Kendra Nix

Why business is not a side hustle

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Your Business Isn’t a Side Hustle (And That’s Okay)

Let’s get real about something nobody wants to say out loud: calling your business a “side hustle” is doing you dirty.

I see you—building something real while working full-time, raising kids, and trying not to completely lose yourself in the process. You’re not “hustling on the side.” You’re running an actual business, and it’s time we talked about what that really means.

Fair warning: I’m about to tell you things the hustle-culture crowd doesn’t want you to hear.

Hustle Culture Is Literally Killing You 💀

Can we talk about how toxic this “rise and grind” mentality has become? The 5am club, the “sleep when you’re dead” crowd, the people telling you that if you’re not exhausted, you’re not working hard enough?

That’s garbage, and it needs to stop.

Hustle culture wants you to believe that:

Here’s the truth: Burnout isn’t a badge of honor. It’s a warning sign.

You can’t pour from an empty cup. You can’t serve your clients well when you’re running on fumes. And you definitely can’t build a sustainable business when you’re one breakdown away from quitting everything.

Don’t Quit Your Day Job (Seriously) 👔

I know, I know—everyone on Instagram is telling you to “take the leap” and “bet on yourself.” But can I be honest with you?

Keep. Your. Day. Job.

At least until you understand what running a real business actually costs. And I’m not talking about the romanticized version you see on social media. I’m talking about the real, unsexy expenses that nobody warns you about.

The Real Cost Breakdown Nobody Talks About

Let me show you what it actually costs to run a legitimate consulting firm with 3 employees plus you as CEO, with an office:

Monthly Fixed Costs:

Employee Costs (3 employees at modest salaries):

Operating Costs:

CEO Salary (That’s You):

MONTHLY TOTAL: $25,000-$42,000

That means you need to bring in $300,000-$500,000+ in annual revenue just to keep the lights on and pay everyone (including yourself) modestly.

See why I said keep your day job? This isn’t “side hustle” money. This is build-it-right-or-don’t-build-it-at-all money.

How to Actually Run It on the Side (Without Dying)

If you’re keeping your day job (smart move), here’s how to run your business without sacrificing your sanity:

Time Management That Actually Works

Stop trying to do everything. You have maybe 10-15 hours a week for your business. Act like it.

Pick your power hours: When are you sharpest? That’s when you do client work and strategic thinking. Everything else gets the leftovers.

Batch everything: One day for admin, one evening for content, one morning for client calls. Stop switching contexts every hour—it’s killing your productivity.

Use systems, not willpower: Automate what you can. Template what you can’t. If you’re recreating the wheel every time, you’re doing it wrong.

Schedule white space: Build in buffer time. Not every hour needs a task. You need breathing room to think, pivot, and not lose your mind.

The Real Strategy

Start small, stay lean: You don’t need an office right away. You don’t need employees yet. You need clients and cash flow.

Reinvest strategically: That first $10K in profit? Don’t go hiring help yet. Build your runway. Create systems. Pay yourself.

Test before you scale: Before you quit your job, run your business for a full year. See what it actually costs. Make sure the demand is real.

Know your numbers: How much do you need to replace your salary? Add 30% for taxes and benefits. That’s your minimum viable revenue before you even think about quitting.

Stop Focusing on the Money (Wait, What?) 💰

I know this sounds contradictory after that cost breakdown, but hear me out:

If you’re only in it for the money, you’ll quit when it gets hard. And it will get hard.

Your “why” is what keeps you going when:

Ask yourself:

The clients who pay well and stay long-term? They’re not buying your services. They’re buying into your mission. They feel your passion for solving their problem.

Money follows purpose. Not the other way around.

It’s Okay to Stop 🛑

Here’s permission you probably didn’t know you needed:

You can stop. You can walk away. You can decide this isn’t for you.

Not every business needs to make it. Not every idea needs to become your full-time thing. Not every season is the right season to build.

Maybe you tried it and realized you actually love your day job. Maybe the market isn’t there. Maybe life got complicated. Maybe you just don’t want it anymore.

That’s not failure. That’s wisdom.

Knowing when to stop is just as important as knowing when to start. Don’t keep pushing something that’s making you miserable just because you already invested time in it. Sunk cost fallacy is real, and it’s not your friend.

It’s Okay to Pivot 🔄

And if stopping feels too final, here’s another option: pivot.

That consulting firm? Maybe it becomes online courses instead.

That service business? Maybe it shifts to a different target market.

That product? Maybe you find a better distribution channel.

Pivoting isn’t quitting—it’s adapting.

Some of the best businesses out there today look nothing like what they started as. Instagram started as a location check-in app. Twitter was supposed to be a podcasting platform. Nintendo started making playing cards.

If your current approach isn’t working, you don’t have to abandon the whole dream. You might just need to adjust the path.

The Real Talk You Need to Hear

Building a business while working full-time isn’t glamorous. It’s not Instagram-worthy most days. It’s:

But here’s what it also is:

Your Action Plan (The Honest Version)

If you’re just starting:

  1. Keep your day job. I’m not kidding.
  2. Start with one offer, one target client, one clear problem you solve.
  3. Run it for 6-12 months before making any big decisions.
  4. Track every expense and every hour you spend.
  5. Build systems from day one—you’ll thank yourself later.

If you’re already running it:

  1. Get real about your numbers. What does this actually cost?
  2. Stop comparing your chapter 3 to someone else’s chapter 20.
  3. Build in rest. Burnout will cost you more than taking a day off.
  4. Focus on serving your clients, not just making money.
  5. Give yourself permission to adjust the plan.

If you’re thinking about quitting:

  1. Don’t quit on a bad day (or even a bad week).
  2. Look at the full year—what’s the trend?
  3. Is it the business that’s wrong, or just the current approach?
  4. What would it take to make it work?
  5. If the answer is “more than I’m willing to give,” that’s okay.

The Bottom Line

Your business isn’t a side hustle—it’s a real business that deserves to be treated like one. That means:

You don’t have to choose between being successful and being sane. You don’t have to sacrifice your health, your family, or your peace to build something meaningful.

Build it slow. Build it right. Build it sustainable.

And remember: the goal isn’t just to have a business. It’s to have a business (and a life) you actually enjoy living.

Running a business while working full-time is one of the hardest things you’ll ever do. But it’s also one of the most rewarding—when you do it on your terms, with your eyes wide open about what it really takes. You’ve got this, one strategic, non-hustle-culture step at a time.

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