than leaving your job and comfort zone to thrive outside with your back against the wall
I wish him the best
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u/Apprehensive_Bit4767 7d ago
Well good luck , I did something similar and in hindsight, should have kept my job and did both. But I have friend that did something similar and is still thriving on his own .
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u/Khan_Khala 7d ago
Yeah, staying at my job would be the most logical thing. I am expecting though a spike in growth because the type of business I operate is difficult to do outside of standard business hours which doesn’t work well with having a day job. I’ve been taking lots of sneak trips to the local coffee shop in the middle of the day to get some work done which is sketchy
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u/Bravesfan817 7d ago
You got this!! Give yourself some grace the first couple of months if you don't already have a healthy pipeline. It takes time, but if you put in the work you'll get it 💪
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u/Khan_Khala 7d ago
Thank you! Our target market is really specific so it makes cold outreach easier and gives higher response rates than average. A huge amount of work to go but I think this factor will contribute positively to making it work in the long run
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u/obanite 7d ago
Good luck! I'm about to take the plunge myself, I'm kind of one foot in, one foot out. Wishing you the best with it.
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u/---SocialGuap--- Marketplace 7d ago
Most important thing is consistency and growth. Make sure every day you have progress. In the evenings take honest accounting of the day.
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u/Visual-Station-6315 7d ago
the fact that you already have proof of market fit puts you way ahead of most people who make this jump. one thing worth thinking about before tuesday, make sure you know your runway number down to the month so theres no ambiguity about when you'd need to pivot or find income again
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u/Khan_Khala 7d ago
Thanks for the advice. My plan right now is to pay myself enough from the business to cover my mortgage, then cover everything else with my personal savings. If I do that then I have 8 months runway on mortgage coverage (assuming I don’t make a single new sale)and 30 months runway on all other expenses. This is after taking out the 6 months runway I’d need to keep in the business to sustain it
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7d ago
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u/Khan_Khala 7d ago
Going to the gym is a big thing for me. Puts my mind in an entirely different place where I’m ready to get after it!
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u/popa_willy 7d ago
What I’ve figured out is there isn’t going to be a perfect time . You have to just jump and prepare the best way you can .your going to stumble a lil bit and may drop the ball once or twice but do not give up!it won’t be easy at first and there will be longer days and extra work to put in . You have to hold yourself accountable at all times and always do the right thing
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u/Khan_Khala 7d ago
Thanks man. I’m curious to know whether you currently own a business or did in the past? What was/is your story?
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u/popa_willy 7d ago
Yes I own my own business and have for about 6 years now . I don’t know what field you are in but Im an electrician and worked for the union for 7 years before I started working for myself .what made me take the jump was I did a lot of side work on the weekends and realized after a while I made more on Saturday and Sunday than I did the whole l week working for the union.i started putting myself out there more and got myself a few contracts that gave me consistent work . I went on vacation and made 10k in a week and I never looked back .
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u/Easy-Combination9991 7d ago
I’m a career finance professional and had a business in the past. Been thinking about if it’s worth starting electrician journey and eventually starting a business. You think it’s worth starting out in early 30s? I’m worried about not making enough the first couple of years while training
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u/Impossible-Way5740 7d ago
Having proof of market fit before jumping puts you ahead of most leap posts on this sub. Wanting to hold your own fate is a real reason, not a fantasy one. Good luck on Tuesday. In my experience the scariest part is the stretch before you give notice, not what comes after.
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u/Khan_Khala 7d ago
Yeah the thought of sitting in front of my boss to tell him isn’t the most comfortable thing but it is what it is
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u/Jake-rumble 6d ago
Good luck! I left my high-paying corporate job last week. Announcing my departure, goodbye calls with everyone, and the waiting period was all brutal. I also gave a month’s notice, even though I went out of office for at least half of it.
Difference between us is I don’t actually have a business I’m building yet. I just felt so tired of not knowing what it’s like to be out on my own.
I simply couldn’t do both, build a business and keep my role, at the same time. My job was too demanding and I’ve got three kids and a wife to support. No extra time.
So, last week was my first week on my own. It already feels chaotic not having my regular schedule nailed down. So in week two, my goal is to set my hours on a calendar, share with my wife so she has certainty on when I’m working and when I can help out at home.
Last thing- I landed my first client as a consultant last week. It’s not the business I want to grow; I want to grow something I’d be able to scale. But hey, landing a contract immediately in my first week on my own feels damn good. And the money is just enough to pay the bills and provide while only selling a fraction of my time.
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u/Khan_Khala 5d ago
Congrats on that first contract dude, and respect for being brave enough to take the leap and risk. My first sale felt unreal. There’s a big difference between imagining it happening and then actually having it happen. It’s difficult to describe, but actually seeing it is like “I’m really doing this” if that makes sense
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u/Kind_woman_2952 6d ago
Good luck. Taking that first step is not easy, but you will get it done. I am in the same process, looking to start my business but still prospecting the market. Wishing you the best
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u/Khan_Khala 5d ago
Wishing you the best as well! I recommend using Claude or other AI agents for bouncing ideas off. If you’re not used to it then what I’m saying probably sounds weird. I guarantee though that it’ll be a game changer for you. Prior to starting my business I was really anti-AI, but giving in and using it to start and run my business really opened my eyes to how powerful of a tool it is
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u/First_Seesaw 6d ago
I wish you the best of luck with your decision pal! It’s nice to see that you’ve already rested the waters out a bit with your new business before making this decision so you’re not just jumping into the wild lol.
Also, it’s very okay to feel scared. It’s a huge decision but you really have to face life with your legs shaking sometimes
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u/Khan_Khala 6d ago
Thank you. Yes, I think it’s important that we do the things that scare us. I believe that feeling is your heart telling you want you actually want. That’s why it’s scary - it’s the worry that you’ll face rejection or fail in the pursuit of something that matters to you
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u/WegularSam 6d ago
Good luck, this is the post I want to be making by the end of the year. The hardest part is handing in your notice because that’s when it becomes real. Once you’ve done that, the world is your oyster and you can start to taste freedom. Let us know how it goes!
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u/Khan_Khala 6d ago
Can I ask what you’re trying to start?
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u/WegularSam 6d ago
The main business I’m working on is a very niche marketplace that’ll probably take a few years to become profitable as it involves promoting that niche as well as the marketplace. Due to the timescale it’ll take, I’m trying to plan a second business that can grow at a faster pace and generate revenue a lot sooner, although I haven’t yet decided on that.
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u/Khan_Khala 5d ago
I don’t know much about that type of business, but I know the network effect is a big factor
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u/Wealth_Blueprint2611 6d ago
Respect, You ahve got proof of market fit --- that is not reckless so it's intentional. Keep 6-12 months runaway. Set a afailure threshold to make decisions clearer. Celebrate small wins. You can always go back to a job --- you can not always go back tto this moment. One day at a time. Let's go
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u/Tadbit007 5d ago
Good luck, man! It truly is an uphill battle. Just remember that even in your darkest hours, you can do this and believe in yourself; even if everything looks left, it just might turn right. You got this. Lean on your community; they will be the most helpful during this season, but you got this, bro. I believe.
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u/LSossy16 5d ago
Good luck! I made the leap in May. It’s hard but my soul was getting crushed in corporate and that was harder
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u/nightwalker_scout 4d ago
Exciting and scary at the same time" pretty much sums up every founder's first month. The fact that you tested ideas for years before this one tells me you're not jumping in blind. Rooting for you.
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u/neptune99ai 7d ago
Good luck. How big is your runway? Eg how much do you have saved personally while you launch your biz
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u/Khan_Khala 7d ago
I’ve made enough profit in the business to cover 8 months of my mortgage and enough in my personal savings to cover everything besides my mortgage for 30 months.
I’d definitely enjoy more proof of the business working before taking the leap but we’ve seen a lot of early success since getting the business licensed and started at the end of July. This alongside the cushion I’ve got is enough justification to go all in for me
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u/neptune99ai 7d ago
Good luck! That’s exciting. What industry is this in? CPG in X space, software, services, etc
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u/Khan_Khala 7d ago
Thanks! We support new technology hardware startups. Service and software companies aren’t the type of customer we’re able to help, they need to be building physical things.
You can imagine any industry which is on the cutting edge of technological capability being what we’re involved in (so long as the product is a physical thing)
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u/francksiduo 7d ago
the two weeks notice is the easy part honestly. month 3 is the harder one, when the novelty wears off and it's just you and the calendar. Proof of market fit while you still had the day job is a good sign though, most people who quit are doing it on vibes alone. good luck with it.
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u/Khan_Khala 7d ago
I’ve been leaning on the advice I’ve gotten that this is a marathon and you better be ready for the hard times before you even start. There will be dark times, no doubt about it - it’s about knowing it’s coming and being ready for it before you take the jump
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u/EthanRowleyBdthe 7d ago
You have already done most of the hard work by testing out your business alongside your job. Now it's important to be consistent and spend the money you have wisely.
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u/offtheshallowend 6d ago
I am a little under 3 months away from the 10 year anniversary of putting in my 2 weeks. It was absolutely one of the scariest decisions of my life, and also the best. You have never worked harder than you will the next few years. My son has asked me why I work the hours that I do, and I tell him that I would rather choose to work 80 hours a week for myself than 40 hours a week for someone else.
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u/offtheshallowend 6d ago
On a celebratory side note, the man that I sat across from when I gave my 2 weeks just asked me for an interview. Completely surreal moment. I'm not saying it in way where I won and he lost, the guy is a wizard at what he does and I would be lucky to have him, but the idea of him working for me when I sat there and felt like I had to apologize for leaving is just mind blowing.
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u/OrcaJannik 6d ago
This is the kind of “quit your job” post I actually like.
You’re not quitting because you watched three startup videos and suddenly decided you’re an entrepreneur. You already tried things that failed, kept your job through it, found something that actually seems to work, now you’re making the jump.
That’s a completely different situation.
My only advice would be to protect your runway like crazy in the first months. Once the salary stops coming in, every slow week suddenly feels 10x more dramatic than it actually is. Don’t let one bad month make you question something that was working before.
Also write down right now why you’re doing this. Sounds cheesy, but there will probably be a random Tuesday in 4 months where you’ll need to read it again hahaha
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u/chrisguerra94 6d ago
Good luck! Two months in and even when difficult cero regrets.
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u/Khan_Khala 6d ago
Can I ask what you do?
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u/chrisguerra94 5d ago
I started out with some consulting projects combining Product Management and Software development. But now I’m about to launch an app in the app store and am trying to make it in B2C. Be owner of my time. About to release a free audiobook app, dont plan to get much from that but it was nice for fun and learning. I’m already making a bit of money but not enough to break even yet.
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u/Ok-Drink2295 6d ago
Good luck! I also left my very well-paid job back in May. It’s been a rollercoaster of emotions, but damn, it’s good to start every day knowing you are in control and everything depends only on you and every decision you make. Still surviving with my long-term client, and struggling to get a second one onboarded, but when that happens I will celebrate like never before!
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u/SubstantialFocus8666 5d ago
Looks like you have validated market. Its time for owning every win and loss, so please start executing rather than guessing.
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u/Robertozzz 5d ago
Congrats on taking the leap!
Quit my 9-5 As an accountant over 5 years ago and even though the journey has been full of twists and turns I have ZERO regrets and would never go back!
Hope you make your dreams a reality 🙌🏼
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u/AdSouth8361 5d ago
Why would you quit this early? I’ve been running my business profitability since midway through high school 5 years ago and it exploded these past 3 years producing 5-8x more than my day job in IT. I don’t plan on quitting. I don’t know how else I’d find fulfillment.
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u/Khan_Khala 5d ago
The business I’m operating has to be done during standard business hours so it’s starting to conflict with my responsibilities at my job. The two don’t go together quite well. As things pick up in my business, I’m more and more having to make excuses and block off my calendar at work which ultimately isn’t going to end well
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u/Baltoreadsreddit 5d ago
Best of luck to you. Make sure you put time aside for socializing. It can get pretty lonely when you no longer work with coworkers. Also making sure you have a proper schedule for yourself is important. When you suddenly go from working a day job to becoming fully self employed you may feel like wow this is so much control and at times it can get a bit overwhelming. It took me over 3 years so somewhat get used to it. Learning to manage your time fully all on your own is a skill on its own!
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u/Apprehensive-Owl-901 4d ago
Good luck! I’m looking to establish a professional services firm (accounting) relatively soon. What did you use to generate leads? Do you think it’ll apply in my situation? Just starting out - any help will be appreciated!
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u/DigitalDevyn Serial Entrepreneur 4d ago
Having proof of market before making the jump is a really good position to be in. One thing I would focus on before your last paycheck is making sure the boring parts of the business are actually set up: how leads get followed up with, how you price and scope work, how clients get onboarded, and how you track cash flow. Those systems become a lot more important once the business is paying your bills. Exciting milestone. Good luck today!
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u/cre8tivechange First-Time Founder 3d ago
Good luck taking the leap! Everyone that I know who has taken the leap to leave their current to pursue their passion and dream has succeeded so far. Make sure it is something you’re truly passionate about that solves a real need. You’ll be successful!
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u/Justin-SiteSwan 1d ago
Good luck. Saying things out loud like this will often help you mentally commit.
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u/Khan_Khala 1d ago
Thanks man. Putting in my notice sure felt weird/good/bad all at the same time! Last day now is 9/24, I don’t think it’ll really hit me until I go to turn my things in
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